Zone 4, full sun, central MN
Want border flowers, but riding struggle bus year by year.
Year 1 Echinacea – desecrated by rabbits
Year 2 Dianthus – winter kill
Year 3 creeping phlox – blooms same time as magnolia, just green for rest of season (my fault, bad research)
by hawkeyedude1989
8 Comments
If you want flowers all summer, consider utilizing annuals in addition to perennials.
Zone 4 is a big place. For perennials I’d look into what’s native to your specific eco-region.
“This vexes me. I’m terribly vexed.”
Panicle hydrangeas if full sun
Is your edge poured concrete or are they blocks? If blocks where do you get them? Looks great!
Some ideas
Salvia (cold hardy varieties)
Summer snapdragons aka angelonia (annuals)
Asters
heuchera (that tolerate full sun)
Cat mint (lots of varieties for size)
Native mints? Interesting native grasses in clumps?
Nepeta (catmint) is your friend here. Some cultivars grow taller than 12″ but others stay low
Annuals are what you need. Zinnias and marigolds are cheap and cheerful, you can resow them every month or so and they just keep coming. Oh and cosmos! Also maybe add some bulbs in there, they help break up your ground in the springtime and remind you its time to start seeding