A common problem confronting gardeners and homeowners when selecting plants for their landscapes or garden areas is picking the right plant for the right conditions. While both groups recognize the fact that different plants have different needs in order to survive and flourish. Some require full sun, some part sun or shade, some require a rich fertile soil while others require a more gritty, or sandy soil or one which is best described as poor in composition. Some plants do better in an alkaline soil, and some such as azaleas require a more acidic soil to thrive. There are those plants which require a good deal of regular watering, and there are those which cannot tolerate large amounts of water. Since there is generally a good understanding of these requirements, just what is the problem with selection of the appropriate plants.

The problem which knowingly or not compromises both the home and avid gardeners is selecting the correct plant for the situation. This does not mean selecting a plant such as marigolds for a full sun situation as opposed to selecting cyclamen. The problem is with the type of plant and determining the correct name for the plant selected. Most nurseries or plant retailers sell plants identified only by their common name such as Marigold which was listed above. The scientific name Tagetes would enable the gardener or homeowner to readily find out that there are some 50+ different types of Tagetes which bloom at different times of the year, achieve different heights, and require differing climates based primarily on where that species originated. Some Tagetes are found in Africa, which would have one type of climate, while those from New Mexico, in the U.S., and those from those areas south all the way down to Argentina would yet have differing climates. Needless to say that people in the Northern U.S. would have problems growing them throughout their season, that people in the southern states would not encounter. Likewise some of the northern plants would not survive the heat we encounter in the south, and the only way to distinguish the types is to know the entire scientific name. Even this is not infallible as there are controversies over correct scientific names, so your efforts will be best served by checking with the professionals, such as universities, or botanical gardens and arboreta for help in determining the correct type for your area. If there is any doubt about the correct name, purchase only one plant and take it to the professional of your choosing for proper identification before purchasing additional plants for your gardening needs.