I am wanting to plant my first flower garden in front of my house, I have never really planted anything! What kind of flowers can I buy that are easy to take care of, easy to plant and that I do not have to worry about planting every couple of months, preferrably ones that grow back? Thanks.
For low-maintenance plants, use perennials in your garden, especially native plants, because they’ll be hardier, better at adapting to your area’s weather conditions, & will therefore will require less care. Try Ornamental grasses, Coneflowers (Echinacea), Salvia, Sedum, Coreopsis, Daylilies, hardy Geranium, Butterfly Bush (buddleia ), Liatris (Blazing Star), Peony, Black-Eyed Susan, Echinacea, Gaillardia, Asiatic Lily, Russian Sage, Lupines, Aster, Mountain Bluet, (Centaurea montana), Bluebells, spring bulbs, Campanula, Lamb’s Ears, Yucca, & Yarrow (Achillea millefolium).
The Daylily now has colorful "everbloomers" … that bloom all summer until frost.
Echinacea isn’t just a "Purple Coneflower" anymore because it now comes in various colors: rose-red, pink, lime, orange, yellow:
http://www.itsaulplants.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=gallery.viewCategory&catID=2
"Knock Out" Roses will bloom all summer & are almost carefree. I only trim them to shape them or take out the branches that look untidy, criss-cross, broken, etc.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/cemap/roseknockout/index.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfiyWZtYaiM&feature=related
Use ornamental grasses for contrasting textures & impact (even in the winter). Fountain Grass (Pennisetum alopecuroides) Viridescens Black Fountain only grows 20 "…The folliage dries in winter, but still looks good.
http://www.bluestem.ca/grass-scapes/pennisetum-andropogon3.htm
http://www.outsidepride.com/catalog/Black-Flower-p-16494.html
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/grasses/types.cfm
Front yard landscape using ground covers & short ornamental grass like Blue Fescue:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41642339@N00/134059193/
http://www.pathwayperennials.com/FgEB.htm
For a beautiful groundcover, Liriope, or "lilyturf" (Liriope spicata), reaches only about 1′ in height, & has a spiky flower, ranging in color from white to lavender. In autumn it bears a dark berry. I have a variegated variety which is stunning. These plants & the ornamental grasses have some varieties that are hardier than others, so look for those that will suit your zone.
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/hort/landscape/PERENNIAL_Liriope.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78358180@N00/255911573/
http://www.natorp.com/PL-Liriope.htm
http://www.saxonholt.com/webgalleries/jems_liriope/link.html
For your shadier areas choose ferns, Hosta, Lily-of -the-valley, or Foam Flower. Coral Bells (Heuchera) can grow in between areas from sun to partial shade:
http://www.peak.org/~jnelson/coralbellspalasepurple.htm
Foamflower with Heuchera:
http://lesliet.typepad.com/.shared/image.html?/photos/uncategorized/foamflower_and_heuchera.jpg
Variegated Periwinkle is a nice evergreen groundcover, forming a dense mat:
http://www.perennials.com/seeplant.html?item=7.655.180
Here’s a slideshow of front yard garden plans:
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/plans/special-spots/colorful-front-yard-garden-plans/?page=16
Garden tour featuring Daylilies with mostly other perennials:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8IQg0HBfy4&feature=related
Good luck & happy planting! Hope this is helpful.
