One of the best things about houseplants is they don't have to be restricted to indoors. At different points in the year, it's possible to place your indoor plants outdoors to soak up some sunshine and fresh air.

For example, many of the best indoor succulents can be grown outdoors during the warmer months. Of course, specific types of succulents will be hardy to specific US hardiness zones, but even cooler climates can host some succulents outdoors. However, the colder months bring another challenge to consider - frost.

Whether you're planning to landscape with succulents and cacti or simply want to know where to place your potted succulents for winter, it's important to understand if succulents survive frost. Here, experts share everything you need to know.

Can succulents survive frost?

The short answer is no. Generally speaking, succulents cannot survive frost. However, this doesn't mean you can't grow succulents outdoors for part of the year, as many succulents are actually cold-tolerant houseplants.

'While most succulents may prefer warmer climates, many do just fine in zones as low as four or five,' says garden expert, Jeremy Yamaguchi, from Lawn Love. 'Agave, for example, prefers Mediterranean climates, but they are cold-hardy, surviving in US hardiness zone five to zone nine,' he adds.

Other hardy succulents include sedum, euphorbias, and sempervivum, and they often tolerate as low as -20ºF. However, frost can cause detrimental damage to the long-term health of succulents.

'Cold temperatures below freezing can damage succulents or kill them by causing their cells to rupture,' explains plant nursery expert Tammy Sons.

Not only will freezing temperatures cause problems for succulent health, it also hinders their growing environment.

'They require dry and loose soil with good drainage to survive the winter because of their shallow roots,' Jeremy explains. This means your succulents are likely to struggle in hard and compacted soil if you haven't taken precautions to stop soil freezing in winter.

How to protect succulents from frost

Now that you have more of an understanding about whether succulents survive frost, it's important to turn your attention to how to care for succulents in winter. More specifically, how to ensure they don't become damaged by frost.

'In order to protect succulents from frost, they should be moved indoors into some type of shelter, or covered with a frost cloth,' Tammy advises.

The easiest solution to protecting succulents from frost is moving them indoors, as Tammy notes. This is a task to add to your overwintering a garden checklist.

However, if you have succulents that are tricky to move, you can use some methods to protect plants from frost for your succulents.

For example, use these frost cloths from Amazon. Alternatively, try these cloches from Walmart. There are also plenty of DIY solutions, like using bed sheets to protect plants from frost.

Of course, the most important thing to do is research the lowest temperatures the succulents you're growing can withstand and act accordingly to ensure they get through winter unharmed.

FAQs

Can you revive a succulent from frost damage?

If your succulent has been damaged by frost, it is likely to have limp and yellowing foliage. Depending on the severity of the damage, it is possible to make a dying succulent thrive again. You'll need essential pruning tools, like these pruning snips from Amazon, to cut away any damaged foliage. You should then bring your succulent indoors to prevent further exposure to frost and allow its soil to dry out entirely. Going forward, provide optimal care for your succulent to help it bounce back.

As well as providing your succulents with shelter in winter, make sure to reduce watering. You should only water succulents when their soil has dried out completely. In winter, this may only be as often as every three to four weeks.

The many red hot poker varieties, or torch lilies, have long been relied upon to bring a touch of the exotic to our backyards. Probably most familiar is tall Kniphofia rooperi, towering head and shoulders above other plants from early to late fall. Classic poker-like flower spikes are tipped by orange buds, smouldering over yellow flowers.

The 70 species of kniphofia originate from southern and tropical Africa and have given rise to numerous cultivars. Between them, they bloom from early spring to late fall and vary in height from eight inches to six feet tall - making them one of the best perennials to grow. Some are frost tender but there are plenty hardy enough for colder gardens. Their narrow leaves can be bulky at ground level but recent breeding has concentrated on neater foliage, reduced height and longer flowering seasons. A natural upland habitat is reflected in their love of sun and good drainage, yet pokers thrive in fertile soils and love an improved clay as long as it drains well in winter.

So, learning how to grow red hot poker is a great option if you're looking for one of the best low-maintenance, drought-tolerant plants to add your garden, and once established, they will enjoy long and characterful lives.

15 red hot poker varieties for bright color and interesting shape

We’ve selected 15 different red hot poker varieties to show the range of shapes, sizes and colors available. These do well from a summer planting, putting their roots down quickly into warm soil.

1. ‘Drummore Apricot’

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 7 and zone 8
• Height: 30-48 inches
• Spread: two feet

Large pokers bear tight green buds at their tips, swelling to a glowing apricot shade and opening to yellow flowers from late summer into fall. Compact types are one of the best plants for small gardens and are deciduous, with strappy leaves.

Use this subtle poker with vibrant Geum ‘Mrs.J.Bradshaw’ for springy stems of red flowers at 2 feet tall, or tone the bold color down with creamy Achillea ‘Taygetea.'

'A softer, more romantic option. It works in cottage gardens or paired with grasses,' says gardening expert Valeria Nyman. Drifts of deciduous types also suit prairie planting.

2. ‘Fiery Fred’

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 6 and zone 7
• Height: five feet
• Spread: four feet

This stately poker sends up stems bearing shapely spikes of bright and soft orange blooms, soaring well above arching dark green deciduous foliage. Plants make bold statements amongst other perennials from summer into fall. For contrast, add blue-flowering campanula varieties (lactiflora) or for a subtle touch, introduce the palest pearly blue of ’Monica’s Dream’.

These are also excellent coastal plants and will thrive in exposed seaside gardens.

3. ‘Ice Queen’

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 7 and zone 8
• Height: four feet
• Spread: three feet

The tall flower spikes of this majestic poker have a hint of orange warmth at the tip but neatly arranged green buds open to white flowers with a tubular shape.

This makes it a perfect candidate for white-themed garden borders, or to contrast with colorful midsummer to early fall blooms. Continue the white theme with a foreground of Salvia x sylvestris ‘Schneehugel’.

4. ‘Moonstone’

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 7 and zone 8
• Height: four feet
• Spread: three feet

A floriferous poker blessed with a long flowering period from midsummer well into the fall. 'The 'Moonstone' variation is creamy white and displays charming pale yellow flowers,' describes Tammy Sons, horticulturist and CEO of TN Nurseries.

The low, arching deciduous foliage acts as a base for strong flower spikes bearing blooms changing attractively in color from a warm orange in bud, through gold to yellow and cream when fully open. Popular indigo-flowered Salvia ‘Amistad’ would make an excellent companion plant.

Those red hot pokers with especially fiery colors are great for hot color schemes of tropical garden plants in yellow, orange, bronze, red and maroon.

5. ‘Rocket’s Red Glare’

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone seven and zone eight
• Height: three feet
• Spread: 30 inches

This is one of the Pyromania Series, whose neat, tidy grass-like foliage is an asset to the garden. The flowers of this one pack a punch, being fluorescent red, changing to warm coral tones, then to yellow and cream as they mature.

'This coloration also helps attract pollinators like bees, butterflies, and it even attracts hummingbirds,' Tammy notes.

The shapely heads mean they make good cutting garden flowers. Pick up on the yellow and add shorter, floriferous Coreopsis ‘Early Sunrise’ alongside it.

6. ‘Tawny King’

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 7 and zone 8
• Height: five feet
• Spread: three feet

An attractive poker whose narrow deciduous leaves are joined from summer to fall by dense spikes of orange buds opening to cream flowers. Held on bronze stems, the heads create a medley of soft and dark shades in orange and apricot.

Plant alongside another drought-tolerant yard plants like the slightly lower dark-flowered African lily, perhaps sultry Agapanthus inapertus subsp.pendulus ‘Graskop’.

'I’ve seen it paired beautifully with bronze sedges or purple-leaved shrubs,' says Valeria Nyman.

7. ‘Timothy’

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 7 and zone 8
• Height: two feet
• Spread: 18 inches

From clumps of narrow, deciduous leaves rise bronze stems topped by spikes of flowers somewhere between coral and salmon pink with a touch of orange. Opening from early summer to early fall, they bring a long season of color.

Planted alongside it, the daylily Hemerocallis ‘Stella de Oro’ will create an attractive foreground of yellow flowers, perfect for a fragrant garden.

8. ‘Wrexham Buttercup’

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 6 and zone 7
• Height: four feet
• Spread: 18 inches

This is generally held to be the best yellow-flowered poker, although green-tipped ‘Bees’s Lemon’, new, short 'Poco Yellow' and ‘Lemon Popsicle’ are also worth investigating.

Strong stems rise between midsummer and fall, bearing spikes of lime green buds opening to yellow. Good bedfellows include orange-flowered Mexican sunflower Tithonia rotundifolia ‘Torch’ and blue-flowered Salvia patens.

9. K.caulescens

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 7 and 8
• Height: four feet
• Spread: 30 inches

We use a lot of this evergreen species in our exotic garden border planting ideas, because in both leaf and flower it resembles an aloe.

The blue-green foliage is attractive especially after a good clean-up in spring. This is joined, from late summer into fall by stems of coral-red buds opening to lemon-yellow flowers.

These are especially attractive plants to use when growing a garden for pollinators such as bees and other nectar-loving insects.

10. K.northiae

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 8 and zone 9
• Height: four feet
• Spread: 30 inches

These giant red hot poker varieties are another evergreen look-alike for aloe or even exotic bromeliads (urn plants). Give plants room to show off their proud rosettes of broad, strap-shaped leaves.

Chunky flower spikes of orange-red buds open to cream flowers from early to late summer. It makes a good rock garden plant or is perfect for a gravel garden.

'Fire Dance' red hot pokers (available at Burpee) have a very similar appearance.

11. K.rooperi

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 7 and zone 8
• Height: five feet
• Spread: three feet

Rooper’s red hot poker is one of the most familiar and a common sight in established gardens, clumps of arching evergreen foliage are joined by dense, rounded spikes of flowers fiery orange in bud but maturing to yellow.

Held aloft on strong stems they reserve their performance for fall and usefully extend the flowering season alongside late summer flowers.

12. ‘Jenny Bloom’

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone eight and zone nine
• Height: three feet
• Spread: 18 inches

Although not particularly short, this elegant poker is of slim habit, with narrow, upright foliage and stems of widely spaced apricot-orange buds above flowers opening to cream from early summer to early fall.

Plant on its own in a container, or with long-flowering perennials such as the soft-yellow phlomis variety russeliana and yellow, cream and ruby-flowered Corepsis ‘Red Shift’.

13. ‘Mango Popsicle’

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 6 and zone 7
• Height: 30 inches
• Spread: 8 inches

The Popsicle Series makes a good addition to small gardens, particularly if you have narrow borders or just a container garden. It means you can enjoy red hot pokers without having to accommodate wide clumps of often quite wayward foliage.

Neat upright grass-like leaves are joined by flower spikes in a range of colors, here an almost fluorescent mango from summer to fall.

You can also find other yellow varieties of red hot poker at Amazon.

14. ‘Orange Vanilla Popsicle’

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone six and zone seven
• Height: 30 inches
• Spread: 30 inches

Best described as tricolored miniature red hot poker, the tightest buds are a dark maroon, they swell to a glowing orange-pink and open creamy white. Neat and well-behaved they are perfect for container garden beginners.

Needing well-drained compost where they will open blooms from early summer through to fall. Add burnt orange, narrow-petalled types of helenium like ‘Loysder Wieck’.

15. Poco Red

• Hardiness: US hardiness zone 6 and zone 7
• Height: 30 inches
• Spread: 30 inches

From the Poco Series, expect a clump of stiff, upright grass-like foliage attractive in its own right. Spikes of reddish-orange flowers open from midsummer well into fall.

Poco Orange, Poco Yellow, Poco Citron and Poco Sunset are worth exploring too. They look great on their own in a container, fit well into your narrow, long garden ideas or to make low swathes of vibrant color.

These uvaria seeds from Amazon would give you the same vibrant red look.

FAQs

Do red hot pokers spread?

Some red hot poker varieties do spread rapidly through rhizomes underground. This is one way to propagate red hot pokers: dig up the rhizomes and divide the plant before planting into separate pots.

