When deciding what kind of plants to grow in your backyard, it’s a good idea to consider how they will look in different conditions. Shade-loving plants are ideal for partial shade. Flowering plants, in particular, are a good choice for hotter climates. You can also use these plants as a topiary or plant them along with a patio. Listed below are some of the best plants for your backyard. If you’re not sure what to plant, read our tips to make a decision that will last for years.
Shade-loving plants
If you’re trying to find the right plants for a shady area of your backyard, you’re in luck. Shade-loving plants are perfect for a variety of conditions, from full sun to partial shade. These plants will tolerate a range of soil conditions and are a great choice for those who have limited space. Here are a few examples of shade-tolerant plants for your backyard. Some of these are even edible!
Lulicolophytum: Lingonberry and lilies are both great plants for a shaded area. Lulicolous and other varieties of this plant have large leaves and are great for partial shade. Lillies also need a well-drained soil. Aconitum can grow to be 3 feet tall and produces stunning flowers. These plants are deer-resistant and drought-tolerant.
Geraniums: These hardy perennials love shade and will bloom throughout the summer. You don’t need to replant them every year – geraniums are perennial and do not require a lot of care. Geraniums are great for backyard gardens because they can handle low light levels and thrive underneath privacy trees. Geraniums can also be a great choice for backyard shade plantings because they’re hardy.
Coral Bells: Heuchera, commonly known as a coral bell, is a shade-loving perennial. Their leaf color varies from silver to purple-black to salmon to rusty orange. The foliage provides visual excitement, and some varieties have showy flowers on tall slender stems. Examples include Chocolate Ruffles and Coral Bells. There are many more shade-loving plants that can be used in a garden.
Easy-to-grow plants
You can enjoy the benefits of outdoor living while still growing easy-to-grow plants in your backyard. From small groundcovers to large trees, these easy-to-grow plants are ideal for sunny or shady spots. Many of these plants are also prized for their fall colors. If you’re not sure what to plant, consider these easy-to-grow plants:
Ferns: This low-maintenance plant is a good choice for shady spots because it spreads to fill in empty spaces and doesn’t choke out existing plants. Ferns also blend well with other plants, adding a softer texture to the garden. They can be planted with low-light-loving flowering plants like geraniums. Ferns are excellent choices for shady areas.
Sunburst Honeylocust: This tree can handle pollution. Its yellow-budded leaves attract butterflies, rabbits, and deer. This plant also has a wide variety of blooms. It’s also great for borders. It’s a great choice for a backyard garden. And if you can’t grow a tree, you can also grow a thornless version.
Agave: If you’re growing plants in the shade, you may have to choose a variety that thrives in bright and dry conditions. Agave is a succulent with low water needs and makes a bold statement wherever you plant it. Look for plants that have two-tone leaves, like the one pictured. These plants have the potential to grow into tall, lush trees. It can be as large as a grove of fig trees in your backyard.
Candy Oh! roses are another easy-to-grow plant. They bloom continuously from late spring until frost, and can stay in the ground for several years. They’re usually about three to four feet tall with mounded foliage. And the good news is, they’re low-maintenance and pest-free. You can even enjoy the beauty of your garden year-round with Candy Oh! roses and Snowdrops.
Flowering plants
If you want to attract butterflies and bees to your garden, consider growing the goldenrod plant. This perennial blooms for over a month, from late June through July. The flowers don’t mind if you prune them back to a couple of inches, and they will still bloom in the fall. Goldenrod also tolerates light shade, so it is perfect for your flowering ground cover. And if you want to add a beautiful cutting garden, goldenrod is a great choice.
The ‘Big Bang’ series of coreopsis introduces several long-flowering perennials with beautiful large flowers. ‘Full Moon’ is the first introduction in the new ‘Big Bang’ series of coreopsis, and it has the added bonus of being popular with pollinators. ‘Moonbeam’ is another long-flowering coreopsis, with smaller pale yellow flowers. Both of these perennials require little maintenance and bloom for a long period of time.
Another perennial flowering vine is the clematis. This plant grows in part shade and requires moist soil that is organically rich. Its flowers range from deep burgundy to downy white, and it can grow up to 12 feet long. Among other benefits, clematis functions as a privacy screen and can be trained over lattice frameworks, lampposts, and walls. You can also use clematis to dress up the wall of your garage!
When selecting flowering shrubs, it is important to read the description and tag on the plant before buying it. Most flowering shrubs need full sun for best growth. They need at least six hours of direct sunlight a day. If you fail to provide them with full sunlight, they will grow leggy and offer only a few flowers. If you do not live in an area with freezing temperatures, you should check the plants’ hardiness zone.
Avoiding invasive plants
Many invasive plants are attractive and can be an excellent addition to any garden. While not all of them are on the federal noxious weed list, they can be detrimental to natural areas. Before introducing a new plant into your yard, be sure to inspect your vehicle and belongings for pieces of the plant. These seeds and plant pieces can easily spread by dropping or attaching to other items. Therefore, avoid bringing invasive plants into your backyard or sharing them with others.
Invasive plants are often popular landscape elements in Ontario and the surrounding areas. However, there are alternatives you can use in your landscape. For example, try Japanese knotweed, which grows between 20 and 25 feet tall with a spreading crown and gray to brown bark with a distinctive orange inner bark. Introduced from Europe in the mid-1800s, Japanese knotweed out-competes native plants for light and nutrients, and can cause erosion.
Before you purchase a plant, check the local invasive plant list. You can use online resources like the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States to find the list of plants that are harmful in your area. When choosing plants for your backyard, remember to select those that are native to your area, which are native to the region and support pollinators and birds. While choosing plants, keep in mind that invasive species can change their appearance in different locations.
If you’d rather avoid invasive plants, look for native species. A few examples include Japanese iris, daffodils, and tulips. You can also buy native plants from mail-order nurseries or native plant sales in Virginia. These plants will blend in and complement your home’s surroundings, providing you choose the right plants for your yard. You’ll be glad you made this decision. This will ensure that you enjoy your new backyard for years to come.
