How to Choose Plants for a Country Plot?

Decided to start a garden but haven't figured out what to plant? Experts from Derevo Park studio share how to make a choice and what to consider when purchasing.

Evaluate the planting site conditions

This is important for new plants that are not yet acclimatized to the specifics of your land. Check sunlight, soil quality, and topography. Based on this, experts can select an appropriate option.

Look at neighboring plants

When you’ve made a decision about which plants to choose, take a look around. Are such species grown by your neighbors? Sometimes it's better to get cuttings from a neighbor, especially if they are perennials. Plants on their neighbors' plots have already adapted to the conditions and will easily survive transplanting.

By the way, perennials should be divided and thinned every few years. So you can be sure that plants for your garden will be found among your neighbors’.

Choose the right nursery

Start by reviewing customer reviews. Check whether complete information is provided about the species, variety, cultivar, and origin of the plant.

If it was grown in a nursery, inspect the density of leaves or needles, condition of young shoots, presence of buds or flowers in flowering ornamental plants. Observe changes in bark color, leaves, shoots, and new growth on the vegetative parts.

Examine the root system: if it's a perennial in a container or a small shrub, ask the seller to remove it from the container. If the soil clump doesn't crumble and the roots look fresh, everything is fine.

If the plant is from a European nursery and its condition is satisfactory, find out which hardiness zone it came from. Are you perhaps trying to buy a non-hardy Lawson's Cypress (which looks like our yews and junipers) or Magnolia with Glycine — these plants won’t survive winter in open ground.

Also, avoid buying seedlings from questionable sellers who promise tomato trees, climbing lilac, ampel strawberry the size of an apple, or watermelons for open ground in northern regions.

Pay attention to details

For example, if you need plants for a fruit orchard, you must find the nearest nursery that grows rootstocks and performs grafting. It's crucial that they either have their own mother stock or buy grafting material from verified certified suppliers.

Otherwise, you may wait for a long time without success to get a harvest: many garden centers near roads, fairs, and markets sell southern seedlings that are not viable in our conditions.

Consult professionals

Especially if you're planning large-scale planting with large trees. Heavy machinery, up to 100-ton cranes, might also be required.