No matter which of these stunning red hot poker variety you choose to grow in your yard, make sure to keep on top of essential care - like pruning red hot pokers to remove lower leaves and deadheading wilted blooms.

With their bold colors and wide choice of cultivars, azaleas provide vibrant beauty in the garden. However, when and how to winterize azaleas will vary depending on the species you're growing and your region.

Some azaleas are hardier than others, so it's important to know which types you are growing. If you live somewhere prone to frost and snow, some azaleas will benefit from protection, while others may be tough enough to survive the winter without much fuss.

Whether your plants require a light touch, or heavier fortification, the jobs you do now to overwinter a garden will pay off next spring.

Expert advice on how to overwinter azaleas

'Winterizing Azaleas is essential for their survival in colder climates, especially in USDA hardiness zones 6 and below, where temperatures can drop to levels that might cause root damage or even kill the plant,' says Maureen Wright, plant expert, Fast Growing Trees.

'These plants thrive in spring but can suffer in the frost, so taking the time to protect them ensures they emerge strong and full of life after winter.'

Here are six expert steps to overwintering azaleas to ensure they come back bigger and bolder next year.

1. Cease fertilizing by late summer

Not all azaleas need the same care. Deciduous varieties are often hardy enough to endure freezing temperatures, while evergreen azaleas tend to be more delicate and will benefit from extra protection. However, even the hardy varieties will need a change in the care you provide for them during the winter, this includes when to fertilize azaleas.

'Planning ahead for winter is beneficial for those who live in colder climates,' says Portland-based master gardener, Janet Loughrey. 'Cease fertilizing azaleas by mid to late summer, as tender new growth late in the season can be damaged from freezing temperatures.

'Most azalea varieties are hardy to USDA zones 6-9, though some are hardy in USDA zones 3-5. The easiest way to ensure your azaleas survive winter is to plant varieties that are reliably hardy in your region. The hardiest azaleas include ‘Northern Lights’ and ‘Exbury’ hybrids,' says Janet.

The gorgeous Karen Azalea from Nature Hills is also a cold-tolerant variety, suitable for growing zones 4-9, and will bloom in early spring.

2. Remove flower buds but don't prune

If fall has been warm in your region, it's possible your azaleas may have sprouted fresh flower buds. As painful as it is, Janet Loughrey suggests removing them. However, any pruning of these spring flowering shrubs should have been completed several weeks ago.

'Avoid fall pruning, as it can stress the plants, but do remove flower buds that will bloom the following year,' says Janet. 'If you leave them, they're likely to be damaged by the cold.'

'If any pruning was necessary, it should have been completed in early fall—no later than the end of October,' adds Maureen Wright. 'This is so the plant has time to settle before winter.

'If you didn't prune your plant this year, leave it now. However, when you do prune the plant next year, use sharp, clean shears and trim no more than 1/3 of the plant, focusing on weak or dead branches. Cut back around 6-12 inches from the tips, but be mindful not to over-prune, as this could encourage new growth that will be vulnerable to frost.'

3. Adjust your watering schedule

The weather will obviously dictate when to water your plants, particularly if you've received a lot of rainfall. However, even in the drier zones, you can adjust your azalea watering schedule.

'Reduce watering by one-third in fall,' says Janet. 'After the first few freezes, water plants thoroughly before the ground becomes frozen.'

4. Mulch your Azaleas

Mulching your azaleas and other plants in your flower beds, will protect them from frost, snow and freezing temperatures, and help them to survive until next spring.

'Add three to six inches of organic mulch around the base of your plant to insulate the root zone,' says Janet. 'This can include wood chips, compost, chopped leaves, straw or pine needles. Although, keep mulch away from the trunk to deter pests and diseases.'

'Placing mulch against the trunk can trap moisture, leading to rot, pests, and disease, which can harm the plant's health,' explains Maureen.

'Ideally apply the mulch before the first hard frost, ideally in late October or early November. This mulch acts as a barrier, protecting the shallow root system from extreme cold and the damaging freeze-thaw cycle.'

If you've not had a chance to make your own leaf mulch or compost, try using these Clean straw pine needles from Fast-Growing Trees.

5. Cover or enclose plants, if necessary

Deciduous azaleas that are suited to your hardiness zone should be protected enough by the removal of buds and a sufficient covering of mulch around the roots. However, delicate evergreen species may require extra protection in zones 6 and below.

'For additional cold protection, plants can be covered with porous material such as burlap,' says Janet. 'Drive stakes around plants to provide a frame, and secure the cover to the ground so it doesn’t blow away. Make sure the cover doesn’t touch the plants.

'If you live in an area prone to deer or other wildlife, plants can be enclosed with fencing or chicken wire to protect them from grazing too.'

6. Winterizing azaleas in containers

Azaleas in a container garden will require winter protection too. The simplest solution is to move them away from exposed areas in your yard.

'For azaleas in pots, winter can be even harsher,' says Maureen. 'The exposed roots are more susceptible to freezing, so wrap the pot in insulating material like burlap.

'Also, move potted azaleas to a sheltered area, against a wall or inside a garage, where they’ll be protected from biting winds. Keep the soil slightly moist, ensuring they don’t dry out completely, but don’t overwater them during the dormant season.'

'Azaleas can generally survive in containers outdoors if they are hardy two zones colder than where you live,' says Janet. 'For example, if you live in USDA Zone 6, plants should be hardy to zone 4.

'To protect potted azaleas, move them to a sheltered side of a building and cover with burlap or frost cloth. Plants can also be moved into an unheated garage or shed.'

Large potted Azaleas can be lifted onto a plant caddy like this one from Walmart to move them around.

With the right preparation and protection, your azaleas will weather the winter and be ready to put on a colorful show as part of your spring garden ideas.

For many, daffodils, or Narcissi, are the ultimate spring flowering bulb. As the New Year rolls on, even despite the frosty weather, daffodils emerge with showstopping blooms that can be found in a range of yellow, orange, white and cream shades.

While daffodils are undoubtedly floral fireworks in our winter and spring gardens, companion plants are just as important. There are many different plants that complement daffodils, including evergreens and other flowering bulbs, helping to add even more impact and contrasting color to your displays.

So, if you want to fill your yard with flowers in the coming months, our expert-approved guide has all the inspiration you need. Whatever varieties of narcissi bulbs you grow, these companion plants are sure to fill your yard with joy.

Five plants that complement daffodils

If you are thinking about companion planting for daffodils, it is always important to select perennials, evergreens or flowering bulbs that prefer similar conditions. While it will depend on what you grow, most Narcissi species are cold-hardy and can be grown from US hardiness zone 3 to US hardiness zone 7.

They tend to have a preference for full sun, planted in a location where they can enjoy at least six hours of sunshine, but they will tolerate part-shade too.

1. Monkey grass

'Monkey grass, or Liriope muscari, is a hardy choice for gardeners,' says Mike Murphy, garden expert and owner at You Had Me At Gardening. 'It is virtually pest and disease-free, and importantly, this evergreen looks good when paired with anything.

'Growing best from US hardiness zones 4 to 10, this versatile plant has dark green, grass-like blades that can play a supporting role to the golden-yellow trumpets as they emerge in spring,' Mike adds.

In terms of how to grow monkey grass, this versatile and tough evergreen can cope with many different conditions, tolerating both cold, northerly weather and warm, southerly climates. For the best results, plant in a partially shaded spot with moist but free-draining soil.

Monkey grass live starter plants are available to order from Amazon.

2. Irises

Irises are also perfect plants that complement daffodils, with showy blooms that emerge from spring through to summer. One particular variety to pair with smaller Narcissi species would be the dwarf crested iris, or Iris cristata, as seen in the image above. Iris cristata rhizomes are available to order from Amazon.

This small species often reaches no more than eight or nine inches tall, opening in shades of blue and violet which contrast brilliantly against white or yellow daffodils.

Iris cristata is one of the best native irises, best suited to growing in woodland-like situations from US hardiness zone 4 plus, with a preference for part-shade and slightly damp, rich soils.

There are many other early-flowering irises to choose from, such as these pure 'White van Vilet' iris bulbs, available from Amazon.

3. Hellebores

Hellebores are one of the quintessential flowers of winter. When all else is dormant in the yard, these popular perennials emerge with striking flowers.

Many different hellebore varieties would make ideal plants that complement daffodils. I would opt for the popular Lenten rose, Helleborus orientalis in pale shades, such as lemon-yellow, white or pale pink that will contrast nicely against your Narcissi bulbs.

In terms of how to grow hellebores, they will tolerate frosty weather down to zone 3, with a preference for part-shade and moist soil. In northerly zones, however, I would advise giving them as much sunshine as possible to help them survive frost and snow.

Hellebore live plants are available from Amazon and can be planted during the fall and winter months.

4. Primroses

Primroses are among the earliest bloomers in the garden. If you are a fan of cottage garden ideas with lawns and banks dotted with beautiful blooms, primroses might just be the plants you need to grow.

You can sow primrose seed towards the end of winter, usually around February, or alternatively, if you are planting out plugs bought from a local nursery, you can do this after the last frost in April. Primrose seeds are available from Amazon.

Primroses are cold-hardy down to zone 3, with a preference for part-shade and moisture-retentive soil. If your clumps are happy and healthy, they will quickly naturalize in your yard, pairing perfectly with daffodils when grown in a sunny meadow.

5. Forget-me-nots

If you like the sound of self-seeding flowers, a good option might be forget-me-nots, otherwise known as Myosotis. For a natural look, allow forget-me-nots to self-seed and scatter across your borders, an easy way to garden, in my opinion.

Growing well from US hardiness zone 3 plus, these flowers are often considered some of the best part-shade annuals, doing well when planted in a position with morning sun and afternoon shade.

So, if you are looking for blue flowers to complement your yellow daffodils, I do not think there would be a better option than these dainty but dazzling blooms. Forget-me-not seeds are available from Walmart.

FAQs

What shrubs look good alongside daffodils?

Forsythia is a shrub that pairs very well with daffodils. Forsythia tends to bloom very early in the year, usually around March or April, so if you are looking for an impactful early-flowering shrub to match your early-flowering daffodil blooms, forsythia might be the plant for you. In my opinion, forsythia and daffodils combined will brighten even the darkest winter day.

For more inspiration for your winter and spring garden, see our guide to bulb planting trends for the year ahead, to keep your space ahead of the curve and the talk of the street.

Poinsettias, with their iconic vibrant red leaves, have become holiday staples, embodying the festive spirit with their Christmas-themed appearance. Yet, despite looking perfectly suited for winter decor, these plants aren’t designed for cold weather.

Native to Central America, poinsettias thrive in warm, tropical climates, making them sensitive to the lower temperatures typical in many regions over winter. So, if you are wondering can poinsettias live outside in the winter, the answer largely depends on your region and the local winter climate.

In this guide, experts offer insights into the ideal temperatures and hardiness zones for poinsettias, along with essential poinsettia care tips to keep them healthy and vibrant – whether they’re outdoors in milder climates or indoors where winter temperatures drop.

Can poinsettias live outside in the winter?

Poinsettias are not cold hardy plants, and it's tricky to grow poinsettias outdoors drop below 50°F. For poinsettias to really thrive, they need temperatures between 65°F and 75°F. If your winter temperatures fall below this range, keeping poinsettias outdoors can be harmful and may lead to their demise.

'Poinsettias can only survive outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 9 to 11,' explains Mathew Wilson, horticulturist and CEO of Handy Gardeners. 'In warmer regions like parts of southern California, Texas, and Florida, they can be grown outside, but with care.

'However for colder regions, poinsettia plants should be brought inside until late spring, so that they do not get damaged due to frost or snow.’

How to protect poinsettias growing outdoors during mild winters

While they can survive outdoors in milder climates with temperatures as low as 50°F, long-term outdoor care in these areas can be challenging and requires specific winterization steps to help them thrive. If your poinsettia is dropping leaves, it could be due to common stressors such as insufficient light, drafts, sudden temperature drops, or improper watering watering.

