Making A Garden Plan

All of us end up revamping our landscape or garden at some point, whether it’s because plants died and need replacing, we’re having hardscape installed, or a flowerbed has become overgrown and needs an overhaul.

Here’s where a written landscape plan is invaluable. If your needs involve significant hardscaping like laying pavers or excavating a retaining wall or pool, you will want to hire a professional. But for simpler garden makeovers, drawing up your own plan is easy, costs nothing and is exceedingly helpful.

This article covers two types of plans: A simple sketch that anyone can do, based on my own plan to refurbish my front bed. And a much more complex plan intended for large properties, or just for fun.

Roses for the Landscape

In this article I discuss what I consider some of the best roses for suburban landscapes in zone 6 today. By which I mean primarily modern hybrid shrub roses, polyanthas and floribundas, those bred to withstand challenging conditions and cold winters as well as provide easy-care color. Roses often get a bad rap for all the fuss they can take, depending on the variety.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are cultivars that are much easier to grow than others.

As of May 2023: I replaced several Knockout roses listed here that were becoming diseased with different cultivars, Clair Matin and Celestial Night, this spring. Once they establish and start blooming I’ll post an update about how they’re doing.

At the end of the article I provide a summary profile chart.

Roses in full swing along with spirea and peonies