In the 1975 movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail, King Arthur and his band are blocked by the dreaded Knights Who Say “Ni!” in an enchanted forest.
“Bring me a shrubbery,” demands the giant Knight, adding, “One that looks nice...And not too expensive.”
King Arthur delivers a "shrubbery" after a short (hilarious) quest, but the Knight demands another. He specifies it must be “only slightly higher, so we get the two-level effect with a little path running down the middle.”
King Arthur eventually gallops away unharmed, but what about the shrubs? The forest may be enchanted, but this gnarly knight failed to research which plants were right for the place.
Yes, research is required. Luckily, much help is available. For a long list of resources that help find the right plant for the place, see "Reduce Maintenance in the Enchanted Landscape" at Zip06/TheDay.
Above, right, the homeowner used a moss killer and then tried to grow grass. This is one of the most common examples of putting the wrong plant in a place--and getting poor results. Grass is very difficult, if not impossible, to grow on shady slopes near trees. Moss, on the other hand, usually thrives in these conditions