To enjoy the best poinsettias for Christmas, proper care is essential. Here's what the experts recommend:

1. Remain vigilant in monitoring outdoor temperatures

Even in warmer zones, it’s important to monitor overnight temperatures closely, since sudden drops can still pose a risk to your poinsettias. While these plants are more tolerant of mild winters, they are still sensitive to cold, especially when temperatures dip unexpectedly.

Matthew Wilson advises keeping a frost cover on hand for use during those unexpected cold snaps that can occur even in USDA zones 9 to 11. 'A frost cover (such as these handy bags from Amazon) helps shield the plant from chilling winds and frost, trapping heat around the plant and preventing damage to the delicate leaves and bracts,' explains Matthew.

Alternatively, if you have potted poinsettias, Wilson suggests relocating them indoors when temperatures drop below 50°F. 'Bringing the plants inside ensures they remain in a warm, controlled environment where they can continue to thrive.' Simply move them into a sunroom, greenhouse, or any other location that offers warmth and indirect light.

Keeping a close eye on the forecast and being prepared for temperature fluctuations, you can help protect your poinsettias from cold-related stress.

2. Ensure it receives adequate sunlight

Poinsettias require four to six hours of indirect sunlight daily, and ensuring they receive enough warmth from the sun is crucial for those planted outdoors in milder climates.

Positioning them in a location with morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal, as this provides the right balance of light and warmth. Overexposure to direct light can cause leaves to drop, so it's important to select a spot with filtered sunlight to protect the plant from stress.

3. Create a microclimate in your yard

One of the most effective ways to keep poinsettias healthy outdoors during winter is by creating a microclimate around them that shields them from wind and provides extra warmth. 'This can be achieved by placing them in sheltered areas that naturally retain heat,' says Lisa Wark, certified master gardener and Director of operations at Champion Distinctive Landscaping Design and Care.

Matthew Wilson suggests using insulated spaces with good light exposure, which help maintain delicate plants during colder months. Structures like walls, eaves, or fences can create a protective microclimate, offering additional warmth and shielding poinsettias from harsh winds.

Natural features which absorb and radiate warmth, like stones or rocks, are particularly useful in creating a warmer microclimate. Additionally, placing poinsettias near other plants that provide dappled shade and shelter will also provide warmth and wind protection.

If your outdoor poinsettias are planted in containers, be sure they are made from a material that retains heat and doesn't conduct the cold as quickly as others. Metal pots, for example, tend to get very cold and can quickly chill the roots, while ceramic containers offer slightly better insulation. However, wood, resin, and plastic pots are the best choices, as they take longer to react to temperature changes and retain heat better than metal or ceramic. We recommend this stylish Homerville wood pot planter from Wayfair.

Using mulch as a ground cover can also help insulate the soil, retaining warmth and moisture around the plant. This natural cedar mulch from Amazon has 4.5 stars from over 1,000 reviews. You should use fresh, high-quality potting mix – such as this PittMoss Plentiful potting mix from Walmart – as older mixes can become porous and more prone to freezing.

For even more protection, Lisa Wark suggests that greenhouse structures or cold frames can provide necessary warmth and humidity, helping poinsettias thrive in colder conditions by mimicking their tropical origins.

4. Water them appropriately

Another important thing to monitor is how often should you water a poinsettia to keep it healthy

'Simulating their native environment as much as possible by keeping their soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, and ensuring good drainage to prevent root rot,' explains Matthew Wilson. He recommends watering them only when the top inch of soil feels dry, with a principle of 'moisten, but skip soaking'.

For more efficient watering, consider installing an automated irrigation system to maintain the appropriate soil moisture levels without overwatering. In USDA hardiness zones 9-11, set the system to water about once a week during winter, ensuring the soil stays lightly moist but not saturated. This should be adjusted based on predicted rainfall – if rain is expected, pause the system to avoid excess moisture.

Use well-draining soil and a two inch thick layer at the base of the plant helps maintain consistent soil moisture levels.

5. Prune poinsettias in late winter

Pruning is another essential step in long-term care. Matthew Wilson recommends trimming poinsettias in late winter or just after blooming to encourage a bushy, compact shape and healthy bracts. This acts as a reset, supporting new growth and enhancing their resilience in outdoor settings.

For warmer climates, careful placement, temperature monitoring, and attentive care can help them thrive outdoors during the winter.

However, in colder regions, it’s best to treat poinsettias as indoor plants. If you still have time before temperatures drop significantly, consider potting your poinsettias and moving them indoors to safely enjoy their festive beauty through the season. Once winter has passed, you can move them back outside to enjoy warmer temperatures.

If bringing them indoors isn’t an option, consider propagating poinsettia as a backup, ensuring you have new plants ready for future seasons.

Frost hardy perennials are tough plants that can withstand the winter cold and return year after year with a fantastic display of flowers and foliage. Even if you live in a colder climate, such perennials will endure and come back strong each spring.

Picking the right perennial plants for your climate ensures their ongoing survival. If you garden in northern regions, it can mean a more limited range of plants to pick between for your backyard. However, there is a great selection of frost hardy perennials to add to flower beds or borders.

This guide showcases some of those best perennials for gardening in colder climates. This selection of frost hardy plants can survive winters down to US hardiness zone 2 or US hardiness zone 3.

8 frost tolerant perennials ideal for northern gardens

The following eight frost hardy perennials can flower year after year even in cold northern climates. If you are looking for frost tolerant perennials to add to your flower beds, the following will withstand the harsh rigours of winter and burst into life again in spring.

1. Goldenrod

• Suitable for: US hardiness zone 2-8

Goldenrod is a glorious fall-blooming native plant, perfect as a tall perennial flower for the back of a border to attract bees and butterflies in fall to its bright yellow flowers.

Also known as solidago, it is a tough and adaptable plant that can tolerate both cold winters and hot summers. Most varieties of goldenrod are hardy to US hardiness zone 3, but some types can tolerate winters in US hardiness zone 2.

Goldenrod dies back each winter and it is best to deadhead plants after flowering and cut the stems back after the first frosts. While seed heads can feed birds over winter, goldenrods are notorious self-seeding flowers that can spread around the garden.

2. Creeping phlox

• Suitable for: US hardiness zone 2-9

Creeping phlox is an evergreen perennial that makes a great ground cover plant thanks to its spreading habit. Often seen in rock gardens or edging borders or paths, creeping phlox produces masses of small star-shaped flowers that come in shades of white, pink, and purple.

They may only bloom for a few weeks in late spring, but the creeping phlox flowers are a glorious sight and attract lots of pollinators. Cut back phlox after flowering to maintain the plant’s shape, this also ensures the phlox remains bushy and the center does not get too woody.

3. Drumstick primula

• Suitable for: US hardiness zone 2-8

Primula denticulata, known commonly as the drumstick primula, are reliable perennial flowers native to China and the Himalayas. They are incredibly frost hardy perennials for bright flowers in spring, coming in colors including white, pink, purple, and lilac.

Primulas, also known as primroses, can complement many other spring bulbs. Drumstick primulas like to grow in part shade and will die back each year in the fall, then dependably come back year after year even in northern gardens.

4. Peonies

• Suitable for: US hardiness zones 2-8

Peonies are loved for big, showy blooms that come in many forms and colors. Growing peonies is hugely popular among gardeners as they give a dramatic, albeit brief, flowering show in spring to dazzle in flower beds.

Peonies die down for winter but are very frost-hardy perennials that can withstand cold temperatures, making them great choices for northern gardens in colder climates. The recommended practice is to winterize peonies by cutting back the foliage in late fall and mulching around plants to protect the roots.

5. Coneflower

• Suitable for: US hardiness zone 3-9

Coneflowers are American native plants that now come in a variety of forms and colors thanks to modern breeding techniques. Such cross-breeding can impact hardiness, so if you live in a colder climate pick a coneflower variety that is frost hardy - most types are suitable but modern hybrid cultivars may struggle in colder winters. One great type for US hardiness zone 3 and above is the 'Magnus' coneflower variety, available at Burpee, that has large pink flowers.

Waiting and cutting back coneflowers in spring will have two benefits. One is that the dried seed heads provide food for birds during winter. The second is that the stems protect the plant’s crown against the winter colds. Along with mulching, which can insulate roots, leaving the stems in place will help to winterize coneflowers successfully in colder climates.

6. Hosta

• Suitable for: US hardiness zone 3-9

Hostas are hugely popular shade plants and many varieties of these stunning foliage plants can survive winters down to zone 3.

When growing and caring for hostas, they must have good drainage as cold and wet soil in winter will be more damaging to them than freezing temperatures. You don’t need to cut back hostas in the fall as the foliage naturally decays for winter, but clear away the debris. This prevents slug and snail eggs from overwintering in the old leaves and should be an important part of winterizing hostas.

7. Hellebores

• Suitable for: US hardiness zone 3-9

Hellebores are known for providing pops of color in winter and spring. There are around 20 different species of hellebores and most hellebore varieties are frost hardy perennials that can handle temperatures down to -20°F once established.

Plant hellebores in a shady spot and keep them protected from cold winter winds in colder climates. They are resilient evergreen perennials that need little attention in winter, bar removing diseased or damaged foliage in late fall.

Mulching around plants in preparation for winter can protect roots and help mimic the natural nutrient-rich soil conditions of these woodland plants.

8. Yarrow

• Suitable for: US hardiness zone 3-9

Yarrow, also known as achillea, is a low-maintenance frost hardy perennial and a great plant for pollinators. Perfect for an attractive wildlife garden, yarrow has fern-like foliage and flat flower clusters in shades of white, yellow, or pink atop its tall stems.

Yarrow can overwinter outdoors and does not need extra protection against winter colds. The stems can either be left in place to provide a food source for birds or cut down to prevent damage from winter winds. Even if you cut, only trim back to the basal leaves that can insulate the crown over the colder months. Mulching around plants will also help protect the roots.

Yarrow grown in pots as part of a container garden should be moved indoors for winter, or the pots need to be protected using covers.

FAQs

Are salvias frost hardy?

Salvias are hardy in US hardiness zones 4-9. You can grow hardy, half-hardy, or annual salvias and the frost hardy types of salvias can tolerate temperatures down to 20°F.

Are dianthus frost hardy?

Dianthus are commonly grown as annual plants, however, there are also biennial varieties and perennial dianthus. They are versatile plants for a summer border and can overwinter in US hardiness zone 5 and above.

Are delphiniums frost hardy?

When growing and caring for delphinium plants, perennial types of delphiniums can tolerate cold temperatures and are frost hardy down to US hardiness zone 3.

Are geums frost hardy?

Geums are hardy in US hardiness zones 5-9. The perennials can cope with a frost but may need protection in colder climates.

On top of the frost hardy perennials mentioned above, there are more great options for flower beds in colder climates. Most notably, New England asters and daylilies can also withstand winters down to US hardiness zone 3 and are more than suitable for colder northern gardens.

It's obvious to say plants need both warmth and light to grow, but have you ever wondered why exactly this is the case? Or, perhaps you're unsure why hardiness zones matter and how your local climate affects the ability for plants to grow.

Plants need sufficient warmth at every stage of their lifecycle - from seeds to mature plants. However, the optimal temperature required for healthy growth will differ between plants and depend on factors such as their native habitat. This also impacts which regions plants can grow in, which is why it's worth familiarizing yourself with what can grow in your US hardiness zone.

The same goes for indoor plants, as there are a range of cold-tolerant houseplants and those that need to be kept somewhere warmer to grow well. Here, we break down how temperature affects plant growth so you can have a better understanding of how to provide the optimal growing conditions for your plants.

How temperature affects plant growth

As well as needing essential plant nutrients, plants need a certain level of temperature for successful growth. This is because temperature aids plant processes, including photosynthesis, germination and flowering. As a result, the warmer seasons of spring and summer are typically when you observe plants actively growing, while the colder seasons of fall and winter will encourage some dormancy - although, it's important to note this seasonal pattern isn't necessarily the case for every plant.

Each type of plant will have an optimal temperature level in which they thrive. This level is reflective of their native habitat and growing outside this optimal temperature can negatively impact plants.

'High temperatures can cause excess transpiration and plants can wilt, sometimes to total collapse,' explains Chuck Pavlich, horticulture expert and Director of New Product Development at Terra Nova Nurseries.

