Landscape Fix

Low Growing Perennial Border Plants

Sometimes you need a small border plant to finish off your garden bed, or maybe you need to define the border of a walkway or your yard. Whatever the reason, the low-growing border plants we’ll feature here are ideal for creating a border anywhere on your property.

In this article, we look at our top picks for low-growing perennial border plants. They add color, texture, and interest to the garden borders. Moreover, they stay lovely for long periods since they grow back yearly. The selections below will delight you whether you are looking for blooms or interesting leaves.

Pussytoes (Antennaria plantaginifolia)

Pussytoes blossoms are not very noticeable, yet birds and butterflies adore and love them. The blooms are small, fluffy, white, and overall one-of-a-kind, like cotton balls, which look attractive as ground cover. And its leaves grow to be half a foot to a foot high and are the major attraction of this mat-like perennial for your border.

Pussytoes are an excellent choice for a low-maintenance and visually appealing, short, ornamental border plant. Pussytoes can withstand drought and poor soil and are seldom affected by pests or diseases.

Eastern Pasque Flower (Pulsatilla patens)

Pasque Flower or Prairie crocus, a lovely early blooming plant, lights up the spring garden with its conspicuous blue to purple or white blooms. Butterflies and bees look forward to the emergence of this bloom because it provides an abundant food supply, which is much desired after the winter chill.

Every flower of the Eastern Pasque Flower plant forms individually above a tiny green stalk, yet they burst in bunches to form a vibrantly colored show. Zones 4-7 are suitable for this perennial border plant.

Dusty Miller (Jacobaea maritima)

Dusty Miller (also known as Silver Ragwort) leaves are grey or silver, almost white, with a felted texture, making it another plant valued for its distinctive, ornamental foliage. The foliage is delicate and looks intricate and lacy. And usually, people remove the little cream or yellow blooms that appear on the plants since they don’t have aesthetic appeal and distract from the eye-catching leaf spectacle.

Dusty Miller plants do wonders for the scenery by dialing back dramatic or vibrant colors and patterns. They make an excellent ground cover surrounding the flashier plants in the border. That’s not to say it won’t become hidden in the shady regions of your landscape, though. Dusty Miller plants can stand on their own due to their unique display, and they can also serve as the ideal accent for deeper or more colorful blooms.

Dusty miller, which is a Mediterranean native, is tolerant of dry and hot conditions, and so it thrives in full sun in USDA Zones 8-11.

Rose Vervain (Glandularia canadensis)

Rose Vervain, Rose Mock Vervain, or Verbena, is a small (5-10 inches tall), spreading perennial with beautiful blue or purple blooms. Rose Vervain produces thick mats of vividly colored blooms that look like they’re floating above the leaves. Rose vervain is very beautiful when planted in big groups on a border. It thrives in pots, too!

This natural plant gives a stunning colorful sight whenever it’s in bloom, drawing hordes of bees and butterflies. The leaves are hairy, deep green, and toothed, providing the perfect backdrop for the vibrant blooms.

Woolly Yarrow (Achillea tomentosa)

Woolly Yarrow does not grow as tall as other yarrows. Woolly Yarrow is a semi-evergreen perennial plant that grows in thick bunches—it has woolly leaves and an appearance reminiscent of a fern. Its bright yellow flowers blossom in large groups from spring until summer, making this plant highly ornamental and great for the border. Woolly Yarrow is drought-resistant and simple to establish and keep healthy.

Blanket Flower (Gaillardia)

Gaillardia, popularly called blanket flower, is a perennial with daisy-like blossoms that are simple to raise and look attractive as a border plant. Its flowers have bright red petals with yellow tips, a color combination that makes masses of the plant delightful to see whenever you pass by your garden borders.

The Blanket Flower plant develops into a gradually expanding blanket, and the popular name may reflect its ability to spread gradually and fill a space. The plants reach a height of approximately 2 feet and a spread of around 20 inches.

Dwarf Goldenrod (Solidago)

Goldenrod will give your border a golden glow with its lush, golden-yellow flowers from the end of summer to autumn. This dwarf herbaceous perennial has one to two-foot tall stalks, so it is now too low. They require full sun, moderate soil, and good drainage and will be ideal for your edge or border if you like butterflies.

Stonecrop (Sedum sp.)

Stonecrop works well as a border plant. There are several sedum varieties, but they all have lush, fleshy foliage and little five-petaled rosette blooms. Stonecrops are short perennials that develop a blanket of green or blue-green foliage and explode with blossoms in their flowering season.

A feature that favors Stonecrop’s capacity to thrive when other plants perish is its capability to conserve valuable water storage. If you live somewhere with hot, dry weather, Stonecrop will do fine on your border!

Perennial Pinks (Dianthus sp.)

Perennial Pinks, also called Dianthus, are low-growing landscaping treasures that won’t give you a hard time with their maintenance. Dianthus varieties and cultivars come in a variety of colors, including white, red, purple, orange, and, obviously, many variations of pink.

With so many varieties to select from, it’s simple to cover all your borders and even rock garden with just Perennial Pinks and be completely satisfied! Besides, pink is one of the most popular colors used in borders because it combines well with other colors in the landscape.

Pigsqueak (Bergenia purpurascens)

Pigsqueaks are some of the small, vibrant pink or magenta perennials available for your garden border. Whether or not it’s blooming, this plant makes a beautiful statement with its huge, lustrous, deep green leaves. And with its fall blooms, you’ll always have a lively border.

Pigsqueaks love shaded regions and soils with a broad pH range and excellent water retention. These ornamental border plants thrive in USDA Zones 4 through 9.

Dwarf Lobelia (Lobelia erinus)

The Dwarf Lobelia is a wonderful option for your yard border if you want low-growing perennials with several small blooms. The plant is particularly admired for its exquisite leaves and multitudes of blooms in strikingly bright blues, brilliant violets, and white. The plant attains a height of 4-6 inches and enjoys partial shade. It prefers somewhat acidic, humid, and well-draining soil and is hardy in USDA Zones 2–10.

Primrose (Primula)

Primroses or primulas are stunning, low-growing perennial plants perfect for your border plantation. They appear in pink, yellow, orange, and various colors, with the majority of them blossoming in the springtime and others flowering far later. Primulas are multipurpose plants that you can grow in borders or pots and would work well in formal and relaxed planting designs. Usually, primroses thrive in part shade with damp soil.

Japanese Aster (Kalimeris incisa)

With its dense growth and 1 to 1.5-foot height, a border of Japanese Aster (also known as Blue Star Kalimeris) looks like little daisies because, on separate stalks, enormous clusters of white blooms with golden cores sprout from the plant’s long, slender leaves.

Plant Japanese asters in direct sunlight since they will not blossom well in shady areas. Japanese asters tolerate drought well enough and need minimal irrigation. USDA Zones 5–9 are ideal, and a plant can achieve maturity in 2-5 years.

Foamflower (Tiarella sp.)

Foamflowers thrive in gloomy areas, which makes them ideal for planting near larger border plants. These low-growing perennials have unique and lovely, frothy, starry blooms; however, the leaves are what stand out—they can resemble hearts, oak leaves, or stars, and they are green with rich red or black patterns.

Typically, foamflower plants do not reach heights taller than 12 inches; however, several varieties exist, each with a unique leaf variegation and form. Nevertheless, its magnificent leaves persist in their lively color all year, occasionally becoming a darker tint in the wintertime.

Largeleaf Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla)

With its heart-shaped foliage and small bright blue flowers that lie atop thin stalks throughout the spring, the Largeleaf Brunnera, or Siberian bugloss, is a charmer. This hardy, low-maintenance plant has often been quite a beloved shade plant.

Largeleaf Brunneras will take a little while to cover your landscape border section. However, once it develops, it will offer a dense ground cover. The more unusual variegated types develop slowly but add beauty throughout the season.

This plant can grow up to 12–18 inches tall and is suitable for USDA hardiness zones 3-8.

Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)

Bearberry (or indigenous kinnickinnick), in addition to being an excellent ground cover, often looks great as a border plant, with its delicate white or pink blooms hanging from the stalks like small lamps in the springtime. Furthermore, small, edible berries appear after the flowers do, offering a vital food supply for wildlife (especially bears, hence the name!). And in the wintertime, the leaves become a beautiful dark coppery color, adding year-round beauty to the environment.

Consider planting Bearberry in an area where many other flowers fail to flourish because of low-quality soil or too much shadow. This low-growing shrub grows where other plants cannot, and Bearberry is a little shrub that stands out due to its stunning dark green shiny foliage and reddish stems.

Blue-Eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium)

Blue-Eyed grass, even though it is called that, isn’t grass. It is a beautiful perennial with starry, blue-violet blooms. Nonetheless, when not in flower, its thin, skyward leaf blades give it the appearance of grass.

This border plant will reach between 8 and 20 inches in height and flourishes in well-drained soil and direct sunshine. One tip to reduce soil water loss is to protect the soil surrounding plants with a couple of inches of mulch. USDA Zones 4–9 are suitable for growing Blue-Eyed Grass.

Creeping Phlox (Phlox subulata)

Creeping phlox is a prolific flowering plant ideal for the landscape border because of its pretty candy-colored blooms. Creeping phlox is a low-growing, evergreen perennial that thrives even in harsh conditions. It’s ideal for adding a burst of color to a garden border or edge.

Be cautious while selecting plants since creeping phlox may grow up to four feet tall, which is well beyond what you’d expect from a little plant. When the blooms fade, you’re left with sharp-looking green leaves that make an attractive background for other plants along your border.

REFERENCES

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/antennaria-plantaginifolia/

https://florida.plantatlas.usf.edu/Plant.aspx?id=873

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/achillea-tomentosa/

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/kalimeris-incisa/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK556475/

Evergreen Border Plants for Year-Round Beauty

Border plants are often used to delineate a specific feature or section of the yard. Sometimes, plants as hedges and borders may be primarily ornamental, and at other times they have a specific functional and structural purpose.

Border plants act as living plant walls or hedges, and incorporating them into your landscape is an excellent method for establishing shape and organization.

They offer a natural alternative to physical walls, which lets you create garden designs that open out toward other outdoor gardens and landscapes in your area.

Evergreen border plants have also long been used as a wind and weather break, just as a physical wall might be. Evergreen border plants are perfect for wind and snow breaks due to their year-round greenery.

It is important to realize that most evergreen trees love the sun, so if they are planted in a line that runs North and South, the plants on the North end of the line will tend to get less sun, so they will tend to be thinner and may start to lose lower branches.

How should you choose evergreen border plants? Continue reading to learn and explore various evergreen border plants that will make an excellent addition to your landscape.

Classic Evergreen Border Plants

The plants below are the most traditional and mostly entirely evergreen plants in all climates.

Boxwood (Buxus)

This article about border plants won’t be complete without the classic boxwood hedge. Boxwoods are used to create the ideal border hedges, and for the perfect reason: boxwoods in residential landscaping produce lovely defining lines. They delineate any space and give it a more sophisticated appearance.

Boxwoods are simple to raise and thrive in sunny or shaded areas. They can also withstand high temperatures, drought, and pollutants and are resistant to deer. Boxwoods are flexible, adaptable, and low-maintenance plants. Boxwoods are indeed excellent landscape plants for a border or hedge due to their finely textured leaves.

Furthermore, these classy evergreen border shrubs can be shaped to your preference. They can be arranged in a curving manner or angled a certain way, depending on your taste and scenery. The best bushes for this landscaping activity withstand trimming well enough and grow slowly, rendering them simpler to care for.

Boxwood has long been used in the formal gardens of Europe due to its longevity and how well they take to shearing.

Juniper (Juniperus)

Junipers are known for their berries and their prickly foliage.

These plants come in the upright variety and can get quite tall, or they can be creeping along the ground and only inches tall, so depending on what type of border you are trying to create, you will want to choose your plants accordingly.

