Creating a beautiful garden from the ground up can seem intimidating — where should you begin? Do you have to water it every day? But the first step towards building your ideal garden is to plant the essentials.
These must have garden plants have unique features that set them apart from other countless species of nature’s offerings.
Ranging from shrubs and ornamental trees to fragrant flowers, we’ve handpicked the varieties that should be on your list of what are the must-have garden plants.
| Must-Have Garden Plants | Product Information | Check Price |
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Top | Jobe's Organics Rose & Flower Fertilizer Spikes, 10 Spikes | Check Price |
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Top | 250 Heavenly Blue Morning Blooming Vine Seeds | Check Price |
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Top | Herb Seeds Vault [12 Variety - 3600 Seeds] | Check Price |
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Top | Altman Plants - Live Succulent Plants | Check Price |
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Top | Mixed Gladiolus Super Pack | Check Price |
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Top | Hot Pepper Seeds Variety Pack | Check Price |
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Top | 50 Spacemaster Cucumber Seeds | Non-GMO | Fresh Garden Seeds | Check Price |
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Top | Pretty N Sweet Bell Pepper Seeds UPC 600188192025 + 1 Plant Marker (150) | Check Price |
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Top | Gaea's Blessing Seeds - Tomato Seeds | Check Price |
What Are the Must-Have Garden Plants?
Roses
- Organic fertilizer spikes for roses and all flowering shrubs; Pre-measured spikes provide nourishment at the roots OMRI listed for organic gardening by USDA
- Organic fertilizer spikes for roses and all flowering shrubs; Pre-measured spikes provide nourishment at the roots
- OMRI listed for organic gardening by USDA; Certified organic means no synthetic chemicals
What’s better than starting with the most important plant in any garden? Roses have been a staple garden plant for ages, due to their unique characteristics and gorgeous appearance.
You may have a perception that roses are very fragile, but many newer varieties are long-blooming and resistant to diseases. Plus, they require minimal care in terms of watering and sunshine.
When roses are fully grown, they’ll be one of the most attractive plants in your entire garden.
Vines
- Wonderful Spring Flowering Vine - Attracts Butterflies and Hummingbirds
- They have a beautiful shape and romantic tendrils that lend old-fashioned charm.
- Soak Seeds Before Planting 1/2 Deep - Non GMO and Neonicotinoid Seed
- Marde Ross & Company has been a licensed California Nursery since 1985
Vines will be one of the fastest-growing plants in your garden. Available in numerous species, these plants don’t require any extra care, and they have very little threat from the pollinators such as bees and birds.
Moreover, when vines are fully grown up a trellis or fence, they provide a natural aesthetic to your garden and can also serve as a privacy shield from neighbors.
To start with, we recommend cardinal or clematis vines as they are readily available in the market.
Plant these near your fence or trellis frame and they’ll be climbing it in no time.
Herbs
- MAKES A GREAT GIFT - Give the present that so many people will love. From gardeners, home chefs, and chefs alike. Easily grow herbs in your kitchen herb planter or herb growing kit to grow full grown herbs or microgreens.
- HIGH GERMINATION RATE GUARANTEED - 95%+ germination that has been tested means little to no seeds will go to waste. Works great with aerogarden pods and growers.
- NON GMO - HEIRLOOM - OPEN POLLINATED - All of our seeds are sustainably sourced in the USA and are of highest quality. Each seed packet of seeds is in a zip lock bag to ensure freshness
Herbs are an easy way to up level your home cooking, and growing herbs at home is much cheaper than buying them at the grocery store.
There are dozens of herbs you could add to your garden, but for beginners, consider rosemary and mint to begin with. Rosemary is a sturdy bush that’s almost impossible to kill and can grow into a large and attractive bush.
Also, it has a lovely piney scent that repels insects. Mint, on the other hand, has a refreshing, cooling fragrance and grows quickly; it can be added to teas, desserts and cocktails.
Succulents
- BEAUTIFUL, EASY CARE LIVE PLANTS: Featuring eye-catching foliage and flowers, succulents look exotic but are among the lowest maintenance house plants available.
- NATURAL HOME DECOR: Succulents are extremely versatile and look great when incorporated into a wide variety of room decor.
- PERFECT FOR GIFTS AND EVENTS: A succulent plant can easily be used in a wreath arrangement of real plants, table centerpieces, succulent arrangement, or DIY succulent terrarium kit.
