For questions asking for particular plants that meet a specific need.
21
votes
4answers
1k views
What is a good grass replacement plant?
I don't like mowing my lawn. Is there a grass replacement plant which:
looks like grass,
one can step on it,
does not need mowing?
18
votes
11answers
2k views
What is an easy vegetable to grow in a hot, dry summer / cool, wet winter climate?
I want to try growing vegetables. What is an easy veggie to start with? I live in a climate with hot, dry summers and cool rainy winters.
16
votes
5answers
774 views
What plants will deter mosquitoes?
Does anyone have any plant recommendations that could deter mosquitoes? The location is North Texas, and I am looking for something that could be used on or around the deck. This might make the deck ...
15
votes
8answers
1k views
Low maintenance plant choices for apartment (indoor) living?
I'm not an expert on plants, but would like to add some plantlife to my apartment. I'm looking for good choices that:
don't require direct sunlight,
require minimal watering,
survive for at least a ...
15
votes
6answers
1k views
What kind of plants will survive the heat from an air conditioner?
I live on the 18th floor of a building in Hong Kong. In summer, all of my neighbors turn on their air conditioners, which generate a huge amount of heat.
I have a little balcony like gardening area ...
13
votes
5answers
340 views
How can I naturally encourage birds into my garden?
We love having our garden filled with birds, thus we have put up a variety of bird feeders. We also make lots of water available for the birds. The result is a 2½ year old that can identify about ...
12
votes
6answers
744 views
Fast-propagating, inexpensive ground cover / border
I'm looking for a ground cover / border for my flower beds that's:
Fast-propagating
Will tolerate zone 6 (although zone 5 might be more appropriate given the way the past few winters have been).
...
12
votes
3answers
620 views
What is a good ground cover for street frontage instead of lawn
Where I live (Adelaide plains, South Australia) it's very hot and dry in summertime and so I think a lawn is a waste of water if you don't get to enjoy it, such as where the yard is exposed to the ...
11
votes
5answers
209 views
What are some fast-growing, voluminous vines that are suitable to be grown in containers?
I have a large terrace in New York City, and am looking to fill it with some greenery without spending a fortune. In the past I have had good luck with morning glories in containers - they grow ...
11
votes
5answers
1k views
What is the best shade tree to shade the front of my house?
What type of tree(s) should I plant to provide the best shade on a two-story house?
I would like to provide as much shade as possible on the red square below:
The part I'm most concerned about is ...
11
votes
3answers
127 views
What is a good choice for an edible fruit producing plant given a space of 20 ft x 3 ft?
There is a patch of lawn between the driveways of my neighbour and I of dimension ~5 ft x 20 ft. I would like to plant edible fruit producing plants in my half of this strip of dirt and not have it ...
10
votes
4answers
954 views
What are some good plants to put in a guild built around plums/stone fruit?
I'm starting a small orchard of stone fruit trees -- just a few hundred square feet. I will be putting in plums next spring, and I'm thinking about what to plant between/around them. In the lingo of ...
10
votes
3answers
637 views
What are some tall, narrow perennials suited for dry soils, sun & shade?
I have an herb garden that stays quite dry. Although this garden is in the notoriously wet Pacific Northwest (USDA zone 8a), it is against a two story south-facing brick wall, under a large overhang, ...
9
votes
2answers
780 views
Which herbs can be grown as perennials?
What are some herbs that are perennials, i.e. they return and grow the next season? I'd like to keep a garden of herbs around for cooking.
9
votes
2answers
167 views
What plants take easily to clay soils?
I live in central Scotland, which is a bit damp, and the soil in my garden, despite years of aerating, adding sand etc is still quite a thick clay soil.
When it is sunny I get sun all day long, so ...
9
votes
2answers
277 views
Are there any drought tolerant plants that will force out weeds in pavement and sidewalk cracks?
In front of my house there is a sidewalk and about 2-3 feet of pavement behind a fence which I'm assuming was formerly dirt that was paved over. I've done my best to work with what I've got and make ...
9
votes
2answers
217 views
Is there a fruiting plant that can grow in an office environment?
In the office there is an abundance of fluorescent light and that's about it. The temperature stays around 70 ºF (21 ºC) I think.
Could I grow a fruiting plant in these conditions? I may be able to ...
