Most Challenging Problems
Some growing conditions may seem more challenging to deal with than others, but it’s often a matter of putting the right plants in the right place. You might find yourself struggling in a shady corner or on a sun-baked slope. Maybe your garden suffers from regular drought and heat, causing what you plant to wither. Or maybe deer keep eating whatever you decide to grow. But don’t throw in the towel just yet! These five garden plans are packed with colorful, easy-care plants that will help you tackle your toughest landscaping challenges.
1. A Heat-Loving Garden Plan
No matter how hot it gets, the perennials in this simple garden plan will take all the heat out of summer dishes. (Of course, you’ll need to water it a bit more whenever the soil gets dry, especially in the first season.) Giant, bushy dahlias and lilies form the backbone of this garden, complemented by the trusty spike speedwell, penstemon, boltonia, and purple moorgrass. The result is a bed full of colorful flowers (and they’re perfect for cutting!) throughout the warmer months of the year.
2. Deer-Resistant Garden Plan
Deer may look cute, but they can wreak havoc in a garden. Keep the hungry creatures from eating your plants by choosing varieties that are low on their preferred menu. This deer-resistant garden plan features several flowering perennials with scents or textures that the animals don’t like. This design contrasts the purple blooms of Russian sage, globe thistle, iris, and lamb’s ear with the warm yellow blooms of spurge and yarrow, accented by the warm orange blooms of Potentilla. The low-growing foliage of Artemisia and thyme lends a clean finish to the front of the bed.
3. Low-Water Garden Plan
A dry garden area needs tough plants that can survive without much water. Drought-tolerant plants designed by nature to survive have many unique features. For example, the thick, succulent leaves of sedum plants store excess water. The clarity of lamb's ears slows evaporation from the leaves. Use these and other water-wise choices in this planting plan to create a beautiful display near your home's foundation, along your driveway, or along the grassy strip in front of your house. Packed with low-maintenance plants that thrive in full sun and well-drained soil, this garden is designed to look great even during extended dry spells.
4. No-fuss Shade Garden Plan
Space under the branches of a large tree can seem challenging when you want to grow something colorful. But luckily, many perennials don't mind the low sun. This no-fuss shade garden plan includes several of these plants, which will add bright flowers and lush foliage without requiring much care from you. To put this garden together, start at the back edge and work your way forward. Elegant bleeding hearts and bold hostas form the first tier, followed by hellebores and foam beads. Astilbes and painted ferns create a low-growing, elegantly textured tier, and the front of the bed is overflowing with deadnettle and barnyardgrass.
5. Drought-Tolerant Slope Garden Plan
Tame a difficult-to-cut slope with this easy-care design that showcases a selection of water-efficient plants like sedums for hot, dry, sunny conditions. Hard landscaping elements like wide steps help transform a sloping area from an inaccessible spot to an attractive one. Groundcovers like creeping thyme help soften their edges. Clusters of rocks anchor the plantings and add natural beauty.
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