As my wife and I prepare beds this week in our backyard we need suggestions for flowers. We live in Zone 7b. Here are the categories I'm looking for: Annuals Perennials Tall Short Late Summer-Fall Blooms (We got started late.)
You can go to any internet site that sells flowers and put in your zone and find out which plants are good for your area. Then you can also go to a nursery if you have one nearby and pick something for your area. I have noticed more places are selling things that do not come back up so make sure you read the tags. Have fun...planting gardens is one of my favorite things to do in the spring..
I can tell you what I like to plant, but most likely they won't survive your winter temps and you might not even like them. Go to our Plant database and do an Advanced Search to see what others in your zone are growing and what you might really like to have. Do a google search for plants that are native to your state/area, those are the absolute best perennials to plant. How much sun does the garden area get? Also take yearly rainfall and summer temperatures into account. Annuals will grow just about anywhere until Winter takes them down, just wander through a garden center to see what colors and plants you like. Zinnia, Cosmos are best for summer sun and will bloom into the fall. Find our what your garden center is selling. They are both annuals but will be more than happy to spread their seeds everywhere for next years blooms. Both tall and short depending on the shape of your beds but having some of all heights is always a good idea. If the bed is against a wall or fence, tall in back short in front.....if it is in the middle of the yard then tall in the center surrounded by shorter ones ending with the outer edge being almost ground cover tall. When you do choose plants, check their hardiness zone and anything where your zone 7a is the coldest low temp they will take as in a range of say 7-10, pass them up. That close to their limit can prove costly with one unusually cold/ice/snowy winter unless you have a indoor place to let them overwinter. If the range is 3-7 and you have an unusually hot and dry summer, they could be toasted or will cost a fortune keeping them watered. I am in 8a and when I find a non-native plant that I just have to have, I try to stick with plants whose range includes Zones 5-9. That means they will take the hot weather we have and also the few really cold winters spells we sometimes can get. It is best to wander through a local garden center to see what grows well in your area and remember that just because a local garden center sells it doesn't mean that it is going to be at it's best in your climate. Hardiness zone info only gives you the coldest low temperature the plant roots will survive in winter. But they don't tell you what will grow best in your summer heat/ humidity/lack of rain conditions. Late summer/fall bloomers will depend on what is selling at your local garden centers. They rotate stock depending on the season. Right now they have great sales on Spring annuals (Petunias, Pansies, etc) that might not survive much past when you plant them and Spring planted bulbs which, if they are fall bloomers would be a good thing. They will put out green leaves, maybe not bloom this year but they will be storing energy in the bulb for blooming next summer. The Summer plants are showing up now, with plants that will take the heat and bloom now and into the Fall. Salvias, Goldenrod, Echinacea (coneflowers) are good for both summer and fall color, Coreopsis, Russian Sage (which is neither Russian nor a Sage), Lavender,..... again wander the local garden center to see what they have. Usually the best time to find Fall blooming plants at garden centers is after July, that's when they will be getting in the Chrysanthemums, Asters, etc. Oh, and for next years Spring and Summer plants you might want to go on-line to check out those sellers. Order them for Fall planting so the plants will have time to get roots established before Winter then they will come up in the Spring and be ready to grow and bloom. earlier than waiting to buy them at garden centers.
Hi jonmark. I live in 7a, so I'll tell you what I like best in my yard. Annuals: My annuals are all in pots: Favorites are Portulaca, Purslane, begonias, coleus, thunbergia, sweet peas, cosmos, dahlias (could be overwintered if you want to dig them up). Perennials: Tall: daylilies (hemerocallis), tulips, lupines, hydrangeas (shrub), poppies, siberian iris, crocosmis var. lucifer Short: sedum, vinca, English ivy, lillies of the valley Late bloomers: Aster, Hyssop (short), Bee Balm, Sea Holly (short) I hope this helps
You're right Cayuga Morning. I forgot peonies. I couldn't think of the name for them. Also, jonmark, I have to add wisteria. I love my wisteria. It's a vine that smells....intoxicating.....However, beware! It's a very tough vine that will tear your house down if you let it, so place it wisely, prune it religiously, and tell it where it's allowed to go.
Seawitch, We are going to build a pergola in the back right corner. I think we are going to vine wisteria up it.
One of my favorites is Hakonechloa grass. It is a good accent in the garden. While other plants have their moment of glory (2-3-4 weeks) while in bloom, Hakonechloa grass lights up the garden all season long.
Cayuga - I love that Hakonechola grass. I bought one last summer and followed tag directions putting it in a spot that gets 3-6 hours of morning or late afternoon sun. It is not happy, and is just barely a dozen shoots this year. I thought it might be a moisture issue, but it hasn't made a difference. How much sun/moisture does yours get? Our plant database says it wants full sun to part shade and so I am wondering if it is getting enough sun?
Hi Netty, I don't know what to tell you. I too have had difficulty establishing it anywhere but where you see it growing in the photo. I keep trying because I really like it. The standard Hakone grass that everyone likes is Hakonechloa macra aureola. There is another variety that seems to be hardier: hakonechloa macra albo striata Here it is again: Another Hakone grass that is sturdier is Hakonechloa macro 'All Gold'. In my part sun/lots of shade yard it is a lime green. These photos are of transplants that I bought this year so they are young: Here are shots of the Hakone grass not really making it: Sad, huh? The only thing I can figure out is that Hakone grass seems to need moisture but also well drained soil. Hope this helps.
That's just about what mine looks like. One more question ... how much sun is your successful clump getting?
Hi Netty, It is getting maybe 3/4 day sun. More sun than it is supposed to get. In more shade, the green is deeper. Because I was planting it in so much sun, I cheated. I added those moisture retaining crystals. The soil is otherwise pretty thin just there. I think the key is moisture but well drained.
Just adding a direct link to our Advanced Search in the plant database: http://www.gardenstew.com/plantstew/search-adv.php
