Absolutely not silly, I get so much pleasure from mine. Are they terribly expensive there? I have found a flea market saleslady here who only charges 7 dollars for a 3 foot high bush, I am so lucky that mine winter over, but if they didn't I would replace them every year, Martha

We think nothing of paying a lot for a dress to be worn one time, why not a plant that gives you months of pleasure.
You might try cutting it to the ground before the first freeze and covering it with a ton of mulch. Also save what you cut and root them.
A friend does that with her brugmansia in the Dallas area.

Hi MeMo,
I think if you had to buy new ones each year, the most you
could expect for height would be about 4-5ft., especially in zone 4.
HOWEVER, I'm thinking if you are planting them fairly close to the house
your micro-climate there might actually be zone 5 and they might survive!
Especially if you mulch well as Kathy suggests.
Patti

How about hollyhocks? Tall, floriferous, hardy.
Or 'outhouse plant' - a type of rudbeckia that is really tough and tall.
Or hibiscus moscheutos - hardy hibiscus.
Or tiger lilies - tough, tall, and beautiful( but probably don't make much shade)
Sunflowers?

Also, you should NOT cut buddleia to the ground in the fall, that's the fastest way to lose them. ( I know from first hand experience . . .) They should be cut back in the SPRING, right around the time of the last killing frost.

Good luck!

Thanks, gotta. That is good to know to cut back in the spring.

I like the idea of the micro-climate.....my cousin bought one and was told it would be hardy here - I'll keep you posted. Have you tried them in this spot before? I wonder also if you try that trick I've seen done with roses, of laying them down and mulching. Either way, I'd say go for it - they are gorgeous.

Nancy.

Absolutely not! We shell out for annuals every year, don't we? The same plants, over and over. Well, in your area buddleia is obviously an annual.

Although, you could probably keep a couple in large pots and move them to cover in the winter and put them where you want them in the garden after frost, too, if you want to get some height to them.

Patricia

Here is a link that might be useful: Down the Garden Path

I do it with tulips so I don't think it is crazy. Tulips won't rebloom here because we don't get enough cold. I take them out each year after the spring bloom. In the fall, I buy tulip bulbs and refrigerate them until Christmas and plant.

Try it for a year or two and see if it works. Have fun!

Here is a link that might be useful: Creative Soul

Rose, what about hydrangeas? There are some varities that will withstand zone 4 winters.

Tracy

Oh thank you so much for allowing me to indulge myself lol! I don't think there is enough of a micro climate to sustain them through winter since we live on a river we tend to get colder down at the bottom of the valley than it gets up on top. I'll put some in this year and mulch them heavily next fall and wait and see.

Tracy, I do have two of the newer hydrangeas that I am testing right now. I planted them last spring, they bloomed, then drought kinda got to all of my shrubs even though I watered them daily. They're supposed to be hardy for my zone but I can tell you that it requires a lot of water to keep them from wilting, they're also supposed to be able to take full sun. One is Limelight and the other is Fire...something, can't think of it's name right now. I planted them in partial shade by the garage. We'll see if they make it through winter. If they do they might be an option for me too. I'd probably have to put them on a drip system though because they would be in full sun on the west side of the house.

Gottagarden, thanks for the suggestions. I'll look into those things you've suggested. I know there has to be a plant that will work there. I need to do more research.

MeMo

I think that would be silly. Why not use a variety of small trees and shrubs and even wooden structures like arbors, trellis, etc. to provide some shade? For instance, for the plants part, a mixture of Elderberry Black Lace, Serviceberry trees, and a narrow juniper (like pencil) would provide alot of color, blooms at various times, berries to feed the birds and all are hardy to z4. Plant a clump river birch a bit away and you would have even more color and contrast. Absolutely NO plant blooms all year. So go for variety in leaf color, texture, and make sure it is hardy to your zone.

My patio is on the north side of my house and of course, gets afternoon sun and is very hot in summer. I dug a wide expanse (6/7 ft) of sod away from the concrete, replaced and mixed the soil with tons of peat and compost. Then had such fun planting. First put in a walkway arbor, then evergreens, then bloomers, then flowers. I now have lots of privacy, some shade, lovely plants, and tons of birds, frogs and toads. You cant go wrong going natural.
Sorry to disagree with all the others, but this is my opinion. Pondy

Thank you, Pondy, for your advice. I would love a variety of things but I have some space limitations. I live on a farm and have numerous animals, including goats, so the garden has to be fenced in. In order to have enough space for the patio it's self the planting area along the fence will have to be rather narrow. I had thought that a shrub row that grows tall would be the thing to put in that narrow space but you are right I could put in tree and a few smaller shrubs. Thanks for giving me a little more to think about.

MeMo

lavatera gets quite large in one season and flowers all season. Would it be hardy in your area?

Fairweather, I went off to research the Lavatera that you suggested and found that it is available as both an annual and a perennial. Actually there are at least 25 different forms of it. If you are talking about Tree Mallow (L. thuringiaca) it is hardy to zone 5 though I did find a gardener's article that states it is hardy in his zone 4 garden, but who knows what his micro climates are like. If you meant something else could you give me a little more information so I can research the correct form of this plant. Thanks!

MeMo