I don’t know about you but, in my opinion, the art of landscaping is as foreign to me as aerospace engineering. When is the best time to plant? What goes where? What plants work together? The gardening center of home improvement stores sends my head spinning. However, for professionals like Tanner Persac of Persac Lawn and Landscape, the key to decoding the complicated equation of landscape lies in a few simple tips.

“If someone wants to redo a landscape bed, I suggest they start thinking and looking around at established plantings to start planning their spring garden,” says Persac. “I strongly urge my customers to research the plants that they like or want to plant, keeping in mind if the species can thrive in our moist, humid climate and how much water the plant usually wants.”

For Tanner, the most important points to keep in mind when planning a garden are your own habits as a home and garden owner. “If you are a ‘plant it and forget it’ type of person, select a ‘plant it and forget it’ species of plant,” explains Persac. “In other words, if you want a new planting but do not want to have to do much maintenance, you should select types of plants that are very hardy and do not need routine maintenance.”

And, according to Tanner, despite what you’ve heard on television, the best time to plant is not in the winter or the summer, but rather, in more mild climates, which are just around the corner here in south Louisiana.

“I wouldn’t suggest planting in the heart of winter,” says Persac. “The ideal time is in the fall, but now is a good time to start making preparations.”

For more information on Persac and his landscaping insight, visit his page here.