Juniper will grow in many climates and is quite possibly the most widely distributed tree in the world.

The Juniper is popular in areas with a high deer population since the deer typically shy away from the prickly foliage.

This plant has also been used as a border plant for its ability to discourage humans from crossing due to its prickly foliage. Some people will develop a rash from getting pricked by the foliage of the Juniper.

Juniper berries have long been used in the production of gin.

The Juniper can range in color from grey-blue to dark green and everything in between.

Hemlock (Tsuga)

The Hemlock is a well-known evergreen tree with an elegantly branching shape and delicate texture. For a nice privacy screen, the Hemlock is a good choice.

The Hemlock can be sheared to a hedge shape but does not take to it as nicely as the boxwood, cedar, or Yew.

The Hemlock is an upright and large tree that grows in most of North America. This is one of the few evergreen plants that can do well in partial shade.

Spruce (Picea)

The spruce tree is a tall and wide tree that comes in a wide variety of sizes and colors, but it is mainly thought of as the classic Christmas tree shape.

These evergreen plants do well in most of North America.

Their needles are sharp and prickly, so they make a great deterrent to animals passing through your evergreen border. Deer will almost always avoid spruce as the needles are not very palatable.

Pine (Pinus)

The pine is typically a more lightly branched plant than the spruce, but it can still make for a nice border plant depending on your situation.

The needles of the pine are typically less stiff and sharp than the spruce, and the White Pine is well known for its soft flowing needles and flexible smooth branches.

Once again, the pine is a very large tree and should only be considered in a large border setting.

The pine branches and cones are widely used as Christmas decorations, and lumber from the pine is widely used as a construction material in buildings of all sizes.

Yew (Taxus)

The Yew is another evergreen that does reasonably well in lower-light situations, so if you are looking for an evergreen border plant to use in a partially shaded area, the Yew might be a great choice.

The needles are typically somewhat flat and soft. The Yew is not prickly like the Juniper or spruce, although the needles look fairly similar.

Hungry deer often eat yews, so when planted in a location with a large deer population, the Yew can take significant damage over the winter months when the deer’s other food is hard to find.

Yews are typically smaller trees and shrubs and have long been used as foundation and border plants that are often sheared to shape. Yews take well to shearing, are hardy plants, and survive well in most of the world.

Cedar (Cedrus)

The cedar is, again, a large tree.

One big difference between the cedar and most evergreens is the deer love to nibble on cedar tree foliage. If you have many deer in your area, staying away from cedar would be a good idea unless you like to feed the deer.

Be aware that many people refer to arbor vitae as cedar trees. While they are very similar in appearance, the Arborvitae is actually a type of cypress.

Due to the very similar look, Arborvitae and cedar are almost used interchangeably.

Semi-Evergreen Plants

The following plants are considered evergreen in some climates but will not be evergreen in the coldest of climates.

Evergreen Hydrangea (Dichroa febrifuga, syn D. versicolour)

Hydrangeas are lovely plants with large, lush green leaves and bunches of colorful, long-lasting flowers. Evergreen hydrangea grows around 6 feet tall in highland China, Nepal, and Vietnam; with broad serrated leaves and gorgeous blue or purple, pH-dependent blooms arranged in enormous spherical groupings, you’ll think it’s a spectacular showy border plant.

We recommend trimming and fertilizing the evergreen hydrangea frequently to keep it healthy after the evergreen hydrangea blooms.

Some consider the climbing hydrangea to be an evergreen plant that grows readily in most of North America.

Tricolor Sage (Salvia officinalis ‘Tricolor’)

Tricolor sage is a herbaceous plant at the cooler extreme of its hardiness spectrum. However, its leaves are evergreen in the warmest sections of its distribution. This evergreen perennial has a distinct, strong taste and fragrance produced by its pale, cool green foliage.

Tricolor Sage looks fantastic in perennial borders because of its softly colored leaves and an abundance of stunning purple-blue flower spikes. It naturally occurs in groups of plants around a foot to 1.5 feet tall and broad, and it’s very easy to cultivate. It prefers direct sunlight in ordinary, dry to damp, well-drained soils, although it considers shade acceptable too.

Snowbank False Aster (Boltonia asteroides ‘Snowbank’)

Near the end of summer to the start of fall, Snowbank False Aster produces a blanket of finely textured, dainty, starry white flowers resembling daisies. A single plant provides a spectacular display, and a line of them might be utilized as a blooming hedge. This tall, typically erect perennial plant is ideal for grassy settings and the rear of a sunlit border.

A tip to preserve Snowbank False Aster’s short height: you can prune it back to a third of its original size early in the growing season. To decrease its propagation, discard wasted flowers from this plant. This plant enjoys direct sunlight, withstands humidity, heat, and drought, and thrives in clayey soil and damp environments.

Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia)

Lobularia, often known as Sweet Alyssum, takes its name from its beautifully scented blossoms. The plant has been shown to thrive in a variety of situations, particularly high temperatures and severe drought.

While many species of plants will stop flowering in the blazing summer heat, some, such as the Snow Princess, have been intentionally designed to bloom continually, irrespective of the weather.

Lobularia loves soil that is fairly damp and entirely well-drained. If you reside in a temperate climate, try growing it in a location that receives full sunshine. It’s known to lure in beneficial insects.

California Lilacs (Ceanothus x pallidus)

If you’re looking for a pleasant-smelling, pollinator-attracting border for your yard, you should consider California Lilac bushes. Linearly plant multiple California Lilac shrubs to form a border. These flowering plants flawlessly fit in any size of garden or yard, and you’d want to have them bordering your residence.

California Lilacs are evergreen hedging plants that look stunning when they’re flowering. Lush California Lilac blossoms come in a variety of brilliant colors, including blue, white, and purple. To stay healthy, they need full sunlight and like well-draining soil.

California Lilacs look especially striking, blanketed with beautiful blue flowers. When the plant does this, it adds so much color to your garden’s borders while functioning as a wonderful privacy barrier.

Azalea’ Hot Shot Girard’ (Azalea x ‘Girard’s Hot Shot’)

Hot Shot Girard Azalea is a tough, attractive shrub with showy blooms and tiny, shiny leaves that turn a deep yellow-green shade in the winter. This lovely azalea is an excellent size for bush borders, short hedges, or foundation planting. It is an evergreen with vibrant, deep fiery red-orange blooms spotted with dark red, and it usually grows in a spherical compact form factor to 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet broad throughout time.

Plantain Lilies (Hosta)

The Hosta plant may be your smartest choice if you live in USDA Zones 3-9 and you’re seeking a gorgeous decorative evergreen plant. These plants make a great border plant in partial and complete shade environments thanks to their distinctive leaf variegations.

Hosta plants are incredibly adaptable, and you may select from various types. Every one of these cultivars and varieties has pretty foliage colors, forms, and patterns. There are several variegated kinds with various colors of green with yellow, cream, and white highlights. Usually, hostas can reach up to 10 inches tall; other times, they can get as tall as 2 feet.

The Hosta is a blooming plant with bright white, blue, and purple blooms that entice birds and butterflies near the end of summer and early in the spring. To add dimension and intrigue to your border, you can combine various hostas and shade plants with vibrant colors, leaf designs, and forms.

Some consider a hosta to be evergreen, but in the colder climates, it certainly is not. Indeed, in zone 5 and below, it will die back to the ground.

Evergreen abelia (Abelia floribunda)

Evergreen abelia’s shiny deep green foliage seems like they’ve been covered with a glossy coating. And right when you think this shrub can’t get much better, it delivers a spectacular floral show. Neighborhood butterflies and hummingbirds will like the bright pink blooms that adorn evergreen abelia at the start of summer.

It’s wise to select kinds that will match the dimensions of your landscape for borders. Use it as a hedge or screen in a diverse border situation.

Even though it is not native, it is not an invasive plant, so it’s ideal for your borders. This shrub grows at a moderate to quick pace, with annual height increases ranging from 1 foot to over 2 feet. Evergreen abelia is drought and deer resistant, tolerates pollution, and flourishes in breezy or sloping settings.

Privets (Ligustrum obtusifolium)

This heavily branched bush with fine foliage is incredibly adaptive to a broad range of environmental settings and is usually used as a decorative screen—an all-around excellent privacy wall. Privet plants can be quite high and broad, and because the foliage grows so closely around each other, they make excellent hedge plants. Privets can also serve as lovely leafy scenery for your bigger planting sections.

Barrenwort

Barrenworts will undoubtedly fit your use case if you’re scouting for lively perennials for your border. These plants, which blossom with a gorgeous array of flowers throughout the Spring months, are among the most liked picks for shady landscaping borders. The blooms’ most distinctive feature is that they seem nearly spidery in various colors, such as violet, purple, pink, magenta, white, and others.

Many Barrenwort types are recognized for their gorgeous leaves, which turn coppery in the fall months. Barrenworts do well in hardiness zones 5 through 9.

Moss Rose (Portulaca grandiflora)

Moss rose plants are often cultivated in pots arranged on the front edges of gardening area border lines, as lining along paved paths. It also looks wonderful in a variety of situations because of its trailing tendency and uninterrupted flowering output.

Moss rose comes in various hues; the variety of possibilities you may construct with this plant is nearly limitless. Moss rose flowers are often vivid, colorful, and rich colors, although there are also muted pale choices. Some varieties have multiple colors on a single flower.

Because moss rose plants are accustomed to arid climates, their stems and foliage are soft and juicy, and the foliage saves water for future consumption. Ideally, you should place them in well-drained rocky or sandy soil in bright sunlight.

Thrift (Armeria maritima)

Thrift (or sea pink) is a great border plant for anyone searching for a compact, thick mass of deep green, grass-like leaves. It has many uses in the landscape, and you can even grow it in containers! In the early summer and springtime, the foliage is adorned with small clusters of yellow, white, and pink blooms on thin, bare stems towering six to ten inches over the leaves.

In USDA zones 3 to 9, the plant grows best in bright sunlight and damp, well-drained soil. Thrift can grow in a variety of soil types, including clay, chalk, sand, and loam.

‘Somerset’ Daphne (Daphne × burkwoodii ‘Somerset’)

If you have a smaller garden, Somerset Daphne will be an excellent choice for a border plant, for it is a compact, rounded shrub. Everyone adores daphnes for their beautifully scented blossoms. ‘Somerset’ Daphne is a very hardy border plant with a delicate scent, and it makes anybody who gets a whiff happy. This daphne’s dense, pale green leaves lined with gold are an extra feature.

This lovely, tiny shrub yields rich pink blooms in mid-spring and occasionally throughout the summer, and it’s widely used as a bush edging alongside trees or as a foundation plant.

REFERENCES

https://www.bellarmine.edu/faculty/drobinson/Hosta.asp

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FP080

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/hydrangea-febrifuga/

https://www.extension.iastate.edu/smallfarms/sweet-alyssum-attract-beneficials

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ceanothus-x-pallidus/

https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C956

How To Grow Walnuts In Home Garden

Walnut trees are deciduous slow growers that produce meaty nuts that play an important role in our nutrition. Being deciduous (having separate male and female plants), you must plant both walnut trees to obtain fruit.

Most trees will start bearing fruit in 3-4 years after transplant. Walnuts have multiple species or varieties that are good to grow in home gardens, such as English walnut, Black walnut, etc.

To grow walnut in the home garden, you should probably select a dwarf, disease-resistant, and hardy variety since many walnut trees can grow to fifty feet.

Continue reading to discover how to plant a walnut tree in your home garden.

Varieties Of Walnut To Be Grown In Home Garden:

You can have various walnut varieties available in the market and the nursery; however, not all are suitable to be grown in home gardens, and the right selection is the most crucial decision that will decide the success or failure of the plant.

