A Backyard Dream pt. 2
Giverny, France 2022 - Photo by me
I am not a professional landscape designer, but over the years, I've become quite skilled at selecting flowers and plants for my garden and advising friends on what to plant. When choosing flowers and plants, it's crucial to consider their bloom seasons. You don't want all spring-blooming flowers with no summer blooms, and vice versa. Additionally, the planting zone you live in is important. Here in Colorado, we are in Zone 5, which is the same as Iowa, where I'm from. So, I'll focus on plants that thrive in Zone 5, as that's my area of expertise.
Me in Giverny, France at Monet’s house
I could suggest a vast array of flowers and plants, but I don't want to overwhelm you. Instead, I'll start with some of my favorites that are easy to maintain. I'm a big flower lover. While I have many bushes and a few trees in my yard, I prefer flowers because I love bringing them inside my home. Therefore, my main focus will be on flowers.
Spring Flowers, all Perennials:
Peonies from my garden
Lilacs: I have two common lilac bushes and two Miss Kim lilac bushes.
Tulips: A classic.
Daffodils: A must.
Peonies: I have ten peony bushes. Mine bloom in early June, but my mom's bloom in May. Peonies get bigger each year. Initially, they may produce only a few blooms, but by the third year, you should see many blooms on each plant. I recommend using tomato cages to support their growth.
Irises: These can be planted in clusters or spread throughout your yard. They typically bloom in early to mid-May.
Poppies: These bloom from late April to early June.
Summer Flowers, all Perennials:
My frontyard Knockout Roses
Roses: I have a variety of rose bushes, including rose bush trees, climbing roses, Knockout roses, mini roses, hybrid tea roses, and Floribunda roses. Make sure to deadhead the blooms and fertilize them. If you're starting with just one type, I recommend Knockout roses for their abundant blooms.
Daylilies: These flowers grow larger over time and can be divided to spread out.
Salvia: I have four of these in my yard, and they get bigger each year.
Russian Sage: This plant grows quickly and gets large. I prune mine often.
Clematis: A beautiful purple flower that grows on a trellis, getting larger every year.
Honeysuckle: This also grows on a trellis and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
Daisies: As Meg Ryan said in "You've Got Mail," "Aren't daisies the friendliest flower?"
Annual Flowers to Plant in Early May for Summer Blooms:
Me a few years ago in my yard
Zinnias
Zinnias: I adore zinnias.
Dahlias: Another favorite of mine.
Sunflowers: There are many varieties of sunflowers. I currently have three different types in my garden.
There you have it! These are my suggestions for starting a blooming garden. I have many more types of flowers in my garden, but these are easily accessible and quite hardy. Feel free to reach out with any gardening-related questions at livinglarah@gmail.com.
Happy planting!
XO, Larah