Ornamental plants are any species you grow for looks rather than food or other practical use. This group covers flowering trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, bulbs, grasses, and ground covers. If you planted it because it looks good, it counts as ornamental.
I built my own garden around a mix of ornamental categories over the past five years. A Japanese maple anchors the back corner as the canopy layer. Two hydrangeas fill the middle height. Hostas and daylilies carpet the ground beneath them. Each layer serves a different visual role. The tree gives structure and fall color. The shrubs produce summer flower clusters. The perennials add texture and fill gaps between the larger plants.
The types of ornamental plants break down into seven groups. Trees form the top layer and give your yard year-round structure. Shrubs create mid-level mass and blooms. Perennials return each year with flowers and foliage. Annuals deliver one season of intense color then fade. Bulbs pop up for short bursts of spring or fall flowers. Grasses sway in the breeze and add movement. Ground covers spread low to stop weeds and soften edges.
These ornamental plant examples show how broad the group is. A tall Japanese maple and a tiny creeping thyme both qualify. You grow them for looks, not for harvest. Hydrangeas make huge flower heads in blue, pink, or white based on your soil pH. Hostas spread thick ribbed leaves in green, gold, and blue shades. Petunias blast color into your containers from spring through frost. Tulip bulbs push up bright cups each April. Fountain grass adds feathery plumes that catch the light.
To build a layered ornamental garden that looks full across all four seasons, start with one small tree for height and structure. Add two shrubs on either side to create mass in the middle layer. Then fill the ground level with five to eight perennials and a ground cover to knit everything together. This formula works in beds as small as 6 by 10 feet (1.8 by 3 meters) and scales up for larger spaces.
Pick plants rated for your hardiness zone and group them by water needs. Drought-loving lavender doesn't belong next to moisture-hungry hostas. Match the conditions each plant wants and your ornamental garden will fill in fast without constant fussing from you.
When I first started mixing ornamental plants, I made the mistake of buying whatever looked good at the nursery. Half of those plants died because I put sun lovers in shade and shade lovers in sun. Now I check the tag on every pot before it goes in my cart. You should do the same. Your results will be much better when you match each plant to the right spot in your yard.
Read the full article: Best Ornamental Trees for Your Yard