Plants growing in the hotter climes of US hardiness zone 10+ may suffer if they are not suited to warmer temperatures, becoming dehydrated and possibly experiencing leaf scorch. Meanwhile, the high temperatures of these regions will see the likes of some Mediterranean plants and desert plants thrive, due to their ability to retain moisture well.

'Very cold temperatures can slow photosynthesis to a standstill, no matter how much light they receive, and plants die from having cells freeze and rupture,' Chuck says.

While there are many frost hardy plants, those that aren't tolerant to colder temperatures will need extra protection for winter. This is where overwintering your garden comes in - using things like this burlap from Amazon to wrap containers and stop roots freezing, for example.

The US hardiness zones map the temperatures of each region, allowing you to identify how well certain plants will grow in your local climate. 'Hardiness ratings also determine whether plants will perform as an annual or perennial. If perennial, hardiness zones will partially determine if the plants will be evergreen or deciduous,' Chuck explains.

Providing enough warmth for seedlings

Temperature is also a big factor in seed germination and growing seedlings. One of the biggest seed sowing mistakes is not placing your seed tray in a warm enough spot.

That's why many gardeners often choose to sow seeds indoors, use a DIY indoor greenhouse or an indoor growing system, like this heat mat from Amazon. However, too much heat can also have a detrimental impact on the health of seedlings and ability for seeds to germinate.

'Some plants will not germinate with warmth, some plants need a cycle of heat and cold to germinate, and some, just cold,' explains Chuck. 'The key to finding the right spot is examining their native environment. Generally, a packet of seeds has germination instructions listed,' he adds.

Seed stratification is process where seeds are kept in cold conditions (often in a fridge) to trick them into thinking they're in a dormant season. Once they come out of stratification and into warmer temperatures, their active growth is kickstarted.

For this reason, it's important for seeds and seedlings to experience both cold and warm temperatures. As Chuck notes, you should always follow seed packet instructions. You can also use this thermometer from Amazon to keep track of the room temperature for your seedlings.

FAQs

Can you grow plants outside their hardiness zone?

US hardiness zones help identify how well plants will grow in different regions, based on the highest and lowest temperatures experienced in each zone. While it isn't always advised to grow plants outside of their zone, due to the lack of guarantee it will survive the winter, it isn't impossible to do so. 'Plants that are not in optimal conditions sometimes fail to thrive and perform poorly, but plants are more resilient than we give them credit for,' says Chuck Pavlich, horticulture expert and Director of New Product Development at Terra Nova Nurseries. 'Pay attention to the signals they are giving you, experiment and make guesses. Even if a plant isn’t listed for your zone, give it a shot but realize that it may only be an annual for you,' he suggests.

Now that you know more about how temperature affects plant growth, it's wise to research the temperatures your indoor and outdoor plants can withstand and make adjustments accordingly. This includes monitoring night temperatures as fall settles in and putting things in place to protect plants from frost.

Renowned for colorful flowers that often have detailed markings, irises are some of the most popular cottage garden plants. As a former professional gardener, I have grown many different species belonging to the Iris genus, ranging from flamboyant bearded irises in borders to miniature varieties for pot displays.

There are over 300 Iris species growing worldwide, most of which are native to Europe and Asia. However, there are 28 species native to North America, many of which are rare or threatened. As many of these native species grow in fragile ecosystems, such as meadows, swamps or wetlands, it is important, where possible, to grow and nurture these special irises.

So, if you are considering what native planting to add to your yard, why not consider some of the best non-bearded iris varieties found across North America? Our guide has all the necessary information, including planting tips to get them in the ground and established during the fall months.

5 best native irises

If you know how to grow irises, you will not need any convincing of how impressive this plant family is. While ranging in color, shape and size, most iris varieties are recognizable for having upright petals (standards), and dropping sepals (falls), creating a firework-like display that you can see in the images here.

Native irises are found growing across all of the lower 48 states and in Alaska, ranging from high elevations and alpine-like environments across the Rocky Mountains, to the low swamp and marshlands in the lower Mississippi River valley. While there is much variety, we take a look at the five best native irises to plant in the fall.

1. Southern Blue Flag Irises

If you are looking for backyard ideas and keen to learn how to grow blue flowers, then the southern blue flag iris, Iris virginica, should be at the top of your list. This native species can be grown from US hardiness zone 5 to US hardiness zone 9.

The southern blue flag iris is typically found growing in Virginia, south to Georgia and Florida, and west to Texas, producing vertical growth to two or three feet tall. Atop these stems, violet-blue blooms will open and prove popular plants for pollinators.

Rhizomes can be planted in garden borders from July through to November, while potted plants can be planted until the end of November. Position these native irises in full sun but note that they enjoy having wet roots, so planting them at the edge of a pond is a good idea.

'We grow several different types of Iris at Oudolf Garden Detroit,' says Meredith Simpson, horticulturist and leading grounds crew member at the Oudolf Garden.

'Visitors love seeing our reblooming irises both in early summer and in fall. In particular, our native blue flag iris, Iris virginica, is wonderful for moist soils and rain gardens. This strong performer blooms a pale blue in late spring and summer and has gorgeous fresh green foliage all season.'

2. Bristle-Pointed Irises

The bristle-pointed iris, or Iris setosa, is a beautiful choice if you reside in cooler, northerly regions. Found growing across much of Canada and Alaska, the tough species can be grown from US hardiness zone 3 to US hardiness zone 8, able to survive harsh, frozen winters without much trouble.

With a preference for full sun or part shade, the bristle-pointed iris will grow no taller than two feet. This species can be grown from seed in a cold frame or greenhouse in the fall and planted outside the following spring.

If you have an established clump in the yard, you can learn when to divide plants, which should be done for this species in October and November.

Bristle-pointed iris seeds can be bought online from Amazon.

3. Dwarf Crested Irises

The dwarf crested iris, or Iris cristata, is a small rhizomatous perennial often seen growing as a ground cover plant and typically reaching no taller than five or six inches.

This native species can be grown from US hardiness zone 4 and above, with a preference for woodland-like environments with some protection from the afternoon sun in slightly damp, loamy soils.

Dwarf crested irises can be planted in the spring or fall months, with shallow planting preferable, as is the case for most rhizomatous plants. Over time, this low-growing iris will spread and creep, creating a carpet-like effect of violet blooms in the summer months.

Iris cristata rhizomes are available to order from Amazon.

4. Louisiana Irises

The Louisiana iris, Iris fulva, produces unusual copper-red flowers that attract bees and butterflies in the spring and summer. Stems range in height from two to three feet tall, and this species thrives in bog, marsh or wetland environments, found growing in alluvial soils across Louisiana and Mississippi.

Iris fulva can be grown from US hardiness zone 6 to zone 9, with a preference for full sun and wet soil, making this an ideal option for a rain garden in an open, unobstructed site.

Plant Louisiana irises in springtime or early fall. You can plant them as late as November in mild regions or where winter arrives later in the year.

Louisiana irises, or copper irises, are available as live plants from Nature Hills.

5. Douglas Iris

If you are looking for California native planting, the Douglas iris, Iris douglasiana, is an elegant species to consider. Found growing across the Pacific coast in California and Oregon, this wild species has a preference for sunshine and moist soil.

The Douglas iris can be grown from US hardiness zone 7, reaching no more than two feet tall. There are many impressive varieties supplied by nurseries, such as the cream-white 'Canyon Snow'. Be warned, however, in grasslands and meadows this species is vigorous and can be considered an invasive plant. Contact your local municipal office to learn more about what should and should not be grown in your region.

'Irises are show stopping perennials that naturally grow in the moist ranges of California,' says Maya Argaman, native plant expert and Horticulture Senior Program Coordinator at the California Native Plant Society.

'With showy flowers emerging in the spring to add delight and elegance to gardens, who wouldn't love irises? They tolerate poor drainage and high moisture, thriving when planted next to a creek or in a naturally wet area.'

If you already have a clump of Douglas iris, you can divide the rhizome in the fall, usually around October or November, or you can grow this species from seed, sowing undercover in a greenhouse in the fall.

FAQs

When should I prune my native irises?

If you are wondering when to cut back irises, it is best to consider this job as part of your fall gardening checklist. Always leave the iris foliage to turn yellow and brown, thereby allowing the plant to return as much energy as possible to the rhizome or bulb. After the first frost, the foliage will flop and fade. At this point, you can cut down to the base of the plant.

For more iris information, take a look at our guide on how to grow bearded irises. While not native to North America, some of these varieties are remarkably ornamental and decorative. I have previously grown many different varieties of Iris germanica, including 'Medici Prince', which has deep maroon falls with a yellow center. Quite a show stopping iris, by any standard.

The evolution of Shasta daisies, Leucanthemum, began with the American pioneer of plant breeding, Luther Burbank. Said to have introduced about 800 different new plant varieties, including the first thornless blackberry, he worked for many years developing these large-flowered, golden-eyed white daisies and named them Shasta daisies for the snow-topped peak of northern California’s Mount Shasta.

Burbank introduced his first Shasta daisy in 1901 and, since then, more and more varieties have been developed on both sides of the Atlantic, and the best offered to American gardeners.

Now, not only are there single flowered varieties of these tough, zone 3-5 hardy perennials with flowers like huge lawn daisies, but double forms, shaggy and frilly forms, anemone-centered varieties and some with creamy, or even bright yellow petals are now available. Here, we profile 10 of the very best Shasta daisies.

10 of the best Shasta daisies for your yard

These are robust plants that carry unusually dark leaves to set off the flowers beautifully. The upright stems branch towards the tips to create a succession of opening daisies that look right up and, if cut back when the final flowers fade, new flowering shoots will often emerge from the base. Their eventual spread depends on how often plants are divided and replanted.

Situation: Full sun or partial shade in any good soil that does not dry out in summer or stand wet in winter. The shortest varieties are good in large containers.

Care: Deadhead regularly to encourage a succession of flowers, cut back hard when the first flush of flowers has faded.

Making more: Most varieties can be lifted, divided and the healthiest pieces replanted in spring. Some can be grown from seed, and may flower in their first year.

Deer resistant? Occasionally severely damaged, generally resistant.

Hardiness: Hardiness varies between USDA zone 3 and zone 5.

A good range of Shasta daisies is available from Nature Hills.

There is also a wide range of Shasta daisies is also available from Walmart.

Alaska

Large white daisies up to 3in cross open on medium-height plants from early summer to early fall, nicely set off by narrow, dark green leaves and stems.

The stems are relatively unbranched, making this variety especially useful for cutting, but one individual plant can be in flower for three months, especially if deadheaded promptly. This is also one of the hardiest varieties, so is ideal in zones 3 and 4. Available as seeds and as plants.

Height: 2-3ft.

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, cottage gardens, cutting, attracting pollinators.

Making more: Lift, divide and replant in spring, start seeds in spring.

Hardiness: USDA zone 3

Leucanthemum (Shasta daisy) ‘Alaska’ is available from Ferry Morse.

Amazing Daisies Series

A series of half a dozen varieties, all developed in Michigan, that combine bright flower power with a long season of bloom.

Look in particular for 'Banana Cream' (lemon yellow buds open to creamy white flowers); ‘Daisy May’ (classic daisy flowers, well branched to give an unusually long flowering season); 'Marshmallow' (large flowers begin semi-double, then mature to a shaggy double look), and 'Spun Silk' (very large flowers, each petal fringed at the tip). Available only as plants.

Height: 20-24in

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, cutting.

Making more: Lift, divide and replant in spring.

Hardiness: USDA zone 5

Belgian Lace

Developing into a low mound of branched stems, the double flowers open all summer and have creamy centers and petals that are delicately fringed at the tips.

Its domed growth allows it to be planted at the front of beds and borders where other varieties would reveal their stems. I’ve also seen it grown as a specimen in a large container. Available only as plants.

Height: 24-26in

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, one of the few Shasta daisy varieties that makes good ground cover.

Making more: Lift, divide and replant in spring.

