Shown just after planting, this
easy entry garden will be full
and lush within a year.

Getting Started

Sometimes, a simple plan is the best plan. In this case, a perennial garden developed by landscape designer Kristopher Dabner uses widely available varieties to produces an entry garden that is easy to take care of and that looks good in all four seasons. Long-blooming perennials like coreopsis, daylily, and scabiosa provide color from spring through fall, as well as attractive foliage when not in bloom. Maidengrass and yew provide color and texture into the winter, even when the perennials are asleep under the snow.

Before you begin planting, check your soil for a good, crumbly ("chocolate cake") texture. If you squeeze a little in your hand, it sticks together somewhat but still crumbles apart easily. Use the guidelines below to improve your soil quality.

Clay soil: Add as much organic matter -- compost, composted manure, peat moss, or humus -- as you want. Do not add sand alone to heavy clay soils, or you risk creating a concretelike substance. Mix sand with peat moss or compost first and then thoroughly mix into soil. Add organic matter annually until soil is the desired consistency.

Sandy or high-silt soil: Blend topsoil with compost or peat moss and add to soil.

Alkaline soil: Mix peat moss or oak leaf mold into planting beds to lower the pH. Some plants, such as azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, and blueberries, need acid soil.