A Garden Planting Plan that Utilizes Adaptable Plants

Collaborative post

Indoor air can be 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air. Our homes contain a host of invisible toxic compounds, including carbon monoxide, which can hurt our lungs and overall health with constant exposure. While air-purifying plants can be the perfect solution to make your home breathable again, they still can help!

Hi GPODers! Today we’re in the garden of Jo Ann, and seeing how she’s fairing after a move from sunny SoCal to the lush Pacific Northwest:

Nothing like a dash of passionate red to instantly liven up your space with warmth and freshness! You can grow these plants to create a contrast and accentuate their beauty among other plants of usual green foliage. And the best part, almost all of them can be grown in pots as well.

Header: ‘Rocket fish’ composite image by Emma Doughty. Includes a zebrafish image by Pogrebnoj-Alexandroff, CC 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Yesterday we explored the wild side of Vermont with Sheila, today she’s sharing what spring looks like in her garden.

Chances are, you’ve got mixed conditions in your garden. One area might be in full sun, while another spot a bit farther away is in full shade. Even beds that have the same exposure on paper may have larger plants that shade out the ground below. This presents a challenge for developing a cohesive look within a landscape. As gardeners, we’ve been taught that repetition is one of the tenets of good garden design. But how can one repeat groupings of a plant throughout a border that stretches from bright light to dappled shade? The answer is by utilizing plants that are highly adaptable and will thrive in both sun and shade. In today’s episode we’re singing the praises of these flexible species. They are invaluable assets to the landscape and, as a bonus, will hold their own when the light conditions of a garden inevitably change over time.    

Susan Burke’s home and garden on the Nantucket shoreline off the coast of Massachusetts were designed from scratch when she and her late husband first purchased the property. Featuring tall borders of naturalistic plantings and hardscaping that weave off into nature in the backyard, this space also has a more formal garden in the front yard consisting mostly of native plants. A large dune comes up from the beach, where a buffer of native flora divides the garden from the beach beyond.

Most gardens have some dry shade, at the foot of walls where foundations draw water from the soil, or under eaves where little rain falls. Trees also create dry shade, as their roots take up a lot of water.

If you buy your garden border plants from the people who grow them, you’ll benefit from their expert advice and knowledge.

Architectural indoor plants are great to use them as a part of the furniture or overall design element of any room in the house, where they form a perfect camaraderie with the space.

If you want the colors in your garden to stay intact even in the peak of heat, these flowers are a great choice as they keep on blooming no matter how warm the weather gets!