Hardiness: USDA zone 5

Betsy

Probably the variety with the largest flowers, some sources note them as up to 7in across but 5in is more realistic. Flowers of that size really make an impact but are heavy, especially if they collect heavy rain, so thoughtful support using canes and twine or steel support frames is usually wise.

Deadheading promptly improves the look of the plant with just a few snips. Available as seeds and as plants.

Height: 18-24in

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, cottage gardens, cutting, attracting pollinators.

Making more: Lift, divide and replant in spring, start seeds in spring.

Hardiness: USDA zone 4

Leucanthemum (Shasta daisy) ‘Betsy is available from Burpee.

Crazy Daisy

‘Crazy Daisy’ gets its name from its semi-double flowers, which are made up of a mass of slender petals, each also fringed at the tips, and sometimes twisted, to create a very distinctive slightly explosive look.

The unique shape of the flowers makes ‘Crazy Daisy’ an intriguing cut flower. Offered as seeds and as plants.

Height: 22-26in

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, cottage gardens, cutting.

Making more: Lift, divide and replant in spring, start seeds in spring.

Hardiness: USDA zone 4

Leucanthemum (Shasta daisy) ‘Crazy Daisy’ is available from Eden Brothers.

Goldfinch

A top candidate for the Shasta daisy with the best yellow coloring, the semi-double flowers open in lemon yellow then fade gently to a slightly creamy white creating an attractive harmony of tones.

The bold golden eye adds to the look, as do the slightly frilly tips to the petals. Looks very pretty when cut and arranged with bronze foliage and with other yellow and creamy flowers. Available only as plants.

Height: 18-24in

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, cottage gardens, cutting.

Making more: Lift, divide and replant in spring.

Hardiness: USDA zone 5

Luna

The flowers on this very distinctive variety have a rare pompom format and although a little smaller than the flowers of many varieties, they retain their yellow coloring for up to two weeks.

The flowers then mature into two-tone yellow before finally fading to white with golden tips to each petal and with a golden eye. The plants are mounded, rather than upright in growth, so the flowers almost hide the leaves. Available only as plants.

Height: 18-22in

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, cottage gardens, pollinators, cutting.

Making more: Lift, divide and replant in spring.

Hardiness: USDA zone 5

Real Series

This series of 15 British bred varieties with flowers from the richest yellow to the most sparkling white come in a wide range of different flower forms.

Look out for ‘Real Glory’ (semi-double anemone-centered, with frilly fringed white petals. 36in); ‘Real Goldcup (exceptionally long lasting yellow flowers. 36in); ‘Real Neat’ (very distinctive, with each white petal rolled into a trumpet. 16in), and ‘Real Winner’ (prettily frilly, pure white petals. 24in) but all are good. Available only as plants.

Height: 16-36 in (depending on variety).

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, cottage gardens, and cutting. The shorter varieties are good for containers, single-flowered varieties are also attract many pollinators.

Making more: Lift, divide and replant in spring.

Hardiness: USDA zone 5

Leucanthemum (Shasta daisy) ‘Breal Glory’ is available from Nature Hills.

Snow Lady

Developed specifically to be started from seeds, ‘Snow Lady’ develops quickly from sowing in early spring and will often open its golden-eyed white flowers in its first year.

Set against neat, dark foliage the flowers are shown off brightly. In the plants’ second season the flowers will open on taller, mounded plants that retain their dome shape but on larger plants. Available as seeds, and as plants.

Height: 9-12in (first year), 15-18in (following years).

Good for: The front of perennial and mixed borders, rock gardens, containers, edging and good for pollinators.

Making more: Start from seeds, or lift, divide and replant in spring.

Hardiness: USDA zone 4

Victorian Secret

Neat-growing plants are covered with the familiar golden-eyed white summer flowers. But, in ‘Victorian Secret’, the petals on each flower are not all held at quite the same angle and this gives each bloom a very pretty informal, rather ruffled look. The plants are shorter than many, so are good in containers. Available only as plants.

Height: 15-18in

Good for: Perennial and mixed borders, containers, and good for pollinators.

Making more: Lift, divide and replant in spring.

Hardiness: USDA zone 4

If you already have other hardy perennials growing in your beds and borders, fall is the perfect time to lift and divide them to create new plants to fill gaps in other arts of your yard. Find out other perennials to divide in September in our handy, seasonal guide.

In the best gardens, plants do more than simply look pretty. Of course, their flowers and foliage have to look attractive, but the best varieties have other features to enjoy and appreciate.

In the case of Monarda, commonly known as beebalm or bergamot, the midsummer flowers are certainly colorful. As one of the best plants for pollinators, they provide an important source of nectar and pollen for bees and other insects, as well as hummingbirds. The leaves are powerfully aromatic, as you’ll notice whenever you touch the foliage, and they also make a refreshing minty tea. The powerful aroma from the whole plant usually prevents browsing by deer and rabbits.

These are mostly summer flowering, sun-loving, hardy perennial plants reaching 2-4ft, although shorter varieties are now being developed. The slender arching flowers are gathered in clusters at the tips of the square shoots, and in tiers lower down. The small leaves, immediately below the flower clusters are often tinted in purple or red – adding another attractive feature. Below, we have gathered 10 of the best varieties to consider adding to your planting schemes.

10 of the best monarda varieties for your yard

All monardas are North American native plants that are found in every state and much of Canada, although they’re less often seen growing wild in the west. They belong to the mint family, and are hardy across most of the country.

The creeping stems spread strongly but are shallow-rooted, so can easily be removed if necessary. The main problem is mildew which can turn whole plants grey in dry seasons, but usually seems to do no lasting damage. Keeping the roots damp in summer is a good preventative.

Mildew-resistant varieties are now becoming available along with varieties that stay much more compact, less than half the height of traditional types – so the choice is widening every year.

A good range of monardas is available from Burpee.

Balmy beebalm (Monarda Balmy Series)

An unusually neat and compact series of beebalms in four colors – lilac, such as this one from Burpee, pink, rose, and purple, such as this one from Nature Hills.

The rose and purple types also feature unusually dark leaves. All varieties in the 'Balmy Series' show a good resistance to mildew. Plants may not reach their full height until their second year.

Type: Hardy perennial

Good for: The front of sunny borders, along paths, in large containers, attracting pollinators. Avoid very dry situations.

Height: 12-18in

Care: Plant in spring. Ensure the roots are moist in summer, cut back hard after flowering, then lift, divide and replant every two or three years.

Hardiness: USDA zone 4

Lemon beebalm (Monarda citriodora)

This short-lived species, often grown as an annual, is native to southern states and is easily distinguished by its lemon-scented leaves that make a refreshing tea. Each stem usually carries two clusters of white or blushed summer flowers that are prettily speckled in purple.

Type: Hardy perennial, biennial or annual.

Good for: Refreshing tea, attracting pollinators, restoration plantings.

Height: 20-28in

Care: Deadhead promptly to encourage longevity, or grow as an annual and allow seed to be shed and sprout for a new display. Irrigate in summer to prolong flowering and deter mildew.

Hardiness: USDA zone 5

Scarlet beebalm (Monarda didyma)

The classic, wild red beebalm from which so many improved garden varieties have been developed. Its brilliant coloring instantly appeals, along with the bergamot fragrance of the foliage.

The most widely grown species, 'scarlet beebalms, has foliage that smells of Earl Gray tea. It was found by European settlers near Oswego, NY so is still sometimes known as the Oswego tea plant. Most named varieties are derived, at least in part, from this species.

Type: Hardy perennial

Good for: Sunny perennial borders, attracting pollinators, restoration plantings.

Height: 30-40in

Care: Best in cool summers and in soils that do not dry out. Cut back hard after flowering. Lift, divide and replant every in spring every two or three years.

Hardiness: USDA zone 5

Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa)

Strong growing, making prolific clumps of upright stems carrying strongly aromatic foliage, and topped with two or three clusters of pale lilac flowers.

Native to almost the whole country, and popular with a wide range of insects. This widespread wild species is very pretty. While the variety ‘Humdinger’, available from Burpee, has more richly colored, purple-pink flowers.

Type: Hardy perennial

Good for: Sunny perennial borders, prairies and meadows, restoration plantings.

Height: 2-4ft

Care: Best in cool summers and in soils that do not dry out. Lift, divide and replant every in spring every two or three years but seedlings usually sprout nearby. Often troubled by mildew but plants usually recover.

Hardiness: USDA zone 5

‘Gardenview Scarlet’ beebalm (Monarda ‘Gardenview Scarlet’)

One of the most popular and prolific beebalms for its natural vigor, vivid scarlet flower coloring, resistance to mildew and the purplish tints to the late leaves that color after flowering. It was developed at Gardenview Park, in Ohio, and is a favorite with butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators.

‘Gardenview Scarlet’ beebalm plants are available at Walmart.

Type: Hardy perennial

Good for: Perennial borders, mixed borders, cutting.

Height: 3ft

Care: Plant in spring. Best in full sun and in soils that do not dry out. Cut back to the ground when the last flowers are over to stimulate fresh growth. Lift, divide and replant every in spring every two or three years.

Hardiness: USDA zone 4

Leading Lady beebalm (Monarda Leading Lady Series)

Six recently introduced, very short and bushy varieties that remain tightly clump forming and don’t become a nuisance by spreading.

They come in amethyst, lilac, orchid, pink, plum, such as this one available from Burpee, and raspberry with the lower lip of most prettily spotted in the throat. They also come into flower earlier than other monardas.

Type: Hardy perennial.

Good for: The front of sunny borders, containers.

Height: 10-14in, a little taller in their second year.

Care: Plant in spring, in full sun in rich well drained soil. Irrigate to keep the plants moist in summer.

Hardiness: USDA Zone 4

Lilac 'leading lady' beebalm is also available from Burpee.

‘Panorama’ beebalm (Monarda ‘Panorama’)

‘Panorama’ is different from other monardas as it is usually supplied only as packets of seed. Plants flower in the first year from an early spring seed starting, or on large plants the following summer. The flowers come in a good range of colors including red, pink, salmon, purple and white and some in between shades. This is a very economical way to start with monardas.

Type: Hardy perennial, grown from seeds.

Good for: Mass plantings, cut flowers.

Height: 3ft

Care: Sow seeds in a bright, frost free place in late winter, move the seedlings into individual pots and grow on for planting after the last frost in your area. Plant out 12-8in apart in rich soil in full sun. Deadhead and cut the plants down in fall.

Hardiness: USDA zone 4

Pardon My bee (Monarda Pardon My Series)

Four dwarf, bushy varieties with a valuable resistance to powdery mildew and so ideal in areas with dry summers where mildew is often problem. In spite of their short growth and compact growth, the cerise, lavender, purple or rose flower heads are the same size as those of taller varieties. A little taller, and a little more vigorous than the Leading Lady Series, but still good for small spaces.

Type: Hardy perennial

Good for: The front of sunny borders, containers.

Height: 14-18in, a little taller in their second year.

Care: Plant in spring, in full sun in rich well drained soil. Irrigate to keep the plants moist in summer.

Hardiness: USDA zone 4.

Spotted Horsemint (Monarda punctata)

This underrated plant features two or three tiers of small, crowded speckled flowers settled on a ring of pointed leaves in pale lavender pink and all above unusually dark green leaves. Very pretty and intriguing, spreads less than other varieties and shows some resistance to mildew.

Type: Hardy perennial or biennial.

Good for: Informal borders, prairies and restorations.

Height: 30-40in

Care: Happier in dry conditions than other monardas and tolerates a little shade.

Hardiness: USDA zone 4

‘Raspberry Wine’ beebalm (Monarda ‘Raspberry Wine’)

The raspberry red coloring marks out this prolific variety, richer in color than many varieties whose flowers are mostly scarlet. Its unusually long flowering period is also a feature plus its dark foliage that sets off the flowers well.

Type: Hardy perennial

Good for: Perennial borders, mixed borders, cutting.

Height: 30-36in

Care: Best planted in spring in rich, but well drained soils and divided every two or three years for the most impressive display.

