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If you’re wondering how to select plants for your landscape, you’re in the right place. Maybe you’re trying to save money on a professional. Or maybe you want to beautify your landscape and just want to start small and add a few plants. Either way, knowing how to select plants for a landscape is a skill that will probably come in handy at some point in your life, so read on to become a master at plant selection to create beautiful landscapes! Environment There is a lot to take into account to determine if your plant can thrive in your environment, from the soil to the plant hardiness zone. But fret not, we’ll be guiding you through everything, starting with plant hardiness zones. Plant Hardiness Zone The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) uses the average annual minimum winter temperaure to divide the US into zones. Each zone has a climate profile. So the first step to knowing your environment is to understand its climate by finding out which plant hardiness zone your area is in, so that you can better choose plants that will thrive in your region’s climate. Microclimate Of course, conditions will vary between the different areas inside a plant hardiness zone, and of course, your specific garden will have small differences from your neighbor’s garden. As such, it’s important to also consider your garden’s microclimate. First, observe the amount of sunlight your garden gets. Is there shelter nearby that blocks the sunlight out most of the time, or does your garden have sunlight throughout the day? It goes without saying that if your garden doesn’t get much sunlight, it’s best not to choose plants that need lots of sunlight, and vice versa. Next, while the temperature likely won’t deviate too much from your plant hardiness zone’s, if you’re near say, a body of water, it might mean your garden is cooler than normal. Finally, this is something only you can know, but some gardens just get more wind than others, and if that’s the case, you will want to ensure the plants you choose can withstand strong winds frequently.  Soil Type

Whether you’re looking to do some landscaping of your own or to start a business, you’re going to first need the right landscaping tools and equipment. From hand tools and power tools to safety gear, we’ve compiled a full list of all the tools you’ll need for various landscaping tasks, from pruning to making fertilizer. Chances are, you already know some of them, but this list will also open your eyes to new equipment that you can then consider adding to your arsenal. Without further ado, let’s get started! Hand Tools Hand tools are the perfect starting point for garden enthusiasts. They may require more manual work, but they get the job done and are the most affordable option. 1. Pruning Shears One of the most basic gardening tools, pruners are one of a few must-have tools for garden maintenance. Pruning shears are used to trim overgrown or dead branches and stems, which is essential to promote growth in your plants. There are various types of pruners, mainly ratchet, bypass, and anvil pruners. A solid pair of bypass pruners will suffice for most casual gardeners, but if you’re managing a larger garden that requires a lot more pruning, it might be worth getting all three pruners. Anvil pruners are best for thicker plants and require less effort to use, while ratchet ones are the strongest and are meant for the thicker branches. For those wondering why regular scissors can’t get the job done, well, you’ll have no trouble with thinner stems, but for larger branches and stems, not only will you have to exert lots of effort, but you likely won’t be able to cut through and may even cause the blade to snap off, which is incredibly dangerous. 2. Trowels Trowels, which are like tiny shovels, are another indispensable tool for any gardener. You’ll need trowels for precision work like digging small holes for planting bulbs and seedlings or removing weeds. There aren’t different types of trowels, but there are different sizes. Just go with the one that you find most comfortable. 3. Shovels Everyone knows what shovels are. Basically, you’ll need shovels for digging larger holes, transferring dirt, mulch, and so on, or simply for excavating larger amounts of soil. There are three different blade shapes for shovels - spade, square, and trench. Spade shovels are for digging, square ones for scooping and moving, and trench shovels are for digging trenches, as the name suggests. As you can imagine, having the right shovel for the job will make your job much easier. However, for most casual gardeners, just the spade one will do. 4. Rakes When it comes to rakes, the main ones that everyone use are leaf and garden (or bow) rakes. There are other rakes such as thatch rakes and shrub rakes, but most people won’t ever need them. Leaf rakes are of course used to gather leaves and debris, making them a must-have for any kind of clean-up. Garden rakes are used for breaking up soil and leveling garden beds, which is crucial for laying sod and preparing your garden bed for new plants to grow. 5. Hoes Gardening hoes are important for healthy soil. They are primarily used to remove weeds and cultivate soil. Besides removing weeds, hoes are used to create narrow trenches for seeding and for aerating the soil. So in short, hoes help create a healthy environment for your plants to grow. 6. Post Hole Diggers Post hole diggers are lesser known than the other gardening equipment, but no less useful. Post hole diggers resemble a long, slender pair of crimps with claws at the end. You use them by opening the claws, stabbing them into the ground, and closing them to create a hole. You then repeat the process until you’ve reached the depth you want. Post hole diggers help create deep, narrow holes efficiently. These holes are useful for fence posts, signposts, or shrubs and trees. Not everyone will need a post hole digger, but it’s good to know they exist just in case you find yourself one day in need of them. Power Tools Moving on to power tools, they’re more sophisticated, and so will naturally cost more than hand tools. However, they can do things that hand tools can’t and speed up your work immensely, so their prices are more than justified. 1. Leaf Blowers As I just said, power tools speed up your work immensely. Leaf blowers do the same thing as leaf rakes, clearing up leaves, except they do it in half the time and take only a quarter of the effort. Needless to say, I’d recommend that you get a leaf blower unless you’ve only got a small yard. 2. Hedge Trimmers Hedge trimmers operate differently from chainsaws as theirs is a back and forth motion. However, the effect they have is very much the same. Once again, hedge trimmers are like pruning shears on steroids, greatly speeding up the process of maintianint your hedges, bushes, and shrubbery. Same as with leaf blowers, larger gardens and yards will justify getting hedge trimmers, although you can still get them to save some time and effort even if your yard isn’t that big. 3. Chainsaws This tool needs no introduction. Chainsaws are an indispensable tool for cutting through thick stems or branches, and even chopping firewood. They can however be dangerous, so safety gear must be donned, which we’ll get to later down the list. 4. Mulchers Mulchers aren’t so much power tools as they are machines . Nevertheless, I had to place them somewhere on the list so here they are. For the uninitiated, mulchers aren’t for applying mulch. Instead, they’re for creating mulch. There’s quite a wide variety of mulchers, some have vacuums and can be driven, some are stationary, and some even have shredders. Regardless, mulchers turn your waste into something useful. The benefits of mulch are many, such as suppressing weeds and retaining soil moisture. Mulchers can be pricey, but are worth the investment as they have a huge positive effect on your plants in the long term. They’re also very eco-friendly as they reduce the amount of waste that goes to landfills. 5. Cultivators/Rototillers Cultivators help stir, aerate, and weed your soil all at once. There’s a very wide range of cultivators, ranging from simple hand tools that resemble three-pronged garden rakes, to full-blown machines that are as large as cars. Which one you should get depends on the size of your garden and your budget, but very rarely will even garden enthusiasts get anything larger than a motorized hand-held or walk-behind cultivator, also known as a rototiller. 6. Pole Saws A pole saw is exactly what it sounds like - a saw on top of a pole. Pole saws are used for cutting branches high up that are out of reach while allowing the user to remain on the ground safely without having to climb any ladders. Their lengths can usually be adjusted, so users can reach the exact height they need. Given the awkward position, it’s not easy to go back and forth with a pole saw, which is why homeowners tend to prefer the powered version.