Four Great Garden Plans: Entry, Water, Herb, and Wildlife Gardens

Entry Garden

Establish strong focal points at both ends of a front walkway with shrubs or mounding perennials. Dwarf conifers, ornamental grasses, or a well-pruned hydrangea provide year-round interest.

Plant choices along the path set the tone. For a formal look, maintain a healthy lawn and edge with clipped boxwood. For a colorful cottage feel, replace lawn with thick perennial borders and line the path with creeping groundcovers like mint or thyme.

Water Garden

Planning a water garden resembles planning a flower border. Ensure at least six hours of direct sun. Select plants that complement in color, height, and bloom time.

Water plants fall into four groups: oxygenating, bog, floating, and water lily. Oxygenators (anacharis, water milfoil, cabomba) are crucial—they provide oxygen for aquatic life and compete with algae. Plant them at the pond bottom. Bog plants (cardinal flower, papyrus, cattail) add height and color in shallow edges. Floating plants (duckweed, water lettuce, floating fern) shade water and suppress algae. Water lilies are the crown jewels; plant them 6 inches below the surface.

Herb Garden

Herb gardens delight with aromas and soft colors. Whether for culinary, fragrance, or medicinal uses, design starts with a sunny, well-drained spot. Containers allow moving herbs into sun if your yard is shady.

Choose herbs based on interest: culinary (sage, fennel, basil), fragrant (lavender, spearmint, scented geraniums), or medicinal (chamomile, lemon balm, comfrey).

Wildlife Garden

Attract birds and butterflies by designing for their needs. Even a small corner can become a refuge.

Research native species first. For hummingbirds, plant bright tubular flowers like trumpet vine, red salvia, or bee balm. Butterflies love buddleia, zinnia, parsley, tithonia, and sedum. For songbirds, include seed- and berry-producing plants, shrubs, vines, and trees.