FOOLPROOF: The Best Basic Plants for an EASY Garden

We all want to make a good first impression. That’s what a garden does for your home – it’s the welcome hello to all who come by. A great garden doesn’t have to be difficult! Some of the best plants you can choose for your landscape are the ones that require the least care and attention. Here are our favourite garden basics (that also happen to be nearly foolproof) and how to use them.

Perennials

So, what’s the deal with perennials? You only plant them once. These are garden plants that emerge in the spring, bloom for a set part of the season, and then go dormant for the winter. Most perennials disappear from the landscape completely for the winter months, but quietly grow and become more robust with each new spring. This means that, when you plant a perennial, you’re creating a piece of your garden that will persist and improve over time. By planting a mix of perennials that bloom in varying parts of the growing season, the garden can offer something different and beautiful from spring until frost every year, without continual investment and effort on your part.

Daylilies

Perennial Salvia

Sedum

Hosta

Coneflower

Ornamental Grasses

Flowering Shrubs

Like perennials, flowering shrubs are part of your garden that will continually stay, grow, and bloom. The added bonus is that the woody structure of shrubs adds shape and height to your landscape all year round, with some even offering unique form or ornamental interest in the winter. Plant flowering shrubs in simple groupings, rows, or repeated through a garden space, with larger plants toward the backs of beds. Always remember to read the plant tags when selecting shrubs, to keep in mind what the mature size of the shrub will be when choosing where to plant.

Spirea

Weigela

Dwarf Lilac

Hydrangeas

Evergreens

Evergreens are the under-appreciated workhorses of the garden! They’re useful, dependable, and fulfill an important role in a landscape. Plant evergreens to create a year-round focal point or accent, or to fill spaces with a permanent backdrop of textured green. Evergreens also give birds and pollinators protection, shade, and habitat throughout the entire year.

Junipers

Yew

Are you new to gardening? For tips on planting, see How to Plant Anything here.