| i am wanting to plant some annuals. what i would like to do is plant tall to small and would like to know what plants i can use. also i do have some shade but not total shade. and need to know what is best for that. |
| For hot, sunny gardens, here are some good choices: Ornamental Onions or Alliums are one of the easiest full sun perennials to grow and even though they are technically a bulb, they deserve a place in the early summer perennial border. Monkshood or Aconitum is a wonderful plant for full sun or light shade and I particularly like the old-fashioned bicolor form. The fall blooming varieties bring fantastic blue shades to the fall garden. One of the easiest of hardy perennials is the Coneflower or Echinacea. A sun loving beauty! Peonies are one of the superb classic perennial flowers. Hollyhocks are one of the stateliest and easiest of self-sowing perennials. And one of the longest blooming plants in the perennial border is the Coreopsis or Butter. One of my all time favorite border perennials is the Beebalm or Monarda. . Lavatera is a tall, shrubby perennial that produces scads of pink flowers and is a good plant for the back of the border. It will take a bit of shade too so that makes it even more versatile. You might also try Achillea or yarrow is a superb plant for sunny hot spots; Aconitum or Monkshood; Agastache; Alchemilla or Lady's Mantle; Anemone; Aquilegia or Columbine; Asters or Michaelmas Daisies; Belamcanda or Leopard Lily or even Blackberry Lily is a short-lived but lovely iris- lookalike; Buddleia or Butterfly Bush is one of the most fragrant of garden plants. And it really does attract butterflies! Campanula or Bellflower; Caryopteris; Centaurea, Bachelor Buttons, or Mountain Bluet; Chrysanthemums. For total shade, consider hosta, lobelia, bleeding heart, pansies and impatiens. Hope these suggestions are helpful! |
