Flowering Plants for Flower Beds

Ornamental Trees

• Flowering ornamental trees help provide the backbone in a flower garden. They provide height and can be underplanted with various shrubs, perennials and annuals. Many ornamental trees such as dogwoods, crabapples, flowering cherries and magnolias provide the first blossoms in spring time. Check the width and height of the tree to make sure it is appropriate for the intended space.

Flowering Shrubs

• Flowering shrubs help create depth to the garden and also provide interest and structure in the winter garden since the branches and twigs do not die back to the ground. They can serve as a backdrop for perennials and annuals or be inter-planted with perennials. The flowers on shrubs can be bold and showy, like hydrangeas or delicate like the sandcherry. Sun-loving flowering shrubs include spirea, hydrangeas, butterfly bush and lilacs. Shrubs tolerant of partial shade include forsythia, rhododendrons and azaleas.

Perennials

• Perennials are non-woody or herbaceous plants that come back year after year. They die back in the winter and resprout from the ground in the spring time. The majority of perennials bloom for a week to several weeks during spring, summer or fall. A select number of varieties bloom for longer periods. Plant perennials in the selected bed based on the height of the plant. Perennials come in all different heights and spreads. They range from low-growing creepers to 6-foot-high plants. Additionally, some perennials spread more than others. Check the variety to be sure the plant will not become invasive. Native plants are a good choice because they flourish in the local conditions and are often disease- and pest-resistant. Perennials can also be divided and transplanted in spring and fall if they become too large. Commonly available perennials include hostas, cone-flowers, astilbes, dayliles and phlox.

Annuals

• Annuals will grow only the duration of the growing season, limited by the frost dates of your growing zone. They can be planted once the last expected frost date has passed expected, and many will bloom continually until frost kills the plant in fall. The variety of colors and choices are extensive, and annuals can be selected for sun or shade. Plant annuals in pockets around the garden. Also use them along flower borders where they will be noticed for the entire growing season. To achieve continuous blooming, feed annuals bi-weekly with a flower fertilizer. Check the variety to determine if dead-heading spent flowers is necessary for re-blooming. Varieties for shade include impatiens and begonias. Common sun-loving annuals include petunias, salvia, zinnias, marigolds and geraniums.