Landscaping plants can take your property from bland and dull to beautiful and welcoming, helping you to create an outdoor oasis perfect for the family and for entertaining. However, not all landscaping plants, including flowers, shrubs, and other vegetation, are the same; some will need more work and maintenance, and some may not grow the way you expect. Note a few tips for choosing landscaping plants for your yard, to make that landscaping easier to manage and more attractive overall.

Note the mature growth

When you buy landscaping vegetation from a nursery, note that those pieces may not be fully grown. Hedges may still grow several feet or meters, and flowering shrubs may fill out quite a bit within the first weeks and months after they're planted. This is important to know, as those hedges may then need regular trimming to keep them at the height you want, and flowering shrubs may overgrow the flowerbeds of your property. Check the expected mature growth or height of any vegetation before buying, and if they will fill out after planting, and buy what fits your property and your expectations for thickness, height, and density.

Water needs

Note the watering needs of each potential plant you might buy, and consider where these would be planted around your home. Your home's downspouts will catch and direct rainwater away from the home, so the soil around those downspouts may be more moist than soil in the middle of your property. By planning your vegetation accordingly, you can avoid having to constantly water your plants and avoid the risk of some drying out and wilting.

Sunlight

Always check the needed sunlight for any vegetation and note if they will get enough sun, or too much sun, depending on where they're planted on the property. This would include noting any surrounding vegetation that may filter sunlight; this can be good for delicate flowers that need some shade, but planting flowers that need lots of sunlight under a tree or too close to the house can mean that they soon wither.

Security

Consider how landscaping plants can add to your home's security; prickly bushes along the edge of the property and under your home's windows can deter intruders and trespassers. Look for gooseberry, holly, firethorn, and juniper bushes for these areas. You might also plant dense and stiff bamboo along the edges of your property, as these stalks are difficult to cut and can act as a natural fence that keeps out unwanted visitors!