What plants do well in British Columbia?

One of the best ways to help your lawn and garden thrive is to use plants that are either native to or well-suited for the climate you live in.  Exotic plants might be eye-catching and unique, but the effort that is required to keep them alive is often just not worth it.  Fortunately, our climate in British Columbia is perfect for a wide variety of plants.  There is sure to be something that will fit into your design among our native species!

As the largest plants to be used in a landscape design, the trees you plant have a huge impact on the overall landscape.  If you are looking for shade, maples and oaks are always a great choice.  Quaking aspens are perfect for smaller yards - though they grow quickly, they do not have a very large spread.  The London planetree is a great option if you have the space - these incredibly large trees are also incredibly tolerant of poor soil, drought, and nearly anything else they might encounter.

Though they provide much less shade, shrubs are a favorite for both decorative and functional landscaping.  Boxwood has a well-deserved reputation for being both attractive and easy to shape, and it is often used for hedges.  It has one big drawback, however - it doesn’t flower.  If you are looking for bright colours from your shrubs, you might like the white and pink flowers of rose dalphne or the yellow flowers of Japanese holly.  Both of these shrubs have the added bonus of giving your landscape visual interest even during the winter!

Once your trees and shrubs are in place, it is time to add colour near the ground.  Flowers are the most common ornamental plants grown, and there are many vibrant, easy-to-grow species that thrive in British Columbia.  Daisies and lilies are great perennial flowers to add visual interest to your garden year after year. 

If you don’t mind replanting every year, you have even more options: daffodils (which are extremely hardy), petunias (which will thrive in any location), tulips (which come in nearly any colour you can imagine), marigolds (which will bloom for up to eight months out of the year), and black-eyed susans (which are great pollinator attractors) are all annuals that will give your landscape a splash of colour.

Your choices for landscaping plants continue to expand if you want to add edibles, ground cover, ornamental grasses, or vines for vertical landscaping.  Many of the options are very low-maintenance, and those willing to invest even a little bit of time into their gardens will find nearly endless possibilities.  With a little research (learning your hardiness zone is a great starting place!), you can create a landscape that will thrive in British Columbia’s unique climate, from the coast to the snowy north.

Once you have selected your plants, give us a call to have them professionally arranged and planted.  Our landscaping experts are here to help with everything from questions about specific plants to complete lawn and garden makeovers!