Gardners, Come In Please!

[yorkiegirl83]

I really need some help with my landscaping this year . I live in zone 5 (a) i think and I really want to pick up some new and pretty flowers for the summer.

Usually I just end up with geraniums because no matter what I do, I can't kill them, lol. But I find them a bit boring and want some more dimension to my flower beds.

I did order Cottage Farms Subzero roses two years ago from QVC and they were terrible. Each only had a few roses and even with proper care, they never came back up.

I really like "fluffy" flowers like roses, hydrangea, peonies, ect

I'm also starting some herbs from seeds and some tomatoes from seeds -- so any advice on those will be helpful

Thank you so much to anyone who responds, I am such a clueless gardener and I really want to create something beautiful this year

[wemple2]

Good luck with the garden...I have pretty much done it all. Not necessarily well...but I've tried many things. I inherited my garden from my mother-in-law...we bought their home. She had the usual, peonies, daisies, iris' and tulips. I kept adding to it each year...it was pretty, but a lot of work. I now have hybrid tea roses only. They are easier to care for, not so much weeding...pretty much do the same routine, uncover and mulch in the spring...spray, water and fertilize...cut and enjoy. They flower all summer long until a hard frost, then cut them back and cover. I do still enjoy container gardening for the patio...I just pick plants that do well in full sun...always something different. I also tried a wild flower garden that basically turned into a weed patch...it was horrible. Don't have much experience with vegetables, I love them, but have never really tried them myself...other then an occasional tomato plant. Anxious to hear what others have to say...I do love to garden...it's my therapy after a long day at the office!!!

[chachi]

In early Spring I like pansies because they are hardy and can take cooler temps. They dont do well with hot weather though and are gone by July. So about June I replant Geraniums or impatiens. Then in the fall I plant Mums. These are in my flower boxes. I like hardy flowers so that I dont have to mess with them much.

[RowdysMom]

You should try antique roses! These are roses that have been around for 50-100 years or so. I'm including a link to an antique rose store. The Antique Rose Emporium It has pictures of all the different roses. I have an early 1900's rose called Mrs. B.R. Cant. It requires no care (except trimming) and it blooms from March to the first freeze (usually Dec. in Texas).

You should visit a LOCAL INDEPENDENT nursery - not a chain nursery - and they will tell you the plants that are best grown in your area. Often the chain nurseries (or Walmart or Home Depot) have plants that are not appropriate for your area. When they die, it is not your fault, they should not have been sold to you.

A raised bed is best because you can get GOOD garden soil to put in it. Good garden soil makes all the difference. Water in anything you plant with liquid seaweed - and drench your plants with it once a week. It really helps a lot!

The square foot gardening technique is the BEST for either flowers or vegetables. Here's the link The Official Site of Square Foot Gardening and Mel Bartholomew, Originator and Author If you do what this guy says, it will work! He has a book that I highly recommend too!

I'm using the square foot gardening technique for my vegetables this year. I've included a few pix. I have strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro. I'll have some rosemary, basil and squash, but don't have them out yet.

[yorkiegirl83]

Originally Posted by wemple2

Good luck with the garden...I have pretty much done it all. Not necessarily well...but I've tried many things. I inherited my garden from my mother-in-law...we bought their home. She had the usual, peonies, daisies, iris' and tulips. I kept adding to it each year...it was pretty, but a lot of work. I now have hybrid tea roses only. They are easier to care for, not so much weeding...pretty much do the same routine, uncover and mulch in the spring...spray, water and fertilize...cut and enjoy. They flower all summer long until a hard frost, then cut them back and cover. I do still enjoy container gardening for the patio...I just pick plants that do well in full sun...always something different. I also tried a wild flower garden that basically turned into a weed patch...it was horrible. Don't have much experience with vegetables, I love them, but have never really tried them myself...other then an occasional tomato plant. Anxious to hear what others have to say...I do love to garden...it's my therapy after a long day at the office!!!

I bet that was so pretty! When we moved into our house it had been owned by an older woman and I think at one point she loved to garden, but she stopped taking care of it so we ended up ripping out hundreds of dead weeds and it took forever -- it was nearly our whole yard.

But as I've started to get into the swing of home ownership -- I've realized I want a bit of flowers. I just find it so hard to learn what comes back year after year, when to plant, ect. My head just spins reading about it! I am the type that can go out and water them and tend to them a bit, but I don't want a full time job either, lol!

[yorkiegirl83]

Originally Posted by chachi

In early Spring I like pansies because they are hardy and can take cooler temps. They dont do well with hot weather though and are gone by July. So about June I replant Geraniums or impatiens. Then in the fall I plant Mums. These are in my flower boxes. I like hardy flowers so that I dont have to mess with them much.

