Well-chosen plants amplify the best features of a landscape. When plants can adapt to setting, soil and climate, they thrive and require minimal resources and labor. Good plant selection offers a wide range of benefits, such as cleaning stormwater, sequestering carbon, sustaining fauna, buffering extreme temperatures, and enhancing quality of life by creating a pleasing environment for all. Selecting the right plant starts with a complete understanding of the conditions of the proposed location. Will it be located in full sun, partial sun or shade, or full shade? Does the area receive only natural rainfall, or does it capture runoff from nearby hardscapes? What is the soil’s pH level? (see Site: Soil Resources) Will the plant’s setting be surrounded by hardscape that creates a heat island? Will the plant need to endure salts or chemicals used during winter months to de-ice hardscapes? Will the area be affected by human or animal traffic? Only after answering such basic questions should site staff proceed towards plant selection.

• Use only plant species that are appropriate and suitable for site conditions, climate, and the design intent. Both native and non-native species may qualify, though native species should be prioritized for their support of beneficial insects and climactic adaptability.
• Use plants that are nursery-grown, naturally generated on site, legally harvested, or salvaged for reuse from off site. If no local standards or guidelines exist, use ANSI Z60.1-2004 American Standard for Nursery Stock.
• Select species that can tolerate the stresses of an existing site. Do not go to great effort and cost to make soil richer, eliminate shade, or provide irrigation. Instead, embrace a more limited palette of plants that will tolerate and thrive in those conditions.
• Focus on plant establishment—the rooting of plants into the native soil—by choosing smaller plants at the time of installation. Research shows that smaller trees and other plants often surpass larger plants over time because they root more quickly in the native soil.
• If turf grasses are to be used, select regionally appropriate species that will minimize the need for irrigation, mowing, fertilizer, and maintenance
• Cover the ground densely with a diversity of plants. Identify areas of bare soil beneath larger trees and upright shrub s and install native ground covers. When plants themselves become a “green mulch,” it creates a lush, year-round ground cover that reduces weed invasions, retains soil moisture, and supports faunal diversity.
• Consult with horticulturists, growers, ecologists, or landscape architects familiar with the plants of the local region. Create a network of knowledgeable local resources to help guide plant selection decisions.
• Understand the design intent of the landscape (See Site: Original Design Intent).
• Note which existing plants perform well and use that information to inform plant selection. Strive to test new species in smaller settings for their adaptability and performance before using them in larger settings on the site.
• Use a diversity of species for any application. Monocultures in any layer of a planting increase the likelihood of disease and pest invasion. Biodiverse plantings reduce fungal outbreaks and attract beneficial predators that control insect pests.