Question
QUESTION: Hello,
I live in GA and I want to plant some flowers in my neighborhood front entrance because we don't have an association and I wanted to know what types of plants to get that are the most low maintenance, yet pretty. I like lots of color.  The area is 5 X 5.I wanted to maybe get a mixture of annuals and perennials. What do you recommend?
ANSWER: Liv,
Good for you, its nice to hear you plan to beautify your neighborhood. I hope you have help.

If you don't have an association to pay for this and don't have irrigation then you should only be considering perennials. Annuals need replacement several times a year and can get expensive.
Perennials will take hold and re-seed if properly chosen.

The key is to select hardy perennials for your particular zone and also pick ones that are not invasive.

I like to use rudbeckia spp., coreopsis spp., canna spp., iris spp., creeping phlox, euphorbia spp.,aster spp.,and many others.

The best thing to do is call or go to the local nursery where you plan to buy these plants and ask about which perennials they recommend for your particular area that will come back year after year and have the least problems. Typically the employees will not steer you wrong.

Also make sure you add some organic soil conditioners, sand, etc to your soil if it is needed. I like to mound up my perennials beds a little bit and till the soil into the parent soil to a depth of 12" minimum.

Best of Luck

Sean Murphy
Amenity Architect, LLC

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Sean,

Thanks for your advise.  However, I have gone to Home Depot and Lowes and the employees say that annuals are the best because perennials don't look nice when not in bloom. I explained my situation and they said that I may need to mix annuals with perennials. Honestly, some employees there don't know very much, that's why I decided to come online instead.

But like you said, I will need plants that tolerate full sunlight and dryness well because I won't be able to walk to the entrance and water them all the time.  The plants should also be relatively small because the area is 5 x 5.  Can you recommend about 3 or 4 perennials that would look good together and meet the criteria above?  Thanks!

Answer
Not all perennials look bad when not in bloom. Of the ones above that I listed for example, iris, coreopsis and others look fine in winter.  Unless you have irrigation and plan to replace your annuals at least 3 times a year, annuals is not an option you should contemplate at all. They will die.

Mix some rosemary for an evergreen base, with some rudbeckia and shasta daisy, add some coreopsis along the edges and front with a few creeping phlox and you'll have some nice spring and summer color. You can add some iris along the back and plop a couple of Tardiva Hydrangea at the back or ends for an Autumn blast of color.

Good Luck.


Sean J Murphy, LA,ISA, LEED AP
Please check out my blogs and articles on landscape topics like this on my websites.
http://www.seanjmurphy.com
http://amenityarchitects.com