landscape sun
Weigela (Weigela florida) Weigela offers outstanding foliage and beautiful blooms that work well in cottage gardens and mixed borders. Choose from among varieties with green leaves streaked with creamy yellow or white (W. florida ‘Magical Fantasy), or those with foliage in green (W. florida ‘Plangen’) or deep burgundy (W. florida ‘Alexandra’ or ‘Wine and Roses’). Trumpet-shaped white, pale pink or magenta flowers cover the shrub in May and often continue after the first flush with sporadic blooms through late summer. The flowers are a hummingbird favorite. Bloom season: Largest flush of flowers in May, followed by less-frequent flowering through summer Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 15 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 26.1 degrees Celsius (zones 5 to 8) Origin: Native to east Asia Water requirement: Moderate to high Light requirement: Partial to full sun Mature size: Varies by variety, from 3 to 10 feet tall and 3 to 12 feet wide
Great Blue Lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica) In the heat of summer, great blue lobelia’s flower spikes cool gardens from Minnesota to Colorado and all parts east. It reaches 2 to 3 feet tall, with a silhouette that can contrast those of other flowers in the front or middle of a planting bed. Bloom season: Midsummer to early fall Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9) Origin: Native from Minnesota southwest into Wyoming and Colorado, south to Oklahoma and Louisiana, and all points east Water requirement: Moderate to wet Light requirement: Full sun if wet soil; partial shade if medium soil When to plant: Potted or bare-root plants can be planted from spring to fall; sow seeds in fall or winter. See how to grow great blue lobelia
Bluebell Bellflower (Campanula rotundifolia) Native to much of the United States, bluebell bellflower is a delicate-looking flower that thrives in some of the most challenging conditions, from rocky shorelines to gravelly mountains. Plant it next to patios, walkways or sidewalks, and enjoy the finely textured flowers and foliage up close. Bloom season: Late spring; will often rebloom during the summer and into early September Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 55 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 48.3 degrees Celsius (zones 1 to 8) Origin: Native to all of North America except Nevada, Kansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and states eastward to Georgia, including Florida Water requirement: Low to moderate Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade When to plant: Spring or fall See how to grow bluebell bellflower
Wild Lupine (Lupinus perennis) Not to be confused with large-leaved lupine (Lupinus polyphyllus), a European introduction, wild lupine graces wildflower gardens between the time when spring ephemerals fade and the time when summer flowers arrive. Its flowers, therefore, are an important pollen source for native bees. Caution: Plants in the Lupinus genus, and particularly their seeds, can be toxic to humans and livestock if ingested. Bloom season: Late spring and early summer Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 42 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 41.1 degrees Celsius (zones 2 to 10) Origin: Native from Minnesota eastward to Maine in the north and to Ontario, Canada, and south to Iowa, Illinois, Tennessee and eastward. Wild lupine’s range also includes down the Eastern coastal states to Florida as well as the Southern states bordering the Gulf of Mexico Water requirement: Low to moderate Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade When to plant: Spring or fall See how to grow wild lupine
Wild Hyacinth (Camassia quamash) Look for the violet-blue flower spikes of wild hyacinth to pop up after daffodils and tulips have faded. These bulbs native to western North America grow up to 30 inches tall. Wild hyacinth is an adaptable plant that grows in open meadows and near water, and tolerates a variety of soil moisture levels and light levels. Bloom season: Late spring Cold tolerance: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 8) Origin: Native to western North America Water requirement: Average to moist soil Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade When to plant: Late fall or winter
partial shade to full sun Botanical name: Pulmonaria saccharata 'Mrs. Moon' Common name: Lungwort, Bethlehem sage, soldiers and sailors USDA zones: 3 to 8 (find your zone) Water requirement: Low to average Light requirement: Partial shade to full sun Mature size: 1 foot tall and 16 inches wide Benefits and tolerances: Deer resistant; a hummingbird favorite; tolerant of damp soils Seasonal interest: Spring through fall When to plant: Spring or fall Distinguishing traits. Lungwort is one of the earliest perennials to appear in spring and one of the last to go dormant in fall. The large, elongated leaves are spotted with silver — this would be an attractive foliage plant even if it never bloomed. Clusters of tubular flowers are held high above the foliage in spring and offer an early treat to hummingbirds and bees. Each flower opens pink before fading to blue, creating a wonderful two-tone effect and giving rise to one of its fun common names: soldiers and sailors. How to use it. So many possibilities. A few: • Interplant it with early-spring bulbs. • Combine it with astilbe in a woodland garden — lungwort makes a beautiful ground cover. • Use it in containers for three seasons ...
