If you’re new to gardening in the Pacific Northwest, the biggest mistake isn’t planting the wrong thing.

It’s planting something too difficult too soon.

Our region has its own rhythm — cool springs, long damp winters, dry late summers, generous shade. The plants that thrive here aren’t always the ones you see in glossy garden books.

So instead of starting with something fussy, start with plants that forgive you.

Plants that:

• Handle a little too much rain

• Don’t panic in partial shade

• Recover from uneven watering

• Still look good if you’re learning

If you plant even one of the five below, you’re very likely to feel successful your first season.

And that matters.

Beginner gardening isn’t about choosing rare plants — it’s about choosing forgiving ones.

Kale

(A cool-season overachiever)

If the Pacific Northwest had a mascot vegetable, it might be kale.

It loves cool weather.

It tolerates damp soil.

It doesn’t mind cloudy weeks.

You can plant it in early spring or late summer and harvest for months. Even if it gets a little nibbled by insects, it keeps going.

Beginner win:

You can harvest within weeks, and it keeps producing.

Plant it in full sun to part shade, improve the soil with compost, and water during dry spells. That’s it.

Loose-Leaf Lettuce

(Quick, forgiving, and surprisingly resilient)

Head lettuce can be temperamental. Loose-leaf lettuce is not.

It germinates easily in cool soil.

It grows quickly.

You can harvest outer leaves and let the plant keep producing.

It thrives in spring and fall here — sometimes even through mild winters under protection.

Beginner win:

You feel like a gardener almost immediately.

If it bolts in summer heat, that’s okay. It taught you something about timing.

Nasturtiums

(Bright, cheerful, and unbothered by imperfection)

Nasturtiums are one of the most forgiving flowers you can grow.

They:

• Tolerate poorer soil

• Handle inconsistent watering

• Thrive in full sun to part shade

• Reseed happily

The leaves are round and lush. The flowers are vibrant. Pollinators adore them.

Beginner win:

You plant once, and they often come back.

In fact, they bloom better in less-than-perfect soil. A rare and wonderful quality.

The best first plants don’t demand perfection — they reward curiosity.

Hydrangea

(The Pacific Northwest classic)

If your garden leans toward shade — and many of ours do — hydrangeas are a gift.

Mophead and lacecap varieties thrive in:

• Partial shade

• Mild, wet winters

• Rich, compost-amended soil

They offer dramatic blooms with relatively little fuss once established.

Beginner win:

They make a garden feel real.

If you’re unsure about pruning, start with a variety that blooms on old wood and prune lightly. Hydrangeas are far more resilient than they’re given credit for.

Chives (or Mint, with Caution)

(Perennials that build confidence)

Chives return year after year.

They tolerate:

• Cold winters

• Part sun

• Inconsistent care

In spring, they produce soft purple blooms that pollinators love.

Mint is equally forgiving — though it must be grown in a container unless you’re ready for enthusiasm.

Beginner win:

They come back. Even if you forget about them.

Perennials teach you that gardening is not just about this season — it’s about rhythm.

What Makes a Plant “Easy” in the Pacific Northwest?

In our climate, easy plants:

• Handle cool springs

• Don’t mind winter rain

• Recover from small mistakes

• Tolerate partial shade

They don’t demand perfection.

And that’s what beginners need most.

You don’t build confidence by planting everything. You build it by planting one thing well.

Start With One

You do not need to plant all five.

In fact, I’d encourage you to choose just one.

Plant it well.

Add compost.

Observe the light.

Notice how it responds.

Gardening confidence doesn’t grow from complexity.

It grows from small successes repeated over time.

In the Pacific Northwest, you don’t need to fight the climate to succeed.

You just need to choose plants that already belong here.

And then let yourself learn.

Ready for the next step?

If this list helped, you might also enjoy:

• Beginner’s Guide to Gardening in the Pacific Northwest

• Understanding Your Garden’s Sun & Shade

• What to Plant This Month