Ornamental plants for garden are easy to identify. After all, look for those that have decorative potential. The difference can be in the flowers, leaves, or even the trunk.
In addition to beauty, however, it is ideal to keep an eye on the characteristics and needs of this plant – ensuring that they are in accordance with its environment. That way, you will always have a beautiful and well-kept garden.
Are you looking for ornamental plants for your garden and don’t know the best options for your home? See this guide with 18 species and modify your residence’s external or internal area!
Ornamental Plants for Garden
Bird of paradise
The Strelitzia, or Bird-of-Paradise, is an ornamental plant to decorate indoor and outdoor gardens.
Originally from South Africa, Strelitzia is very fond of the sun and is quite rustic, adapting easily to the environment.
Cultivation does not require great care. It is only necessary that the soil is fertile in organic matter and has good drainage.
Fertilization should be done every six months and watering needs to be regular (in the morning or late afternoon).
Sago palm
Cycas Revoluta, popularly known as “Sago palm” is very popular for contemporary and tropical gardens.
It is a small palm tree with stiff, shiny leaves.
In landscaping, they can appear alone or together with other species. Cycas Revoluta can also be planted in a pot.
This plant needs to be grown in partial shade or full sun in garden soil enriched with organic compost and sand.
Watering needs to be regular, and although it is quite rustic, it can be susceptible to mealybugs in places with low light.
Bamboo orchid
Bamboo orchid is an excellent idea for an ornamental plant for those who want to bring more beauty and delicacy to the garden.
It is a very rustic terrestrial orchid with flowers that form in the summer and are pinkish lilac.
To grow it, choose full sun or partial shade, with soil rich in organic matter.
In the pots, they should be planted with a mixture of 1 part garden soil, 1 part vegetable soil, and two parts organic compost. It likes regular watering without soaking the soil.
Desert Rose
The Desert Rose is a beautiful plant, but it requires some care. It is appreciated worldwide, and adapts very well to dry and hot climates and prefers sunny places. Care is similar to that of cacti.
However, contrary to popular belief, this plant tolerates water well (but they hate soggy land), so they need soil with a high level of drainage and slightly sandy.
Also read: How to Fertilize Desert Rose Correctly
Gladiolus
Gladiolus is a plant of tropical climate with easy cultivation and low cost.
To grow gladiolus, it is recommended to use sandy-clay soil with good drainage and permeability.
This is a very frost-sensitive species, but it can be cultivated all year round. Watering of gladiolus plant should be done whenever the soil is dry.
Moses in the Cradle
This is one of the garden ornamental plants that are easy to care for and doesn’t require a lot of gardening techniques.
Moses in the Cradle is a versatile species that grow well in sun, shade, diffused light, and semi-shade.
It can be planted in pots, planters or beds. The ideal soil is a mixture of garden substrate, topsoil and coarse sand.
Watering of Moses in the Cradle should be done whenever the soil is dry and foliar fertilizer must be used once a month.
Jade plant
The Jade plant flower brings a lot of superstition, known as the plant of luck, money and friendship.
Although it is a more rustic plant, the ideal is to choose a place with temperatures ranging from 15ºC at night to 23ºC and 26ºC during the day.
It is also important that there is direct sunlight, and watering should happen whenever the soil is dry, saturating the root and soil with water.
Dracaena trifasciata
Among the most popular and sought-after garden ornamental plants, there is certainly the Dracaena trifasciata.
Easy to care for, adaptable to outdoor and indoor environments and capable of cleaning the air, it never goes out of style. To cultivate it, mound the soil with 1 layer of sand, 1 of organic fertilizer and 1 of garden soil.
Watering should be done weekly in the summer or whenever the soil is dry.
This semi-shade plant needs attention because it is toxic and should be placed in a safe place for children and pets.
Cactus
Hardy and beautiful cacti are fashionable and can be found in larger species or miniatures for outdoor and indoor areas.
They can be planted in pots, planters or beds and prefer gravel or sand soil and fertilized with nitrogen and phosphorus.
