Testing out my Green Thumb

HelloNurse2010

The plants that my builder put in when I bought the house last year are severely dead. I want to replace them with some bigger plants (flowering/colorful preferably). I live in the south west and have a drip system already set up. 

What is the easiest way to tackle replacing the plants? Or if someone can recommend a good site for beginning gardeners I would greatly appreciate it. 

Thanks in advance!

 

~NB~

If the plants were irrigated, do you know why they died? Do you know what they were?

HelloNurse2010

~NB~:

If the plants were irrigated, do you know why they died? Do you know what they were?

 

1. We had some pretty rough freezes over the winter. 

2. They are brown, no buds, no blooming, no green, no leaves, just twigs now, very brittle, break when touched, very fragile. Neighbors had the same issue and replaced theirs with juniper. 

3. I do not know what they were.  

TootsieK

It's possible your plants died because the soil was not amended.  Soil around a building site is usually pretty poor, especially after concrete is poured and paint, etc., is washed into the ground.  Before you plant anything, check the quality of the soil and see if you need to dig the beds out and replace the dirt with better quality fill.

HelloNurse2010

Tootsie,

Funny that you mentioned that. I dug up 3 plants.  I went really deep and got rid of a lot of the dry rocky sand. I replaced it with moist enriched soil and watered it well. I guess we will see! I'm nervous!