We all want to have a great-looking garden for our homes. It should look great, feel great, and even smell great. Having a garden isn't the same as having house plants, though. You can water house plants in a sunny spot, and they are easy to care for. Making a garden, however, is an art form. You need the colors to work together to create a pleasing visual.
You also need to understand soil conditions and what plants will survive and which ones won't. You also need to have balance. You can have flowers, but you also need shrubs and trees so that there's something all year round. Shade and water are important as well, as flowers can be less hardy than the grass of your lawn. You need to know which plants need what, and you need to place them accordingly. With that said, here is a list of 7 must-have plants for a beautiful garden.
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Hydrangeas are a popular flower that is affordable and grows easily. They are stunning in bloom, with a pinkish-purple color. They are parietal to getting sun in the morning but do better when they are shaded from the hotter sun in the afternoons and evenings. Hydrangeas spread well, so make sure to plant them with room in between each plant so they can spread comfortably. They are a good option for planting near the house to hide blemishes or cracks.
Roses are a classic flower, most associated with love and romance. You can get that feel by planting some in your garden. Along with romance, they add a touch of class to your backyard. Many people worry about thorns, but while you wouldn't want them overpowering a narrow walkway, they are not as thorny as you've believed. They are now bred to last longer than they used to, and they are now very resistant to disease. A rose shrub requires little to no care and is a great choice for beginner gardeners.
The spots under your trees are an opportunity for many. Homeowners just leave them empty, and while having grass underneath is fine, it's not visually appealing. It's even worse if there's only sand or soil. Hostas are a great option for growing under your trees. They like shade and won't interfere with the roots of your trees. You can also plant them around shrubs. While they aren't bold or flashy, their leaves do come in blue, yellow, and traditional green. Depending on the size of your trees, you can get them in a variety of sizes.
Evergreens aren't just for the holidays or winter landscapes. While they do provide a welcome and pleasing showing of green during the winter. They can thrive and improve your garden in the summer as well. There are an endless variety of types to choose from, with each one having their own requirements for growing. That said, almost all evergreens can grow in just about anywhere. You should know how big the seeds you're getting are. They come in big and mini sizes, so you don't want to make a mistake. With an evergreen, it would be a good idea to go to a plant and tree nursery where you can see how big they are and will be for yourself. If you have limited space, the miniature ones are definitely a good choice.
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What's the point of a garden if it doesn't inspire cheer in the person looking at it. Daylilies are the perfect flower for this, as they come in bold and pleasing shades of yellow. They are very resilient when it comes to most plant hazards, such as pests, disease, and heat. They love the sun, blooming early, and stick around for many weeks. As they fade at the end of the season, you can divide the plants and create extra daylilies if you'd like more.
The orange blossom is a shrub and is a great option for gardeners who don't have a lot of experience. It gives off a nice aroma and provides a stunning background to your garden. They flower in the middle of spring from April to May, settle down, and then bloom again in September to October. You can have two blooming seasons for the price of one. These shrubs are unique because you don't have to prune them or provide much maintenance at all. They thrive in sunny spots where there's good drainage.
Your garden and yard should have a focal point, and planting a small ornamental tree is a good place to start. It provides a sense of class and character and gives some structure to your yard. There are many to choose from, including Japanese maples. The leaves for the Japanese maple are delicate, so you'll have to be careful, but they have stunning bark and long arched limbs. They have purple-pink flowers in the spring that provide a stunning backdrop. You can also go with smoke trees with red leaves that turn orange in the fall. Both options provide you with a pop of visual appeal and draw the eyes.
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Remember, the garden is a work of art, but you don't have to be able to plant a masterpiece. The great thing about flowers and plants is that if you treat them right, they will give you stunning looks and appealing aromas. The key is knowing how to plant each flower and in which conditions they thrive. Once you know that, it's only a matter of playing with color and feel and using your own creativity. It takes patience, but with a little trial and error, in a few seasons, you will be a pro.
