Flowers
Enjoy the classic old-rose fragrance of ‘The Generous Gardener’ in the garden or picked for bouquets.Where it will grow: Hardy to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 31.7 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 9)Water requirement: ModerateLight requirement: Full sunMature size: 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide; can grow larger in warm climates
Wild Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens)For a classic white garden flower, turn to wild hydrangea. This eastern U.S. native and its cultivars grace gardens across the country and around the world. These flowering perennials are actually considered pretty easy to grow, despite their delicate appearance, as they tolerate a wide range of soils and sun conditions. Since they flower on new wood, winter freezes don’t affect flowering. Cultivars like ‘Anabelle’, shown here, produce larger blooms, while the straight species is smaller and wilder in appearance. Caution: The leaves, buds and flowers are toxic to people and pets, and can be harmful if consumed in sufficient quantities.Bloom season: Late spring through much of summerCold tolerance: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 9)Origin: Eastern Kansas east to southern New York in the north and Louisiana and northern Florida in the southWater requirement: Prefers moist (not wet) loamy soilsLight requirement: Prefers partial sun but will tolerate full sun if given consistent moistureWhen to plant: In spring or fall in containers; plant divisions in early spring before the plant fully leafs outSee ho...
Tufted Evening Primrose(Oenothera caespitosa)Tufted evening primrose is a night-bloomer, with fragrant white flowers that open once the sun starts to set. Perfect for a moon garden, the bright white flowers shine at night and also attract nighttime pollinators. Tufted evening primrose’s cold-hardiness as well as its ability to thrive in areas with hot summers make it a desirable and versatile low-growing perennial in western U.S. gardens. Bloom season: Spring to late summerCold tolerance: Hardy to minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 28.9 degrees Celsius (Zone 5)Origin: Higher-elevation regions (4,500 to 7,500 feet) of the western United States and CanadaWater requirement: Low to moderateLight requirement: Full sun (light shade in low-desert gardens)When to plant: Spring in all zones and fall in Zone 8 and aboveSee how to grow tufted evening primrose. White fragrant variety.... vs Missouri yellow Primrose
Confederate Jasmine(Trachelospermum jasminoides)You’ve most likely seen Confederate jasmine in many garden settings, and for good reason. This versatile plant can be trained up a trellis or allowed to spread as a ground cover, with its bright white flowers perfuming the air from spring into summer. While it can be considered invasive in warm, humid climates, it thrives in dry gardens and can be grown as a container plant in colder regions and brought inside over winter. Bloom season: Spring into summerCold tolerance: Hardy to 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 18 degrees Celsius (Zone 8)Origin: Eastern Asia, including Japan, Korea, southern China and VietnamWater requirement: Moderate; water deeply every 10 days in summer and twice a month the rest of the year. In inland and low-desert areas, water weekly in summer.Light requirement: Full sun to filtered shade (avoid western exposure); partial shade is best in low-desert zonesWhen to plant: Spring or fallSee how to grow Confederate jasmine. Like the trellis against the home
Evergreen Candytuft(Iberis sempervirens)In spring, masses of small white flowers cover evergreen candytuft for up to six weeks. At only 10 to 12 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide, this low-growing plant can be used to enhance a variety of garden areas, from edging a planting bed to tumbling between boulders in the rock garden or acting as a small-scale ground cover. A variety of cultivars are available to suit your garden needs, including one that grows up to 3 feet wide and another that reblooms in fall. Bloom season: SpringCold tolerance: Hardy to minus 30 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 34.4 degrees Celsius (zones 4 to 8)Origin: Southern EuropeWater requirement: Moderate to low once establishedLight requirement: Full sun When to plant: Spring or fallSee how to grow evergreen candytuft
Snowdrop(Galanthus nivalis)Common snowdrop is one of the first bulbs to appear in the woodland garden each year — catch this plant before it goes dormant and disappears. This perennial bulb is especially cold-tolerant, so you might see nodding flower heads poking through snow and ice. Bloom season: Early springCold tolerance: Hardy to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 40 degrees Celsius (zones 3 to 8)Origin: EuropeWater requirement: ModerateLight requirement: Full sun to partial shadeWhen to plant: FallSee how to grow snowdrop
4. Coral Honeysuckle(Lonicera sempervirens)Native to the East Coast from Connecticut west to Ohio and Oklahoma, south to Florida and TexasCoral honeysuckle is a vigorous, easy-to-grow vine. It twines to a height of 10 to 15 feet, growing in conditions with full sun to partial shade.Coral honeysuckle’s red tubular flowers make it a great attractor of hummingbirds, who will visit during the spring migration, depending on where you live. The flowers are not particularly fragrant, but they attract many bees and butterflies too. See how to grow coral honeysuckle.
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