Plot it out

• Make a blueprint of your yard (or patio), marking where each garden bed, tree, or shrub exists or will go. Note the sun exposure, too.
• It’s a good idea to start small; you can plant more shrubs or dig more beds in subsequent years. Plant trees first to allow them time to grow.
• Sketch out your garden bed on graph paper (to scale) to note which plant goes where, keeping in mind the mature size of each plant—as well as any succession plantings. There are also plenty of garden-planning apps and online software out there to help with this task.
• Use twine or plant tags to mark out the plan on the bed—it’s all too easy to overcrowd or underutilize your space.
• Plant taller plants, such as the bee balm and black-eyed Susans in the cutting garden at Skylands (shown on page 196), where they won’t over-shadow shorter plants, like the Bells of Ireland and ageratum here.

2. Shop the nursery

In addition to ordering from online sources, buying locally allows you to tap into knowledgeable staff as you shop.

when to go

• You’ll find the most variety at the beginning of the season (particularly spring), depending on where you live.
• Arrive early in the morning for crowd-free shopping—and when staff can better assist you.
• Stop by in the fall when prices are at their lowest—and to get a head start on ordering for the next year.
• Be on the lookout for bargains throughout the year; annuals often go on sale after Memorial Day, for example, and trees and shrubs in midsummer.

what to bring

• Take the soil-test results so you can get the right plants (and in case you still need help with amendments).
• Bring your sketches and sunlight recordings, too—many places section plants by “full sun,” “partial sun,” and “shade.”
• Photos of your existing garden and any potential spots will help give the staff a good sense of your space, and allow them to identify your plants.
• Finally, if you have a color palette in mind, include color swatches to help you create a cohesive look.

How to pick

• Each plant’s tag has all the essential information—size, water and sun requirements, bloom period, hardiness zone, and care instructions. Use it to match the plant to the right plot.
• To assess the health of a plant, look for vibrant greenery and abundant shoots. Yellowing, wilting, or scraggly foliage could signal insects or disease.
• Don’t be shy about taking a plant out of its pot; it should have hardy roots held in plenty of soil.
• Annuals and flowering perennials should have a few open blooms so you can verify the variety and color.
• Avoid buying flowers, shrubs, and trees that are already blooming—and devoting their energy to reproducing, not root development.

PEST CONTROL

If you’re avoiding toxic pesticides—and we all should, for the sake of wildlife, our pets, and our health—try these eco-friendly alternatives:

Let nature run its course by putting ladybugs, lacewings, assassin bugs, and nonstinging parasitic wasps to work in ridding your garden of nuisances. Check with your local nursery or cooperative extension for where to buy them.

Or use this age-old home remedy on outdoor plants (including potted plants and window boxes) to deter aphids and slugs:

1. Purée an onion and two garlic cloves (all peeled), 1 teaspoon cayenne, and 3 cups water in a blender until smooth.

2. Let the mixture sit overnight, then strain the liquid into a spray bottle (it will keep in the refrigerator for two weeks) and use it to coat plants generously every two or three days.