A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2005 3 Season Garden

I'm working on a three season garden for zone 7a. So far I have found this information for some of the flowers I am interested in using in my garden. There is probably a great deal of additional information that I could use in making my decisions but I'm so new I'm not sure what info to look for. Also I've found that sometimes the information you find on the net is incorrect or incomplete so if you see any obvious errors here please let me know.

Bloom times for select plants

Febuary

Miniature snapdragons* (full sun, partial shade)
Mukdenia (partial shade)
Crocus
Snowdrops

March

Miniature snapdragons (full sun, partial shade)
Mukdenia (partial shade)
Trillium (shade)
lillies of the valley

April

Miniature snapdragons (full sun, partial shade)
Mukdenia (partial shade)
Trillium (shade)
Columbine (partial shade)
Babies Breath (full sun)
Artemisia
Malva Zebrina

May

Miniature snapdragons (full sun, partial shade)
Peonies (full sun, partial shade)
Columbine (partial shade)
Babies Breath (full sun)
Artemisia
Malva Zebrina
Ladies Mantle

June

Miniature snapdragons (full sun, partial shade)
Peonies (full sun, partial shade)
Columbine (partial shade)
Babies Breath (full sun)
Artemisia
Malva Zebrina
Ladies Mantle
Lunaria
Impatient (partial shade, shade)
Phlox (full sun)
Sparkler Allium

July

Portulaca (full sun)
Carnations (full sun)
Rain lilies
Marigolds (full sun)
Glads (full sun)
Cannas (full sun)
Holly Hocks (full sun)
Babies Breath (full sun)
Artemisia
Zinnia (full sun)
Straw flowers
Cordalis (partial shade, shade)
Woodruff
Sparkler Allium
Impatients (partial shade, shade)

August

Portulaca (full sun)
Carnations (full sun)
Rainlilies
Marigolds (full sun)
cannas (full sun)
Hollyhocks
babies breath (full sun)
artemisia
zinnia (full sun)
straw flowers
woodruff
Impatients (partial shade, shade)

September

Columbine (partial shade)
Marigolds (full sun)
zinnia (full sun)
straw flowers
woodruff*
Miniature snapdragons (full sun, partial shade)
Impatients (partial shade, shade)

October

Columbine (partial shade)
Marigolds (full sun)
Strawflowers
Miniature snapdragons (full sun, partial shade)

* This plant has shallow roots and can be used to overplant flower beds where it may appear to be bald during the spring and fall. All additional plants or additional information of the plants already listed would be appreciated. Also other shallow rooted plants that would work well for overplanting would be very much appreciated.

I just read something in the virginia extention website that shallow roots usually belong to wetland plants. So I guess I will have to be very careful choosing some of them for my garden since they will have to be drought tolerant as well. I must have really lucked out with those miniature snapdragons far more than I knew.

This is suppose to be good for April through June for the foliage which is suppose to be the same as fall leaves. I think that would be really cool.
Heuchera (Coral Bells or Alum-Root) ‘Amber Waves’

OH, OH, OH!! Add some of these:

http://www.helleborus.com/

These are beautiful plants. Not sure when they would bloom in your area.

LOL!! My goal has always been a 12 month gardening season.

I've looked at those before they certainly bloom when almost nothing else wants to. My problem is the need for really good deep soil and moist soil as well. I have the clay slope and actually need some of the clay to remain to help the slope remain where it is more or less. Even with some terracing the landlord seems to believe that good soil would cause the retaining wall more trouble than it could manage. But when I get my own place I think I will definitely try to add some of those to my garden so it is really a four seasons garden.

Bill, I'm pretty sure you could probably put my garden plan together with all the perameters with out blinking an eye and probably in less than an hour but it is just about got me whipped lol.

So Rue what have you got in your garden so far. And which plants are really filling in a hard to fill time slot or position in the garden?

Rugby was telling me that annuals have a tendancy to bloom much longer than many perennials so I'm thinking about looking at the annuals much closer than I have been up to this point.

Having added the need for the plants to be dought tolerant I've made some definite changes. Here is what I've found on my safari's through the on-line catalogs lol.

