When selecting plants for your landscape beds in Kentucky, it's essential to carefully evaluate several factors. Begin by confirming that the plants are well-suited to the specific soil conditions of your property, taking into consideration factors such as soil pH, texture, and drainage.

Additionally, assess the amount of sunlight the area receives throughout the day to ensure that the chosen plants are compatible with the light levels they will experience. When selecting plant varieties, consider how their colors will complement each other and align with your aesthetic preferences. Finally, assess the maintenance requirements of the plants to ensure that they are in line with your willingness and capacity to care for them over time.

1. Consider Your Soil Conditions & What Plants Thrive in Them

The first thing you'll want to consider when choosing which plants to add to your landscape beds is your soil conditions. Your plants need specific nutrients and elements from the soil to grow healthy and strong, so it's essential that you choose those that will benefit from what your area has. For example, some may be better suited for acidic or alkaline pH levels, while others prefer certain types of soil, such as sandy, clay, or loamy.

Some popular plants used in landscape beds include tulips, mums, begonias, pansies, and more!

2. Consider How Much Sunlight Each Plant Needs

Colorful plants in a landscape bed with mulch in Louisville, KY.

When selecting plants for your landscape beds, it's essential to consider the sunlight requirements of each plant. Some plants thrive in full sun, requiring at least six hours of direct sunlight daily, while others prefer partial shade, receiving sunlight for only part of the day. Some plants, such as ferns and hostas, can even thrive in full shade with little to no direct sunlight. It's crucial to choose plants that are well-suited to the amount of sunlight your landscape beds receive to ensure their survival and optimal growth.

3. Consider Which Plants Will Look Best in Your Landscape Beds

While there are endless plant options available for use in landscape beds, not every variety will fit perfectly with the aesthetic you're going for. Because of this, you'll need to determine which plants will look best. Consider what color schemes complement the sunlight patterns. Some plants look great paired with others that have similar undertones, creating uniformity in your landscape beds. Whether you want a classic, timeless appearance or something more modern - you can make your dream landscape come to life through the strategic placement of various plants.

4. Check if the Maintenance Levels of the Plants Align With What You're Willing to Do

Shrubs in a landscape bed in Louisville, KY.

Finally, you'll need to check whether the maintenance level aligns with your willingness to care for them. While most plants don't require too much TLC, some may need more attention than others. Before making any final decisions, think about how much time you're willing to dedicate to caring for them, including watering, pruning, fertilizing, and pest control treatments. Then, base your plant choices on that! That way, you won't end up adding more work than you anticipated but still get the beautiful landscape you wanted.

Call us today to schedule our plantings and softscapes service!

If you want to enhance your outdoor space with eye-catching plants, we are here to help! At Turf Tenders, we offer a professional plantings and softscapes service where our team will install new landscape beds or renovate existing ones, then fill them with gorgeous plants of your choice to create your dream yard.

We serve residential and commercial properties, along with HOAs, in Louisville, St. Matthews, Indian Hills, KY, and surrounding areas. Call us today at (502) 861-6637 to schedule our plantings and softscapes service, and let us show you why we're the ones for the job!