Planting flowers is the perfect way to bring color to your yard and add spring touches to the home. Finding the perfect plant, however, can seem like a daunting task to those who aren’t as experienced when it comes to gardening.
Fear not. We’ve developed a simple guide to help you find the best plant option for you. Use this chart to get started, but don’t let it stifle your landscaping imagination—The Home Depot’s Garden Center has 10,000 live good options to choose from. And some plants, like our Drop N Bloom flowers, are perfect for beginners. Before starting, let’s review a few basic terms.
Perennial vs. Annual
These terms describe the lifecycle of the plant. Perennials regrow year after year in the same root system whereas annuals last for only one growing season.
Full Sun vs. Part Sun vs. Full Shade
Understanding the amount of sun you need is crucial for helping your plant thrive. Full sun means that the plant has at least six full hours of direct sunlight a day. A partial sun or partial shade live good needs three to six hours of sun per day—usually from morning to early afternoon. If you’re looking to plant in an area that is covered by a lot of trees or shade that may stem from a home, you need a plant that grows in full shade. This doesn’t mean that the plant receives no sun, but the area may be blocked from direct sunlight.
USDA Hardiness Zone
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) divides the country into zones based on the average winter temperature of an area. This map helps gardeners assess their environment and determine which plants would thrive—and more importantly which plants would not—in a location. Determine your zone and make sure to find a plant suitable for your location.
Now that you’ve learned some of the fundamentals, check out our guide below to see what plants may be perfect for you.