You need to finish off with a layer of sand or gravel around the cacti.
The ideal place is where it is warm, and the plant receives 4 to 6 hours of sun a day, but do not leave the cactus in a stuffy place. They should only be watered in the summer.
Jewish slipper plant
Originally from India, the Jewish slipper plant blooms in spring and late summer. In addition to being beautiful, these plants also attract hummingbirds to gardens.
The idea is to choose places with light in the morning and shade in the afternoon, leaving the plant with more intense color.
Watering needs to be constant, and at the end of winter, it is necessary to prune the dry branches and fertilize them with organic material.
Fiddle-leaf fig
The Fiddle-leaf fig is a tree native to West Africa, cultivated worldwide, and fits perfectly into rockeries.
It is quite popular in interior decoration and can appear in vases in living rooms, bathrooms, offices, bedrooms, halls, balconies, etc.
This plant can be grown in partial shade or full sun. Inside the house, keep it near the windows where the sun shines.
The soil needs to retain moisture well and should be enriched with organic matter. Watering needs to be regular but not soggy.
Agave
The foliage and bushes are super important to create a different and lively garden. At this point, plants in the Agave genus are great choices.
They are native to Mexico but can also be found in the United States, Central and South America.
In gardens, the most used is the yellow-edged agave, a shrub plant that can measure up to 0.9m.
Cultivation should be in full sun in light soil enriched with organic matter. Watering should be spaced.
Astromelia
Astromelia is a plant with very beautiful flowers, even used for arrangements and bouquets.
It must be grown in full sun or shade, in fertile, slightly acidic, drainable soil enriched with organic matter.
Irrigation should be frequent, as well as fertilization. Some varieties are adaptable to different types of climate but generally do not tolerate frost.
Geranium
Geraniums are beautiful ornamental garden plants that form fragrant bushes with flowers in shades of pink, white and red.
They develop better in places with mild temperatures, but they tolerate the climatic variations of our country well. Only avoid places with very intense heat or very humid.
This species should be grown in full sun with soil prepared with 1 part soil and 1 part organic compost.
Watering of geranium should be done 2 to 3 times a week, depending on the city’s climate. In bright environments, geranium blooms almost all year round.
Dracaena reflexa
Do you like ornamental garden plants with shrub formation? Dracaena reflexa is an excellent option.
It reaches an average height of 2 to 3 meters and it is possible to find two varieties: the “Song of Jamaica”, with creamy white margins, and the “Song of India”, with foliage with a lime green margin.
They are rustic plants and when pruned, they work very well as hedges.
In pots, they can appear indoors, as they can tolerate low sunlight. Dracaena reflexa is also a recommended plant for air purification.
Happiness tree
Shrub with ornamental foliage, the happiness tree is surrounded by mysticism and superstitions.
Some people believe that the plant is capable of bringing harmony and happiness to the environment and its residents. But to get these gifts, you have to receive the plant as a gift.
The tree needs to be planted without items that impede its growth and receive abundant light but with periods of shade during the day.
Watering needs to be done daily, and the soil is rich in organic materials.
Staghorn ferns
The Staghorn ferns is among the ornamental plants for the garden with curious stories. It is believed to be so old that it was already on Earth when dinosaurs inhabited it.
This is an epiphytic plant that leans on the branch of others to develop.
In addition, it is a very rustic plant with simple care, such as avoiding excess water, not placing it in places with a lot of light, and not planting directly in the ground but in a vase of tree fern.
Lucky bamboo
Despite the name, this is not a real bamboo and belongs to the same family as the elephant’s foot. Free growth can reach up to 1.5 m in height if free growth is allowed.
In landscaping, they are used in pots for internal areas and along walls in places with less light.
Popular in Chinese culture today, it is much sought after as a gift, as it is believed to bring good luck and good fluids.
Did you like our suggestions for ornamental plants for the garden? How about learning a little more about how to have a winter garden in your living room?
Thank you!