January these plants don't necessarily bloom in winter but they are suppose to carry either foliage, seedpods or stems that will add winter interest and color to the garden.

Arum italicum ssp. italicum 'Winter White'**
Galanthus nivalis 'Flore Pleno'( Full Sun/partial shade)
Euphorbia ** (all seasons all varieties)
Salvia o. 'Icterina'**
Andropogon gerardii (very hardy)
Cotoneaster dammeri**(red berries in winter)
Hamamelis x int. ‘Jelena’
Hamamelis x int. ‘Diane’
Helleborus x nigercors ‘Honeyhill Joy’
Helleborus x hyb. 'Blue Lady'
Helleborus x hyb. 'Red Lady'
Hepatica acutiloba
Kniphofia uvaria 'Christmas Cheer'**
Mahonia reptans**
Phlomis c. 'Cashmere Sage'**(seedheads)

Febuary: Here are some early bloomers according to my research. The only ones I have so far are the snapdragons and I love those.

Miniature snapdragons* (full sun, partial shade)
Crocus
Snowdrops (full sun, partial shade)
Pink Shamrock **
Euphorbia ** (all seasons all varieties)

March: Of course the end of this month is when Mother nature really likes to show off so finding flowers for this time of the year was really easy.

Miniature snapdragons (full sun, partial shade)
Trillium erectum purple color** (shade)
Pink Shamrock **
Armeria maritima ‘Rubrifolia’ Ruby Sea Thrift** (full sun) (8" tall)
Heuchera (Coral Bells) ‘Amber Waves’ **
Heuchera ‘Amethyst Myst’ **
Euphorbia ** (all seasons all varieties)
Epimedium perr. 'Frohnleiten'**

April

Miniature snapdragons (full sun, partial shade)
Trillium (shade)**
Columbine (partial shade)
Babies Breath (full sun)
Artemisia stelleriana 'Silver Brocade'**
Malva Zebrina**
Pink Shamrock **
Armeria maritima ‘Rubrifolia’ Ruby Sea Thrift** (full sun) (8" tall)
Heuchera (Coral Bells) ‘Amber Waves’**
Heuchera ‘Amethyst Myst’**
Lantana camara hybrid New Gold**
Euphorbia ** (all seasons all varieties)

May

Miniature snapdragons (full sun, partial shade)
Peonies (full sun, partial shade)
Columbine (partial shade)
Babies Breath (full sun)
Artemisia**
Malva Zebrina**
Ladies Mantle
Pink Shamrock **
Armeria maritima ‘Rubrifolia’ Ruby Sea Thrift** (full sun) (8" tall)
Heuchera (Coral Bells) ‘Amber Waves’**
Heuchera ‘Amethyst Myst’**
Lantana camara hybrid New Gold**
Euphorbia ** (all seasons all varieties)

June: I had to add some plants that aren't drought tolerant to this part of the plan. Because they are flowers that I just really really like and don't want to do without. I guess the landlord and I will just have to be at odds over these.


Miniature snapdragons (full sun, partial shade)
Peonies (full sun, partial shade)
Columbine (partial shade)
Babies Breath (full sun)
Artemisia**
Malva Zebrina**
Ladies Mantle
Lunaria needs moisture
Impatient (partial shade, shade)
Sparkler Allium
Pink Shamrock **
Armeria maritima ‘Rubrifolia’ Ruby Sea Thrift** (full sun) (8" tall)
Caryopteris divaricata ‘Snow Fairy’ (Variegated Bluebeard) ** (Full Sun)
Heuchera (Coral Bells) ‘Amber Waves’**
Heuchera ‘Amethyst Myst’ **
Lantana camara hybrid New Gold**
Yellow Prairie Coneflower - Ratibida Columnaris**
Euphorbia ** (all seasons all varieties)
Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'**
Mahonia reptans**

July: I'm pretty sure I am way over my space requirements on this one lol. I only have around 300 sq ft to garden in.

