Cornell Cooperative Extension

Rensselaer County
hydrangea
Image by Sandy Repp

Pink Hydrangea

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.

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Japanese maple, Acer palmatum Thunb.

Trees & Shrubs

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

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pansies

Help Choosing Annuals

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Last updated July 26, 2019

Lawns & Ornamentals

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

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