Do you wish you had a garden that could provide you with brilliant year-round color and fragrance? Do you love to garden, but fear that your green thumb is not as green as it could be? Have no fear, if you love to garden but can’t seem to get your plants to thrive, here is a handy guide to choosing the right kind of plants that will make your garden a true show-stopper.

Choosing the Right Plants is Key

Many novice gardeners spend a lot of time and money on plants that simply will not thrive in their garden. The key to establishing a healthy, lasting garden is choosing the right plants. If you don’t know already, figure out what planting zone you are located in. This is very important, because you might otherwise spend money on plants and seeds that are simply not intended to thrive in your specific climate. Although many plants can be adapted to a wide range of climates, make it easy on yourself. Choose plants that work in your climate. However, despite this warning, there are many hardy perennials that can be planted in a variety of gardens across a great diversity of climates. Before you get started in designing your own perennial garden, find out what winter hardiness zone you fall into. Also, check the back of seed packets to make sure that the plant will thrive in your growing conditions.

Your Secret Weapon: Plan Your Own Perennial Garden

As a gardener, your secret weapon to establish a lovely garden in no time will be the use of many hardy perennials. There are many different kinds of perennial plants, each with its own particular set of growing requirements. Some perennial plants are much easier to establish than others, and it is up to you to choose the plants that are most suited to your growing conditions. Fortunately, you will find that each planting region has its own set of hardy perennials that are suited to your particular growing conditions.

The Cost of a Colorful Year-Round Garden

Walk into your local nursery and you will notice that there is usually a pronounced difference in the cost of plants. The colorful annuals that come in that standard black plastic six-pack may be tempting, but if you were looking to establish a low-maintenance year-round garden, you would be better off resisting these colorful temptations. These colorful annuals will only last one season, and then it is up to you to replace them. Perennial plants, on the other hand, will continue to grow and, if you’re lucky, bloom throughout the season. It is no wonder that perennials are more expensive than annuals. They may not look immediately colorful, but stay with these plants and watch them grow.

A Short List of Easy and Low-Maintenance Perennials

Here is a short list of perennials that are appreciated for their hardiness, color and wide adaptability. These include the Peony, which will generally grow in zones 3-8. Many lilies are remarkably well adapted to a variety of climates, and will provide color throughout the warm growing season. Choose Siberian Iris, the Bulb Lily and the Daylily, all of which have been known to grow in zones 3-8. Other lovely perennial flowers that have become a staple of gardens across the country include the low-maintenance Purple Coneflower (also known as Echinacea, highly regarded by some as a medicinal herb), the Stonecrop and the Black-eyed Susan. All of these can be grown in zones 3-8. Finally, for zones 5-8, the Cranes bill is a hardy perennial that has even been grown successfully in zone 3.

Antique roses are among some of the loveliest flowers to grace many gardens. If you are an avid gardener, at some point in your life among the soil and seeds, you will probably want to try your hand at antique roses. Many gardeners find themselves intimidated by antique roses. This is probably because of the general splendor of these flowers, which makes it difficult o believe that these ruffled beauties are anything but easy to plant. But that is not often the case. Antique roses can be easier to plant and care for than you might think, but that does not mean that they are effortless. However, most gardeners agree that any effort that results in a display of thriving antique roses is well worth it. Here are some tips that can make it easier to care for antique roses.

Choosing the Best Planting Location for Your Antique Roses

Establishing a nice, healthy show of antique roses has a lot to do with the location you choose to place them. Here are some tips to preparing the rose bed. Many antique roses will grow in even poor soil locations, but if you want your garden to thrive, choose a location with well-drained and rich soil. Choose an open area that you know receives at least six hours of direct sun. Morning sun is always preferable. Make sure that the area gets a good amount of air circulation, as this will help prevent disease. Take the time to establish a good bed by practicing good soil preparation. If your soil is too sandy or too heavy, add a good amount of organic material to help enrich or break it up, depending on its condition. Ideally, you will want to prepare the soil bed a few months in advance so that the soil has enough time to absorb the new nutrients. Remember that you want to establish your antique roses in the healthiest soil possible. With this in mind, prepare your rose bed in spring or summer in preparation for a fall or winter planting.

Planting Your Antique Roses

Once your rose bed has been adequately prepared, you are ready to start planting your antique roses. Visit your local nursery in fall or winter for the best selection of antique roses. Remember that any roses you buy in a container will need to be planted using a high quality potting soil, and may require additional fertilizer and water. To remove the rose plant from the plastic planter, simply knock the plant out of the container gently and place it into the prepared planting hole. Do not worry about spreading the roots. Simply cover the plant with soil and water thoroughly.