Dwarf Stars Delphineum Botanical name: Delphinium ‘Dwarf Stars’ Origin: Garden hybrid Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 3 to 7; find your zone) Water requirement: Average Light requirement: Full sun Mature size: 2½ feet tall and 18 inches wide Benefits and tolerances: Deer and rabbit resistant; attracts hummingbirds and butterflies Seasonal interest: Summer When to plant: Spring Distinguishing traits: Makes a great cut flower; has a dwarf form; suitable for windy locations; does not need staking Planting notes: Plant in fertile, well-drained soil; use as part of a romantic English garden design, within a traditional mixed border or in a cutting garden
Botanical name: Baptisia australis var. minor Common name: Dwarf blue indigo Where it will grow: Hardy to -40 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 3 to 8; find your zone) Water requirement: Bone-dry to medium soil Light requirement: Full sun to 25 percent shade Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide Benefits and tolerances: Very low maintenance; superb architectural plant when in bloom; attracts pollinators
Wall at top of steps, behind hosta. Star jasmine. The hardy, low-maintenance climber star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is well behaved. It has glossy dark green leaves and, from midspring to late summer, is covered in deliciously scented white flowers. Star jasmine is tolerant of light to medium frost.
What I had at the top of steps years ago. Wild and wooley. Planting notes. Select an area in full sun (afternoon shade in desert gardens) with well-drained soil. Before planting, add compost to the planting hole and mix it with the existing soil at a ratio of 1 part compost to 1 part native soil. Shown: Gaura lindheimeri ‘Ballet Blush’
Botanical name: Stachys officinalis ‘Hummelo’ Common name: ‘Hummelo’ betony Origin: Stachys officinalis is native to Europe and Asia; ‘Hummelo’ was introduced by plantsman Piet Oudolf and named after his hometown in the Netherlands Where it will grow: Hardy to -30 degrees Fahrenheit (USDA zones 4 to 8; find your zone) Light requirement: Full sun to partial shade Water requirement: Average (1 inch of water per week) Mature size: Up to 2 feet tall and wide Benefits and tolerances: Tolerant of deer, rabbits and being planted near black walnut trees; no serious insect or disease problems, although slugs can be occasionally problematic; exhibits some drought tolerance after being established Seasonal interest: Leaves appear in midspring, with purple flowers arriving in midsummer; semi-evergreen in the warmer areas of its range but generally considered deciduous When to plant: Spring or fall Shown: With ‘Curly Tops’ sawara cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Curly Tops’, zones 4 to 8)
Botanical name: Baptisia australis Common names: Blue wild indigo, wild blue indigo Origin: Native in areas from the central Great Plains to the southeast and northeast U.S. USDA zones: 3 to 9 (find your zone) Water requirement: Medium to dry clay, sand Light requirement: Full to partial sun Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall and wide Benefits and tolerances: Easy perennial; drought tolerant; offers winter interest; attracts native bees Seasonal interest: Good two-week bloom period in spring, followed by ornamental seed bombs that make a rattling sound When to plant: Spring to fall
Blue Wild Indigo (Baptisia australis) There are many Baptisia species native to the central U.S., and some have ranges extending to the Atlantic. Like all the species, blue wild indigo has a deep taproot that punches through clay and is, itself, especially suited to dry, sunny conditions. It serves as a host plant to some species of sulfur butterfly. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 35 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 37.2 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9) Origin: Native to areas from the central Great Plains to the southeastern and northeastern U.S. Water requirement: Medium to dry soil Light requirement: Full to partial sun Mature size: 3 to 4 feet tall and wide
Calico Aster (Symphyotrichum lateriflorum) Native from Minnesota to eastern Texas and all points east Calico aster lives up to its name, with yellow flower centers that turn pink as the early-fall blooming period moves along. Combined with zigzag goldenrod (Solidago flexicaulis), seen in the next photo, it will attract a number of diverse pollinators. In full shade, a medium to dry clay-loam soil mix is perfect; moisture is key in sunnier sites. Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9) Water requirement: Medium; prefers slightly moist to slightly dry soil Light requirement: Full sun (in moist soil) to full shade (in medium to dry soil) Mature size: 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide; sometimes 4 feet tall in loamy soil
flowering succulent
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