Hardiness: USDA zone 4

Planting with pollinators in mind has never been more important, or more on trend when it comes to our gardens - even container gardening trends. Beebalm is an ideal plant to grow in a container, as this limits its potential to spread in the garden. It's tall stems and brightly colored blooms would make for a striking centerpiece as part of a summer patio or deck display.

If there is one thing I adore about traveling to new places, it’s discovering local plants, flowers and crops - and seeing which varieties of native flora are thriving in the wild. On a recent visit to Singapore, it's no exaggeration to say the jungle-esque planting was supersized throughout the city state.

The climate in Singapore is hot and humid all year round - a perpetual summer - which allows for a vast range of tropical plants and vegetables to grow very happily. The plants are colossal as a result, providing much inspiration for my tropical garden ideas. I saw 9ft tall fiddle leaf figs towering over balcony gardens, and at a park the leaves of an elephant ear plant (Colocasia gigantea) utterly dwarfed me - they were a welcome source of shade during the midday heat.

Some plants and crops, however, were a little more unassuming, but no less impressive. On a visit to an urban farm, I discovered a whole range of herbs, trees, fruits and vegetables thriving in this climate that have incredible uses - definitely plants with superpowers. I’ve gathered some key information and the optimal growing conditions for each one, to see if I can grow some of these amazing plants back home.

Moringa tree

The moringa tree, or Moringa oleifera has lots of well known nutritional benefits and is sometimes referred to as the 'miracle tree' for its medicinal qualities.

According to Carolyn Ortega in the book Kampong Plants & Kampong Planting, written for Bollywood Farms in Singapore, every part of the Moringa tree can be eaten - the bark, seeds, roots and flowers.

Carolyn writes: 'Its tender young leaves are delicate and flavorful, similar to spinach and can be added to curries. Young pods containing edible seeds are also a treat - they taste like green beans.'

The moringa is native to India and Bangladesh and can grow up to 20ft in height. Its light and delicate leaves provide a gentle canopy of shade, and in its ideal habitat it can flower twice a year - once in winter and again in early summer. It prefers temperatures between 77°F and 95°F to grow well outside.

However, it is possible to grow a moringa tree in cooler climates. It can either be grown in a pot and overwintered indoors in a warm and sunny location, or grown as an annual outdoors, which will lose its leaves and go dormant in winter.

You can find moringa trees available at Fast Growing Trees.

Ideal for USDA hardiness zones 10-11

Achiote

This has to be my favorite new plant discovery and most certainly falls into the category of plants with superpowers. The achiote tree, or Bixa orellana, is more commonly known as the lipstick plant.

It has bright pink flowers, which form seed pods once wilted. When split open, these red, heart-shaped fruits contain seeds encased in a layer of orange pulp, that can be crushed into a paste immediately resembling the texture of lipstick. The seeds contain a pigment called bixin, which is used as a natural dye and food coloring.

Achiotes are evergreen trees, which grow to approximately 12ft tall, and like a full sun position. They are native to Mexico and the tropical parts of South America, and as long as they receive adequate sun and heat they will grow with little effort in rich soil and with constant moisture.

As with the moringa tree, if you want to try and grow achiote in a colder climate, consider placing in a large pot and moving into a greenhouse or warm conservatory when temperatures start to drop.

Ideal for USDA hardiness zones 10-12

Calamansi lime

One of the most delicious drinks I tried in Singapore was iced calamansi juice - the most refreshing thing when the tropical heat gets intense, and a welcome source of vitamin C.

These miniature limes grow from the Calamondin tree, native to the Philippines, which requires 6-8 hours of sunlight a day to fruit. It works very well as an ornamental tree, and could be grown in a sunny spot as a tropical indoor plant.

If grown outdoors, they are drought-tolerant and hardier than most citrus plants. These trees are heavy feeders, so consider feeding them with a slow-release fertiliser up to four times a year.

Ideal for USDA hardiness zones 8-12

Sawtooth coriander

One glance at this herb and you'd think it was a weed. Had it not been so well signposted, as you can see from the image above, I wouldn't have looked twice.

Bearing resemblance to a dandelion with its star-shaped growing formation, sawtooth coriander is a stronger, and in my view, even more flavorful version of its regular cousin, cilantro. The edges of its leaves are jagged, which gives this herb its name.

It thrives in hot and humid conditions, so if you live in a cooler climate consider trying this in a greenhouse, or a warm spot in your home. You could also grow it in a humidity dome, such as this one from Amazon.

Also known as Thai coriander, it is packed with calcium, iron and riboflavin, and it's said the leaves can help to remedy flu, constipation and fever.

Ideal for USDA hardiness zones 8+

Pandan

Pandan is among the best plants with superpowers I've ever discovered. Scientifically known as Pandanus amaryllifolius, this herbaceous tropical plant is an integral ingredient in Southeast Asian cooking.

It has sweet, fragrant leaves used to flavour many dishes in Asia - especially deserts and rice. It is also used as a green food coloring, and its leaves are sold fresh, frozen and dried.

It is said to have many health and wellbeing benefits. As Carolyn Ortega writes, research has found that 'oils made from pandan extract are rich in phytochemicals known to relieve symptoms of arthritis'. She also notes it can ease headaches and joint aches.

In its natural environment, pandan prefers well drained, moderately fertile soils. In cooler climates, grow pandan in a pot with a good quality potting mix. If the temperature falls below 50 F°, it is best to move it indoors for protection.

Ideal for USDA hardiness zones 8-11.

Laksa

Similar to pandan, laksa is widely used in Southeast Asian cooking for its distinctive flavor in a huge variety of dishes.

This aromatic herb is a good source of vitamin A and C, and the leaves also contain calcium, potassium and phosphorus. In traditional medicine, the leaves are thought to relieve symptoms of indigestion.

The plant enjoys a hot and humid environment, and is tolerant of tropical rainfall and waterlogged, loamy soil. Laksa ideally wants 4-6 hours of sunlight a day, but it can grow adequately with less. It will also grow well in a pot - doing so will mean you can move your herbs into the sunniest spots in the yard when needed.

Ideal for USDA hardiness zones 9-11.

I love discovering new and interesting plants with superpowers, and learning how best to grow them. With native tropical plants, it can be tricky for many of us living in cooler climates to get the growing conditions exactly right, but with a little planning and the help of a greenhouse it might not be impossible. Plus, there are always other plants to try with similar culinary qualities, such as this unusual herb selection we profiled in a recent feature. 

Rock garden plants are some of the toughest cookies in the backyard. Don’t be deceived by their relatively small size - these weather-resistant wonders can handle almost everything the elements throw at them and are as happy in containers as they are in the soil.

Rock garden plants are also low-maintenance, so are the perfect choice if your time is precious and you need something to create an easy feature.

They are often suited to coastal gardens where conditions can be harsh, and also create an effective feature in a gravel garden.

Rock garden plants hardiness

Always check the hardiness zone you live in before buying plants, to make sure they reach their full potential and aren't killed off by frosts, drought or waterlogging.

Hardiness zones are the 13 different ranges of climate that have been classified by the USDA according to the average lowest winter temperature recorded at weather stations across the country in the ten years up to 2020.

They vary from zones 1 and 2 in the far north, where temperatures can drop to as low as -50F making growing even the most cold-tolerant plants something of a challenge, to zones 10-13 in the very far south. Here, it may be too hot for almost anything to grow.

As well as a range of temperatures, you must also take into consideration humidity and rainfall, as many rock garden plants have evolved to survive extremes of cold and drought and don't always fare well when they receive too much moisture.

Benefits of growing rock garden plants

Rock garden plants are also known as alpine plants or rockery plants, and many of them originate from inhospitable mountainous regions where they are buffeted by extremes of weather.

This makes them perfect for resisting the increasing effects of climate change, and whether you choose succulents, cacti, dwarf bulbs or colorful ground cover plants, there is a variety to fill every space and location.

Fall and winter are the best seasons for building a rock garden because they are, relatively speaking, the quietest times of year in the garden. Add your plants in spring, when the soil is warming up but still damp from winter. This will give your alpines time to get established and grow through summer and fall before the cold, wet winter weather arrives.

Choose a site in your yard that gets plenty of sun and little shade, and avoid frost pockets where cold air gets trapped in winter. Now you're ready to select your plants, and these are 10 of the best that will thrive in a rock garden environment.

1. Aubrieta

Aubrieta is a classic choice when putting together your rock garden ideas. It has a beautiful cascading habit and covers rock gardens and walls with mounds of flowers in shades of pink and purple.

This is a very low maintenance addition to any backyard or rock garden, and simply needs cutting back after they have flowered and started to sprawl to keep them neat. Water and fertilize with a high-potassium tomato feed and they should flower again.

Suitable for hardiness zones 4-8.

You can find aubrieta plants available from Walmart.

2. Sedum

Sedum, also known as stonecrop and hylotelephium, are some of the best succulents to grow and are happy in the dry poor soils of a rock garden.

They have distinctive fleshy leaves in shades of green and burgundy which add an interesting texture to your planting ideas. Their pink flowers also bring colour to the yard in late summer and the fall, and are a vital source of late nectar for pollinators.

Most sedum are suitable for hardiness zones 3-9, though Hylotelephium ewersii or pink Mongolian stonecrop can tolerate conditions in zone 2.

You can find sedum starter plants available from Walmart.

3. Miniature bulbs

Bulbs are an easy way of adding colour to a rock garden through most of the year and will thrive in the free-draining soil that alpines need. Most will grow in a range of areas between hardiness zone 3 and zone 11.

Miniature bulbs are perfect, because they don't overshadow low-growing alpine varieties, and in summer you could grow dwarf dahlias such as the ‘Duet’ series or ‘Mignon’ which have striking dark foliage, or species tulips, which are suitable for US hardiness zones 3-8, also work beautifully.

Do remember though that dahlias are only hardy in zones 8-11, where they can be left in the ground all year with minimal protection. Elsewhere they will need lifting and winterizing in a frost-free place.

Bulbs that flower in the fall include nerines, which are cold-sensitive and only winter hardy in zones 9-11) and autumn crocus, which are hardy in zones 5-9. Able to cope with temperatures down to -10F, they need winter's chill to prompt flowering.

If you are looking for winter flowers, you should consider snowdrops, which grow best in zones 3-7 as they dislike humid conditions, yellow winter aconites (happy in zones 4-7) and hardy cyclamen which will grow in zones 4-7.

4. Sempervivum

Also known as house leeks and chicken-and-hens, Sempervivum like full sun and create ground-covering mats of attractive fleshy rosettes in a range of shades.

They hail from the inhospitable sides of mountains, which makes them easy to care for through winter, and look attractive planted with sedums and other low-growing plants.

As they grow they create excellent areas of ground cover, which helps hold the soil together and prevents moisture evaporating.

Sempervivum are suitable for hardiness zones 3-8.

Succulents and cacti plants are available from Walmart.

5. Conifers

Conifers are often included in rock garden ideas because they add height and a focal point, while the prostrate, spreading varieties can be used as ground cover.

You can achieve height and contrast in your rock garden with evergreen conifers, such as Chamaecyparis 'Blue Moon', which has attractive steel blue foliage.

Juniper ‘Gold Cone’ is also an attractive choice, which has foliage that starts gold but matures to an attractive rich green, and the slow-growing dwarf mountain pine Pinus mugo 'Gnom'.

Conifers are extremely hardy and can tolerate the cold, though they do less well in the heat and humidity of southeast US, and can also suffer in desert conditions.

6. Pinks

Dianthus live up to their common name of ‘pink’ by providing a wealth of pretty pink flowers in a range of shades. Their blooms help break up the sometimes more restrained colours of a rock garden and soften the edges of the rocks.

They have an attractive clove-like scent and restful grey-green foliage and are a magnet for pollinators. Dianthus are also easy to propagate via cuttings or layering.

Dianthus can tolerate a range of hardiness zones and are grown as perennials in zones 10-11, and as annuals in zones 9-3.

Dianthus starter plants available from Walmart.

7. Herbs

Add scent and culinary convenience to your rock garden with aromatic herbs such as creeping thyme, rosemary, lavender and sage.

Or why not try some of the more unusual herbs such as borage or hyssop, and turn your rock garden into even more of a talking point?

