For the best garden flowers, you need to know what plants grow best in your zone. This planting guide covers a variety of Perennials and Evergreens. If you have any questions about your area’s planting conditions, you can always ask your local gardening experts. Once you have the information you need, you can go ahead and plant your flowers.
Perennials
Perennials are plants that live for more than one year. This means that they need to be able to tolerate cold temperatures and other factors that may affect them, like shade and drought. Fortunately, there are many perennials for zone 7 that are suitable for planting in your garden.
Bearberry: This perennial produces edible berries that are useful for birds and mammals. Its foliage turns reddish purple in winter and makes an excellent groundcover. Pussytoes: This plant’s foliage grows between six to 12 inches high. Its flowers are small and fluffy, like pin cushions. Birds love this plant, making it a great plant to grow in any garden.
Perennials are best planted in fall or early spring, before the soil starts to freeze. This allows the plants to establish well before winter and summer sets in. In addition, fall and early spring planting will give them the best chance to thrive, as the soil is already warm. In summer, perennials need frequent watering.
Yellow bleeding heart is another perennial that does well in shade. Its foliage is up to 12 inches tall and is covered with clusters of yellow tubular flowers. This plant does not require deadheading, and it self-sows in the garden. The leaves are unappealing to deer.
Daylilies are perennials and are drought-tolerant and insect-resistant. They also come in a wide variety of colors. They come in early, mid, and late bloomers, and you can divide them every three to four years. Daylilies will flower from spring through fall, so they are a great choice for your garden.
Barrenwort is another great choice for shade gardens. This hardy groundcover has heart-shaped leaves and tolerates partial to full shade. It grows up to 12 inches tall, and will bloom for a week to ten days. Barrenwort is also drought-resistant and can grow in areas with dry soil.
There are many factors to consider when choosing the right perennial plants for your garden. In zone 7, there are several microclimates, each with their own unique characteristics. Learn about these microclimates to decide what will grow best. For example, you may have open areas with sun, shady spots, or rock-covered hills with marshlands. Learn about which plants grow best in each environment, and use a growing zone finder to make your decision.
Before planting your garden, consider the size and shape of the perennials you want. Remember not to overplant! Remember that many of these plants will grow larger each year. For example, you may have to divide a perennial to make room for new growth. In this case, you may want to plant two or three plants per area.
A good option for zone 7a gardens is the coneflower. This native perennial can tolerate hot, dry conditions. If you care for it properly, it will look great in every season. Similarly, you can grow creeping phlox, which has lovely white flowers in early spring.
Another factor to consider when choosing a perennial is shade. There are many varieties of perennials that grow in shade. You can plant them under large trees or the north side of a structure. However, it is important to remember that full shade perennials are sensitive to too much light, and they can suffer from leaf curl or foliage burn.
Evergreens
Planting evergreens in the landscape is a great way to add texture, privacy, and architecture to your yard. They also have the advantage of being low-maintenance and easy to grow. Palm trees can also add tropical appeal to your yard. If you’re planting evergreens, follow these planting guidelines.
Planting native shrubs and trees is also a good idea since they generally require less maintenance than imported varieties. The American highbush cranberry grows up to 6 feet tall and has edible berries. It likes cool, well-drained soil. The mountain laurel is a lovely shrub that blooms in clusters from midsummer to late summer.
Evergreen shrubs can range from small trees to groundcovers. In zone 7a, they are plentiful and can be used as hedges and groundcovers. They also produce bright berries in the fall. They are good plants to choose if you want a year-round accent plant.
Another great choice for Zone 7a plantings is the Flame Azalea. It grows over 24 inches in a year and is fragrant in late spring. This evergreen shrub can be a beautiful feature in the plant bed. It also produces edible purple berries, making it a wonderful choice for your landscape.
If you want to plant an evergreen shrub in zone 7a, make sure to choose a plant that thrives in this climate. Most of these plants grow to be about six feet tall and two feet wide, so they will need to be planted three feet away from the edge of your yard. Also, be sure to choose a well-drained soil since evergreens don’t grow well in consistently wet ground.
The Asteraceae family of plants is another good option for your landscape. They are hardy and can tolerate cold winter temperatures. They include asters, rudbeckia, and black-eyed susan. Coreopsis and Shasta dais are other options.
The USDA has a hardiness planting map that is helpful in choosing plants for your landscape. These maps consider the average temperature each day and the number of days of sunlight. They also take into account urban heat effect and elevation. These factors are essential to plant success in your landscape. So, before choosing your plants, consult the USDA plant hardiness map to help you choose the best plants for your home.
A classic evergreen shrub, mahonias can be hardy and produce attractive flowers. The ‘Charity’ mahonia, for example, produces ten-inch-long racemes of bright yellow flowers. The flowers bloom in early spring, and are a gorgeous sight. The plant can even survive severe cold.
Fescue lawns should be treated with weed-preventive products before planting. Ideally, they should be mowed to two to three inches. Summer-flowering bulbs should be planted after the danger of frost has passed. For flowering shrubs, you can use Holly-tone to protect them from insects.