Black walnut

Black walnuts have harder shells and more flavorful nutmeats than English walnuts.
Black walnut cultivars like “Kwik Krop,” “Snyder,” and “Sparrow” are bred specifically to produce nuts.
Unfortunately, because of their scarcity, it could be challenging to buy these cultivars.
Additionally, in many US regions, especially in Utah, many commercially grown cultivars (like “Thomas”) do not reliably produce ripe nuts year after year.

English walnut

There are several options in English walnut.
Due to its greater winter hardiness (it can withstand temperatures between -10 and -20° F), English walnuts of the Carpathian kind are a superior option for most US regions, especially for Utah.
Only cultivate non-Carpathian varieties in warmer regions, such as the Moab and St. George regions.

How To Grow Walnut Trees in Home Garden?

You need some patience to grow walnut trees because they will take years to reach maturity and a stage where they begin producing nuts.

Additionally, growing walnut trees can deplete other plants’ nutrients, so you should select an appropriate site for this tree in your home garden. To grow a walnut tree from seed, follow the steps below:

Growing Walnut Plants from Seed:

It can take months for walnut seeds to germinate, and the germination rate is very low. Therefore, planting a walnut tree with a seedling is a better option in terms of saving time and money. Moreover, it requires years of experience to learn how to grow a walnut tree from its seed and which kind of plant would have female organs and which one would grow into a male plant, so it may take a good deal of trial and error before you would end up with both a viable male and female plant.

Growing Walnut Plant from Seedling:

Growing a walnut tree from a seedling is advantageous to home gardeners because it will be a grafted plant and begins producing fruits earlier than a plant grown from seed.

Transplant a container-grown walnut tree in the dormant season (i.e., Jan to Early Feb) as long as the soil is not frozen or waterlogged.
Bare-rooted trees should be planted in the late fall or early spring.
You can find both bare-rooted and potted trees available at reasonable prices at local nurseries.
Walnuts grow best in deep, well-drained soil that retains moisture longer (in full sun or mild shade).
Walnut trees thrive best in alkaline soil.
Avoid planting in regions with a chance of late frost, which can easily damage the fragile buds.
Make sure the visible soil line at the tree’s base is just above soil level when you plant
Prepare a hole that is compatible with the size of the seedling.
Mulching is the best practice to retain soil moisture and prevent weed growth from competing with the young tree.
During the first year or two, you shouldn’t allow the young walnut tree to dry out or get water-logged because both extremes can be detrimental to plant growth.
Fertilizing with an all-purpose fertilizer (having N, P, AND K) in early spring is recommended.
Midwinter or midsummer are good times to prune.

Care and Maintenance of Home-Grown Walnut Trees:

In walnut orchards, squirrels are regular visitors. If left unchecked, they can devour an entire crop of walnuts.
Cut away branches of the walnut tree that are less than 6 feet (1.8 meters) from the ground (If you can do so without creating knots that reduce the value of the wood)
Cover the trunks with plastic tree guard to prevent them from climbing them
Depending on your area and climatic conditions, other pests like flies, aphids, and caterpillars may not affect your tree if they are active toward the end of the growing season.
Keep livestock away from walnut trees of all sizes since the harm they do might even void the mature trees’ wood value.
For black walnuts, sufficient fertilization will reduce weed competition.
Wait to fertilize the walnut plants until the trunk reaches at least “pole” size or 4.5 feet (1.4 meters) above the ground.
Another option is “late spring.” Fertilize each tree with nitrogen, phosphate, and murate of potash
If the results are good, fertilize a few additional trees to compare the impact and reapply every three to five years.
Many gardeners start by planting more plants than they can support, which is not a good practice.
The walnut tree should be pruned early if it is being raised for lumber to ensure a straight trunk.
One “leader” branch should be left at the top of the tree to direct the tree’s growth throughout the following one to two growing seasons.
Black walnut trees should be pruned after further growth since all types, including those planted for nuts, are eventually sold for lumber.
Nut-producing saplings can be left alone until after thinning.
Finding a skilled pruner to help you identify leaders and significant branches are advised if you have never pruned trees before, especially saplings.
If the tree’s top is forked, straighten the best leader by bending it and taping it to other branches for support before trimming the tip.
Keep weeds and sod out of the vicinity of seedlings to prevent them from competing with their growth for nutrients.
Remove weeds and sod from the area manually or with a fabric weed barrier. Using 2 to 3 inches of mulch over the root zones will help larger seedlings resist weed growth.
Never apply thick mulch over newly sprouted shoots, as it may prevent growth. Hold off until the seedling develops roots and becomes woody.

Harvesting Walnuts Grown in Your Home Garden

A long broom handle is useful for gently knocking the nuts from the tree.
June and July are the months of harvesting walnut (when they are still “green” and before the shells have formed.
Otherwise, wait until the walnut husks begin to separate and fall.
Gather the fallen walnuts and spread them out in a single layer in a warm, breezy area to dry.
The walnuts will be fully exposed when the green husks crack fully.

How to Grow Kiwi in a Home Garden?

Kiwi is considered one of the most delicious and nutritious fruits that can be grown in the home garden. Kiwi plants develop tons of kiwi fruit on vines. The only thing that will bother you in its growth and development is its long duration to reach maturity.

Kiwi plants take 7-8 years to start bearing fruit, so you should consider this a long-term investment. Everything you choose for this plant, from site selection to fertilization, should be accurate and optimal to make the most of this long-term commitment.

Quick Facts about the Kiwi plant:

Kiwi vines start bearing fruit after 6-7 years of growth.
It requires the most well-drained, sandy loam soil.
Kiwi is a dioecious plant, having separate male and female plants
One male plant is enough to fertilize up to 6 female vines.
It requires a sturdy support structure to grow its vines.
Kiwi plant does not grow true-to-type, which means that you will purchase and plant a grafted kiwi plant.
It produces fruit on new growth; therefore needs to be pruned annually, in Jan or Feb.

How to Grow Kiwi Fruit in the Home Garden?

You will start by selecting the Kiwi plant variety, and then site selection, soil preparation, and planting will be done as the final step. Let’s start with the kiwi plant variety selection.

Kiwi Fruit Variety Selection:

There are three types of kiwi fruit that can be grown in a home garden:

Common Kiwi (Actinidia deliciosa) – This is one of the most delicious kiwi fruits that is consumed fresh. You will find it in grocery stores. It is a brown, thick-skinned fruit having green pulp. It thrives best in the USDA zones 7-9 and requires about a month of cool temperatures (between -1 to 7 degrees Celsius).
Golden Kiwi (Actinidia chinensis) – This Kiwi is also edible and sweeter than common Kiwi but less fuzzy and has yellow pulp. It thrives best in the regions where the temperature in winter goes as low as -12 to -1 degrees Celsius.
Kiwi Berry (Actinidia arguta) – This Kiwi is named for two different kinds of kiwi fruit; Hardy Kiwi (Actinidia arguta) and Super Hardy Kiwi (Actinidia kolomikta). It is much smaller in size and has thinner and smooth skin.

How to plant Kiwi Fruit in a Home Garden?

It is planted in Jan or Feb when the fear of frost has passed. Being a vine plant, it needs plenty of space and severe pruning each year to get fruit from it.

You will need to plant at least one male and one female plant for them to bear fruit. You can plant more than one female depending on the space available, while one male plant will be enough to pollinate 5-6 females. Some self-fertile kiwi plants are available in the market, but they may be a bit costly.

Site Selection

Although it can be grown in the open in sub-tropical or warmer regions, kiwi fruits demand a warm, sheltered, sunny spot, especially against a south or west-facing wall.

In the spring, young shoots are particularly susceptible to frost damage and need protection.
Kiwi vines produce the best growth and fruit in sunny locations.
Place your plants in a safe section of the garden to prevent wind damage.
In colder climates, place the vines on the north side of the yard to reduce the possibility of freeze-thaw damage in the early spring, when plants are particularly vulnerable.
Kiwi plants need well-drained soil since too much moisture might cause their roots to rot.
Kiwi vines require strong support since they grow slowly.
Build a tall, sturdy trellis structure that can support vines that can reach a width of 15 feet, a length of 20 feet, and a fruit production of up to 100 pounds.

Planting

Planting both male and female kiwi plants will ensure a strong crop. The females produce the fruit.
According to experts, one male plant should be present for every six female plants.
Vines should be spaced 10 to 15 feet apart.
If the roots are too lengthy upon planting, you might need to cut them.
Plant vines just deep enough for the soil to surround the roots.
At the time of planting, water thoroughly.

Care and Maintenance

In the height of summer or other dry times, give the plants additional watering unless it has been raining.
During the first year, avoid fertilizing. Afterward, fertilize in the spring with a well-balanced fertilizer or soybean meal.
If not in bloom, prune the lateral growth two or three times during the growing season.
Kiwis grow flowers and fruits on a 5-7-year-old plant
Regularly remove water sprouts (which are robust shoots) that grow from older wood, as well as shoots from the trunk.
When the plant is dormant, especially in the winter, it is the perfect time to prune female vines. On the other hand, the ideal time to prune male vines is when the plant has finished flowering or come out of the blossom period.
Cold climates are unfavorable for kiwi plants, especially young ones; therefore, they need to be protected from frost.

Alternative Way To Grow Kiwi Plant In Home Garden

Other than seeding, Kiwi plants can also be grown by the “Propagation Method.” Softwood cutting will be better, and grafting and layering methods are preferable for propagating the kiwi fruit. However, if you are not an experienced gardener, you should buy prepared cuttings of male and female kiwi plants.

Spring season is the best time to plant the kiwi plant cuttings because they need warm weather and soil to grow properly.

In addition, spacing the male and female plants almost 3-4.5 meters will be the best to let the individual plant grow and spread sufficiently.

Harvesting Kiwi Fruit

The correct harvest time is very important for kiwi fruit. Hardy varieties have more chances of bearing fruit earlier; however, a long summer and autumn (September to October) also play important roles in fruit maturity.

The best way of harvesting the kiwi fruit is to pick the fruit before the first frost and place them indoors to ripen properly.

You will know that your Kiwi are ready to eat when a gentle squeeze reveals it to be a bit soft. It may take several weeks for your fruit to reach this stage.

How to Store Kiwi Fruit?

Fresh kiwi fruit can be refrigerated for 5-6 weeks to be consumed as raw
Freeze the whole kiwi fruit and store it in plastic bags

Pests and Diseases of Kiwi Plant

Being hardy, the kiwi plant is resistant to common fruit pests. However, there are certain environmental factors, such as nutritional imbalance and waterlogged conditions, that may lead to the attack of the following diseases such as:

Root rot
Phytophthora crown rot

FAQs:

Can I use kiwi fruit in gelatin recipes?

No. the reason is that the kiwi fruit contains a protein-digesting enzyme known as “Actinidain” and cannot be used in recipes with gelatin products. The enzyme will start digesting the proteins in the dishes and will not let the liquid recipe solidify.

Can I grow kiwi plants in pots?

Yes. Kiwi plant grows into long vines, which means that they require space and support to grow sufficiently. You can grow kiwis in pots or containers of larger sizes but always remember to stack them appropriately and space them sufficiently.

What is the best fertilizer for a young kiwi plant?

The best fertilizer is compost or other organic fertilizers such as vermicompost, leaf litter, etc. However, in the month of fruiting, the plants may need a quick nitrogen source which is provided in the form of ammonium nitrate or urea (10-10-10).

How To Grow Mulberry In Your Home Garden

Do you like minor fruits? Mulberry is the queen of minor fruits for its delicious, nutritious, and juicy palatability.

We will describe the best way to have an easy-to-care-for and successfully fruiting mulberry in your home garden.

Because of its difficult-to-harvest and massive fruit-producing habits, people usually hesitate to grow Mulberry in their home garden. Moreover, it grows too tall, making it problematic to trim the tree easily. However, Mulberries can be planted against walls if space is restricted since they can tolerate various soils.

