Photograph by Heather Edwards for Gardenista

Every gardener has a problem, be it deer, excess shade, or uneven ground. Here are 10 basic problem-solving plants, useful to novice gardeners and experts alike.

Photo by Heather Edwards

1. Magnolias.

Photo by Britt Willoughby Dyer

Oddly enough, deer tend to avoid magnolias.

2. Lady's Mantle

Photo by Melanie Shaw via Flickr

Use this easy-going plant to brighten a shady spot.

3. Hostas

Photo by Gary Larude via Flickr

Another shade-loving hero.

4. Shrub Roses.

Photo courtesy of David Austin Roses

Shrub roses have long blooming seasons, and can be disease-resistant.

5. Heliotrope.

Photo by Carl Lewis via Flickr

Avoid costly annuals with a perfumed perennial.

6. Boxwood.

Photo courtesy of Sunset

Boxwood lends an instant air of order to even the most unruly garden.

7. Snowberry.

Photo courtesy of Old Blue Crow

Stop erosion on a slope: Snowberry will grow happily on a steep hillside.

8. Cranesbill.

Photo courtesy of Sunset

Cranesbill acts as ground cover without gobbling up space.

9. Periwinkle.

Photo courtesy of Sunset

Have a bare spot under a tree? Periwinkle will thrive where lesser ground covers fail.

10. Privets.

Photo by Judith Doyle via Flickr

Privets can protect more tender plants from being damaged by high winds.