The Art of Shopping for Plants

Annuals add a splash of spring color.

By Jenny Peterson

 

I've been where you are. Just last week, as a matter of fact. You want something new and interesting for your garden—perhaps some cheerful annuals or wispy grasses will do the trick. But once you get to the nursery, all your best-laid plans go out the window. Your normally practical brain goes haywire with all the horticultural eye candy, and your brain suddenly refuses to make a decision. To avoid going home with "one of these" and "ten of those" that don't fit any nook or cranny of your garden, or worse yet, plants that don't perform well, check out these tips.

 

Come prepared.

 Take some basic notes about the area of your garden you'd like to focus on. Is it sunny, shady, or a bit of both? How is the drainage in this area—is the soil dry and rocky, or does it hold water? Are you trying to hide a view or simply add some much-needed color? These notes can get you going in the right directio and help you find plants that will fill your needs and thrive where you plant them. 

Choose wisely.

Once you've figured out that you want pink impatiens or purple fountain grass, you can begin choosing individual plants. Choose plants that seem healthy—with no obvious pests or diseases. Pass up plants that have a lot of dead foliage, holes in the leaves, or spots on foliage, or that are either too small or too large for their pots. Plants that seem too small for their pots might not be well rooted, while too-large plants can be potbound and difficult to transplant.

 

Think like a designer.

Only buy one of a particular plant if it's intended as a focal point in your garden or if it possesses strong architectural form—like trees, agaves, or palms, for example. Other plants such as flowering perennials and ornamental grasses will look best planted in groups with odd numbers (three, five, or seven) and repeated in other parts of your garden, while annuals tend to look best when massed. If you're massing plants, plan to buy several flats of eighteen or twenty plants per flat.

Now you're good to go! You're armed and ready to flex your purchasing muscle, but remember, when in doubt, ask the nursery staff for assistance. Even the best-prepared gardener needs some help once in a while.