Quick Facts about Mulberry

Common Name – Mulberry tree, Red Mulberry, White Mulberry, Black Mulberry
Botanical Name – Morus spp.
Plant Type – Deciduous tree
Mature Size – 30–60 ft. tall, 20–40 ft. wide
Sun Exposure – Full, partial
Soil Type – Rich, moist but well-drained
Soil pH – Mildly acidic to neutral
Bloom Time – Spring
Flower Color – Yellowish-green
Hardiness Zone – 4–8 (USDA)
Native Range – North America, China
Toxicity – Leaves and unripe fruit are mildly toxic to humans

Growing A Mulberry Tree in Your Home Garden

A mulberry tree is equally attractive for humans as well as birds (masses of messy guests!). Furthermore, it has the habit of becoming invasive, which is why it is typically not well suited for small confined spaces and will be happiest when grown in large rural landscapes versus tiny postage stamp-sized yards.

Despite its spread and messy growth habits, the fruit of the Mulberry has many advantages. It can be grown for human consumption and used in freshly baked items, juices, jellies, and jams, and a wide variety of animals will take advantage of the bountiful fruit it produces.

Mulberry Tree Variety Selection

Choosing the correct variety of mulberry plant for your yard will be of key importance when first starting out with mulberries. Selecting the appropriate variety and growth habit will make the rest of your experience that much more enjoyable.

**White Mulberry (Morus alba tatarica)**

White Mulberry was imported from China for silkworm production and is not native to America. Although the white Mulberry has adapted to grow on many soil types, including sandy soil, rich loamy soil, silt loam, and clay loam, it will require moist, well-drained organic-rich soil for optimal yield.

People love to grow white Mulberry in home gardens because of its flexible soil-acceptance nature and high tolerance; it is flourishing in many places.

**Red Mulberry (Morus rubra)**

Red mulberries are native to North America and hardier than black mulberries. They demand deep, organic matter-rich soils (found near streams and bottomlands).

Red Mulberry can be grown from seed without stratification (a cold period) and planted in summer or fall. It can also be planted in the spring following 30 to 90 days of stratification in the refrigerator. 8 to 12 inches should separate the seeds before planting them. Trees will produce fruit in 4 to 10 years.

**Black Mulberry (Morus nigra)**

Black Mulberry bears the most flavorful berries compared to the above two types. It is native to western Asia and thrives best in USDA zones 6 and 7.

It produces tart mulberries with a shorter shelf life; therefore, the fruit traders do not prefer to sell it, reserving the black Mulberry for leaf harvesting only.

Dwarf Mulberry

While the above-mentioned Mulberry plants get quite large and can quickly overtake a small yard, there are dwarf varieties of the Mulberry that will top pout at maybe 15-20′ tall rather than the standard 50′ tall. Still, these are also hard to predict as some seem to stop at around six feet while others will grow to 20 feet.

Propagating Mulberry Tree in Home Garden

You can easily plant your mulberry tree by propagation. For that:

It is propagated by soft-wood cutting. Take several branches almost 4-5 inches long and with a sharp pruner to avoid damaging the remaining branches. The bottom cut should be close to a bud so that the chances of the emergence of roots will be more rapid
Be sure that each cutting should not have more than 2-3 leaves, and dip the bottom end in a liquid growth hormonal mixture for a few seconds
Make planting holes with a wood stick to avoid misplacing the applied hormone at the bottom end of the cutting and gently pat the soil around planted cutting to remove excess air bubbles
You can plant more than one cutting in the same container until they have sufficient distance between them (the leaves of two cuttings should not touch each other)
Cover the container with plastic for between humidity and temperature maintenance and protection from birds
Do not place the container in direct sunlight; however, it should receive bright, sufficient sunlight for growth and development
Mist the container regularly and be sure that the soil does not get dry
When cuttings show 1-2 inches of growth, you can remove the plastic to let the cuttings acclimatize to the surrounding temperature
After 3-4 weeks, dig out the cutting to check the root development to transplant them into the soil

Growing Mulberries from Seed in Home Garden

Growing Mulberry from seeds is a cheaper way of planting it home garden. For that:

You will collect almost 1 pound of mature, fully ripened mulberries at the end of the season
Soak the berries in water for 24 hours, drain the water, and mash them to expose the seeds; collect the seeds and put them on a plastic sheet to dry. Place the seeds in the refrigerator for 60-100 days; it is known as stratification
At the end of the 60 to 100 days, prepare a tray with an equal blend of soil, peat, and perlite to sow the seeds.
Sow the seeds as near the surface as possible because seeds sown too deep will not be able to come out and die there.
Make the soil moist before planting the seeds. Keep the seeds at 86 degrees Fahrenheit for eight hours during the day and 68 degrees Fahrenheit for sixteen hours at night.
Provide the seeds with sunlight for at least eight hours each day. Every day, check the soil moisture and water as necessary.
The live, viable seeds will germinate in the coming 14 days. Plant the seedlings in soil or containers soon after they have developed sufficient roots
After 12-24 months of germination, the seedling will be strong enough to transplant to the permanent place

Mulberry tree Care Tips

If you have selected the climate-compatible mulberry variety, you will not need to worry much about caring for and maintaining it because it will be resistant to many insect pests, diseases, temperature fluctuations, etc.

Following are some of the most essential things to be kept in mind while planting and growing a mulberry tree in your home garden:

Although Mulberry is drought tolerant, regular watering will be better for a healthier and happier tree
It does not require heavy doses of fertilization, but a light dose of urea (10-10-10) will be best for a healthier plant and sufficient fruit bearing
Morus alba “Chapparal” is a seedless mulberry variety; best to grow in the home garden
It is a fast-growing plant that spreads its roots far away and keeps growing straight until controlled by cutting back the tree. Therefore, be aware to plant it far away from a structure such as garages, ponds, sewage lines, etc.
Morus alba “Kingan” is a drought-tolerant mulberry variety; best to grow in dry regions where frequent watering is difficult.

Growth Requirements Of A Mulberry Tree Grown In Home Garden:

Following are the necessary facts to consider while planting the mulberry tree and maintaining its health yearly.

Light – Both “full sun and partial shade” are favorable for mulberry trees, while some of the varieties of Mulberry yield more fruit when provided with sufficient and more light.
Soil – Mulberry trees can tolerate clayey, loamy, and sandy soils as long as the soils have and maintain adequate drainage. The trees may survive in a variety of pH conditions (from neutral to slightly acidic).
Water – To aid in developing a robust root system, water your mulberry tree deeply and frequently after planting (two to three gallons per week for the first year is the best practice). Once they are established, mulberry trees can withstand short periods of drought, but extended dry spells can reduce fruit production or cause the unripe berries to fall off early.
Temperature and Humidity – Most mulberry trees can withstand temperatures as low as “-25 degrees Fahrenheit” during dormancy, depending on the species. Areas with climatic temperatures ranging between 68 to 86 degrees Fahrenheit will not be favorable for developing fruit.
Fertilization – Although Mulberry can survive without additional application of fertilizers, light doses of organic fertilizers before or after fruiting will help the tree to restore the nutrients it has given you in the form of mulberry fruits. Note: Use a balanced 10-10-10 combination and 1 pound of fertilizer for every inch of the trunk’s diameter and once in late winter (end of Jan or start of Feb).

Conclusion

Overall, the Mulberry is an easy-to-grow and abundant fruiting plant that does best when it has a great deal of space to spread and grow. If you are limited on space, you will need to be vigilant with your pruning methods to keep this plant viable for your yard, and it would be advisable to start with a dwarf variety in this case.

Narrow Border Planting Plan

A narrow border in the landscape is an arrangement of closely spaced plants. In other words, the plants themselves form a natural barrier around an area of small proportions. The plants will typically grow together tightly packed, creating a visually attractive and practical barrier in your garden.

The plants in narrow border planting plans are usually filled with attractive foliage and simple yet colorful flowers. This guide will help you create a beautiful, low-maintenance landscape design, filling every border of your yard, no matter how thin.

**Lavender (Lavandula)**

A row of lavenders is ideal for a compact border; even the slimmest borders can provide enough space for tiny lavender varieties like ‘Wee One,’ ‘Little Lady,’ and ‘Compacta.’ The lavender’s pleasant fragrance is unparalleled, and whether you use this plant to line a walkway or border or to make a short barrier, you’ll smell the plant immediately as you pass by it.

To maintain the plants’ small size, orderly appearance, and thriving growth, you should trim lavender at least two times per year, in the fall and spring.

**Red Hot Pokers (Kniphofia)**

Red hot poker also referred to as the red hot poker lily, tritoma, or torch plant, is a hardy, stunning plant that survives in the blistering heat, bright sunlight, and arid land. It works nicely on narrow borders because it’s one of the showy blooming plants that will give your borders a pleasant look with its spikes’ bright colors of red, orange, and yellow.

You must space the red hot pokers appropriately, so they have enough space when they reach their maximum size. While poker plants aren’t picky about the soil in which they are grown, they do need moisture control and will not endure extreme wetness.

**Fleabane (Erigeron)**

Erigeron flowers are low-maintenance blooming plants that withstand deer munching. The best thing about them is they bloom profusely for several months, and you can utilize them as a ground cover or cushion landscape borders.

Fleabane grows well in small gaps and fissures; therefore, a thin border is ideal for this plant. Because it is an excellent self-seeder (a plant that reproduces independently), this would slowly but surely cover your slender border.

**Honeysuckle (Lonicera)**

Honeysuckle is among the best-smelling vines, climbing freely over trellises and inundating the surroundings with its enticing aroma. Suppose your thin border is along a walkway or another spot you pass by regularly. In that case, delightfully scented plants like honeysuckle would be ideal!

Honeysuckle is a wonderful ornamental plant you can choose for a narrow border, with its amazing smell and pretty flowers. You can find this plant in all climates, but it prefers a sunny location and well-drained soil. You will need to train it to a trellis if you want it to be upright and narrow.

**Beardtongues (Penstemon)**

Penstemon, or beardtongue, is a good pick for a striking and long-blooming plant with minimal water needs and impressive variety, with hundreds of species imaginable. They cover any small border with foxglove-looking blooms in almost every color—orange, pink, blue, red, white, purple, and yellow—in the summertime, shortly after your springtime bloomers have gone.

Penstemons love direct sunshine, so they need it to thrive. They also require highly well-drained soils and cannot grow in soggy soils, particularly in the wintertime.

**Ferns (Tracheophyta)**

You’ll love ferns if you have a narrow border in a shady spot in the yard. They add a lush, green backdrop to any space in the landscape, but they also add some much-needed color and texture. For small borders, the petite painted fern may be the best answer.

These low-maintenance plants are ideal for shady, moist areas where a few plants thrive. Their delicate foliage complements several other shade-loving plants; for example, when combined with other perennials like hostas, ferns provide a textural variation.

You should keep an eye on the soil, so it does not become too dry for your fern. If this happens, add water by spraying it with a spray bottle or sprinkler.

**Foxglove (Digitalis)**

Foxglove is another excellent, easy-to-maintain plant for narrow-border planting. It is a majestic flower with long beautiful spikes of bell-shaped blooms that birds and bees like.

Foxglove grows in dappled shades and small spaces, and it brightens up any gloomy space since it produces lots of clusters of tubular flowers, which come in different colors, including white, purple, pink, yellow, and red.

**Japanese anemones (Eriocapitella hupehensis)**

Japanese anemones are admired for bringing the late-season appeal to narrow borders far into the fall. They yield saucer-like white or pink blooms on tall, thin, branching stalks. When established, these hardy perennials are simple to maintain and adaptable, flourishing in sun or moderate shade and growing quickly.

Overall, these are hardy perennials that aren’t too picky with their environment, although they are enormously prolific in shady and dry conditions.