Especially popular these days with millennials, succulents are easy to grow and make a great addition to your garden.
They need very little water — in fact, you could say they thrive on being ignored.
There are hundreds of varieties in various shapes and colors, and are both drought- and cold-tolerant. With so many options, you’ll surely find a variety of succulent that you love for your garden.
Gladiolus
- Bulb Size: 12/14 cm
- Package contains 60 bulbs
- This item will bloom Mid Summer
- Perennial in zones 8 to 10
One of the most popular flowers among gardeners, gladiolus will add gorgeous color and height to your yard in the spring and summer.
These gorgeous flowers come in all different colors can grow from 2 to 5 feet in height. Gladioli are planted as bulbs, rather than seeds, so you’ll be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor sooner.
Gladiolus are perennials, meaning they’ll grow back from the roots each year so you can enjoy them again and again.
Chili Peppers
- BEST COLLECTION of the most popular hot pepper seeds in one kit! BONUS fridge magnet Included!
- MORE SEEDS THAN COMPETITORS 100% NON GMO, Open pollinated, Untreated, Non-hybrid, high germination!
- MOST UNIQUE SEED PACKET DESIGN on Amazon. THE PERFECT GIFT for the gardener in your family!
- PRODUCT OF USA. Freshly harvest seed are sourced right here in the USA. Monitored by the USDA
Chili pepper plants are an indispensable part of any garden. The benefits of planting chili peppers and how they boost the growth of other plants near them is unmatched, and that’s why they’re sometimes referred to as “gardener’s dearest.”
You can choose from countless varieties of chilies ranging from jalapeños, cayenne, habanero and serrano.
These plants also look amazing when they bear their fruit. On top of that, they don’t take up too much of their space either.
To sum it up, chili peppers should be on top of your buying list of must-have garden plants.
Cucumbers
- Name: Spacemaster Eighty Cucumber | Type: Heirloom
- Size at Maturity: 6 - 8 Long | Days to Maturity: 60 Days
- Light Requirement: Full Sun | Planting Time: Warm Season
- Sowing Method: Direct Sow | Planting Depth: 1 1/2 | Plant Spacing: Hills 18 ap
Refreshing and hydrating, cucumbers can be used in various salads, cold soups and sandwiches.
Plus, home-grown cucumbers are far more delicious when compared to ones bought from a local store.
Depending on the availability of space, you also have the option to chose between growth habits of vine and bush.
Sweet Peppers
- Pretty N Sweet is, as its name suggests, a sweet pepper, with plump little fruits about an inch to 1½ inches long and very thick-walled.
- Days to Maturity: 60 Fruit Color: Green Habit: Compact Plant Height: 18 in Plant Width: 12 in - 14 in
- Sow seeds ¼ inch deep in seed-starting formula Keep the soil moist at 75 degrees F Seedlings emerge in 10-21 days
These colorful round peppers are used in numerous delicacies and are known for their sour and punchy taste. Sweet peppers are pretty easy to grow as well.
Their maximum height is recorded at 8 meters, and they grow in a loose bush formation. You also have the option to choose between the various varieties of sweet peppers.
These fruits are primarily used in salsa, sauces and pizzas. Overall, sweet peppers are efficient and attractive plants and therefore deserve a spot in your garden.
Slicing Tomatoes
- Lycopersicon esculentum - open pollinated. Matures in about 85 days. Non-GMO
- A consistent taste test winner at tomato fests around the country. Heralded by NPR as a favorite tomato.
- Rich, dark color and unmatched sweet, rich taste on sandwiches or in salads.
- High Germination Rate - 96% with current lot
Also referred to as the beefsteak tomatoes, this variety of tomatoes are used for toppings in burgers and sandwiches.
Classically bright red in color, these tomatoes are super easy to grow and look after.
They thrive on thick branches covered by luscious green leaves which protect it from bugs and worms.
But why do these plants deserve to be on your must-have list? Because of their strong network of roots.
Slicing Tomatoes develop a deep network of roots within the first year of development, and these roots are super helpful to other nearby plants as well.
Moreover, they help in preventing soil erosion as well.
Ready to start your garden?
Now that you know the must have garden plants, you’re ready to start digging in the dirt and helping your local environment.
Be sure to look at our roundup of must-have garden tools, and read up on how to clean garden tools properly.
Once your garden is in full swing, you may want to invest in some more serious gardening equipment, so also check out or articles on the best garden scooters and best retractable garden hoses.
