If you want to start a garden and have never planted anything before, you will want to find plants that are easy to grow. This will help you gain confidence in your newfound hobby and will make gardening a lot more fun for you.

Before you go shopping for plants, consider what kinds of plants you would like to plant. Are you looking for flowers? Vegetables? Herbs? Greenery? Plant something that you will enjoy. Don’t just plant vegetables because you think you should and you have a nice sunny spot.

Speaking of the sun, your second consideration when picking out plants should be how much sun the spot you want to plant in gets. If the site is sunny, you’ll be sure to find a number of plants that will be happy there. Shade is trickier; while there are plants that thrive in shade, it’s unlikely you will be able to grow vegetables there. Once you have determined your light level and decided what types of plants you’d like to plant, it’s time to go shopping. If you’re looking for flowers and greenery and you have a sunny spot, there are many plants that are great for beginners and will look wonderful in your yard.

Coreopsis, coneflower, black-eyed Susans and sunflowers are all great, easy-to-grow, colorful choices for your sunny garden spot. You can also just go to the garden center and look at the plants that are outside in full sunlight. Those plants will do well in your garden; just plant them and water them regularly. If you’re hunting for plants for a shadier spot, consider ferns and hostas for their lovely green colors, and phlox and impatiens for the splashes of bright color they add. If you’re looking for shrubs for your shady spot, azaleas are easy to care for and can provide you with green leaves year round as well as flowers in the spring.

Another way to get flowers easily, whether your spot is sunny or shady, is by planting bulbs. Bulbs look somewhat like onions, though they can be large or small, and are usually planted in the fall. Follow the planting directions on the package, and in the spring you will have an abundance of beautiful flowers just when you need them, with very little care on your part.

When it comes to vegetables and herbs, there are many good choices for beginners. Lettuce, carrots, radishes, squash, beans and peppers are all easy to grow. Vegetable plants are a little more particular about water than flowers and houseplants are, but if you pay attention to the plants and water regularly, they should be fine.

Many of the culinary herbs you are familiar with are easy to grow from seed or from plants purchased at your local nursery. Rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, cilantro, parsley, mint and more can all be grown on your back deck or even in a window box in your kitchen. Herbs are wonderful plants to have around the home because they smell nice and are great to add to dishes as you are cooking. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different plants and plant something just because it catches your eye. You’ll learn from mistakes as much as you’ll learn from the plants that are easy and always look beautiful.