**Fortune’s spindle (Euonymus fortunei)**

Planting the Fortune’s Spindle or Winter Creeper plant on a narrow border is a great way to add interesting foliage to your garden.

Euonymous fortunei climbs if supported when planted as ground cover for the spectacular leaves. This plant, like a woody vine, may generate new rootlets when its limbs come into touch with moisture. Furthermore, when this vine grows up trees, it develops aerial rootlets along its stems.

I would only suggest this plant for a wider border that you are able to trim and prune regularly or that is tightly bordered by hardscapes to keep this plant in check.

**Bearded iris (Iris × germanica)**

Bearded irises are widely used in classic and contemporary landscape designs. These gorgeous plants require a small amount of space and flourish in a border where the sun hits the most.

Bearded irises come in almost every color, so you can use them to complement various garden color combinations. You may raise these low-maintenance plants in your yard if you have well-drained soil and a brightly sunlit location.

Espalier training trees

Trees are extremely beneficial because they provide shade, sustain and protect animals, and serve to control water runoff. To set up a narrow border, we recommend espalier-trained trees. These are perfect for compact landscapes and tight locations where spreading trees or bushes don’t fit since these usually woody trees take up minimal space and still grow flowers, leaves, and fruit when placed against the wall. Plus, these trees are a great way to conceal bland-looking walls in the landscape!

The classic espalier foci are pear and apple trees since their spurs survive for years bearing fruit. Nevertheless, you can also consider apricots and peaches as trees that you can train in this manner.

Libertia

A Libertia plant is an excellent addition to any garden. They are known for their beautifully structured and textured green foliage, making them plants for narrow landscape borders.

Libertias are graceful perennials with leaves that resemble swords and light stems that carry white blooms. Libertia chilensis is a commonly used plant in landscaping since it prefers a sunny location and damp, well-drained soil, making it easy to care for. It’s perfect for narrow borders because of its clumping habit and eye-catching flowers and foliage. The same as the iris, it starts from rhizomes and grows gradually.

Conclusion

Almost any plant that holds its shape well can be squeezed into a narrow border, especially if you are an avid and regular pruner. The less that you like to prune and maintain, the smaller the full-grown plant should be.

REFERENCES

https://www.uaex.uada.edu/yard-garden/resource-library/plant-week/redhot-poker-9-19-08.aspx

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/euonymus-fortunei/

Inexpensive Desert Landscaping Ideas for a Refreshing, Sunny Paradise

Don’t let the desert’s harsh climate convince you that it is not a great place to unleash your creativity. Sure, it doesn’t rain much, and sure, it’s hot and dusty, but these can be good things when you want to grow an affordable and low-maintenance landscape designed for the desert.

There are infinite ways to design a landscape, but you must base your design on certain key concepts. Specifically, the particular terrain in which it will be constructed is of vital importance. Designing the wrong plants for the environment would undoubtedly result in failure. Since we are talking about inexpensive desert landscaping ideas, you can only do so much. However, by combining a few landscaping components, you can quickly improve your desert yard.

The following inexpensive desert landscape ideas will give you plenty of makeover possibilities that will be affordable. And, if you are reading this, you probably already have some of these things in your existing landscape. You certainly don’t need to start from scratch.

Far too often, landscape professionals advise clients to rip out the old landscape before installing a new one. This is often because the landscaper wants to increase to costs of the project and give themselves ultimate design freedom. As a cost-conscious homeowner, you can surely plan your landscape around what you already have and save yourself a ton of work and money.

Affordable Desert Landscaping Ideas to Give Your Yard a Makeover

Start your weekend with these expert tips on inexpensive desert landscaping to give your yard a makeover. These include affordable ways to add variety and style to your dirt backyard by adding some of the following common design items:

sand
cacti
succulents
desert-thriving trees
rocks
drought-tolerant plants
drought-resistant ground cover
boulders
water features

Inexpensive Desert Landscaping Ideas

We will keep all of these ideas budget-friendly, so you don’t need to break the bank to design a desert landscape and create an enjoyable spot to watch the sunset, drink something cool, and relax in your very own desert paradise.

A Simple Desert Landscape

Tall cactus at night — Tall cactus against the night sky

If you want to go the minimalistic route, first choose plants that are easy to care for. For example, succulents and cacti—don’t need much water or sunlight to thrive! Desert plants typically require more sunlight than plants from other climates and should be located in areas where they receive ample sunlight throughout the day.

Succulents and Cacti

As mentioned above, succulents and cacti can be some of the best low-cost desert landscape plants.

Succulents make an excellent addition to your space because they require little care and water, making them an ideal choice for areas where water is scarce or hard to access. Cacti are another excellent choice for desert landscapes because they are drought-tolerant and don’t require much maintenance, and Cacti are also easy to grow.

Drought Tolerant Grasses

Even if you live in an arid region, you can still have a lush green lawn. A whole business is devoted to developing lush lawns without water.

A few examples of grasses that would bring your desert landscape a little life would be Buffalo Grass, Big Bluestem, and Blue Oat Grass. Certainly, nice-looking, well-kept grass makes any desert garden feel like home.

Now you can’t expect any of these grasses to be like the bluegrass and rye of the more temperate regions, but if you like grass, you can get a grassy look even in the desert.

It is essential to realize that all desert landscape is not created equal. Take a look around your general area when looking for plant ideas. Using native plants that already exist in an area will result in the most economical and easy-to-care-for landscape design.

Cactus and Palm Trees in a Small Desert

One of the best ways to add some desert flair to your yard is by adding palms and different kinds of cacti.

Cacti are drought-tolerant and can survive in arid climates like those found in the southwestern United States because they store water in their stems during dry months. On the other hand, even a small palm tree can add that summer vibe to the desert landscape!

A Bed of Succulents

Succulents are some of the most popular desert landscaping ideas because they’re easy to grow, low-maintenance, and beautiful! If you want something more colorful, consider planting different varieties of succulents together, like:

Euphorbia
Agave
Senecio
Kalanchoe

You can also get small pieces of decor for your smaller succulents, like hanging baskets and pots.

Oasis in the Desert Garden

If you really want to add some life to your desert landscape, you could consider adding a small water feature. Even a tiny bubbling boulder or pondless waterfall would be a welcome oasis for any local animals looking for a drink. The water feature need not be large or wasteful. A small falls with a large basin for storing water can be an excellent yard addition. You can also direct all rainwater to this basin using piping from your downspouts to collect any natural moisture your yard takes on.

By doing simple things like these, you can have a little slice of tranquility. You can add a fountain, a bench, and other interesting desert plants like ocotillo to add color and create visual interest.

Mirrored Luminescence

Other than providing water storage and refreshment for animals, a beautiful water feature in a desert landscape will always be a stylish but inexpensive design that adds to the aesthetic of your home. It catches the light quite nicely, adding sparkle to a dull space. Often, water features are easy to install and offer a natural touch that costs you nothing more than time and minimal spending.

Container Planting with Cinder Blocks

plants and cinder blocks — Cinder block planting

You can use cinder blocks as a functional element of your desert-themed design. Among the cheapest landscaping suggestions on our list are stacks of cinder blocks with Zebra Plants, Flaming Swords, or Snake Plants.

These simple but functional pots are made of recycled materials, making them easily movable if you change your mind.

Colorful and Vibrant Wildflowers

yellow flowers and blue sky — yellow flowers against a blue cloudy sky

Add plants with fun, vibrant flowers that you can mix and match, like:

Chuparosa (Justicia californica)
Desert Marigold (Baileya multiradiata)
Apache Plume (Fallugia paradoxa)
California Poppy (Eschscholtzia californica)
Desert Lavender (Condea emoryi)

If you have room for it, consider adding flowering shrubs or trees that will stand out among the desert landscape and add some energy to it! The best choices are wildflowers due to their low maintenance and bringing a lot of color without seeming overgrown.

Aloe Plants

Aloe plants always add a beautiful touch to any landscape, and they’re an inexpensive way to make your yard look greener and fresher! They are quite small, have a sleek, condensed look, and require minimal upkeep. Plus, you can use them for your health and beauty needs!

These tough succulent plants thrive on neglect and can even be grown indoors with artificial light. They look nice in a pea gravel bed close to the pathway.

Desert Plants Surrounding a Tall Cactus

plants around tall cactus — Desert plants surrounding tall cactus

Cacti and succulents are both kinds of plants that thrive in dry, hot climates. But these aren’t the only drought-tolerant plants you can put in your desert landscape! Deserts are ideal growing environments for small shrubs, grasses, desert trees, and many blooming species. They add interest and complexity when you place them close together due to their varying heights.

Big Boulders

Large boulders (actually rock and boulders of any size) are a simple way to add a unique touch to your desert landscaping. They can be used as a focal point for your yard or garden, or you can use them as part of a larger naturalistic landscape. Moreover, you can position them in a way that creates an attractive walkway. Get creative with how you arrange your boulders—add some plants around them and enjoy the look!

Desert Landscape with Prickly Pear

Prickly pear cactus — Prickly Pear Cactus

The prickly pear is a popular and versatile landscape plant that can be grown in many climates. If you have the space and sunlight to accommodate it, this is one of the best affordable desert landscaping ideas for your yard.

The prickly pear has showy flowers that bloom from spring through fall. Although they’re not very showy compared to other flowers in your yard, they do have some pretty impressive characteristics:

It’s drought-tolerant.
It’s hardy in most areas.
It grows quickly.
It thrives in any soil type except sand or clay (though it will grow better with more nutrients).
You can eat its fruit.

Desert Garden Entertainment Spots

A well-designed desert landscape in the backyard is a great way to bring people together. These are spots where people can go for picnics, barbecues, and other activities.

There are many ways to make people want to stay longer and take pictures in your desert garden. You’re pretty much set with a fire pit, fireplace, water feature, some furniture, succulents, and plant pots!

Texture and Structure

Potted plants on a table — Example of Texture and Structure

These are two of the most important elements to consider when making an inexpensive desert landscape. The texture is important because it helps to create depth, while structure provides a framework for plants and other materials to be placed in.

Texture can be achieved by using interesting cacti, such as the Golden Barrel Cactus, that gives a fuzzy look to the scene. And you can arrange multiple of the same plant in a uniform pattern. Meanwhile, the structure can be achieved through desert trees, saguaro cacti, gravel, and even rocks.

Desert Paradise

large cactus and palms — Desert Paradise

For the most economical desert paradise design, you might want to start with small plants and slowly develop your landscape over time. However, if you have a few bucks to spend, you may want to consider purchasing or transplanting larger plants to give your yard a jump start.

Agave and Cactus Arrangement

Agave and mountain — Agave against a mountain backdrop

This is designed to exude desert vibes, with agaves and cacti arranged in a circle. It’s simple and inexpensive but also pretty. This arrangement is perfect for a smaller space. It has the same feel as a traditional desert décor, but it’s made up of only two elements. You can also add little accents like fabric flowers and cactus-shaped rocks around them to complete the look!

Rocky Garden Bed

A garden bed with rocks is a cost-effective desert landscape idea you can apply to your front yard or patio, and it lends itself well to the urban landscape. It can be as compact as you like, which allows it to fit in small corners or gaps of your yard, and its design does not need high maintenance or frequent cleaning.

Xeriscape Hideaway

The word “xeriscaping” describes the practice of landscaping using rocks and pebbles as its primary building blocks.

The traditional Wild West-meets-Mexican atmosphere can be achieved simply by spreading pebbles and stones in groups or organizing them in patterns in your yard. Apart from that, having a large, open area in the backyard is usually a wonderful idea for summertime entertainment.

Palm Trees and Cactus

If you’re looking for an inexpensive way to create a desert landscape, try planting palms and cacti. They look great together, but they also offer different benefits.

