Garden Bed Plants

Perennials such as roses add color to garden beds year after year.

Gardening is a creative activity that requires preparation and planning to achieve the best results. When designing your garden beds, consider the amount of maintenance each plant variety requires, and choose garden bed plants accordingly. Select plants that grow well in your region and the conditions in your garden. Include evergreen shrubs, deciduous shrubs, annuals and perennials to fill beds with varied textures and colors, maximizing visual appeal.

Annuals

Annual plants such as wax begonias, calliopsis, orange cosmos, marigolds and various herbs and vegetables live for one season, growing from a seed and dying in one year. Use annual plants to add color to garden beds -- either for the entire growing season or for specific times of year. For best results, select annuals with a variety of bloom times. For example, petunias add late spring and summer color to garden beds, while chrysanthemums provide color to the autumn garden. Many plants that are grown as perennials in warmer climates can be grown as annuals in cooler areas. Hibiscus, palm trees and other subtropical plants are killed by frost but add tropical allure to the garden during the summer.

Perennials

Perennial plants are planted once and return to the landscape every year. Some examples include peonies, delphinium, daylilies and hostas. Once perennial plants are established in garden beds, they require less care and water than annuals, while still providing vibrant color and attractive foliage. For best results, select perennials based on the growing conditions (soil type, light conditions and wind) in your garden. For example, while many perennials prefer areas with full sunlight, hostas and ferns flourish in shady conditions. Plant perennials in locations with adequate space to accommodate them once they reach their mature size to prevent having to transplant plants later.

Evergreen Shrubs

Evergreen shrubs provide year-round color to garden beds and provide a backdrop for many colorful annuals and perennials. Evergreen shrubs are either narrowleaf or broadleaf varieties, as determined based upon the foliage. Narrowleaf evergreens (such as pine, juniper or spruce) generally have needle-like foliage and produce their seeds in a cone. Broadleaf varieties feature leaves with wider widths and varying flowering habits. Broadleaf evergreen shrubs include boxwood, mountain laurel, holly and rhododendron. These garden plants generally flourish when planted in an area with some protection from wind and soil that is well-drained and rich in organic materials

Deciduous Shrubs

Deciduous shrubs such as azalea, hydrangea, crape myrtle lose their leaves every year and add height, color and texture to garden beds. Deciduous shrubs such as azalea, barberry, hydrangea, hibiscus, rose, crape myrtle, spirea and lilac add height to garden beds along with changing color and texture. Plus, they tend to tolerate difficult growing conditions better than tender ornamental plants and have relatively few problems with insects or disease. Most deciduous shrubs are purchased as bare-root plants and can be planted anytime from spring through autumn. Pruning requirements vary according to the flowering time of the shrub -- each should be pruned after the shrub has finished flowering. Pruning maintains the shrub's shaping, encourages abundant flowering, and contributes to overall plant health.

References

• Floridata: Annual Plants
• University of Colorado Extension; Perennial Gardening; D. Waltman, et al.; December 2009
• Penn State College of College of Agricultural Sciences: Evergreen Shrubs and Trees for Pennsylvania
• University of Missouri Extension: Selecting Landscape Plants: Deciduous Shrubs

Resources

• Find Your USDA Hardiness Zone