Flowers for Country Gardens

Roses

• Roses are one of the most popular garden flower for its fragrance, number of varieties and the choices of colors. If you have a gated garden or a trellis or gazebo near your garden, you might try a climbing tea rose, with delicate colors and fragrance. Long stemmed or shrub roses make a good choice for a garden with plenty of room to space the plants. Rose trees make a nice addition to gardens if you are looking for a longer bloom or edible rose-hips.

Daisies

• Daisies are a perennial flower that comes in many colors. There is a variety of daisy that is native to almost every area, so planting them makes for a natural looking space. They make suitable cut flowers, when you want a nice bouquet to bring a bit of your garden inside for a special occasion or to perk up a room. The colors of daisies range from pale, pastel pinks to bright, vibrant yellows and oranges. They are hardy plants that are drought resistant, and they thrive in most soil types, even though the prefer well-drained beds and regular weekly watering.

Iris

• Irises are a perennial flower that makes many think of their grandma's garden. They bloom in mid-to-late spring, and they carry the nickname, flag flowers or flags, due to their flaglike petals or sepals. They come in many colors, but a bluish-purple cross or iris blue is the most well-known color. They can thrive in full sun or partial shade, and will grow in most soil conditions. Be mindful when planting them in groups, they do spread rapidly, so you will need to thin them every few years to keep them from overtaking your garden.

Fragrant Cloud Tobacco

• If you want a flower that will attract hummingbirds, try growing the Fragrant Cloud tobacco plant. The tubelike white blooms open in the evening, giving a sweet fragrance to the evening air. This flowering annual will grow to 5 feet tall, and likes full sun to partial shade. It likes moist soil, but well-drained soil, so the roots will not rot from standing in water. While it is an annual flower, it will reseed itself if not deadheaded, allowing it to come alive for more than one season in warmer climates, where winter is not extremely snowy. This ability to reseed itself allows it to fill barren areas in your garden, as well. If you are not careful, however, the reseeding will allow this plant to take over your garden, crowding out other flowers.

Candytuft

• Candytuft is native to Africa, but with its tolerating characteristics it can make a nice addition to most country gardens. It likes full sun and well-drained soil, and in warmer climates it can be evergreen, giving color to winter gardens as well. It only grows to about 1 foot tall, but will grow in clusters with widths to over 18 inches, making it a sub-shrub. When in bloom, it will require pruning to prevent the blooms from becoming too long and drooping from the weight of the blooms.