Plants for Around a Lamp Post

Drought-Tolerant Plants

• Often a lamp post is located near the street and not near a water source, so plants around a lamp post should be drought-tolerant. The University of Minnesota Extension recommends several plants for landscaping in tough, dry locations. Fancy-leafed geranium cultivars Crystal Palace Gem, Blazonry and Golden Ears feature colorful foliage and flowers. They are easy to grow from cuttings and can reach up to 18 inches in height. The variegated nasturtium cultivars Alaska and Jewel of Africa will grow as a groundcover or climb up the lamp post. For a drought-resistant bushy plant, try Blue Marguerite, which has small blue blossoms resembling daisies and creates a mound of showy foliage growing up to 18 inches tall. Also growing up to 18 inches tall, the Lantana cultivar Samantha is a hardy flower that produces golden yellow blooms with chartreuse and yellow foliage.

Vines

• If ground space is limited near a lamp post, vines offer climbing foliage and blooming beauty while only occupying a narrow area. However, most vines grow best with water and fertilizer throughout the growing season. For blooms throughout summer, the University of Minnesota recommends climbing snapdragon, which features flowers resembling trumpets. Japanese hops grow to 15 feet and have green blossoms in summer. The cypress vine has delicate foliage and produces star-shaped blooms in red, pink and white. For cooler climates, sweet peas feature a sweet fragrance and only reach 6 feet in length. Cardinal climber quickly reaches up to 20 feet and might require pruning; it has foliage similar to fern leaves and trumpet blossoms.

Hardy Perennials

• If a lamp post is near a sidewalk, soil around it might suffer from the spreading of salt or de-icing chemicals during winter months, so you should choose hardy perennials. The University of Minnesota suggests that to attract butterflies, you should choose yarrow, purple coneflower, daylilies, garden phlox, blazing star or bee balm. For fragrance, try plant bearded iris, fragrant cultivars of hostas or Russian sage. Asters bloom in the fall and come in many colors. Daffodils and jonquils bloom in early spring and live many years. Asiatic lilies and peonies thrive near lamp posts and produce flowers well-suited for cut bouquets. For groundcover plants, catmint and sedum are excellent choices.