Whether you’re filling a bare border with colour, hunting for the perfect low-maintenance ground cover, or falling down a rabbit hole of rare houseplants at midnight, you’ve landed in the right place.
This is one of the broadest and most rewarding corners of gardening. Plants shape the whole feel of a space. The right shrub turns a blank fence into a focal point. A single peony in bloom can stop you in your tracks every time you walk past it. And once you start learning plant names, you’ll never look at a garden the same way again.
What you’ll find in this category
We cover the full spectrum of ornamental and flowering plants, from the classics every gardener knows to the varieties that’ll make your neighbours stop and ask questions.
Flowering plants & perennials Hydrangeas, peonies, dahlias, tulips, roses, lilies, black-eyed Susans, echinacea, and dozens more. We look at varieties, growing conditions, and the tools and products that help them thrive, from the right fertiliser to the best supports and planters.
Shrubs, hedges & ornamental trees Azaleas, rhododendrons, camellias, boxwood, viburnum, crepe myrtles, ornamental cherries. Whether you’re shaping a formal hedge or choosing a statement tree for a front garden, we help you pick the right plant and care for it properly.
Ground covers & climbers Creeping thyme, pachysandra, ivy, clematis, morning glory, sweet pea. The plants that fill gaps, cover fences, and do the quiet work of making a garden feel finished.
Houseplants & indoor tropicals Philodendrons, pothos, calathea, echeveria, haworthia, snake plants, hoyas, and more. Indoor plants have their own universe of products, grow lights, humidity trays, speciality soil mixes, and moisture meters and we review the ones actually worth buying.
Succulents & cacti Echeveria, aloe, agave, sempervivum, lithops. Low-water plants with surprisingly specific needs when it comes to soil, pots, and drainage.
Ornamental grasses & ground covers Pampas grass, feather reed grass, maiden grass, and low-growing spreaders that work hard with very little care.
Why this category matters for your garden
Plants are the foundation that everything else supports. You can have the best irrigation system, the most beautiful patio furniture, and perfectly composted soil, but it’s the plants themselves that make a garden feel alive.
This category is also where a lot of the most satisfying product decisions happen. The right grow light genuinely transforms what you can grow indoors. A good planter with proper drainage makes the difference between a thriving philodendron and a rotting one. Knowing which fertiliser suits flowering perennials versus foliage plants saves you money and frustration.
We approach every review and guide from a practical standpoint: what does this plant actually need, what products support that, and which ones are worth the price?
New to ornamental gardening? Start here
If you’re just getting started, a few simple ideas will serve you well:
- Match plant to place first. Before buying anything, check how much sun your space gets and whether your soil drains well. The most common gardening mistake is falling in love with a plant that’s wrong for the conditions.
- Perennials are your long-term friends. They come back year after year and tend to get better with age. Annuals give you fast colour but need replanting each season.
- Houseplants are easier than you think. Most indoor plants fail from overwatering, not underwatering. When in doubt, wait another few days before reaching for the watering can.
- You don’t need a lot to start. A few well-chosen plants, cared for properly, will always look better than a garden crammed with things struggling to survive.
Coming soon in this category
We’re building out detailed guides and product reviews across every section above. Up first:
- Best hydrangea varieties for small gardens (and what to plant them in)
- Philodendron buying guide the most popular varieties compared
- Ground covers that actually smother weeds
- Best grow lights for indoor plants: reviewed and ranked
- Tulip and dahlia bulb buying guide for beginners
Bookmark this page and check back, new content is added regularly.
At TheGardenEP.com, some links in our articles are affiliate links. If you buy something through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we’ve genuinely researched and would point a friend toward.