Easy to grow, care for and propagate, herbs are also hugely beneficial for pollinators.

Herbs grow in a wide range of hardiness zones, and some of the most common rock garden varieties are safe in zone 5 (sage, thyme, oregano, lemon balm) and zone 8 (bay laurel, rosemary and lemon verbena).

8. Hardy geranium

Hardy geranium, or cranesbill, is a mound-forming perennial with pretty flowers in a range of pinks, purples and blues. They are able to survive and thrive in hardiness zones 4-8.

Easy to grow, they are excellent ground cover plants which help to trap moisture in the soil, and soften the hardest edges of your rockery.

You should prune them back after they have flowered, and they will produce a second flush of colour before the fall.

You can find hardy geranium plants available from Walmart.

9. Pasque flower

Pulsatilla vulgaris, or pasque flower, is a beautiful spring bloomer with traditional associations with Easter.

The buds unfurl to show a silken purple bloom above delicate foliage. Grow in a sunny spot with free-draining soil, though they will also tolerate light shade.

They can cope with full sun in hardiness zones 4-6, but will need light shade in the hotter and more arid zones 7-8.

10. Candytuft

With its clumps of pristine white flowers set above vibrant green leaves and its need for full sun, perennial candtytuft (Iberis sempervirens) is an easy-going must-have for a rock garden.

It is native to the Mediterranean so are at home in dry, gravelly soils which makes it an excellent rock garden plant.

Candytuft behaves differently depending on the hardiness zone it is growing in. Although the plant is hardy in zones 3-9, in warmer areas it acts as an evergreen, in slightly cooler zones it is a hardy perennial and may die back in the fall, whereas in the most northerly areas around zone 3 it is usually treated as an annual and discarded in the fall, or lifted and winterized in a frost-free spot.

How to feed and water rock garden plants

The main requirement of rock garden plants is free-draining soil that doesn’t get waterlogged.

When planting in the soil, weed the area thoroughly and enrich the soil with generous quantities of well-rotted compost or leaf mulch (also known as leaf mold), which will help drainage. Because many alpines hug the ground, they need soil that loses water quickly so their lower leaves don’t rest on damp earth and start to rot.

If you live in a hardiness zone that gets a lot of rain, one way of solving the problem is to cover the soil with a layer of gravel or shingle , which lifts the leaves off damp soil and helps to keep them safe.

You also need to be even more on the ball with weeding than usual, because weeds grow faster and taller than alpine plants and can soon swamp them.

Rock garden plants need to be watered regularly after they have been planted to encourage strong growth and establishment, but after that you only need to water sparingly as their roots will grow deep and search for their own moisture, and too much wetness can cause the lower leaves to rot.

Fertilize your alpines with a general-purpose granular plant feed in spring - Jobe's Organics fertilizer from Amazon would be ideal for the job.

FAQs

 What are the best landscaping materials for a rock garden? 

If possible try to use stones that occur naturally where you live, but always buy them from a reputable stonemason or quarry, never take them illegally. If you can use salvaged or second-hand stone, this is even better as it does not further deplete the earth’s resources.

What is the best mix of potting soil for a rock garden?

Good drainage is key, so whether you are adding a rock garden to your yard for planting a container, aim to create a mix that is one part loam, one part leaf mould or coir and one part grit.

Once you have created your rock garden or container, you will have an attractive, low-maintenance space in your backyard or on your patio that you can enjoy all year round. Rock garden plants behave no differently to any other perennial, so they need deadheading when their flowers fade and cutting back to keep them tidy and healthy.

Dry shade is a problem area many gardeners struggle with. While there are plenty of sun loving blooms that will reward with bursts of color, fragrance and dramatic foliage, shade dwelling plants are often quieter; the unsung heroes that have to be sought out. Add in having to cope with drought conditions too, and you can be left scratching your head for reliable drought tolerant planting ideas.

The good news is that there are plenty of seductive, leafy options for gardeners to try. Bringing seasonal color, structure and texture to dingy, dry areas beneath trees, shrubs and in the shadow of garden buildings, they will not only improve your outlook but increase the biodiversity of your yard. 

Here our experts share their favorite drought tolerant and shade loving plants and how best to grow them.

8 of the best drought tolerant plants for a shady yard

There are many shade-loving perennials that will happily cope with occasional drought conditions. While young plants will need watering regularly at first, once established they can go without water for a short period without any long term damage. 

The evergreen climber Arabian jasmine or Jasminum sambac; the lily grass bulb Ornithogalum umbellatum; and the fascinating umbrella plant Cyperus alternifolius l are all fantastic options. Here are eight more of our top picks for dry, shady gardens. 

1. Epimedium

Widely known as barrenwort, this ground cover plant is hugely underrated. With its mass of heart-shaped leaves – green and often tinged with red or rust tones – and delicate flowers fluttering on top of wiry stems, it’s a captivating plant. Tolerant of deep, dry shade it’s super useful for greening up those problematic and dingy spots beneath trees and shrubs.

Deciduous, semi-evergreen or evergreen, there are more than 30 varieties of Epimedium for practically every spot in the garden, such as the spectacular Barrenwort 'Amber Queen' variety available at Nature Hills.

Growing best in USDA hardiness zones 5-8, this plant will also help to boost your gardens biodiversity  providing a valuable, early source of pollen and nectar for pollinators, as well as shelter for invertebrates and amphibians.

2. Fatsia japonica

One of the prettiest evergreen plants, Japanese aralia or Fatsia japonica is loved by landscape designers and gardeners alike for it’s glossy, palmate lobed leaves and stately form. 

Taking up to 20 years to reach their full height of 13ft, they are the perfect choice for dry, shady areas of the garden, requiring little attention once established. They will best thrive in USDA hardiness zones 8-11. 

The large, showy green leaves have a tropical look, accompanied by tiny white blooms and black fruits in fall.

3. Pyracantha

One of the best landscaping shrubs available, this tough and hardy plant is great option for adding colorful hedging. Also known as Firethorn – thanks to its vibrant orange-red berries and spiteful thorns – Pyracantha is loved by birds and wildlife alike.

Fairly salt tolerant and happy in sun or part shade, this plant thrives in USDA Zones 6-9. You can find Firethorn plants at Nature Hills.

With white flowers in summer, set against glossy dark green foliage, this is a striking evergreen shrub that needs little attention all year round. Growing up to 12-12ft (4-4m) in height and width, they can be trained into a dense hedge by spacing young plants 2ft (60cm) apart. 

4. Fatshedera

A cross between Fatsia japonica and English Ivy, this versatile plant can be grown as ground cover, a shrub or evergreen climber – when tied onto trellis or wires. Tough and robust, it can brighten up a shady spot with its large, leathery leaves but will not shoot, run or prise away stucco or cladding like English Ivy.

It will need watering regularly as a young plant, but once established is very hardy in drought conditions. With just a few varieties available, all from the original hybrid cross dating back to 1910, foliage varies from deep, lush green to variegated forms in shades of cream, green and gold. 

Evergreen down to 5F, fatshedera will die back if temperatures dip below this, but fresh growth will soon appear in spring. Suitable for growing in USDA Zones 7b-9b, it can reach heights up to 5’6’’.

5. Lilyturf

Liriope muscari is a pet friendly ground cover plant  with upright evergreen foliage. Also known as monkey grass, these hardy plants tolerate a range of growing conditions from full sun to shade, clay to sandy soils, and wet or dry sites.

‘Plants are rabbit and deer-proof, making these an easy choice for the no-fuss gardener,’ says master gardener Tabar Gifford. ‘Liriope muscari can be planted in large masses as a grassy groundcover in shaded sites or use to edge beds and pathways. The tidy mounds are also perfect for tucking among perennials. Liriope is happily at home in rock gardens, woodland gardens, and containers. An excellent plant for transitioning from sun to shade.’

Producing long-lasting purple or white flower spikes in fall, these are then followed with clusters of purple-black berries. Tabar adds, ‘Liriope is often used as a grass substitute in low-traffic areas of the landscape, and it provides a great solution for soil cover in shady areas where turf won’t grow.' 

Easy to grow in USDA hardiness zones 5-10, knowing how and when to feed monkey grass is a great way to keep it in top condition. You can find starter Liriope muscari plants at Walmart.

6. Autumn fern

Knowing how to grow ferns is essential for establishing any shade loving drought tolerant border. Dryopteris ferns, often referred to as woodland ferns, are a collection of plants with upright leafy stems – or fronds – arranged in a shuttlecock. Comprising of evergreen and perennial plants, new, shoots usually appear as neat, coils (or croziers) that gradually unfurl to reveal fronds made up of complex and intricately cut pairs of leaflets.

As our selection of best ferns for shade shows, there’s a huge variety of frond shapes and sizes to choose from and many alter color from spring to fall, often with rust red and golden tones. Nature Hills have a wide selection to buy online, such as the Brilliance Autumn Fern. This fern is surprisingly drought tolerant once established, and in hotter climates these ferns will sometimes remain evergreen throughout the year. 

'We’ve used Dryopteris erythrosora in past projects to provide a pop of an orange rust color within our shade gardens,’ says Elliot Rose, founder of Wildwood Landscapes. ‘This pairs nicely with other plants in the same color tone such as an orange variety of Heuchera or wandering Chilean iris - Libertia peregrinans - both which work well in dry shade gardens.’ 

7. Astilbe

Requiring little effort, these compact perennials provide year-round interest with their fluffy flower spikes, spectacular seed heads and deeply cut foliage. Flowering plants that grow every year they perform best in shade and although they are known to thrive in damp conditions, some varieties can cope with much drier conditions once established.

‘Astilbe chinensis, particularly in the “Visions” series, are shade loving perennials that are easy to grow and are more drought-tolerant than other Astilbe varieties,’ says Tabar Gifford. This variety of astilbe grows best in USDA hardiness zones 4-8. 

‘They thrive in shaded areas and produces bright feathery plumes of flowers in a variety of colors. Blooms float atop a mound of fern-like foliage which remains attractive all season, adding texture to shade gardens and borders.’ This plant is also resistant to deer, rabbits, and most pests.

8. Chinese Wild Ginger

A perennial ground cover plant for shade, Chinese wild ginger or asarum splendens thrives in USDA zones 2-8. Extremely drought tolerant, this attractive plant forms carpets of mottled green, heart shaped leaves, reaching just 6-8in high. 

Dense enough to supress weeds and providing shelter for insects and small mammals, the foliage also hides the unusual earth-colored blooms that appear April to June.

Deer and rabbit resistant, this plant spreads via shallow rhizomes. Toxic when eaten, the plant has a slight spicy scent, which also makes it a good slug repellent.

If you're looking for more inspiration and advice on handling shady areas of your yard, take a look at these ground cover plants for shade and the best shrubs for shade.

So many of us yearn to grow gardenias – the fragrance of their shining white flowers is just so tempting and makes them wonderful plants to make your patio smell nice. But frost often damages the flowers and most varieties will not take winters colder than US hardiness zone 8. ‘Frostproof’ is the exception.

Gardenia jasminoides ‘Frostproof’ is a bushy, evergreen shrub with shining dark green leaves that make the ideal background to show off the double, waxy white flowers. The individual flowers open in late spring and early summer, with a scattering of more flowers later in summer, and are up to 3in across. They develop rich, creamy tones as they mature.

With twice as many petals as most gardenias, the individual flowers last longer creating a more prolific display. Plus, the flowers really are what the name says - frost proof - so will not be damaged by any late frosts. Of course, there’s also that rich jasmine scent. It’s like the popular ‘Kleim’s Hardy’ variety - but with the added bonus of double flowers.

How to grow Gardenia ‘Frostproof’ 

Gardenia ‘Frostproof’ prefers sunshine for all or most of the day, and will take full sun in warmer regions better than most gardenias. It flowers well in dry soils, but dislikes wet conditions. Pruning is usually unnecessary, except perhaps to balance the shape of the plant. Mulch with bark or another weed-free organic material in fall.

You can grow gardenia ‘Frostproof’ as an entrance plant, a foundation plant, and at the front of sunny borders. In gardens colder than zone 7, grow in a container and move the plant into a sun room or porch for the winter.