Palms add height and texture to any landscape. If your yard is sunny all day long, consider planting a smaller palm tree—or even just one with shorter leaves—to provide some shade in the afternoon or evening hours when it’s hottest outside (and perhaps even at night). You must plant these plants in an area where they’ll receive plenty of sunlight throughout the year so they’ll thrive.

Cactus plants are great because they require very little maintenance once established in their new home. You can leave them in place without worrying about them being eaten by rabbits or squirrels.

A Border of Flowers

Drought-tolerant, showy flowers in beds and borders are a great way to add color to your space without spending much money. An inexpensive way to create a beautiful, simple flower border in the desert landscape is to use a single type of flower, like a Desert Sunflower or Barrel Cactus.

Ground Cover and Flagstone

Ground cover plants are a great way to provide lushness and life in your desert landscaping, and they also add a lot of color and texture to your garden.

Whether you choose to put ground cover plants or not, flagstone is an excellent choice for your desert scape. This stone provides a unique look that will tie everything together.

You can add flagstone pavers over pea gravel to stretch your path to the street. Sedum and Creeping Thyme are both drought-tolerant ground covers that you can use to fill in the spaces between the flagstones.

Drought Tolerant Trees

A Saguaro can act as the yard’s centerpiece in the sunshine-laden desert landscape. Here are a few trees that thrive in dry environments and sandy soil:

Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia)
Sweet Acacia (Vachellia farnesiana)
Forman’s Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus formanii)
Boojum (Fouquieria columnaris)

Conclusion

I realize that buying plant material for your desert garden may not be the most economical approach, but who says you need to buy all of this stuff? It is often possible to transplant a variety of plants into your yard from free sources, such as friends and family who may be in the same environment and may have already established beds that need some thinning. Also, if you get a bit creative, you can usually find some free spots to get rocks and plants.

REFERENCES

https://cals.arizona.edu/yavapai/anr/hort/byg/archive/buffalograss2013.html

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128000182000121

https://libguides.nybg.org/snakeplant

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2763764/

https://extension.unr.edu/publication.aspx?PubID=2157

https://greenhouse.biology.indiana.edu/features/cacti-succulents/Agave-americana.html

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/EP473

https://www.bellarmine.edu/faculty/drobinson/Sedum.asp

https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/trees-and-shrubs/trees/sweet-acacia.html

Easy to Grow Border Plants for a Gorgeous, Trouble-Free Landscape

Many people try growing plants along the border in their gardens but find it too difficult because of the maintenance involved. The good news is there are tons of great border plants that are attractive and simple to grow. And now, you don’t have to be a green thumb to get the look you want for your garden borders, which means you’ll have more time to relax and enjoy your life!

So, whether you prefer to plant a flowering or non-flowering plant, it’s a good idea to check out the list below to find the perfect easy-to-grow border plants for your landscape. These specific plants can offer any garden border much-needed color, shape, and texture.

Alyssum (Lobularia maritima)

Alyssums are the plants to choose if you wish to add more timeless elegance to your flower gardens but don’t have time to baby your plants. These annuals don’t need much care as long as you place them in a nice sunny spot where they are happy.

While alyssum is low-maintenance, it does poorly in swampy areas and regions with insufficient rainfall. It has minimal insect issues, although it can suffer foliage and stem problems in excessive shade where the foliage and soil do not dry sufficiently.

This ground-covering plant prefers full sun; however, it will benefit from moderate shade in drier and hotter conditions. It grows best in USDA zones 5-9 and enjoys warmer climates, although severe temperatures can kill it. They will typically cease blooming in the heat of summer, but don’t worry. They will likely liven up your borders once more in the fall—alyssums like well-draining soil.

Spurges (Euphorbia)

Euphorbia is an erect, thick, clumping herbaceous perennial that is extremely showy, quick, and simple to grow and is ideal for brightening up any garden border. They add vibrant color and intrigue with beautiful springtime flowers in yellow, bright green, and orange. Some euphorbias have evergreen leaves, providing a distinctive structure throughout the year. So, they readily fall into the list of the best border plants.

Euphorbias grew successfully in a wide variety of environments, from highlands to deserts to tropical woods, making them very non-fussy plants. There are several species and varieties, providing a diverse range of options for people all over the country. There are sun-loving and shade-loving types, as well as those that prefer either dry or moisture-rich soils.

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

The lavender plant is an easy-to-grow perennial and will provide you with a fragrant and colorful display of flowers throughout the summer. You can even grow Lavender in containers if you don’t like planting it directly in the soil.

Lavender is a favorite border pick because of its pastel shades and low, trail-bordering height of 1 foot. A profusion of Lavender provides a striking, flowery informal border and entices anyone who passes by with its pleasant smell, so you can’t go wrong with Lavender!

Fern (Tracheophyta)

Several ferns are incredibly simple-to-maintain border plants that thrive in damp soil and partial full shade in Zones 3-9. Ferns are among the best stress-free accent plants or backdrop plantings you can have in the landscape. And since ferns have such a wide variety of colors and textures, there’s almost something for everyone! However, if you want a more purposeful look, select low-growing varieties at the front of a planting bed.

Stay cautious, though: certain ferns expand rapidly; if they seem to intrude on surrounding plants, you can split them, but be aware that some of the more aggressive growers, such as Ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris) might quickly overtake the adjoining gardens and creep out into the lawn.

Boxwood (Buxus)

The Boxwood is hardy, resilient, and effortless to grow, and it adds interesting texture, strong shape, and lush color all year. With its maximum size reaching 3-5 feet tall and broad, it’s perfect as a hedge, edging, or border plant. You can also use Boxwood as accent plants in the middle of larger shrubs. It grows best in partial shade, in uniformly damp, well-drained soil.

You can cultivate Boxwood as a tiny tree or big, dense shrub because you can quickly trim it. It has thick, evergreen, glossy leaves with a deep green shade above and yellow-green beneath, making it an attractive plant that has adorned garden borders for many, many years.

Tricolor Sage (Salvia officinalis ‘Tricolor’)

Sage is one herb we should not ignore. This lovely tiny herb is quite easygoing, and it thrives best in USDA zones 6-9, preferring lots of sunlight but accepting moderate shade in hotter climates. And it is drought resistant once fully established.

Tricolor sage gives a splash of color to your landscape and home with its unusual leaves that come in three colors: bordered in white or purple and with a green base.

As the flowering season approaches, tricolor sage will show off its beauty with its colorful leaves and violet blossoms even more. And these purple hues complement a wide range of shades and textures, so they’ll work nicely in most garden beds.

Additionally, ants hate tricolor sage. So, this plant is an excellent natural solution if you are experiencing an ant situation in one of your landscape areas.

Sutherland Hebe (Hebe ‘Sutherlandii’)

Sutherland hebe is a compact, thickly branching, small evergreen shrub with spikes of white blooms with blue anthers that contrast with the masses of pale, sage-green leaves. It’s one of the toughest plants you can place in the border, plus its small, spreading form is a nice feature for small spaces. You’ll especially love it if you live in sunny, coastal areas since it flourishes in that kind of environment. However, some Hebe varieties are cold-hardy.

This shrub produces a sleek appearance. It appears to have been hand-clipped into a casual type of shrubbery but takes almost no maintenance. Hebe ‘Sutherlandii’ can be used in a variety of planting techniques, such as in groups as an informal hedge or to anchor the edge of a plantation area. It has short white blooms that bees love in the summertime.

Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

These resilient bushes provide a great deal of elegance with little effort. Hydrangeas of the Annabelle kind have always been popular landscaping plants, and they shine in the shady garden due to their enormous white blossoms. Incorporate them with other shade-loving plants, such as ferns and hostas, but be aware that these hardy growers are likely to spread over time which can make them a challenge to keep.

Hydrangeas thrive in USDA zones 5–9, and they require full sunlight to bloom dependably in temperate zones but may tolerate some moderate shade in warmer ones.

Please remember: your hydrangeas will require a lot of water as they are growing. They will, however, endure the rare dry season after they have established themselves. It’s important to know you should hydrate these plants more often in warmer regions, but just don’t flood the soil.

Hosta (Hosta spp.)

Hostas are low-care landscaping plants that look nice even with little planning or care. This verdant delight is a herbaceous plant that grows well in a range of environments.

Hostas feature eye-catching leaves that capture the attention without overwhelming the entire garden. They produce attractive blooms in the summer months, which draw a significant number of pollinators. There are a plethora of hostas that come in a wide range of hues, such as the famous blue hostas. Whatever you choose, you’ll have a visually appealing border. As hostas mature, they will grow in size and may need to be separated to maintain an evenly sized border.

Hostas are low-maintenance plants that thrive in USDA zones 3-8. They don’t mind the temperature and may thrive in a variety of conditions. They flourish in partial shade but may flourish in complete shade in hotter regions.

One tip to reduce a splotchy appearance is to group many pieces of the same cultivar. By grouping them, you give them greater visual impact and prevent them from seeming like something done on a whim.

Daylillies (Hemerocallis ssp)

Daylillies are another wonderfully easy-to-grow border plant that comes in a wide variety of colors and sizes and can be effortlessly introduced to create a lively and colorful border. The daylily, like the hosta, will undoubtedly increase in size and can overtake a border bed without proper separation over the years.

Most daylilies love the sun, and they are hardy enough to survive most soil types and can take quite a bit of abuse.

Zinnia (Zinnia sp.)

Zinnias are flowering plants that won’t give you a hard time growing from seed. Zinnias are some of the simplest annuals to cultivate since they grow rapidly and produce a lot of blossoms. Furthermore, they will bloom until the first heavy frost of the season.

These pretty flowers come in a variety of shades and sizes. And certainly, you can have a vibrant border plant arrangement from smaller, dwarf kinds or seed mixtures like ‘Dreamland Mix,’ ‘Magellan Mix,’ or ‘Thumbelina.’ Zinnia flowers may provide a colorful accent to your landscape, so give them a shot.

Roman Chamomile (Chamaemelum Nobile)

Roman chamomile, which is pretty neat if you like the look of Italian flower fields, is a brilliant, fuss-free plant suitable for a border. It grows in chilly, dry areas and doesn’t need much upkeep. When their roots are fully developed, these plants need relatively little care and should be planted in a bright, exposed location. And because Roman chamomile is a perennial, it will readily start growing again each year.

With the Roman chamomile, you can make a statement with your border! However, there are several ways to incorporate these delicate gems into your landscape. You can even plant them in containers, given you elevate the pots to allow water to drain well.

Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides)

Fountain grass, which is a perennial in so many areas, is an appealing ornamental border plant with a thick, clustering habit. Fountain grass contributes form, movement, soft texture, and fall color. With so many advantages, keeping this decorative grass at the border is worthwhile.

This short grass grows well in most soils and prefers direct sunlight, but it may take partial shade. Even though it favors dry soils and is drought-resistant when set, it will thrive in damp, well-drained soils too.

Armenian Cranesbill (Geranium psilostemon)

With its hot pink blooms with a black center carried aloft on a massive plant, this Geranium is ideal for the background of a brightly sunlit border in hot climates. This resistant Geranium is dependable, simple to grow, and gives long-lasting brilliance for just about any landscape, bringing on a wonderful sight from late spring through late summer and you’ll like its excellent fall color too. This perennial grows upright in clumps and reaches a height of 3-4 feet.

Creeping Thyme (Thymus praecox)

Creeping thyme is a bushy, perennial thyme plant that makes a good border in sunny sections of the landscape. This newbie-gardener-friendly plant has fine-textured leaves that spread throughout the soil, bearing blooms in a wide range of colors (because there are many varieties). This ornamental groundcover plant can withstand considerable foot traffic and is commonly used as a border on garden beds and paths.

While less suitable for food output, creeping thyme is still safe to eat. The best part about creeping thyme is that it doesn’t require much maintenance once it is established in your garden or landscape.