Portulaca (full sun)
Carnations (full sun)
Rain lilies
Marigolds (full sun)
Glads (full sun)
Cannas (full sun)
Holly Hocks (full sun)
Babies Breath (full sun)
Artemisia
Zinnia (full sun)
Straw flowers
Cordalis (partial shade, shade)
Woodruff
Impatients (partial shade, shade)
Pink Shamrock **
Caryopteris divaricata ‘Snow Fairy’ (Variegated Bluebeard) ** (Full Sun)
Oenothera fruticosa ssp. glauca
‘spring Gold’ ('Frühlingsgold' )(Sun Drops)**
Lantana camara hybrid New Gold**
Yellow Prairie Coneflower - Ratibida Columnaris**
Euphorbia ** (all seasons all varieties)
Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'**
Delosperma cooperii**
Phlomis c. 'Cashmere Sage'**

August

Portulaca (full sun)**
Carnations (full sun)
Rainlilies
Marigolds (full sun)
cannas (full sun)
Hollyhocks
babies breath (full sun)
artemisia
zinnia (full sun)
straw flowers
woodruff
Impatients (partial shade, shade)
Pink Shamrock **
Caryopteris divaricata ‘Snow Fairy’ (Variegated Bluebeard) ** (Full Sun)
Crocosmia ‘Solfaterre’ (Bronze Montbretia)**
Lantana camara hybrid New Gold**
Yellow Prairie Coneflower - Ratibida Columnaris**
Euphorbia ** (all seasons all varieties)
Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'**
Delosperma cooperii**
Phlomis c. 'Cashmere Sage'**

September

Columbine (partial shade)
Marigolds (full sun)
zinnia (full sun)
straw flowers
woodruff*
Miniature snapdragons (full sun, partial shade)
Impatients (partial shade, shade)
Pink Shamrock **
Crocosmia ‘Solfaterre’ (Bronze Montbretia)**
Lantana camara hybrid New Gold**
Yellow Prairie Coneflower - Ratibida Columnaris**
Euphorbia ** (all seasons all varieties)
Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue'**
Delosperma cooperii**
Phlomis c. 'Cashmere Sage'**

October

Columbine (partial shade)
Marigolds (full sun)
Strawflowers
Miniature snapdragons (full sun, partial shade)
Yellow Prairie Coneflower - Ratibida Columnaris**
Euphorbia ** (all seasons all varieties)
Salvia o. 'Icterina'**
Andropogon gerardii (very hardy)
Delosperma cooperii**

November

Delosperma cooperii**

Arum italicum ssp. italicum 'Winter White'**
Galanthus nivalis 'Flore Pleno'( Full Sun/partial shade)
Euphorbia ** (all seasons all varieties)
Salvia o. 'Icterina'**
Andropogon gerardii (very hardy)
Cotoneaster dammeri**(red berries in winter)
Hamamelis x int. ‘Jelena’
Hamamelis x int. ‘Diane’
Helleborus x nigercors ‘Honeyhill Joy’
Helleborus x hyb. 'Blue Lady'
Helleborus x hyb. 'Red Lady'
Hepatica acutiloba
Kniphofia uvaria 'Christmas Cheer'**
Mahonia reptans**
Phlomis c. 'Cashmere Sage'**(seedheads)

Whew that's a bunch of planning and note taking isn't it. But, now I have the bare bones of a plan that I can begin to work with to create a garden that is attractive all year round although it is very small. Wish me luck and please add your garden favorites with their usually bloom times to the string.

It is so much fun to dream!!

Not to rub it in but I don't really have any spots in my home garden that are difficult. I have been in this house since 1984 and amended, composted, mulched leaves, revamped and designed and redesigned a fairly easy to care for property.

Bulbs can be pretty tough the natives, trillium, jack-in-the-pulpit, erythroniums and then daffodils and crocus.

I have seen beautiful woodland wildflowers blooming on many a hard clay slope here in Indiana.

Would someting like this work? Your slope planted with a ground cover and the tougher plants. Then in pots dotted here and there plants needing a better soil placed around the area.

LOL!! We have proved on another thread that containers can be almost anything!! I am addicted to those containers.

Containters are a great idea as long as I can make them difficult to walk off with and something that the landlord will not take exception to.

It's a very fine line I walk with the property belonging to someone else. I definitely want to start some semi-aggressive ground covers to make it more attractive.