I will have to check out pansies and impatiens! Do you have any tips for keeping mums healthy? Every year I end up killing them before Halloween is even here!

[yorkiegirl83]

Originally Posted by RowdysMom

You should try antique roses! These are roses that have been around for 50-100 years or so. I'm including a link to an antique rose store. The Antique Rose Emporium It has pictures of all the different roses. I have an early 1900's rose called Mrs. B.R. Cant. It requires no care (except trimming) and it blooms from March to the first freeze (usually Dec. in Texas).

You should visit a LOCAL INDEPENDENT nursery - not a chain nursery - and they will tell you the plants that are best grown in your area. Often the chain nurseries (or Walmart or Home Depot) have plants that are not appropriate for your area. When they die, it is not your fault, they should not have been sold to you.

A raised bed is best because you can get GOOD garden soil to put in it. Good garden soil makes all the difference. Water in anything you plant with liquid seaweed - and drench your plants with it once a week. It really helps a lot!

The square foot gardening technique is the BEST for either flowers or vegetables. Here's the link The Official Site of Square Foot Gardening and Mel Bartholomew, Originator and Author If you do what this guy says, it will work! He has a book that I highly recommend too!

I'm using the square foot gardening technique for my vegetables this year. I've included a few pix. I have strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, and cilantro. I'll have some rosemary, basil and squash, but don't have them out yet.

Your garden looks great! Thank you for all the tips! I am attempting to keep my herbs all in pots and possibly my tomatoes also. We have a big yard but i'm afraid one of my dogs might hike a leg on my fenced in garden, lol.

We went to some nurseries last year but i was so confused with all the choices! I have this front bed that has this rock wall thing right at the front of my house and it needs some height and to be more filled in and I'm like trying to plan it out lol.

[Mom to Hot Rod]

One thing you have to remember when you start a garden is that you have to plant for when the plant is mature. What I mean is, don't overcrowd your plants, plan your space for when the plant is mature.

Have you thought about knockout roses? They are great. My neighbor has them and they are so easy and pretty. You do not have to prune them or anything. They are disease free and you can cut them back without harming them. They bloom from spring up to fall. I just put about 6 of them in last year so I am hoping that this year they will really be a show.

As for the mums, you should keep them trimmed until about July. You should keep pinching them back until July so they can get bushy. I know it is hard to pinch the blooms but trust me, in the fall it will be worth it.

Grasses are really easy also and they bloom in the fall. When I did my landscaping, I tried to have things that bloom in succession. I've been pretty successful, just got to fine tune it. For early, I have crocus, daffadils, grape hyacinths, hyacinths and tulips. For mid spring, I have tulips, creeping phlox. For late spring (April-May) I have azaleas, peonies, irises, hostas (they blooms in summer). For the rest of the season I have things like different color coneflowers, roses, day lilies, grasses, artesmia (sp), asiatic lilies; pincushion flowers, sedum, poppies, abelia, guaras, perennial geraniums, guaras, canna lilies, carnations, turtle heads, black eyed susan, alesstromeria, shasta daisy, foxglove, allium, blue eyed grasses, liriope (blooms in the fall), sedum, hydrangeas, gladiolas, russian sage, butterfly bush, lilac-although it has never bloomed), several roses of sharon, calla lilies. This is just to name a few. This is 3 years in the making and I've changed things around a couple of times. I also put the typical annuals in like impatients and petunias. In the fall I have the mums, stella oro lilies, annabelle hydrangeas.
Can you tell I love to garden?!! I am trying to convince hubby to make a couple more flower beds so I can put a crape myrtle in. He keeps saying that I have more than enough now (and so do my neighbors-the joke around the neighborhood) lol.

[journey826]

Heuchera)

Aster (Aster sp.)

Astilbe (Astilbe sp.)

Baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata)

Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus)

Barrenwort (Epimedium)

Basket-of-gold (Aurinia saxatilis)

Beardtongue (Penstemon)

Bear's breeches (Acanthus sp.)

Bee balm (Monarda)

Bellflower (Campanula sp.)

Bergenia (Bergenia sp.)

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida)

Blanket flower (Gaillardia x grandiflora)

Bleeding heart (Dicentra)

Bluestar (Amsonia tabernaemontana)

Boltonia (Boltonia asteroides)

Brunnera (Brunnera macrophylla)

Bugbane (Cimicifuga)

Bugleweed (Ajuga)

Bugloss (Anchusa)

Campion (Lychnis)

Candytuft (Iberis)

Cardinal flower (Lobelia)

Carnation (Dianthus)

Chamomile (Anthemis)

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum)

Cinquefoil (Potentilla nepalensis)

Columbine (Aquilegia)

Coral bells (Heuchera) hybrids

Coreopsis (Coreopsis grandiflora and Coreopsis verticillata)

Cranesbill (Geranium)

Daylily (Hemerocallis)

Delphinium (Delphinium)

False Sunflower (Heliopsis helianthoides)

Fleabane (Erigeron)

Flowering Onion (Allium)

Foamflower (Tiarella cordifolia)

Foxglove (Digitalis)

Gas plant (Dictamnus)

Gayfeather (Liatris)

Globeflower (Trollius)

Goatsbeard (Aruncus sp.)

