Orris’s Guide to Choosing the Right Plant

A curious cat’s rules for finding plants that belong in your garden

“A plant may be beautiful… but that doesn’t mean it belongs in your garden.” — Orris

Choosing plants can be overwhelming. There are thousands of shrubs, perennials, grasses, and groundcovers to tempt you—and somehow, they all look particularly enchanting when you're standing in a nursery.

But Orris has a few rules.

Before you fall hopelessly in love with a plant, take a moment to consider where it will actually live.

☀️ First, Follow the Light

Every garden has its own little patterns of light and shadow.

Watch your space throughout the day. Is it drenched in sunshine? Bright in the morning but shaded by afternoon? Or does it live beneath a canopy of trees?

A plant that adores full sun may sulk in a shady corner, while a shade-loving plant can struggle when placed beneath the relentless summer sun.

Orris' rule: Never argue with the sun.

🌱 Know Your Space

Before choosing a plant, look at the space it will eventually occupy—not the size of the pot sitting on your patio today.

Check the plant's mature height and width.

That tiny shrub might look innocent now, but given a few years, it may become considerably less innocent.

Give plants room to grow. Your future self—and your pruning shears—will thank you.

🍂 Think Beyond the Flowers

A garden shouldn't disappear the moment the blooms fade.

Look for plants with interesting foliage, beautiful branching, berries, seedheads, bark, or evergreen structure.

Think about what a plant contributes throughout the year.

A garden with good bones can be beautiful even when nothing is blooming.

🦋 Consider Who Visits

Some gardens are made for quiet evenings. Others are buzzing with life.

If you want your garden to become a little haven for pollinators, look for plants that provide nectar, pollen, shelter, or other useful habitat.

Butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other garden visitors will appreciate the invitation.

And Orris approves of anything that brings more interesting things to watch from the windowsill.

🦌 And Then There Are the Deer...

If deer are regular visitors to your garden, plant selection matters.

Look for plants specifically noted for deer and rabbit resistance, but remember that no plant is completely deer-proof under every circumstance.

When food is scarce, even the most unappealing buffet can suddenly become rather tempting.

🪴 Don't Forget How You Garden

Be honest with yourself.

Do you love spending Saturday mornings tending every corner of the garden?

Or would you rather plant it once and admire it while drinking coffee?

There is no wrong answer.

Choose plants that fit your actual life, not the imaginary version of yourself who apparently has three uninterrupted hours every morning to deadhead flowers.

Low-maintenance plants can still create a beautiful, layered garden.

🌙 Finally… Choose What Makes You Feel Something

This may be Orris' most important rule.

Gardens aren't meant to be collections of plants chosen from a checklist.

Choose the plant that makes you stop.

The one with the strange foliage.

The flower you can't stop looking at.

The shrub that reminds you of your grandmother's garden.

The deep purple leaves that make an otherwise ordinary corner feel a little mysterious.

Those are often the plants that make a garden feel like yours.

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Orris' Final Word

“The best garden isn't the one with the most plants. It's the one where every plant has a reason for being there.”

So before you add another plant to your cart, step outside.

Look at your garden.

Notice the light.
Notice the space.
Notice what is missing.

Then choose accordingly.

And if you're still unsure?

Orris has a Garden Quiz for that. 🐈⬛🌿