The 5 Best Plants For Clay Soil Gardens
In a perfect world, all gardens will be filled with loamy, rich soil that will feed our favorite flowers, shrubs, and trees. However, we don’t live in that perfect world. In reality, most of us have to deal with clay soil. If your soil tends to be stick like putty when you try to shovel it when wet or it cracks easily when it’s dry, then you are probably dealing with clay. This type of soil can be one of the most challenging conditions a gardener can face. It’s dense when wet, solid when dry, and there is barely any room for water or air movement. How is something supposed to grow in these conditions? Well, you are in luck. There are many plants that thrive in clay. Today we will show you some of the best plants for clay soil you can create the garden of your dreams with.
Clay soil is one of the most challenging conditions a gardener can face
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The Best Plants For Clay Soil Gardens
If you are not sure what type of soil you have, you can always do a soil test. However, if your soil sounds like what we mentioned above, then you can make a safe bet you are dealing with clay. The main issues with this type of soil is that it is super dense. This means that it is hard to work with and it doesn’t allow for air to move around freely. However, it does have its upsides. Clay soil is super fertile and it holds moisture like a champ. While not all plants can survive in the conditions it offers, there are plenty that will love them. Here are just some plants that can thrive in clay soil.
Clay soil is super fertile and holds moisture like a champ
Lavender
This fragrant perennial is a real beauty. With its slender, silvery foliage and tall spikes of purple flowers it is a joy to look at. It also smells heavenly. This herb is originally from the Mediterranean, so it is very well-suited for clay soil. It prefers well-drained conditions which clay soil can offer it as long as it is not waterlogged. Other than that lavender needs plenty of sun to feel at its best. This plant becomes pretty drought-tolerant once established so it doesn’t need to be watered as often.
This fragrant perennial is a real beauty
Daylilies
The bright trumpet-shaped flowers of the daylily will bring a pop of color to your garden. This flower comes in a wide variety of colors, including yellow, orange, red, and even purple, so you have plenty of choice. Daylilies are hardy perennials, so they have no problem adapting to various soil types, including soil. However, they are especially suited for this type of soil as they can easily tolerate heavy and moist conditions. They also need to be somewhere where they will get full sun conditions, but they also tolerate part shade. In general, daylilies tend to be quite low-maintenance but still need regular watering.
Daylilies are hardy perennials that easily adapt to various soil types
Black-eyed Susan
Black-eyed Susan is a wonderful choice if you are dealing with clay soil. The bright yellow daisy like flower in contrast to the cone-shaped black center will certainly add character to your garden. This flower is famous for its adaptability and does great in clay soil, as long as it is not waterlogged. Keep this plant in a sunny spot and make sure the soil is well-drained. Another coneflower that does great in clay soil is Echinacea.
Black-eyed Susan is a wonderful choice if you are dealing with clay soil
Aster
The clusters of small, daisy-like flowers of the aster come in various shades of blue, pink, white, and purple. The bright flowers make a wonderful contrast to its dark green, lance-shaped foliage. Native varieties of asters do especially well in clay soil. However, even non-native varieties are very adaptable, so they will have no problem growing in such conditions. Asters thrive in full sun to light shade, so keep that in mind when planting them.
Asters are very adaptable plants
Hosta
Hostas are prized for their beauty. Their heart- or lance-shaped leaves come in various shades of green. Some varieties’ foliage also has beautiful, intricate patterns. These plants also produce tall spikes of white and purple flowers to add even more beauty to your garden. Hostas have no problem tolerating clay soil as long as it has proper drainage and it isn’t overly compact. These plants prefer shady conditions and consistently moist soil.
Hostas are prized for their beauty
These are some of the best plants for clay soil gardens. We hope you found this article useful. Now even if you don’t have soft and loamy soil by the heaps in your garden, you can still create a wonderful paradise with these clay-loving plants.
These are some of the best plants for clay soil gardens
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