A beautiful house isn’t enough to satiate the aesthetics of homeowners even if they take pride in the architecture of the same. There is an array of affordable and eco-friendly landscaping options today that can complement the beauty of a house. The undisputed element of every landscaping option out there has without a doubt always been our green friends. If you have a traditional lawn or choose to landscape your garden without grass, investing in plants is always a wise option. They never fail to enliven your house with vibrant colors and textures while giving your house a natural look.
What Do You Look for in Plants While Landscaping?
Depending on the type of soil and topography, there are so many ways to landscape your garden. Landscaping is undoubtedly an art that you can bungle up easily. Therefore, it is important to have a solid landscaping plan ready before you set out to beautify your land. Once you have your landscaping plan ready, it is time to choose the plants that will fit the plot. The plants you pick for your land should primarily rely on the type of your landscape and the soil. For instance, if you have a rock garden, it is important to get plants that can withstand the high heat retention of rocks. Some plants might require extremely nutritious soil to thrive while others can grow even on infertile soil.
Make sure at the nursery, you pick a plant that is healthy, moist, dark and has no weed growth in its pot. It is also important to know beforehand the growth capacity of the plant and the color of its flowers to understand if its size, shape, and colors will fit your landscape when it hits its full growth potential.
Here are the top 5 affordable varieties of plants to consider for your landscape:
- Basket of Gold
Ground covers like basket of gold are vigorous enough to cover your landscape but not too vigorous to make you a full-time gardener. Also called yellow alyssum, basket of gold is an affordable variety of ground cover in the market that produces bright yellow flowers. Its clusters of tiny yellow flowers and the bright green foliage make a spectacular sight in any type of landscaping. They require a good amount of sunlight and can withstand heat and drought. It has great resistance to diseases and blooms throughout the year.
- Creeping Thyme
Creeping thyme is yet another ground cover perennial which is commonly used as a filler between garden stones. With aromatic leaves and pink flowers, creeping thyme grows up to three inches imparting depth and hue to your garden. Its flowers come in deep pink, white, red or purple colors. Wooly thyme is the most common variety to be used as a ground cover for its slow pace of growth and soft leaves. Thymes, in general, find a place in various cuisines and folk medicine.
- Ornamental Grasses
Ornamental grasses are complementary to all sorts of landscapes. They make a spectacular view especially during summers when they are lush and vibrant. You can plant them around your swimming pool, use them as a background for your rock garden, or even grow them in large pots. Ornamental grasses are add-ons to your pool areas that have not been accessorized. The reasons to have a pool patio at home are many for the charm it brings to your house. You can enliven your house even more by growing ornamental grasses in pots in the pool patio.
Fountain grass and switchgrass are the commonly preferred ornamental grass varieties. Fountain grass is a perennial that grows up to 3 feet in height and has a fountain-like appearance; hence the name. Switchgrass is a prairie grass that grows up to six feet which requires full or partial sun to grow healthy. The plant mostly prefers loam, clay, or sand. Being drought and disease resistant, both of these grasses require very little attention.
- Day Lily
These are drought-resistant plants that prefer sunlight over shade. They flower mainly in spring and summer, but some varieties may keep blooming till fall. These plants are drought, pest, and disease resistant, making it a perfect pick for people who are hardly home to care for their plants. The flowers come in three different sizes and an array of colors, like yellow, red, purple, orange, and pink. Plant them in spots that will receive 6 hours of sunlight, and maybe pair them with attractive varieties of ornamental grasses.
- Celosia
Commonly called the wool flower, celosia is a tropical plant that has rust-red flowers which are widely used in wreaths. It does not tolerate frost, needs moisture, warmth, and humidity. Late spring is the ideal time to grow this beauty. The seeds do not require sunlight to germinate, but fertile soil is a necessity. Do not forget to take care of its fragile roots while planting. To retain warmth and moisture it is recommended to mulch it organically. Never overwater these plants as they are prone to fungal infections and pests. A strong stream of water over the plant’s body is the best trick to wash the pests away.
RJM landscapes are well known in Western Massachusetts for their top-notch landscaping services. From creating landscape master plan designs to fencing and bordering, they cover pretty much everything your house needs to look beautiful.