Starting a garden in our new home

Question

Hi, my boyfriend and I just bought a house in Dorchester MA and need to landscape our front yard and back yard. We’re hoping to find a mix of trees, shrubs, and flowers that look good year round and were looking for some guidance about how to lay out the plants. Thanks!

• 
• 
• 
• 

Answer 1

That is wonderful! Create a backbone of trees, deciduous and evergreen, then fill in with shrubs and flowers, both perennial and annual. Include trees and shrubs with fall color, and/or fruits, nuts or seeds for birds. You can find plant suggestions by zone on this site. You are in hardiness zone 6.

In addition to the Gardening Know How site, do take advantage of the free online cooperative extension fact sheets that are available.

Here are some to get you started:

https://ag.umass.edu/resources/home-lawn-garden/fact-sheets
https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/guidelines-for-planting-trees-shrubs
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/spaces/designing-four-season-gardens.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/spaces/planting-garden-layers.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/design/lideas/landscape-design-problems.htm
https://www.johnson.k-state.edu/docs/lawn-and-garden/in-house-publications/garden-design/Six%20Steps%20to%20Designing%20Your%20Garden.pdf
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/gardening-by-zone/zone-6/evergreen-trees-for-zone-6.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/gardening-by-zone/zone-6/bushes-for-zone-6-gardens.htm
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/gardening-by-zone/zone-6/zone-6-hedge-plants.htm