60 PLANTS THAT YOU CAN RELY ON TO PERFORM

Start With What You Know
It goes without saying that the hardiest and healthiest plants are those suited to your growing conditions. Matching plants to your climate, soil, sunlight and moisture levels gives you the most success with the least effort.
Native plants are always a good place to start. They provide food for native birds and butterflies, and they?re already accustomed to your region. Keep in mind, though, that our environment has changed over the decades, putting stress on many native plants. For instance, air pollution has increased, while construction has damaged soil. Paved surfaces and buildings have affected drainage, soil moisture and temperatures. If you?re looking at native plants, make sure the ones you pick will tolerate the existing growing conditions.
All plants need a bit of TLC when getting established. Even native plants or those listed as drought-tolerant benefit from supplemental watering when rainfall is lacking. This is especially true when plants are young. But once they get going, these tough plants are able to make it through challenging growing seasons with minimal help.