Cornell Cooperative Extension

Rensselaer County

  • Agriculture
  • Energy
  • Environment
  • Food & Nutrition
  • Healthy Homes
  • Horticulture
  • 4-H Youth
  • Digital Literacy
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Donate
  • Events
  • Jobs
  • Resources
  • Staff
  • Volunteer
  • Search
  • Contact Us
  • Find Us

Cornell Cooperative Extension

Rensselaer County

  • Agriculture
  • Energy
  • Environment
  • Food & Nutrition
  • Healthy Homes
  • Horticulture
  • 4-H Youth
  • Digital Literacy
hydrangea
Image by Sandy Repp

Pink Hydrangea

  • Home »
  • Horticulture >
  • Lawns & Ornamentals
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest>

Lawns & Ornamentals

Find links to resources on annuals, perennials, native plants, trees and shrubs, to help you have a more beautiful lawn and home landscape.

coneflowers and black eyed susans (echinacea & rudbeckia)

Easy Care Perennials

Perennials offer year after year of blooms for your garden, and are a smart investment in your garden. Visit our resources to learn more.

Read more

Japanese maple, Acer palmatum Thunb.

Trees & Shrubs

Ornamental trees and shrubs can enhance the beauty of your home landscaping. Find some suggested varieties here.

Read more

pansies

Help Choosing Annuals

Find Cornell and other resources that will help you to choose annuals for your soil, climate and shade conditions.

Read more

milkweed blossom

Native Plants

Native plants deserve a place in your garden, and they offer many advantages over non-native species. Find a list of suggested varieties here.

Read more

Berry Bush

Invasive Plants

Many plants that are now considered invasive started out as popular garden ornamentals. Learn more about what plants to avoid in your garden.

Read more

close-up photo of soil after tilling

Soils & Soil Testing

Your garden soil and our local climate have a big impact on every aspect of growing plants. Find resources here on soil texture, organic matter, soil testing and more.

Read more

Last updated July 26, 2019

Lawns & Ornamentals

  • Native Plants

Soil Testing

Master Gardener volunteer conducts a pH soil test on a soil sample

Learn why you should test your soil and how to take a soil sample, on our Soil & Soil Testing pages.

Find Your Zone!

2012 USDA Hardiness Zone Map

The 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map helps gardeners and growers determine which plants are most likely to thrive at a location. For the first time, the map is available as an interactive GIS-based map, for which a broadband Internet connection is recommended. Users may also simply type in a ZIP Code and find the hardiness zone for that area.

Visit Cornell Garden Based Learning website

Events

    tool sale
  • Garden Hand Tool Sale
    Tomorrow
    8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • 4-H Junior Chefs: Spring Food Workshop
    Monday, May 12
    6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
  • Tuesday Treks: Every Tuesday at Dyken Pond
    Tuesday, May 13
    12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) Tech Help- Troy Senior Center
    Tuesday, May 13
    12:30 PM - 2:00 PM
  • Bring Your Own Device Tech Help North Greenbush Public Library
    Wednesday, May 14
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

See more

Translate this page?

Cornell Cooperative Extension
Rensselaer County

CCE Rensselaer
99 Troy Road
Suite 203
East Greenbush, New York 12061
TEL: (518) 272-4210
rensselaer@cornell.edu

  • Visit our Facebook
  • Visit our YouTube

Agriculture
Energy
Environment
Digital Literacy
Food & Nutrition
Gardening
Home & Family

HOME
About Us

Donate
Events
Jobs
Staff
Resources
Volunteer

If you have a disability and are having trouble accessing information on this website or need materials in an alternate format, contact rensselaer@cornell.edu for assistance.

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved.

  • About Us
  • Donate
  • Jobs
  • Resources
  • Volunteer
  • CALL
  • CONTACT
  • EVENTS
  • FIND US
  • SEARCH
  • STAFF
  • MORE