Every guide on one plan sheet, bed by bed: the basics every yard shares, then the eastern and western regions of the country.
Bed APlan BasicsBefore you plant: drawing the plan, finding your hardiness zone, testing the soil and placing trees to save energy.
How to Draw a Landscape Plan for Your Yard, Step by StepA good landscape starts on paper. How to map what you have, decide how you will use the yard, read sun, shade, water and soil, group plants by their water needs and phase the work, using EPA WaterSense guidance and federal building research.5 min readPlantedFind Your Hardiness Zone and What It Really Tells YouThe USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is the starting point for choosing perennials, trees and shrubs. How the 2023 map was made, what zones and half zones mean, why many places shifted half a zone warmer, and the factors a zone does not cover.4 min readPlantedTest Your Soil Before You Plant: A Homeowner’s GuideA soil test costs little and tells you what your soil needs, and what it does not. How to take samples for lawns and beds, how often to test, what the report shows, how pH affects plants and how test results save water and fertilizer.4 min readPlantedLandscaping for Energy Savings: Shade Trees and WindbreaksTrees and shrubs in the right places cut cooling bills in summer and heating bills in winter. What federal and extension research has measured, which sides of the house to plant first, how to use deciduous and evergreen trees, and how windbreaks work on the Plains.4 min readPlanted
Bed BEastern RegionsThe Northeast, the Southeast, Florida and the Gulf Coast, and the Midwest: rain, humidity, cold winters and what each one asks of a yard.
Landscaping in the Northeast: Four Seasons, Deer and SnowNortheastern yards get steady rain, real winters and plenty of deer. What Boston’s climate normals say about the season, how to plan for snow, frost and hungry deer, why native plants and rain gardens fit the region, and a sample plan for a typical lot.4 min readPlantedLandscaping in the Southeast: Heat, Humidity and Acid SoilSoutheastern yards have long, hot, humid summers, mild winters and generous rain. What Atlanta’s climate normals show, how to plant azaleas and other Southern staples so they thrive, why shade on the east and west matters, and how to water and mulch for the region.4 min readPlantedLandscaping in Florida and on the Gulf CoastNear-tropical heat, sandy soil, summer downpours and hurricanes set the rules on the Gulf and in Florida. What Miami and Houston’s climate normals show, Florida’s nine Florida-Friendly Landscaping principles written into state law, what HOAs can and cannot require, and how to plan for storms.4 min readPlantedLandscaping in the Midwest: Prairie Plants, Rain Gardens and Cold WintersMidwestern yards face cold winters, hot summers and spring storms. What Chicago’s climate normals show, why prairie plants with deep roots suit the region, how to plant and care for them, and how rain gardens and windbreaks fit a Midwestern plan.4 min readPlanted
Bed CWestern RegionsThe Great Plains, the Desert Southwest, the Mountain West and the Pacific Coast: wind, drought, short seasons and wildfire.
Landscaping on the Great Plains: Wind, Drought and WindbreaksOn the Plains, wind shapes everything: heating bills, snowdrifts, dry soil and what survives. What Wichita’s climate normals show, how Kansas State and Purdue design home windbreaks, how to handle snow and summer heat, and which plantings stand up to the region.4 min readPlantedLandscaping in the Desert Southwest: Water, Heat and ShadeIn the low desert, water is the budget and shade is the luxury. What Phoenix’s climate normals show, University of Arizona advice on establishing drought-tolerant plants, why drip systems often fall short, and how to plan hydrozones, mulch and shade for desert heat.4 min readPlantedLandscaping in the Mountain West: Short Seasons and Wildfire ZonesMountain yards face dry air, big temperature swings, a short frost-free season and, in many places, wildfire. What Denver’s climate normals show, how Colorado’s fire experts divide the land around a home into zones, how to choose low-flammability plants and how to water in a semi-arid climate.4 min readPlantedLandscaping on the Pacific Coast: Dry Summers and Defensible SpaceFrom Seattle to San Francisco, the coast has wet winters and dry summers, a pattern that rewards native and summer-dry plants. What NOAA normals show, Oregon State advice on water-wise natives, and California’s defensible space law, including the new ember-resistant zone.4 min readPlanted