Things to Keep in Mind when Growing Border Plants

Size underestimation of a potential landscaping feature is a common error when picking all sorts of plants, but it’s especially troublesome when it applies to border vegetation. If you plan to plant them near other plants or trees, choose ones that won’t crowd them out.

To stay on the safe side, choose drought-tolerant plants that will not get too tall. Taller plants can compete with other plants in your garden and possibly shade them out.

Also, consider how much sunlight your border plants need. Some need full sun, and others can handle partial shade. If you need help determining which type would work best for your garden, ask your local nursery first! Choose plants that will grow in a variety of soil types and conditions. You don’t want to plant a plant that requires acidic soil or prefers full sun if you live in an area with cloudy or cool weather.

One of the challenges with border plants is that borders can often be long and winding, so it may be challenging to find one variety of plant that will grow well in your given border as it winds its way across your property.

REFERENCES

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2019.00846/full

https://i.slcc.edu/facilities/docs/lavender.pdf

www.pnwplants.wsu.edu/PlantDisplay.aspx?PlantID=121

https://agsci.oregonstate.edu/hebe-landscape-evaluation

https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/FP623

Best Plants for Zone 7

Residing in USDA Planting Zone 7 is excellent since you can grow a wide variety of plants—you just have to know which ones are well adapted to your high and low temperatures.

You have to know each plant’s growing requirements. Some plants need full sun; some grow best in part shade. For some plants, well-draining soil is extremely important so they don’t suffer from wet soil that leads to root rot.

In zone 7, you may cultivate various shrubs, trees, flowers, fruits, vegetables, grasses, and other plants. Here are the best plants for zone 7.

Growing Plants in Zone 7

USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7 is an area in North America where the annual minimum temperatures can go from 0 to 10 °F. Here are some places included in Zone 7:

Southern Oklahoma
a portion of Northern Texas
Southern New Mexico
Central Arizona
Southern Utah
Southern and Western areas of Nevada

It’s a great idea to choose appropriate plants that can survive gentle weather.

Abelia

Abelia belongs to the Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) family of plants. Abelia is an ornamental plant valued for its pleasant-smelling, attractive, bell-shaped, white (sometimes pink, yellow) flowers and stunning, color-changing foliage.

Abelia flowers are irresistible to pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds. Some Abelia cultivars are well-suited for gardeners who don’t like too much work—pruning requirements are modest. It may be used as a foundation plant, border plant, specimen plant, or container plant. It is simple to reproduce from cuttings and to establish in your landscape.

Abelia could withstand sunny and shady conditions very well. It prefers well-drained, damp soil.

Rhododendron

Rhododendron is a blooming evergreen tree or shrub. It’s a favorite of gardeners because of its stunning flowers—perfect as a decorative plant for spring!

The big and lush flower clusters and the range of bloom colors such as red, pink, white, orange, purple, and yellow give this plant a charm that rivals that of others. The bonus is that it’s easy to grow. You’ll easily see rhododendron plants growing in big, dense patches, and they’ve become a topic of concern due to their ability to disrupt the nitrogen cycle.

All rhododendrons have a high level of cold tolerance and the benefit of being straightforward to cultivate even in cooler environments. Rhododendron enjoys acidic, well-drained soil.

**Lenten Roses (Helleborus orientalis)**

Lenten Roses have quite showy, eye-catching blooms that, although they aren’t true roses (they’re actually hellebore hybrids), resemble them. The flowers are bell- or cup-shaped and can come in different shades of white, pink, and pale purple. They are great for adding lots of color and life to your yard!

Some people call hellebores “Lenten roses” because they bloom during the season of Lent (early in the spring). Although the blooms look like roses, the multicolored petals that encircle the blossom are not part of the flower. Even after the central bloom has faded, the petals stay on the stalk for many months.

Indeed, Lenten Roses are among the most fuss-free plants to grow in zone 7. The plants will flourish if the soil is kept hydrated and mulched in winter. Still, they may endure drier circumstances once established—which will take a long time (but once they do, unlike many perennials, they seldom need to be divided).

Dianthus

Approximately 300 species of the genus Dianthus, which belongs to the dianthus family, are found worldwide. These flowers are called “pinks,” “carnations,” or “sweet william.” The smell is extremely appealing, and the (usually) pink flowers blossom in a delicate frilly form.

Dianthus plants are hardy annuals, biennials, and perennials. People love using them as border plants or flower beds due to their bright colors and big, showy blooms. Although, some varieties, such as Alpine pinks, are better suited as ground covers given their mat-forming growth pattern.

Seeds of both annual and perennial Dianthus species can be sown in regular damp garden soil in a sunny area in the spring.

**Coral Bark Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango-Kaku)**

The Coral Bark Maple (or Coral Bark Japanese Maple) is a beautiful shrub or small tree that can turn heads all year round due to its unique colors.

The fine, vivid deep pink/coral red bark of the coral bark maple is its most noticeable characteristic. The bark is genuinely stunning in the winter when the leaves are dropping and may give winter appeal to warmer landscapes.

It has pale green foliage that turns soft shades of yellow in autumn, and it looks divine in winter when all the leaves have fallen as its new growth glows coral red in the winter sunshine.

The coral bark Japanese maple is a woody tree that grows slowly to moderately. Plant it in damp, well-drained soil in full sun to moderate shade.

**Blue Fescue (Festuca glauca)**

Blue Fescue is an ornamental grass that looks amazing in any yard due to its unique appearance. Firstly, its leaves are pale, finely textured, and bluish-grey. But it’s not just the color that makes it stand out from other plants; its form is also quite appealing, with its foliage densely growing like a pincushion.

Blue Fescue is a good accent for winter flower beds, as its pale color complements the bright hues of your flowers. Aside from its impressive density, it’s nice that it can be stepped on, too—that means you can place it to cover the ground. It can also act as a turfgrass with a unique appearance.

**Lilyturf (Liriope muscari)**

Lilyturf is a plant that has been widely used for greening and landscaping since ancient times. You will recognize it by its elongated, grass-like leaves with long spikes of bluish-purple flowers.

Lilyturf is frequently confused with mondo or monkey grass (Ophiopogon japonicus). The fruit is the sole real distinction. The lilyturf fruit is bluish/black.

It’s listed as one of the ideal plants for zone 7 due to its strong cold and heat resistance. It’s highly adaptable to a wide range of environments—fully sunny to fully shady. Lastly, you’ll hardly see it get damaged by pests, and it’s not very picky with soil at all.

Canna Lily

Canna Lily is a bold, colorful flowering plant suited for zone 7. It’s considered a showy summer bulb that you’ll love having in your garden!

Cannas will certainly grab your attention from afar. These are ideal if you want to transform your yard with some eye-catching scenery.

Despite its common name, it’s not actually a lily; however, it looks just as spectacular. A group of these flowers planted in one spot in the garden can look breathtaking. The variety in shades alone is enough to blow your mind, for canna lilies can exist in light, gentle hues to vibrant, striking colors. The blooms can be a dazzling red, orange, or yellow—all warm colors that remind you of a tropical setting!

Aside from the main attraction, the flower and the massive, long, oval leaves of the Canna Lily are also appealing. They can be uniform or multicolored—they will always look lively either way due to their pointed growth pattern.

As for the soil, these plants develop without problems even in ordinary garden soil, but it is advisable to plant them in fertile, well-drained, soft, spacious, and deep soil if you want good growth for the flowers. It’s also important to give them adequate space to grow and spread out. Full sun is nice for these plants.

**Crocus (Crocus spp.)**

Crocus is a low-growing plant native to the Mediterranean region. It blooms in spring along with tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths.

The Crocus has unique-looking, thin, stiff leaves that look similar to pine needles. These leaves have silver/gray stripes along the ribs in the center.

But the real show-stopper? The flowers. Crocus flowers come in various colors, including white, yellow, and purple, and sometimes you’ll see double-colored ones too! The flowers bloom around March-May, and they herald the coming of spring in many parts of the world.

When planting Crocus in a container, use a shallow, broad pot and make sure they’re gathered in a bunch.

**English Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)**

In nature, English lavender can be found in the mountains of France, Italy, and Crimea.

English Lavender boasts lovely, pleasant-smelling, deep purple flowers, and small flowers are collected in inflorescences similar to spikelets. This plant is treasured worldwide for its excellent cold resistance, low maintenance, and stunning looks. If there’s one plant everyone should have in their home, it’s the English Lavender!

It works as a great stress-reliever due to its enthralling, relaxing scent. Also, it does a beautiful job of repelling insects.

English lavender blooms once a year for a month and a half, from mid-June to late July. You can enjoy the pleasant floral scent they give off during this time.

These plants do not like extremely high temperatures and humidity levels; they do thrive in zone 7, after all.

Yellow Alyssum (Aurinia saxatilis)

Yellow Alyssum creates a golden carpet of bright flowers with a pleasant aroma in the spring. This beautiful flowering plant harmonizes with tulips, caps, and phlox in the flower garden.

It’s a lovely groundcover plant for zone 7 since it swiftly grows and reseeds, making a thick mat quickly.

Although it is cold-resistant, it has a weak heat resistance and cannot survive extreme summer in warm regions in the USA. Aside from high temperatures, it doesn’t like acidic soil and humidity.

**Hollyhock (Alcea rosea)**

Hollyhocks are annuals or biennials of the Malvaceae family, and these are flowering plants that produce big, cup-shaped flowers on tall spikes. You’ll see hollyhocks in shades of pink, purple, blue, red, yellow, white, and black.

Although it’s a plant with strong drought and heat resistance, it’s vulnerable to heat, so place it somewhere unreachable by harsh sunlight.

Hollyhocks need plenty of water when the soil is dry in the summer. It hates excessive humidity, so be careful not to let the soil get too damp. If you are planting hollyhocks in the garden, simply water the soil to ensure it does not dry out.

**Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens)**

Candytuft has a lot of white or pink blossoms that are quite flashy and beautiful. It is an ornamental plant with evergreen leaves and brilliant flower blossoms that effectively attract pollinators.

Candytuft, both evergreen and perennial, can be used if you want an eye-catching flower accent or a showy, flowery hedge that outlines a border. It blooms from spring to summer.

Candytuft may thrive in moderate shade, but it prefers full sun. It’s best to plant your candytuft in a sunny location. It would help the soil with its drainage, which is vital since overly wet soil will hinder its development and distinctive flowers.

**Daffodils (Narcissus)**

Daffodils are one of the least demanding flowering plants you can grow in zone 7a, and they are ideal for beginners and less patient gardeners. Hardly any spring flower is as popular as the daffodil.

Daffodils grow near water. The scientific name, Narcissus, refers to an exceptionally handsome Greek man that fell in love with his own reflection in the water and eventually died. The flower that grew there was named after him. This famous story gave rise to the word narcissist, meaning excessive self-love.

It would help if you planted daffodils in the fall before the first frost. This is owing to the fact that the bulbs require a low temperature in the winter to enhance root development and prepare for blossoming in the spring. The soil in which daffodils grow should not be too dry for long periods—also preferably well-drained and slightly acidic.

**Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta)**

With its eye-catching, bright yellow flowers with a dark center, the Black-eyed Susan is one of the most popular annual ornamental plants for zone 7 gardens, balconies, and terraces. It can work as a pretty decorative plant in hanging baskets for indoor use!

The Black-eyed Susan will flower for a long time and grow up to three feet tall. Even if you don’t deadhead them, these plants enjoy a considerable bloom time, making them more interesting to homeowners.

Bees and butterflies, among other insects, will love getting nectar from the blooms. Upon consuming the nectar, these pollinators spread pollen to other plants. The black-eyed Susan is a successional plant that thrives on clay, loam, and sandy soils. This forb is a fan of full sunlight, slightly damp to moderately dry soil, and it likes to be in acidic soils with a pH of less than 6.8.

