Plant Selection | University of Maryland Extension

Updated: July 26, 2024

Recommended Native Plants for Maryland

Find native plant recommended for Maryland gardens and landscapes.

monarda fistulosa plants in bloom with lavender flowers

Updated: July 12, 2024

Landscaping for the Home Garden

How to design a landscape for sustainability.

Updated: June 24, 2024

Lawn Alternatives

Simple ways to reduce the amount of your property devoted to grass.

Updated: March 7, 2023

Tips for Choosing Trees and Shrubs

Tips for tree and shrub selection in Maryland

Updated: March 26, 2025

Groundcovers

How to select and use groundcovers for Maryland yards and gardens. Lists of groundcovers for different types of conditions are included.

purple flowers blooming in a woodland garden - phlox is used as a groundcover

Updated: October 24, 2024

Ornamental and Native Grasses for the Landscape

Find native and ornamental grasses for your yard and garden.

native grasses and other native plants in an urban garden setting

Updated: October 24, 2024

How to Make a Meadow

Basic guidelines for making a native meadow in a residential landscape.

Updated: June 13, 2024

Landscape Designs with Native Plants

Looking for sustainable landscaping ideas? Our landscape design templates and plant lists offer ideas for adding native plants around townhomes and single-family homes.

Updated: February 13, 2024

Plants for Mixed Privacy Screens

Looking for plants to make a privacy fence? Here we have a list of trees, shrubs, and grasses that can be planted for screening and privacy.

Updated: December 5, 2023

Bay-Wise Maryland Yardstick For Small Space Urban Gardens, Townhouses, and Apartment Balconies

Authors: Wanda MachLachlan - Jon Traunfeld

This seven-page fact sheet, describing homeowner landscape management best practices, is a checklist used by Maryland Master Gardeners to certify small urban gardens as “Bay-Wise” conservation landscapes.