I'm looking for ones that don't require additional watering since the landlord pays for the water and he feels that he has paid way to much in water this year. But I want them to be friendly to the plants that I am putting in there on purpose. So it's kind of hard to figure out exactly what is the perfect plant you know.

I'm sure I'm going about this the wrong way around I have a tendency to do that, but I'm definitely giving it the old college try lol.

Thankyou for your input.

Hey no matter sometimes that is how we learn best, experimenting, what works for one gardener might not work at all for another.

And yes you are giving it the good old college try.

I saw the neatest idea in a garden in our neighborhood.No one would be able to carry off these containers!!

This man who was a hosta lover and he had ivy, took green plastic garbage cans and cut off the bottom for drainage. He sunk the garbage can into the ground so just about 2-3 inches were above the ground.

The ivy hides the edge of the cans, but does not grow over it.

He filled up each can with good dirt and planted his hostas. Each hosta was raised a bit. They looked so pretty, you can see the form of the plant better wtih it raised up.

That sounds really cool.

Tammy thank you for this thread. I am learning a lot wish I had some ideas but when this thread is going good I will have a lot of ideas. thank you so much for starting this thread.
Jimmy

I planted some helleborus this year and am anxious to see what they do this year. Suppose to bloom around ash Wednesday in my neck of the woods.

I am planning some cone flowers and decorative grasses for next year. I want a cottage garden look in my front bed.

I have some queen anne lace. That would work really well with the cottage garden look I think. But it is very invasive from what I understand. Would it do well in your zone Fernie?

Hey JV I'll probably add more to it when I set some more time aside for research. Right now I've got to get ahead of the housework so I can discuss it with the roommate. He's not real good at it yet, but then I don't think he has live anywhere where it's been an issue in quite a while so getting into the habit of cleaning up after himself might take some time and patience on my part. I know it's not my favorite activity and it took me years to get to where I could do it on an ongoing basis.

Well there I am off topic again. I guess I'm just having one of those weeks. Sorry Hostesses.

I don't know about Queen Anne Lace. It tends to grow wildly doesn't it? I think maybe not for the time being. Thanks for the offer though.

Yes it is naturalized down here I know. Pretty weed though lol.

This is impressive - I hope it works for you.

It will be interesting to see how it all turns out.

I think next I need to add the height and plant spacing that each drought tolerant type needs. And light requirement I guess.

Then I guess it's buying all the right seeds. I bought every type of seed/bulb that I didn't need this year lol. Oh well, live, plant, and learn lol.

Don't forget the Sedums. Autumn Joy, Brilliant, Purple Emporer, Frosty Morn. They are all good from spring through winter. Will grow in Sun/part sun any soil.

Is there a certain color scheme you are going for?

Wild Snap Dragon is a nice plant..They grow TALL. I noticed you have snap dragon on your lists a lot. Just a suggestion...http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/53561/

I never liked Black eyed susan but have some, they bloom all summer and sometimes into winter in zone 7.

Your plan looks good to me. Very ambitious, I wish I could plan a garden like that.

I've had a bunch of help lol. No there is no color scheme. I'm lucky if I can even get them all to sprout. I had several different things not come up last year.

I may have overlooked it, but I didn't notice Pansies on your list. They will grow fall through spring in zone 7, wilting in freezing weather and then springing back and blooming anytime the weather warms for a week or so. You'll have blooms in fall, much of the winter, and throughout spring. Dianthus can bloom off and on through much of this time.

I didn't know that about the pansies. I'll have to look into those. The Dianthus I didn't have much luck with. probably because I had trouble watering the seedlings and then I messed up the transplant. I have a whole total of maybe 4 carnations lol. And one dianthus called "lovely evening" I think. My memory just isn't keeping track of that at all well. Probably because I wasn't impressed with the flower.

Thank you for the information peppereater.

TK...I just checked my pansies after a record low temp of 5 degrees, and while the flowers looked wilty, much of the foliage was still looking great! Only drawback is that they're annuals!

I like annuals they give me a chance to change the look of the garden a little bit each year. celosia are also annuals and I love having them in my garden.