Choosing the Ideal Plants for Your Garden:
Five Key Factors to Consider
Shade
If your area does not get much sun, choose shade loving plants such as Sarcococca and Asplenium.
Sun
In sunny spots, opt for plants that flourish in full sunlight, such as Lavender, Agapanthus, and Achillea.
Acidic
Alkaline
Acidic soils are mostly found in west, north, and upland mountainous regions of Ireland. In Dublin, parts of Howth head have acidic soil. Magnolia, Camellia and Rhodendrons all grow well in this soil.
Small
The majority of Dublin, the east of Ireland and the midlands has alkaline soil. Clematis, lavender and Helleborus thrive in alkaline soil.
Large
In compact spaces, select larger shrubs or small trees as your focal plants, like Amelanchier lamarckii, Daphne, or Acer palmatum.
In bigger spaces, you have more flexibility to select plants that grow taller and broader, like Laburnum and Liquidambar orientalis.
Low maintenance
For low-maintenance gardening, choose plants that don’t require staking, pruning, frequent watering, or winter lifting, like Geranium 'Rozanne', Geum, or Pittosporum 'Tom Thumb'.
High maintenance
If you have more time for gardening, you may choose plants that require regular pruning and feeding (like roses) or are tender and need winter storage indoors (such as Canna or Dahlia).
All year interest
You can enjoy year-round interest by choosing a range of plants that have interest in different season, like Camellia for spring, Perovskia for summer, Rudbeckia for autumn, and Helleborus for winter.
Peaks in one season
If you prefer your garden to look spectacular for just one season, like summer, fill your flowerbeds with summer flowering plants such as Aruncus, Salvia, and Kniphofia.