Follow these Mulching and Watering Guidelines for the Best Results

What are the keys to taking good care of your antique roses? They are simple enough: mulch and water your plants with careful attention. This does not have to be difficult work. As for mulch, add a thick layer of mulch to your antique roses at least two or three times a year. That is all it takes to ensure less water stress, less weed growth, less heat stress and overall richer soil and happier plants. Mulching can be as simple as adding decomposed pine bark, leaf litter, pine needles or store-bought mulch. However, do the earth a favor and use mulch that you can find around the yard. As for watering, give your antique roses a good soaking every 7 to 10 days. Although they make look exquisitely delicate, many antique roses actually tend to be drought tolerant. Still, avoid light frequent watering, as this makes the plant more vulnerable to disease, and will encourage surface root growth. Deep, infrequent watering will help your plant become hardier and will lessen the risk for disease and evaporation.

Gardening can provide a wealth of learning opportunities for children. Not only does gardening open their eyes to thinks like soil nutrients, the different characteristics of different plants, the effects of the weather on the environment and how food is grown, it also helps them gain a sense of responsibility. Caring for their own plants is a good way to teach children to take responsibility for their belongings and to learn about what is required to take care of another living thing – making plants a great stepping stone on the way to having their own pets.

Of course, it is easy to see how growing plants and flowers can be a beneficial learning experience for children, but that does not mean that all plants and flowers are appropriate for children to grow. Some plants and flowers may be to difficult for little ones to tend, while other plants and flowers be able to be downright dangerous. For your children to get the most out of the experience of gardening, carefully selecting the right plants and flowers is the key.

When choosing plants and flowers for gardening with kids, there are a few factors you need to consider. First and foremost, consider safety. Plants and flowers can often be poisonous, and depending on the age of your child, this factor can be a serious issue. If your little one is still of the age in which they want to put everything in their mouth, shy away from poisonous plants. Next, consider the amount of work that goes into caring for the plant or flower. Choose one that requires an age appropriate amount of work for your child. You want to encourage their success in the garden, so err on the side of caution and don’t give them more than they can handle. In addition to these concerns, you of course also have to take into account all of the regular gardening considerations, like choosing plants and flowers that are appropriate for your area and the size and placement of your garden.

One great way to go with kids in the garden is choosing food plants. Tomato plants, green beans, squash, watermelon, strawberries – all of these food plants are relatively easy to grow, and your child will get a kick out of seeing the food go from “theirâ€

If you would like to establish a garden that provides you with color and texture year after year, it is easier than you might think. What is the key to a low maintenance garden that can provide you with color year after year? The key is choosing the right plants. Perennials are plants that are generally less showy, but provide you with stable long-term growth. Gardening with hardy perennials is the easiest way to ensure that you cultivate a garden that is rich with blooms year after year. Here are some of the best perennials that are easy to grow and maintain.

Time for a Hardy Perennial; the Four-o’clock Blooms Year After Year

One of the hardiest perennials around is the four o’clock, also known as Mirabilis jalapa. This perennial should be planted in full sun March to June, and loves the heat. It provides you with a pink and white bloom, and some varieties are pink and yellow. These are bushy plants that can grow up to three feet tall. The blooms release a strong fragrance in the late afternoon. The tops of the flowers will die back in cold weather, but these lovely plants will reseed in the garden on their own.

Beautiful Cosmos Provide Bright Blooms in Summer and Fall

Cosmos, a native flower of Mexico, provides bright beautiful blooms. You can acquire both annual and perennials. These beautiful flowers are drought-tolerant once established. They come in a wide variety of colors, ranging from pale pin to bright magenta. These plants are popular because they make excellent cut flowers. They are also non-stop bloomers that persevere throughout the summer and well into the fall. They will also readily reseed in the garden, so they can make a glorious comeback every year in your garden.

The Black-Eyed Susan Makes its Triumphant Return Each Year

Another popular perennial is the black-eyed susan, flower that makes its triumphant return to the garden year after year. These plant seeds should be planted from October to January. They are popular because they can thrive in the sun and require low water usage. The black-eyed susan is also known to attract beneficial pollinators. This plant also spreads easily by seed in the garden. Beware if you want to restrict this plant to one area of your garden, because it has been known to be invasive.

Begonias Provide Color and Warmth to Your Garden Year After Year

Begonias are popular perennials that can also be grown as annuals. These can be planted from September to May, and are often available as nursery stock. These will tend to do best if given filtered, rather than full, sun. Plant begonias in rich, composted soil material and then water and fertilize well with fish emulsion every two weeks.

Artemisia Provides Fragrance and Color Your Yard

This fragrant and aromatic shrub grows as a perennial. It is best to plant in full sun. They will provide your yard with lovely gray, silvery foliage, and are known to attract beneficial insects to gardens. The strong fragrance is also known to discourage insect pests, including moths, ants, caterpillars and aphids.

Gallardia Offers Year Round Wonders and a Long Growing Season

Gallardia, sometimes know as blanket flower, is a perennial that is easy to grow from seed. Plant it in full sun from mid-September to April. This plant is available as seeds or nursery stock and has been known to attract beneficial pollinators and other helpful insects. They are also know to be very hardy, and will continue to flower right up to the first frost if the blooms are removed.