Golden-ray (Ligularia)

Hellebore (Helleborus)

Hosta (Hosta)

Hyssop (Agastache rupestris)

Iris (Iris and Iris cristata and Iris reticulata)

Joe Pye Weed (Echinacea purpurea)

Lady's mantle (Alchemilla)

Lamb's ears (Stachys)

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)

Leopard's-bane (Doronicum)

Lily (Lilium)

Lilyturf (Liriope muscari)

Lupine (Lupinus)

Meadow rue (Thalictrum)

Meadowsweet (Filipendula)

Moss pink (Phlox subulata)

Pearly everlasting (Anaphalis)

Peony (Paenoia)

Phlox (Phlox paniculata)

Pincushion flower (Scabiosa)

Pink (Dianthus)

Poppy (Papaver)

Plumbago (Ceratostigma)

Primrose (Primula)

Red-hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria)

Rose mallow (Hibiscus)

Sage (Salvia officinalis and Perovskia atriplicifolia)

Salvia, perennial (Salvia x superba)

Sandwort (Arenaria)

Sea holly (Eryngium)

Sea lavender (Limonium)

Solomon's seal (Polygonatum)

Speedwell (Veronica)

Sunflower (Helianthus)

Swordleaf (Inula ensifolia)

Thrift (Armeria)

Valerian (Centranthus)

Violet (Viola)

Windflower (Anemone)

Wormwood (Artemisia)

Yarrow (Achillea)




[edit]
Shrubs for Zone 5
[edit]
broadleaf evergreen shrubs
Bearberry (Cotoneaster dammeri)

Boxwood (Buxus sempervirens)

Broom (Cytisus purgans)

Candytuft (Iberis sempervirens)

Garland flower (Daphne cneorum)

Euonymus (Euonymus)

Germander (Teucrium chamaedrys)

Holly (Ilex), some kinds

Inkberry (Ilex glabra)

Japanese Pieris (Pieris japonica)

Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum)

Leucothoe (Leucothoe fontanesiana)

Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia)

Oregon Grapeholly (Mahonia aquifolium)

Rhododendron (Rhododendron), some kinds

Yucca (Yucca)




[edit]
Deciduous Shrubs
American cranberry bush (Viburnum trilobum)

Azalea (Rhododendron), some types

Barberry (Berberis thunbergii)

Beautyberry (Callicarpa japonica)

Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculus parviflora)

Broom (Cytisus scoparius)

Buckthorn (Rhamnus carolinianus)

Buffaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis)

Burning bush (Euonymus alatus)

Butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii)

Carolina Allspice (Calycanthus floridus)

Chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia)

Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa)

Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster)

Dogwood (Cornus)

Enkianthus (Enkianthus campanulatus)

Flowering Quince (Chaenomeles speciosa)

Fothergilla (Fothergilla)

Honeysuckle (Lonicera)

Hydrangea (Hydrangea), some types

Kerria, Japanese (Kerria japonica)

Lilac (Syringa)

Plum (Prunus angustifolia)

Rhododendron (Rhododendron), some kinds

Rockspray (Cotoneaster horizontalis)

Rose (Rosa)

Rose-of-Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus)

Serviceberry (Amelanchier)

Silverberry (Elaeagnus commutata)

Smoketree (Cotinus coggygria), in protected areas

Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)

Spirea (Spiraea)

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)

Staghorn Sumac (Rhus)

Tamarisk (Tamarix ramosissima)

Viburnum (Viburnum)

Weigela (Weigela florida)

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

Winterhazel, fragrant (Corylopsis glabrescens)

Witchhazel (Hamamelis)




[edit]
Conifers for Zone 5
Arborvitae (Thuja)

Douglas Fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)

False Cypress (Chamaecyparis)

Fraser Fir (Abies fraseri)

Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)

Juniper (Juniperus)

Pine (Pinus)

Red Cedar Eastern (Juniperus virginiana)

Spruce (Picea)

Yew (Taxus canadensis)




[edit]
Deciduous Trees for Zone 5
Alder (Alnus)

Ash (Sorbus)

Beech (Fagus)

Birch (Betula)

Box elder (Acer negundo)

Buckeye (Aesculus)

Butternut (Juglans cinerea)

Cherry (Prunus)

