Plants For First Time Gardeners

Planting a garden for the first time can be a daunting task, but with a few plants that are essentially fool proof, your first garden can look as beautiful as any long established garden.

Garden plants are divided into categories, whether they prefer sun or shade to grow in, and whether they are annuals (one time for blooms) or perennials (blooms year after year). Once you have decided on the type of plants that work best in your garden, it is time to begin planting.

Plants for Sun:
The daylily is a popular plant in any garden. Growing in full sun, these bright and cheery bulbs add a splash of color to any garden. Blooming in the mid summer, these lilies are easy to grow and care for, with each year bringing more and more of these colorful flowers. Some of the more popular color choices include orange, pink, and a fall inspired russet red.
Other easy garden plants for full sun include a wide variety of annuals. Snapdragons, and petunias are just a couple examples of them. While these plants only bloom for one season, they do put on a show. Continual bloomers throughout the warm months, with regular watering you can have a beautiful first garden.

Plants for Shade:
One of the easiest plants to grow in areas with little sun, are elephant ears. Extremely hardy, and a quick multiplier, these large leafed plants make a statement in any garden.

Ground Covers:
Every garden has an area where it seems that almost nothing will grow, and often times these areas are given up as a lost cause. These areas are often in shade, under trees or in back corners. Ground covers such as English ivy, or vinca minor work exceptionally well in these hard to grow areas.
Vinca minor with it's light purple blooms provides striking coverage for the hard to grow areas, and English ivy provides dense, deep coverage for both walls and the ground. Both of these plants are hardy and easy to grow, requiring minimal care, and medium watering.

These are just an example of a few plants that anyone starting a garden for the first time will truly enjoy. Easy to grow, and great looking, it is possible to have a great looking garden from the start.