What are good flowers to plant in a New England garden?

Question

I've decided to take up gardening in our new home and would like to spruce up the curb appeal. What kinds of plants should I incorporate into my New England garden that would withstand the climate? I would also like input on a pretty flowering bush that would be relatively low-maintenance. (I'm fine with trimming, but prefer a bush that doesn't need constant trimming!) Also I would appreciate input on a bush/tree that might work well for privacy? Our yard is not very private, and I would prefer plants instead of a fence for privacy.

Right now, I have one lilac bush and a few daffodils, however I'm trying to get rid of the daffodils (I have infant triplets and two dogs who are in the yard often, and I'm afraid they will injest them - the triplets may come in contact with them as they get older). Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks!

Answer 1

Hi.

It will depend on the zone in which you live. You will need to research that first. I listed a good site to help you do that.

Once you know the zone, then decide what you want. Flowering bushes are great, and are showy in spring or early summer (azaleas etc.) Lillies are amazing, when planted in bunches along the fence or walkways. Vinca (perrywinkle) is an awesome ground-cover and is pretty hardy, but so is phlox. Butterfly bushes and sage are beautiful as well. The longer you have any of these plants in your garden, the more lush they become. And of course,t here are the roses.

The best advice though will come from your local nursery (Lowes or Home Depot tend to be very general and therefore may not be your best option). Your local nursery can show you what to grow as well as when, where, and how.

Good luck!!

Answer 2

Many types of sedum, gaillardia, moss pink (Phlox subulata), artemisia, candytuft, basket-of-gold (Aurinia saxatilis), wild and cultivated daisies, cranesbill, feverfew and Chinese forget-me-not (Cynoglossum amabile) work well.

These plantings are less suitable if you read their cultural requirements in gardening manuals, but the addition of topsoil to the gravel increases the range of possible plants. Specimens plants 2 use would be ferns, astilbes, spotted dead nettle (Lamium maculatum), leopard's-bane (Doronicum cordatum) and Phlox divaricata

Rocks used for decorative purposes also have the horticultural dividend of creating moisture retentive pockets. Furthermore, trees around the garden's edge provide shade at intervals during the day, enough so that hostas, mayapples (Podophyllum peltatum) and lady's-mantle (Alchemilla mollis) can grow. Lupines, Oriental and annual poppies, columbines, gas plants (Dictamnus albus), sweet William and tiger lilies supply color in their season.
Perhaps the real glory of the garden is the yucca, which blooms midsummer. This plant can sometimes look a bit out of place in New England, but it has thrived here amid the rocks and sedums. Hope's one original plant has now multiplied into several spectacular clumps and appears very much at home.

In sunny areas, the following plants remain healthy without much attention to soil or water: hens-and-chickens, sedums, clustered bellflower (Campanula glomerata) and willow bellflower (C persicifolia), rock cress (Arabis spp.), cranesbill, coreopsis, gaillardia, artemesia, candytuft, pearly everlasting, beard-tongue (Penstemon barbatus), and Jupiter's beard (Centranthus ruber).

Some plants do well in shorter dry spells, but need either richer soil or more watering to look their best in longer periods of drought. This category includes: yarrow, dead nettle, bergenia, pinks, coralbells, lamb's-ears, coneflowers, moss pink, Potentilla alba, creeping phlox (Phlox stolonifera), black-eyed Susans, catmint, fescue (Festuca ovina glauca) and pincushion flower (Scabiosa caucasica).

Well I hope the above inspires you out in the sunshine
Have fun!

Answer 3

Your local garden shop should be area specific (even Home Depot or Lowes) they will have plants that will do well in your climate. Find ones you like and either buy them there, or look for other ways to get similar plants (seed catalogs, ebay, starts from neighbors, etc.)

Answer 4

Do you advise on the spot colour? In flower now - the checklist is see you later ribes, lilac, multiple bulbs, skimmia, mahonia, clematis. pass the the backyard centre and notice what's on grant that's in bloom then you definitely can %. a colour scheme you like.