Things To Consider When Buying Plants

Carefully chosen plants plants, trees and shrubs can transform any garden. However, if you are not sure what to buy then it can also turn into a disappointment as you can lose your plants and money spent on them. After a lot of hard work and patience, it is sad if the plants do not thrive. So, it is very crucial to select plant with care and consider some important things before buying.

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Garden Soil

The most basic thing to consider when selecting plants and trees is the garden soil. Not all soil types are suitable for all plants. Different varieties are known to have different requirements. Before narrowing down on certain varieties, it is important to know in which soil are they known to thrive. Some plants that do well in average loam or clay soil while others might need rich organic soil for proper growth and development. It is best to chose native plants and wildflowers if you are inexperienced as these plants are very forgiving. Moreover, they are known to flourish in even the harshest conditions.

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Climate

Climate and temperature is the another important factor for obvious reasons. Some exotic plants that thrive in Southern hemisphere, don't do well in Northern states. You can go in for warm or cold climate plants as per your requirements. You can refer to the USDA plant hardiness guide that helps in determining the planting zone. This gives an insight into what kind of plants do well in what climate. 

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Location

Consider the location and planting spot where you are planning to grow the specific varieties. You can buy shade loving plants for areas that do not receive sunlight and on the other hand sun loving perennials can be bought for spots that receive full to partial sunlight. Identify difficult spots and landscape them with hardy plants that are proven performers in tough areas. 

Apart from all these things, you should also consider the spread or canopy of trees, shrubs and plants that you plan on growing. Some of them can grow and spread rapidly so select them accordingly. If you have limited space, then you can consider choosing plants that grow vertically and do not spread to much.

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Berries to Add Color to Your Winter Garden

Winters can turn out to be dull and boring as many perennials, annuals and other flowering plants bloom during spring and summer season. Most of the trees and shrubs start shedding their leaves in early fall and then they remain bare till the arrival of early spring. However, there are many evergreen varieties that add interest to the landscape throughout the year. Along with these evergreen trees you can grow some amazing shrubs and other trees to add bright colors to your garden in the winter season.

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Possumhaw (Ilex decidua)

Possumhaw is also commonly known as Meadow Holly or Swamp Holly and it is an amazing shrub that bears tiny red colored berries during the winter season. This holly variety is widely used for winter landscaping and holiday decorations. Holly is a popular plant around Christmas and is used in flower arrangement, wreaths and hangings. There are many other varieties of Holly plants that are used extensively for winter landscaping.

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

Winterberry is another common variety of Holly loved for its red or dark orange colored berries that act as a food source for birds and squirrels during the winter season. It is a brilliant shrub to add splash vibrant colors to the landscape. The berries are very densely packed on the stems and are wonderful for ornamental purposes.

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Firethorn (Pyracantha)

Firethorn is another popular shrub that is densely packed with orange, red or yellow colored tiny berries that appear in fall and remain till late winter season. It is an evergreen shrub that can be trained on walls or fences. The berry laden branches bow down with weight and look absolutely mesmerizing.

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