9
votes
1answer
593 views
What kind of landscaping plants do livestock avoid eating and need minimal attention?
I'd like to plant plants/trees/shrubs along the sidewalk on the roads to improve the landscaping and general appearance. However, I live in Gurgaon, India and it is common to see livestock (cows, ...
8
votes
3answers
338 views
What's a fast growing hedge suitable for Western Australia?
So I've got a large front yard and I want to use a hedge to divide it and provide some privacy. I live in Western Australia so the soil is very sandy and the area receives full sun, sometimes getting ...
8
votes
2answers
403 views
What herbs/vegetables/greens can be grown in a balcony garden with limited sunlight?
Growing up in a house with a yard, we had a pretty decent sized garden with fruits, vegetables, and herbs galore. Since moving to "the city", I haven't had a yard, and I miss being able to grow things
...
8
votes
4answers
658 views
Hardy edible perennials that are easy to propagate?
I'm looking for hardy (USDA Z4/Z5; -15F winter lows) perennials (or low maintenance reseeding annuals) that are easy/reliable to propagate either via cuttings, division, or seed. The growing season is ...
8
votes
2answers
184 views
What are some edible plants (vegetable or fruit) that can produce roots in water?
I would like to know which edible plants can actually root from twigs and/or leaves put in water or a similar setup? Is it as simple as leaving them in water or do you need chemicals to induce ...
8
votes
1answer
127 views
What are good plants to use in a container-based winter garden?
I live in an apartment that has a small outdoor patio and I'm looking to create a little container garden this autumn/winter. I'm located in the US (hardiness zone is 7) and I'm looking for ideas ...
7
votes
3answers
256 views
What are some small deciduous shrubs that can grow in USDA zone 4?
A particular site in our garden (USDA zone 4) has dry, sandy soil over heavy clay and gets full sun. There is excellent drainage due to the retaining wall on one side that has a drainage pipe situated ...
7
votes
3answers
391 views
What flowering bulbs grow well in an air conditioned office environment?
I want to grow some bulbs in my office. I have windows facing east, west, and north-east. The office is air conditioned, but not humid. What flowering bulbs can I plant, that will grow well under ...
7
votes
2answers
564 views
Options for an edible privacy “fence”?
I live on a corner lot, with neighbors' fencing on two sides of my back yard, the house on a third, and an open street on the fourth.
Rather than installing a fence myself, to provide privacy in the ...
7
votes
1answer
223 views
What fruit tree grows well in an area with variable sunlight in San Jose, CA?
I live in San Jose, CA and have a 6 feet wide by 40 feet long strip of land running from SE to NW. At the SE end it is flanked by an established oak tree which would delay the morning sun to the first ...
6
votes
4answers
234 views
Is there an edible plant that is hardy and can be mowed?
Is there a plant that fits these characteristics?
Is edible
Is hardy (grows with little maintenance)
Can be mowed to 6 inches (like grass) .
Makes an attractive ground cover.
The reason I ask is ...
6
votes
3answers
296 views
How can I get the most produce out of my allotment with limited time each week?
I have recently acquired a new 33 x 33 ft plot in the West Country (south west England). I was just wondering with a new baby and limited time, what would be the best vegetables to grow, to maximize ...
6
votes
2answers
165 views
What can I plant to attract butterflies and other pollinators in Minnesota?
A lot of plants can pollinate themselves.
Fruits: Tomatoes, Strawberries
Vegetables: Peppers, Eggplant, Snap Beans, Lima Beans, Lettuce, Endive, Peas,
Cabbage, Broccoli, Beets, Kohlrabi
...
6
votes
3answers
351 views
How to create a living driveway resistant to heavy Canadian winters?
I want to create a living driveway. I saw a clip on TV the other night about 'rain gardens' that absorb run-off and help filter water into the aquifer as opposed to dumping it into storm drains. ...
6
votes
3answers
64 views
Hardy plants for wind break in the Rocky Mountain West?
Here in Montana, high winds are a common cause for both gardening problems and poor energy efficiency in homes (as well as maintenance issues). Can anyone recommend some low-maintenance plants that ...
6
votes
2answers
526 views
Ground cover for large sloped area
I have a fairly large area, ~1000 square feet, that I would like to plant with ground cover that looks good, is low to the ground, and is zero maintenance. The area gets full sun the first half of the ...