Coneflowers (Echinacea)

Echinacea is a plant of the genus Rudbeckia native to North America. It’s a well-known medicinal plant; some Echinacea species’ flowers, leaves, and roots are used to make drugs.

Coneflowers come in different colors. Some varieties have purple-pink flowers, some come in more striking shades such as brilliant red (as with Echinacea’ Firebird’), and some pink, yellow, and orange ones exist as well. There are too many to list them all here! You can mix and match colors to make your landscape a captivating one.

It’s a great thing coneflowers are native to North America and hardy in zones 4-9, so you don’t have to worry about them acclimating to the environment.

**Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis)**

Lily of the Valley is a herbaceous perennial plant that grows in temperate regions. They can be found in forests, hills, and plains regions of northern Asia, Europe, and North America.

From afar, the lovely Lily of the Valley appears to be elegant and charming, and you can see why: this plant has pleasant-smelling, bell-shaped, white flowers (that face downward) in clusters surrounding its stems.

Lily of the Valley needs rich, cool soil, so it’s among the best plants to grow in Zone 7. If your plant likes it where it is, you’ll notice that it will multiply and form a beautiful flowery carpet after a few years.

But it would be best if you were careful around this plant. Lily of the Valley produces cardiac glycosides; that’s why it’s considered poisonous.

Hosta

Hosta is a perennial plant cultivated in temperate regions of the world. Wild species are a specialty of East Asia. They are commonly found throughout Japan, where most species are distributed.

There are approximately 2500 varieties of Hostas! There are numerous differences, including leaf color and size, variegation, bloom color, flower size, etc. It has a massive foothold as an attractive plant in a shady garden.

Hosta is popular as an ornamental plant because of its foliage’s beautiful shape and color. Its leaves are flat, usually oval, and feature veins with vertical lines running through them.

Hostas prefer partially shady conditions. If you have a big tree, that’s where your hostas would like to be.

**Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum)**

Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium niponicum or Athyrium japonicum) thrives in damp, shady places. You’ll likely find it in the understory of forests and on the roadside.

The Japanese Painted Fern is popular in shade gardens in Europe and the United States.

It is a perennial, however, when the rhizome dies, the plant dies as well, and if the underground component survives the winter, the plant will grow the following year. It grows with spores instead of seeds—a characteristic common to all ferns.

There’s a reason why this plant prefers a moisture-rich environment; it makes it easier for the sperm to travel to the egg.

An egg producer creates eggs and a sperm maker that generates sperms in the front lobe, and when the eggs get fertilized by the sperms, they turn into zygotes that form new petioles and leaves. When the petioles and leaves grow sufficiently big, they turn into ferns. And you can say that the plant successfully multiplied.

Salvia

Salvia blooms from summer to fall. Many species of this mint family are real eye candy, especially with their blue to violet or red flower colors! The intense blue panicles of flowers and the round structure of the plant make it look attractive in the landscape.

Salvia, its scientific name, means “to be healthy,” “to save,” or “salvation.” Sage is sometimes referred to be the plant of immortality, home virtue, good health, and enlightenment. The Romans used sage as a sacred ritual plant. It’s not all myth, though, since Salvia has been the subject of interest in so many health-related scientific studies.

Salvia plants have long been known for their antioxidant properties and potential to increase ‘head and brain’ function, memory, sharpen the senses, and slow age-related cognitive decline.

Full sunlight and well-drained soil are ideal for all salvias. These plants will need to be pruned once in the spring and again in July.

REFERENCES

scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=4646

https://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/

https://www.ehow.com/info_8166518_states-zone-710.html

https://www.caes.uga.edu/research/impact/impact-brief/10119/new-abelia-for-the-landscape.html

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/plants-that-tolerate-drought/\

https://phys.org/news/2014-10-undergraduate-rhododendrons-invade-conquer-disturbing.html

https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=46604

https://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/articles/hellebore.html

https://bangladeshbiosafety.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Biology_of_Carnation_Au-1.pdf

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/5696/dianthus-alpinus/details

https://www.britannica.com/plant/pink-plant

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/acer-palmatum-sango-kaku/

https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:20008857-1

Mondo Grass

https://www.bellarmine.edu/faculty/drobinson/Lilyturf.asp

https://extension.umass.edu/plant-identification/canna-lily

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6925501/

https://landscapeplants.oregonstate.edu/plants/iberis-sempervirens

https://ipm.missouri.edu/MEG/2009/9/Daffodils-Harbingers-of-Spring/

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Narcissus-Greek-mythology

https://www.ndsu.edu/pubweb/chiwonlee/plsc211/student%20papers/articles00/rkraft/daffodil.htm

https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/plantguide/pdf/pg_ruhi2.pdf

https://forages.oregonstate.edu/ssis/plants/plant-types/forbs

https://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=ruhi2

Rudbeckia

https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002581.htm

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/lily-of-the-valley

https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/garden-scoop/2020-08-01-hostas

https://www.bellarmine.edu/faculty/drobinson/Hosta.asp

https://hort.extension.wisc.edu/articles/sage-salvia-officinalis/

https://doi.org/10.1211/0022357991772808

Best Plants for Swimming Pool Landscaping

If you’re stumped on what to do with your pool landscape, perhaps freshening up the surrounding landscape with some new plantings will be the answer. Any time that plants are considered for around the pool, we must not only consider the beauty of the plant and how it fits with the surrounding landscape, we also need to consider the debris that it will drop considering its proximity to the pool.

Swimming pools have a very delicate water balance, and any debris that falls into the pool will result in the balance being thrown off and tend to clog filters and soil the pool bottom.

Learn about the best plants for swimming pool landscaping so you can make your pool area look more enticing and attractive without giving you a hard time with upkeep.

Plants for Swimming Pool Landscaping

There are a wide variety of poolside plants to choose from. You can grow many varieties of plants around a pool; you just need to consider the poolside environment.

While sitting poolside is always enjoyable, gazing at a well-planned pool landscape will make it even better.

Characteristics of plants well suited to live poolside:

Plants that do not make a mess. Dropping debris, leaves, nuts, or berries is not desirable.

Plants that are fairly hardy and resistant to chemical burns make good choices. Poolside plants will undoubtedly be exposed to some chlorinated water from time to time; whether it be from a brisk wind or a soaked pair of swim trunks, it is sure to happen.

Plants that can tolerate extreme sunlight and heat. Pools are often surrounded by hardscapes and in full sun, so the plants living there need to be a bit drought-tolerant and sun-loving.

Plants Near the Poolside: What You Need to Know

Here are some of the most common questions asked when considering planting around the pool.

QUESTION #1: Is chlorinated pool water bad for poolside plants?

The fact is that chlorinated water getting in contact with the plants is a cause for worry, but the good news is that all but the most sensitive plants will do just fine with a bit of chlorinated water overspray. However, keep in mind that any chemical spills near even the hardiest plants can result in death, so use caution when handling chemicals near your plants.

Many plants are not very picky about the kind of water you provide them and will actually be fine with being exposed to very low levels of chlorine in your pool water.

QUESTION #2: What about plant matter from poolside plants getting into the pool?

Debris is the second issue to consider. You would like the plants you chose to provide aesthetic appeal to the setting, not to clutter the pool with undesirable foliage and debris.

Plant them six to eight feet from the pool’s border if the plants grow close to the ground.

You should avoid placing deciduous trees, spiny plants, or cone-bearing plants near the pool if you don’t want to frequently clean up your pool area.

QUESTION #3: What type of plants would be best to put near the swimming pool?

Lastly, think about the plant’s requirements. The area surrounding a pool creates a microclimate, and indeed, the plants you choose must survive in it. If you want to ensure that they’ll be healthy and look as nice as possible, pick the xeric sun lovers.

QUESTION #4: What should I keep in mind when planting around pools?

The area surrounding your pool will likely be covered in concrete, stones, or tiles, but either way, these surfaces will get quite hot. This hot surface will make it harder on your surrounding plants and will cause the plants to require more watering.

If planting in containers, use rolling plant stands, plates, or saucers to lift container plants off the heated surface and keep them from getting too hot. When planting, make sure there’s sufficient space in the container for airflow.

Keep the plants back a few inches to keep the foliage off of the pool deck when planting in bordering beds.

Plants that Grow Well in Poolside Landscaping

Surrounding your pool with plants is a creative way to frame the area. But it’s not as easy as picking a random plant and putting it on the poolside.

Consider that larger leaved plants or evergreen plants that hold their needles might be better suited for the poolside than plants with small light leaves that will blow into the pool in the fall. Succulents, little palm trees, holly, juniper, and dwarf spruce make for good choices to minimize the amount of leaf litter in the area.

Here are several plants that we recommend for pool landscaping.

Mediterranean Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis) and Banana Tree (Musa) will undoubtedly contribute to the “tropical paradise” vibe you want for your pool.
Fern (Tracheophyta) is a classic swimming pool plant. It thrives in the pool’s microclimate and will foster a serene, calming environment that reminds you of camping in the woods.
Agave is a low-maintenance succulent that adds to the attractiveness of the pool without causing any mess.
Echeveria (Crassulaceae) is native to the desert, so you don’t need to water it frequently. Its symmetrical rosettes will always be lovely to see.
Red Gum Tree’s (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) lovely, white/cream-colored bark provides much-needed color contrast with the rest of the plants near the pool.
Ironwood is an extremely hardy, picturesque tree that would look amazing close to the pool. What makes it desirable is its drought tolerance and infrequent leaf drop.
Zebra grass (Miscanthus Sinensis ‘Zebrinus’) and Feather reed grass (Calamagrostis) are ornamental grasses that add interesting texture to the poolside landscape.
Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum Jasminoides), Angel’s Trumpet (Brugmansia), Martha Washington Geranium (Regal pelargonium), and Dalea are stunning flowering plants that will add color to the pool’s vicinity.
Turpentine Bush (Ericameria laricifolia) looks and smells fantastic. You’d be excited to get a whiff of it every time you dip into the water.
Evergreen Viburnum (Viburnum obovatum) produces gorgeous white blooms and is a classy addition to the pool space. It can act as an excellent hedge or a decorative accent plant.
Creeping Jenny (Lysimachia) is a pretty groundcover that forms a thick mat, filling up the boring, unoccupied spaces in the poolside. It can also work as a trailing plant, proving its versatility in the landscape.

Potted Plants for the Poolside

The poolside is a great place to decorate with plants in big containers or plant pots. Doing that is an excellent way to add intriguing elements that go well with the swimming pool area. You can experiment with different colors, shapes, sizes, and textures that will add to the poolside landscape’s variation.

The soil in smaller containers dries out quicker than soil in larger ones due to how much potting soil there is. And because containers lose water faster than surface planting beds, plants for poolside pots demand more hydration.

Good potted plants for the poolside include:

Beardtongues (Penstemon) will exhibit vigorous flowering that looks spectacular in containers. Penstemon can survive even with a limited water supply. The blooms come in plenty of colors so that you can plant multiple varieties of the same Penstemon plant.
Blue Euphorbia is a plant that does well in pots. Euphorbia’s pale color will be an interesting quality if you currently have vibrant plants.
Lantana (Lantana Camara) is a brightly colored flowering shrub that will always dress up the poolside. Even just one pot of this would already dazzle anyone who’d look at the pool.
Violets (Viola) always look great in containers. You could get creative by laying a terracotta pot to its side and making it look like the violets are pouring out.
Hibiscus (Hibiscus) is a nice flowering plant close to the pool. You can pick one of its big, showy flowers and put it on your ear to serve as a fun accessory.
Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) is one way to make your pool look as beautiful as this plant’s name. Its uniquely shaped orange blooms will amplify the already sunny, welcoming, and warm feel of the place.
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta) is a small palm that looks cute in a plant pot beside the pool. You will like the feathery texture of its palm leaves and its slow growth.