Cottonwood (Populus balsamifera)

Crabapple (Malus)

Dogwood (Cornus)

Elm (Ulmus)

Franklinia (Franklinia alatamaha)

Fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus)

Goldenchain tree (Laburnum x watereri)

Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)

Hawthorn (Crataegus viridis)

Hickory (Carya glabra)

Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis)

Hophornbeam, Eastern, American hophornbeam, ironwood (Ostrya virginiana)

Hornbeam (Carpinus)

Horsechestnut (Aesculus)

Kentucky Coffeetree (Gymnocladus dioicus)

Larch (Larix laricina)

Linden (Tilia cordata)

Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia)

Magnolia (Magnolia)

Maple (Acer buergerianum)

Oak (Quercus)

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)

Pear (Pyrus sp.)

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis)

Persimmon (Diospyros virginiana)

Plum (Prunus)

Poplar (Populus alba)

Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides)

Redbud (Cercis)

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)

Sourwood (Oxydendrum arboreum)

Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia)

Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua)

Tupelo (Nyssa sylvatica)

Walnut (Juglans)

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)

Witchhazel (Hamamelis)




[edit]
Vines for Zone 5
[edit]
Perennial
Akebia (Akebia quinata)

Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata)

Clematis (Clematis), selected varieties

Dutchman's pipe (Aristolochia durior)

Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans)

Wisteria (Wisteria sp.)

[edit]
Annual
Gourd (Curcubita, Lagenaria and Luffa), annual

Morning glory (Ipomoea tricolor), annual

Purple hyacinth bean (Lablab purpurea), annual

[journey826]

Sorry about the long list but at least now you can have it here for reference.

I am new to gardening also.I first found what zone I was in then I picked out the plants I liked.I then had to know what kind of soil was in my area(it helps to know this because of the fertilizing needs as well as soil additives that help).

Stick with plants that require minimal care when just staring to get your feet wet or it can be overwhelming.

Finding out what plants are native to your state helps because you don't want to get into invasive plants,while they can be beautiful they will grow like weeds and tear up all your hard work.

I love Lambs Ears and Chinese Lanterns but they are invasive to my state.I planted them but I have to keep them in check, a tiny baby plant will mature and spread fast in one season.

Also looking into the different kinds of mulch helps because they work with some plants better than others and some are poisonous to dogs (cocoa mulch is one)

I also love/planted Hydrangeas and Azaleas although they are poisonous to dogs so in the summer I have my work cut out.Mine is manageable because I have only a small area as I live in an apartment.I did however over crowd,which I do not suggest.




This is so true:
One thing you have to remember when you start a garden is that you have to plant for when the plant is mature. What I mean is, don't overcrowd your plants, plan your space for when the plant is mature.

You should visit a LOCAL INDEPENDENT nursery - not a chain nursery - and they will tell you the plants that are best grown in your area. Often the chain nurseries (or Walmart or Home Depot) have plants that are not appropriate for your area. When they die, it is not your fault, they should not have been sold to you.


I hope this helps and if I forgot anything I am sure someone with more knowledge will add in the missing pieces.

MOM to Hot Rod you have a beautiful home.

[chachi]

Originally Posted by yorkiegirl83

I will have to check out pansies and impatiens! Do you have any tips for keeping mums healthy? Every year I end up killing them before Halloween is even here!

Pansies are colorful and pretty. They are one of my favorites. I dont do anything special with the mums just water them and give them miracle grow. I have good luck with them

[Mom to Hot Rod]

[/QUOTE]MOM to Hot Rod you have a beautiful home.[/QUOTE]

Awww, thanks. You know quite a bit about gardening. I love to garden. I zone out when I am out there and it is so rewarding when everything starts growing and blooming. It just revitalizes me.

[journey826]

Thank you.
I learned some things after my mom died.She had hundreds of plants(her house looked like an atrium) and out of the 5 I took I killed them all. I was so heart broken.I just know now I do well with outdoor gardening and to leave indoor gardening to others.

[acl1209]

I am in an extremely different zone than you (zone 9), however I have to agree with several of the replies you have received. Knock out roses are amazing! I am a professional rose killer (just kidding) and I can keep knock out roses alive! The only trick to them is that you don't over fertilize...follow the directions for the fertilizer you purchase and you should have excellent results. Other low maintenance plants you might consider are dianthus, lilies, azaleas, petunias, and dahlias. All of these are perennials except petunias so you can enjoy them year after year without having to replant. Petunias are cute little plants that are extremely hardy! Especially if you can find "Wave Petunias" in your area...they can be almost dead and if you give them a little water and Miracle Grow, they will perk back up! Good luck with your garden!

[wemple2]

Great ideas everyone...loved the pictures by the way...awesome!!!