I'm new to gardening but so far I have creeping phlox, sedums, perennial geraniums and Veronicas. I would go to a local nursery and ask for advice. I usually browse what is in stock and look up plants on my smartphone before buying.

If you don't have shade trees, a fully exposed south or west facing garden will get seriously baked. Crape myrtles do very well in the intense heat, as well as the ubiquitous knock out roses.

Werner Stiegler, that has always been my main concern. It is the South facing side of the house. and is absolutely fully exposed. When I originally started thinking about this I was going to do knockout roses...then I thought they were too "boring" (they aren't, but I wanted variety). The draw for me was how low maintenance they are. I will take another look at them. Thanks!

The knock-out roses are boring because they are so common now. They are also so durable and easy it feels like cheating. Iris love the heat and sun, as do daylilies. Both are easy to grow. We have a long growing season, so look for reblooming varieties. Add some durable evergreen foliage shrubs to the mix such as japanese spotted laurel, and variegated japanese euonymus to add year round color and to mute the unfettered heat. They are cliche, but they do look good and are completely care free. There are several new barberry varieties in the garden centers ranging in foliage color from bright gold to maroon, to red and purple. These are nearly indestructible and grow in the worst of soil. They also look good in 3 seasons.

Cheers,

Werner

A good nursery can be a help, but remember that most stock the plants that are at their best in that particular season, so you're not likely to find late-summer blooming or fall-blooming plants in spring. For three-season color and nice appearance year 'round, it's going to take some research and planning. I would suggest that a visit to a public garden in your area would be a good investment of your time. See what they have planted and how they've combined them. Except for annual displays, these gardens strive to look attractive all year. If you ask nicely, you might get some advice from the staff - they're usually more than happy to help visitors.

First step, if you haven't already done so, is a soil test. Annual beds get redone every year, so if you don't get it right the first time, you can fix it next year. Perennials and shrubs, however, are in it for the long haul. This is where they will live. The soil and its multitude of organisms will feed them. You want to get it right. Check texture, pH, nutrients, how well the soil holds and releases water. Your local cooperative extension can help with this. Here in NJ they'll do a pH test, free, while you wait, and give recommendations for adjusting it if necessary. They should also be able to provide you with some advice on your soil type and some resources on plant selection.

Select some evergreen plants, or those with interesting branch structure/bark features to provide the "bones" of your garden. These will be there year 'round providing an anchor, or structure. Then add some flowering shrubs, and, finally, perennials and bulbs. Annuals to fill in spaces for now if you wish.

Remember to leave adequate space for plants to reach their *mature size. All too often shrubs get planted too close to a structure and wind up squished up against it, which also doesn't leave room for building maintenance like cleaning, painting, etc.

It isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I love a garden where the plants have grown up together and are not-quite-elbowing-for-space. This also shades the soil, keeping it cooler and moister, and cuts down on weed germination. However, you don't want to overdo it.

It is often said that perennials take three years to really take off: "the first year they sleep, second they creep, and third they leap", so be prepared for some gaps in the beginning and to have a little patience.

Please try to avoid purchasing/planting non-native invasive species. These may be low maintenance, but they tend to escape cultivation into our natural spaces and crowd out the native plants that support our wildlife - beneficial insects (including bees and butterflies), birds, toads, frogs, and more. Additionally, some have some unintended consequences: for example, studies have found that deer ticks (which can carry Lyme disease) are more prevalent in areas with Japanese barberry. These plants make money for the breeders, landscapers and nurseries because they are easy to propagate and grow on, and are easy to sell because of their pest and disease resistance and ability to tolerate harsh environmental conditions ... but those are exactly the qualities that make them a threat to our native populations.

New Jersey does not have an official list of non-native invasives, but the NJ Invasive Species Strike Team has compiled a list, which can be found at www.njisst.org.

Oh, sorry to be so long-winded. If you want a real expert opinion, and some very inspiring photos, see if your library has Doug Tallamy's book Bringing Nature Home or The Living Landscape (Designing for beauty and biodiversity in the home garden).

Gardening is a process, I hope you will take your time and enjoy every phase of it!

List of Maryland recommended ground covers, also links to a list of invasive plants to avoid

https://extension.umd.edu/hgic/groundcover-list

Double Knockouts and Walkers low catmint look great together

Thank you, agradenstateof_mind and modestgoddess! I still have a lot of planning to do! I will definitely look into the resources you both mentioned.

I do want to also mention that I have 2 rain gardens full of native perennials (except for the shrubs the builder put in - waiting for them to bloom so I can figure out what they are).