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How To Choose What Type of Plants Should Be On Your Yard

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Jen Hensey
How To Choose What Type of Plants Should Be On Your Yard

There’s a long list of plants available for you to choose from so the only question is, “How do you choose which plant should be in your yard?”

Plants are without a doubt the cornerstone of our outdoor climate. The variety of plant species and the multitude of cultivars, hybrids, and varieties allow for innovative and enticing landscape compositions. There are various reasons to select plants for the landscape, especially after a successful sodding installation.

We may be drawn to their ornamental appeal or call upon them to fulfill a particular role or intent in the landscape, such as offering a shield, blocking unwelcome views, or stabilizing a land bank, especially after the resodding lawn. You may choose others because of their ability to adapt to poor soils or merely because of the ease of follow-up treatment. 

Generally, when you ask horticulturists about plants, answering is not as comfortable as blurring a few names. Plant selection is an organized process that explores various factors: functionality, aesthetics, site adaptability, and management. The preference given to each group varies with the person. The right to select from a wide range of plants depends on the latitude or limitations imposed by the user, the site, or, in certain situations, the local availability of plants. Viewing plant selection as a process can first appear cumbersome, but with time the process may make it easier to make decisions and make more choices than first thought.

Functions

Function refers to the purpose of the plant in the landscape. The tree canopy shelter, the fence's screened shield, or the ground cover's erosion control—discuss the planting's fundamental goals. Know that plants have three primary roles in our landscapes: architectural, infrastructure, and environmental. Individually or in concert, plants are the cornerstone of the landscape and reinforce our outdoor space's planned use, whether active or passive. We may equate the creation of our landscape with the development of rooms in our homes – each area is built for its intended use appropriately.

Aesthetics

Aesthetics or curbing the appeal appears to be the most impressive feature of the landscape. When sodding a yard, a plant's aesthetic quality also judges the performance or loss of a landscape. Esthetics begins with the type of plant and the scale of the specified planting area. Both plants are going to take up land, some more than others. To maintain the planting's integrity, we must prepare ahead and specify the amount of space we wish or allow the plant to cover. The size of the room available determines the kind of plant we want. Each form of plant sparks a picture, some large, some small. "Shaded tree" means a large canopy; "evergreen tree" typically signifies thick foliage and a conical shape; an ornamental/flowering tree may be a thin, fragile Japanese maple thread or a wide-spread crabapple. The shrubs give a range of sizes, from dwarf barberries to huge viburnums. Ornamental grasses and perennials have seasonal changes in color and texture as well as in scale. "Ground cover" is a carpet-like growth pattern.

Adaptability

Site adaptability is the relationship between the plant needs and the land's environmental and soil conditions, and the specified planting area after the resodding lawn. In the end, it decides whether the plant will meet standards. If the plant cannot develop and resume vigorous growth after planting, it is unlikely to display the aesthetic qualities that contributed to its selection. "Don't fight the site" – either allow the site conditions to guide selection or be prepared to change the site (soils, irrigation, microclimate) to accommodate plant introductions.

Landscape conservation activities add to its general appeal despite the cost of sod. The landscape's visual consistency will be limited if the horticulture technique does not follow the plant's needs. We need to be pragmatic about the amount of upkeep we can handle and change our plant selection accordingly. There is no maintenance-free landscape, but low-maintenance ecosystems are likely.

Other factors of plant selection come under the ranges previously discussed. Depending on where you start your new garden, the limiting factors can come into play. Are you living in an area overrun with deer pests? Can your new garden be vulnerable to drought conditions? Are you going to start a park in the form of salt-laden soil typical of seaside communities?

Often, you're fortunate enough to get a two-for-one discount on those niche plants. E.g., the ear of the lamb is both deer-resistant and dry-resistant.

Plant choices for areas next to the house should be as deliberately as for trees. After sodding a yard, certain shrubs are excellent foundation planting options because they remain compact, reducing upkeep. Other factors of plant selection come under the ranges previously discussed. Depending on where you start your new garden, the limiting factors can come into play.

Despite the cost of sod, the options are limitless when it comes to constructing a flower garden. Create a list of your favorite varieties—you will steadily introduce plants to your outdoor area over time. It's a great way to find inspiration to stroll around your neighborhood. You might also meet a gardener who'll be willing to send you extra perennials.

Louie is the father behind the travel blog Browseeverywhere.com. He has a background in photography, E-commerce, and writing product reviews online at ConsumerReviews24. Traveling full time with his family was his ultimate past-time. If he’s not typing on his laptop, you can probably find him watching movies.

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