Find flowers, shrubs and ground cover for US and Canadian gardens, matched to your climate, sunlight, soil and space.
Use this free plant finder to choose flowers, shrubs and ground cover for garden beds, borders or containers in the US and Canada. Match plants to your local climate, sunlight, soil moisture and available space, then compare options that suit the level of maintenance you want.
Choose your city or a nearby town, then tell the plant finder whether you are planting a garden bed, border, container or a space under a tree.
Add the sunlight, soil moisture, available width and maximum height. Choose your preferred level of maintenance and any interest in flowers, evergreen foliage, climbers or pollinators.
Compare suitable plants, including their mature height and spread, care needs and the reason each one fits. Save favorites, copy or print your shortlist, or add it to a garden project brief to discuss with a planting professional.
A little help with the conditions that matter.
It checks documented growing conditions against your town’s climate, summer light, soil moisture, available space and upkeep. Your wishes help order compatible plants. Regional references support the choices; winter hardiness alone is not enough.
It checks documented growing conditions against your town’s climate, summer light, soil moisture, available space and upkeep. Your wishes help order compatible plants. Regional references support the choices; winter hardiness alone is not enough.
Choose Under a tree, Mostly shade and Usually dry. The shortlist uses documented tolerance of those conditions together. It may be shorter because many shade plants need moisture and do not cope with competing tree roots.
Select Not sure. Any suggestions stay conditional until you check the moisture and drainage described on their cards. A local planting professional can help assess the spot before you buy.
The cards are alternative plants for one spot. They do not specify a combined layout, spacing or quantities. Compare mature spread as well as height, then ask your planting professional to refine the plan.
Save favorites on this device, copy or print the shortlist, or add it to your garden project brief. No account is needed. Changing your garden answers checks whether saved plants still fit.
Choose Very little when asked how much upkeep suits you. The plant finder checks plants with documented low maintenance against your local climate, sunlight, soil moisture and available space. Read each card’s care notes and allow for watering while new plants establish.
Select Pot or planter, then enter the maximum mature height and spread, usable planter depth and drainage. The plant finder considers plants with documented container suitability. Check each suggestion’s root-space and winter-protection needs before choosing plants for your patio or container garden.
Select Pollinators in your planting preferences. Plants with documented pollinator interest receive priority among those that fit your garden conditions. Compare the flowering seasons and mature sizes on their cards, then save suitable options for your pollinator garden shortlist.
GeoNames locality data is filtered and joined with climate estimates, under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Climate estimates come from USDA / Oregon State University (2023) and Natural Resources Canada. Canadian and USDA hardiness use different scales. Canadian matching uses a separate USDA-equivalent extreme-minimum-temperature model for 1981–2010.
EPA / CEC North American ecoregions provide broad geographic context for the planting location.
Botanical references and each photograph’s source, author and license are shown on the plant cards.
Covers listed towns in the 50 US states, Washington D.C. and Canada’s provinces and territories. Regional catalogue depth varies; some combinations may return fewer plants or no match. Town-level climate estimates do not capture every garden’s elevation, shelter or soil.
