My husband and I are dedicating today to put in a flower bed. We are digging up grass and will be wanting to plant some plants / bushes that are year round tolerant for Boise, ID. Something with color, any suggestion? I still get confused about what to by that lasts year round, annual, perianual?
Boise looks to be in Zone 6 (although there are zone 5 areas around you, check with a local garden center and they will be able to tell you what zone you are in). This gives you a pretty good selection of plants to chose from. Many shrubs bloom for one, two or even three weeks and a few will bloom all summer. There are good perennials that bloom much of the summer. Lots of annuals bloom pretty much continually but of course they will have to be replaced each year unless they self seed (some do, some don't).
I know that's not much to go on but you didn't really tell us a lot about your planned garden. Full sun / part shade? Size and shape of the bed? Year-round interest / lots of flowers all summer / a really spectacular display for a shorter time? High / low maintenance? Particular colors you like / dislike? Heights you are thinking about (i.e. if you have a bed that is 10 ft, front to back and 20 or 30 feet wide, you can have pretty big things in the back - if you have a smaller bed of 5' by 10' then you cannot go as large).
I could give you a list of things to plant but 1) they might not be what is easily available in your part of the country and 2) they may not fit with what you are picturing in your mind's eye. Answer some or all of the above questions and I'll be happy to give you some specifics.
On Sat, 15 May 2004 08:32:47 -0600 in , "Jackee" graced the world with this thought:
are you looking to be able to eat what's in this new flower bed?
As far as size, it is 3.5feet by 25 feet. I am looking for plants with color, mostly reds. Do you know of any guidelines of where to plant stuff out in the bed? That's the next issue. I am thinking, 8 plants/ bushes, perennial spread out every 3 feet, then a bit closes to the grass side, flowers in between the bushes (but further up) If anyone has any ideas on where to put the plants down, I would appreciate it!
You gunna EAT those flowers? sluggo ps are ALL from Idaho "ON-TOPIC Challenged"?
I am sorry, just thought there was a lot of knowledge in this group so I thought I would ask.
I have seen flower gardens with lettuce > > My husband and I are dedicating today to put in a flower bed. We are
suggestion? I
That comment was really unnecessary and shows a lack of total knowledge as it relates to ornamental/edible gardens. One of our neighbors has a wonderful flower bed that has all edibles in it. I certainly wouldn't consider her "on-topic challenged" if the discussion is about edible gardens . . . she *has* an edible flower garden! Salads from her house are fabulous.
I, personally, didn't interpret the topic as being completely off-topic, or any more off-topic than discussions about tillers, how to keep critters out of the garden, etc. But then, that's me.
Back to Jackee, nasturtiums are prolific and have edible blossoms as do many other flowers. Chives are usually year-round and have wonderful foliage and beautiful flowers, mine are purple (garlic chives). Onions/leeks have wonderful bulb-type blossoms as well. Curly parsley can be quite attractive as well as providing a good supply for the dinner table. Blueberry bushes are ornamental and provide wonderful fruit as well as a good backdrop for the garden or make a lovely hedge. So there you have a background of blueberry bushes, with curly parsley and chives bordered with nasturtiums. Undoubtedly, many others also have ideas.
Don't forget dill and fennel, the butterflies and bushtits love it. Then there are the *regular* herbs, a border of different sages can be lovely, tricolor, etc., or have a spot of only sages with the larger varieties bordered with smaller ones Thyme and oregano have many varieties that are multicolored. Lemon balm is prolific and very lovely. Rosemary and lavender can provide a wonderful hedge look if planted in rows and kept trimmed as it grows (taking the "trimmings" inside for that wonderful aroma). Sage, rosemary and lavender also are quite lovely to smell when you are working around them as well as lavender filling the air with wonderful perfume when it rains. Grapes can be trained into an attractive fence/hedge that is lovely in the summer with such beautiful leaves, fruit in the fall, and an interesting mosaic of branches in the winter; a neighbor has one that is absolutely fascinating and quite lovely.
Check with your local nurseries, there are undoubtedly many other such plants for you to incorporate into your landscape. It would be quite cool to have a section of all edibles which are also very attractive. You could have an all edible and ornamental flower garden(s) if you don't have your heart set on specific non-edible flowers. You will, of course, want to avoid pesticides, etc. Ladybugs are fabulous and can be purchased in little net bags to release in your yard. Between ladybugs and insect-eating birds, I've not had a problem with undesirable insects; undoubtedly, good fortune is also in that mix.
Point is, one can have a lovely "ornamental garden" with all edibles, many of which are year-round. The question was not off-topic after all, was it?
Glenna Born in Idaho!
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