6
votes
1answer
295 views
Slim 6ft high evergreen hedge for a UK garden?
I'm interested in surrounding my UK front garden with a evergreen hedge border.
The garden is small, enough for 2 small family cars.
So is it possible to grow a "slim" evergreen hedge which is at ...
6
votes
2answers
228 views
What can I grow in a very damp, shaded part of the garden?
I have a small flower bed which is in a very shaded corner. It never gets any direct sunlight, and tends to be very damp (although it's well-drained - but the water never evaporates).
I'd like to be ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
What creepers can be grown to cover an entire wall in a southern Californian climate?
I'm planning on covering the stucco (which has a texture like this) on the back facing walls (faces west) of my house with a creeper. I'd rather the plant not grow any roots on the walls and adhere to ...
6
votes
1answer
195 views
Is Cotoneaster an appropriate plant to fill an empty space along my fence?
I have 8ft Leylandii along the outside of most of my west and north facing fences, but there are some gaps on the north side, so I have been using a range of climbing plants inside the fence to ...
6
votes
1answer
233 views
What vine would be best for my arbor under a tree in dry soil?
I have an arbor over a walkway, under a large tree. I want to find a vine that will grow on this under these conditions:
dry clay based topsoil
medium shade all day
USDA hardiness zone 6b
lots of ...
6
votes
1answer
137 views
What are the most fragrant non-double peonies?
Old-fashioned peonies are among my favorite perennials, easy to grow, spectacular in flower and awesomely fragrant. The old fully double varieties, however, have a serious weakness: a single rain ...
6
votes
2answers
115 views
cultivating a cactus from cutting
I've recently gotten a san pedro (Echinopsis pachanoi) cutting as a gift. I'm trying to take care of it as good as possible, but I'm not sure if I'm doing it the right way.
The situation is: the ...
5
votes
4answers
671 views
Plants to grow over and cover up an ugly wall?
On my property there is an ugly wall/fence, made of concrete, with vertical pieces of concrete and gaps between, like a picket fence. but far, far less attractive.
I want to plant some plants at the ...
5
votes
1answer
304 views
What ground cover would be best for my old stone driveway?
I have a steep driveway that isn't very practical for parking in, but looks pretty nice. It is "paved" with bricks and large marble slabs, with dirt in between the stones. Although this looks pretty ...
5
votes
3answers
477 views
Plants to dry out a soggy lawn
I live in the north of England (where it's fairly wet) and have a section of lawn near a fence that is quite mossy and boggy.
I cannot put any drainage pipe in, because the only place to run the ...
5
votes
1answer
89 views
Pruning a mimosa
I have a mimosa and I have to prune it. I'd like to be less invasive and do this "operation" in the best way.
Which is the best weather to prune mimosa?
Which is the best time to do it?
5
votes
2answers
86 views
Looking for plant recommendations for newly landscaped front yard
I am trying to find the right type of plants to put along the edge of my front yard on a terraced level. It has no shade and the plants will be next to a brick wall that separates this level from the ...
4
votes
1answer
88 views
What's a good successor crop to snow peas in a narrow bed against a West-facing wall?
For the past couple of years, one of my neighbors has allowed me to use a 20' by 15" / 6m x 35cm strip of land against his garage wall. He had installed hooks on the wall so I've tied string around ...
4
votes
1answer
66 views
Leafiest Tropical Tree
I currently live in tropical country Philippines and I would like to plant or graft the most leafiest tree serving 2 purpose; first to have a better shade, like I said we live in a tropical climate ...
4
votes
1answer
83 views
Landscaping to Reduce Visual Size of Home
We are building 2-story home (~2300 sqft) in a neighborhood of mostly 1-story homes, and typically less square feet, and no large attached garage. Needless to say, with the extra square feet, and ...
4
votes
1answer
111 views
Is there any replacement for the privacy that the thick undergrowth in woods provide?
In the back of my lot I have about 20 feet thick of woods/brush. This provides some very nice privacy from the house that is on the other side of that brush. However, I have had problems with poison ...
4
votes
1answer
368 views
Could I grow a Sochi tea plant (Camellia sinensis) in zone 6b?
I saw a Sochi tea plant in a catalog that was hardy in zones 7-10. Since I am in zone 6b, I was wondering if I could successfully grow these without wrapping in tar paper or anything like that. I am ...