Plant as soon as you get it home, so it will be established before the winter set in.

• Deer resistant Yes
• Hardiness USDA zones 7-10
• Size 5ft high, 4ft wide

Also try:

Take a look at the many other gardenia varieties available from Perfect Plants.

Supplier info

Perfect Plants is a family run nursery based in North Florida that has been supplying plants to landscapers and garden centers for more than 40 years. It began selling direct to gardeners by mail order just over ten years ago.

Heat-loving gardenias are often thought of as tricky plants to keep happy, so knowing you have a variety that can tolerate a cooler setting might boost your chances of success. You can find out more about when to prune and how to fertilize gardenias with coffee grounds in our expert guides.

If you’re looking for easy-to-grow flowering shrubs that also feature fantastic foliage to give color from spring to fall - then search no longer. Spiraeas (sometimes spelt spireas) are the answer.

These twiggy, well-behaved shrubs lose their leaves in winter and will grow almost anywhere, including some of the coldest parts of the country. Some bring us richly colored leaves, while others deliver a flurry spring blossom, making them some of the best shrubs for the front of a house.

One group of varieties open their flat or rounded heads of white flowers in late spring – and can be so prolific that for few weeks they look as if it has snowed. A second group features flattish heads of pink, or sometimes white, flowers later in the season plus golden or purplish leaves from spring to fall. In some especially pretty varieties the new leaves open in red or purple and develop through amber tones to gold. Here, we share 10 of the best spiraea varieties to suit any yard.

10 of the best spiraea varieties

Spiraeas are some of the most cold-tolerant shrubs you can grow. Most are hardy down to USDA hardiness zone 4, (that’s a winter temperature of -30F) and some are even hardy to zone 3. Spiraeas are invaluable in our cooler zones. And they have other fine qualities, too.

Spiraeas will grow in most yards where the soil is not waterlogged or parched. Although happy in full sun or part shade, a long day of sunshine will bring the most prolific flowering and the most colorful foliage in your spiraea.

Another big bonus with spiraeas is that even if never pruned they very rarely outgrow their space. Annual spiraea pruning to boost flower power and foliage effect is easy and quick and, if your spiraea should need rejuvenating, then that’s simple too.

Spiraea ‘Arguta’

Clusters of pure white flowers open all along the branches in mid and late spring, they face upwards from the elegant arching growth to give the plant its common name of bridal wreath. Plant sweet peas to scramble through and flower in summer.

Type Deciduous shrub.

Good for Small garden specimen.

Deer resistant? Yes.

Care Prune promptly after flowering. Mulch in fall.

Hardiness USDA Zone 4-9.

Height 5-9ft.

You can buy Spiraea arguta from Perfect Plants.

Spiraea japonica Double Play Series

A range of seven neat and compact varieties that combine attractive foliage with colorful spring flowers. Double Play Candy Corn (‘NCSX1’) has red shoot tips, bright yellow leaves and purple late spring flowers, Double Play Doozie (‘NCSX2') has rich reddish green foliage, and reddish pink flowers. The others in the series are also well worth considering.

Type Deciduous shrub

Good for Ground cover, low hedging, attracting pollinators, foundation planting.

Deer resistant? Yes.

Care Prune early in spring, deadhead after flowering if necessary. Mulch in fall.

Hardiness USDA Zone 3-8.

Height 2-3ft.

You can find Spiraea japonica Double Play Series at Burpee.

Spiraea japonica ‘Goldflame’

An old favorite, and one of the most popular spiraea varieties, the new shoots are reddish orange maturing to bright yellow and then to green, with flat heads of deep rosy red late spring flowers. Sometimes produces plain green leaves.

Type Deciduous shrub.

Good for Ground cover, low hedging, foundation planting, attracting pollinators.

Deer resistant? Yes.

Care Prune in late winter or early spring, as growth begins, then deadhead after flowering to encourage a second flush of flowers. Snip out any plain green shoots.

Hardiness USDA Zone 4-9.

Height 2-4ft.

You can buy Spiraea ‘Goldflame’ from Nature Hills.

Spiraea japonica ‘Gold Mound’

This low, mounded variety features yellow foliage early in the season, steadily fading to pale green. There are also small heads of reddish pink flower heads in late spring. This is one of the more dainty varieties, good in small spaces that are not heavily shaded.

Type Deciduous shrub.

Good for Containers, the front of the border.

Deer resistant? Yes.

Care Prune in late winter or early spring to encourage flowering growth for later in the season, deadhead after flowering.

Hardiness USDA Zone 4-9.

Height 2-3ft.

Buy Spiraea japonica ‘Gold Mound’ from Perfect Plants

Buy Spiraea japonica ‘Gold Mound’ from Walmart

Spiraea japonica ‘Little Princess’

Neat, compact and well-branched plants feature bluish green foliage sometimes described as looking 'minty', that makes an effective background to the flat heads of tiny reddish pink flowers. Dependably dwarf in habit, and well without pruning.

Type Deciduous shrub.

Good for Containers, foundation planting, small sunny borders.

Deer resistant? Yes.

Care Prune in late winter or early spring to encourage flowering growth for later in the season, deadhead after flowering.

Hardiness USDA Zone 4-8.

Height 18-30in.

Buy Spiraea japonica ‘Little Princess’ from Perfect Plants.

Spiraea japonica Magic Carpet (‘Walbuma’)

This improved version of the popular ‘Goldflame’ is more compact and its golden orange shoot tips mature to almost lemon yellow, with no plain green shoots, although becoming a little greener in high summer in the south. The flower clusters are bright reddish pink.

Type Deciduous shrub.

Good for Foundation planting, ground cover, the front of a sunny border.

Deer resistant? Yes.

Care Prune in late winter, dead head as the flowers fade, mulch in fall.

Hardiness USDA Zone 4-8.

Height 2-3ft.

You can buy Spiraea japonica Magic Carpet (‘Walbuma’) from Nature Hills.

Spiraea nipponica ‘Snowmound’

Dense, well-branched growth is made up of elegant arching branches lined with upward-facing clusters of pure white flowers in spring and early summer, almost hiding the slightly bluish green leaves

Type Deciduous shrub.

Good for A specimen in small yards, mixes well with perennials.

Deer resistant? Yes.

Care Remove one of the oldest branches low down after flowering. Mulch in fall.

Hardiness USDA Zone 4-8.

Height 3-5ft.

Buy Spiraea nipponica ‘Snowmound ’from Nature Hills.

Spiraea prunifolia

A tough, twiggy and undemanding shrub with fully double white buttons lining the branches in spring, with the bonus of yellow and orange fall foliage color. One of the plants that survives neglect on abandoned homesteads, so will survive less than ideal care in the garden.

Type Deciduous shrub.

Good for Poor soil, inexperienced gardeners. The only variety with dainty double flowers.

Deer resistant? Yes.

Care After flowering, cut out a piece of the oldest growth low down on the plant and remove any dead wood. Mulch in fall.

Hardiness USDA Zone 4-9.

Height 4-8ft.

Buy Spiraea prunifolia from Nature Hills

Spiraea thunbergii Mellow Yellow (‘Ogon’)

The bright golden-yellow foliage retains its color all through the season without turning green - even in the south. Its clusters of white flowers open in early spring, before most other varieties.

Type Deciduous shrub.

Good for Early season floral impact, all summer foliage color.

Deer resistant? Yes

Care Prune as the flowers fade to encourage the brightest summer growth. Mulch in fall.

Hardiness USDA Zone 4-8.

Height 4-5ft.

Spiraea x vanhouttei

First grown in the mid 1800s and still going strong, clusters of white flowers line up alternately along graceful branches in mid to late spring on plants that may spread wider than high.

Type Deciduous shrub.

Good for Dramatic spring specimen, a good host for a summer clematis.

Deer resistant? Yes.

Care Remove one or two of the oldest shoots after flowering to encourage vigorous new growth from the base. Mulch in fall.

Hardiness USDA Zone 3-8.

Height 6-8ft.

Buy Spiraea x vanhouttei from Nature Hills.

FAQs

Why have the flowers on my spiraea changed color?

Older varieties of spiraea with flat heads of pink flowers sometimes change to white – and white flowered varieties sometimes change to pink. Occasionally, you’ll even see flat flowerheads in both colors on the same branch. It just happens, and golden leaved varieties may change to green.

This is mainly a problem with old varieties such as ‘Anthony Waterer’, so go for modern varieties such as those in the Double Play Series.

There are so many benefits to having a spiraea in your yard, not least this shrub's low maintenance nature and tolerance to extremes of temperature. Every yard should have one. You can discover more flowering shrub inspiration in our expert guide.

Looking around the yards and parks and the wilder areas of the southern coastal states it’s obvious how the trees and other plants are different from those in, say, the north east. It’s all down to the climate and, in particular, how low the temperature drops in winter – how cold it is and for how long and how deep this cold penetrates the soil.

Although in US hardiness zones 10 to 13, plants can be threatened by conditions that are either too cold or too hot, a huge variety of plants will be happy outside in your yard.

Often, these are plants grown as house plants in colder parts of the country, weeping fig for example, or plants treated as annuals in colder areas, such as petunias. Here, we take an in-depth look at a huge range of trees, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables that will grow well to help you understand how to garden in US hardiness zones 10-13.

About hardiness zones

The United States Department of Agriculture has collated data from weather stations across the country and used it to divide the country into 13 zones where the lowest winter temperatures are similar. These zones, each covering 10F, are displayed on a plant hardiness color map to make it easy to check the zone for your area.

Zone 1 is the coldest zone, where very few plants of any kind grow, zone 13 is the hottest. In zone 1 conditions are too cold to allow much plant life, in zone 13 the situation is similar for the opposite reason – too hot.

Plants have been classified using the same system and, on plant tags, in printed and online catalogs, and in books and magazines, you’ll find that each plant comes with its own hardiness rating. All you need to do is match the plant’s hardiness rating to your zone.

In the hottest zones it’s partly a matter of winter temperatures, but summer temperatures can also be too hot for some plants so, sometimes, a range of ratings are given – Z9-11, means that the plant will not grow well in zones colder than zone 9 or warmer than zone 11.

Choosing plants for Zone 10

Most trees and shrubs for these warmer zones are evergreens, some flower for long periods and while some are suited to high rainfall and moist conditions, other prefer good drainage and plenty of sun.

The lowest winter temperatures in zone 10 are between 30F and 40F, in zone 11 are 40F to 50F and zone 12 are 50F to 60F. Only a few tiny areas in Hawaii are rated as zone 13, above 60F.

As always, it can be worth trying plants rated a zone on either side of your own, if the conditions in your yard are favorable you may get lucky.

Evergreen trees

Coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) Symbolic of the tropics with the familiar fruits carried on a crown of foliage at the top of a tall, slender trunk. Needs full sun. Zone 11.

Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia) Clusters of red or orange, slightly orchid-like, late spring and summer flowers are set against delicate fern-like foliage. Zone 11.

Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) Elegant, small-leaved tree eventually making a large tree. Do not plant near houses. Zone 10.

Also try: Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla), Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus species), southern yew (Podocarpus macrophyllus). You can find a range of eucalyptus trees available at Fast Growing Trees.

Shrubs

Angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia x candida) Single or double, heavily scented pendulous trumpets come in many soft pastel shades in summer and fall. Can be trained as a small tree or as a bushy shrub. Zone 11.

Croton (Codiaeum variegatum) Spectacular multicolored foliage plants with shining, leathery leaves in a wide range of leaf shapes and patterns. Takes sun, but hates drought. Zone 10.

Oleander (Nerium oleander) This adaptable shrub or small tree has clusters of summer flowers in a wide range of red and pink shades, plus white, and grows almost anywhere in full sun. Zone 10.

Also try: Ti plant (Cordyline fruticosa), Frangipani (Plumeria species), Chinese hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis).

Vines

Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea glabra) This vigorous, thorny scrambler has colorful clusters of papery summer flowers in red, pink, white and many other shades. Do not fertilize! Prune (carefully) when necessary. Zone 10.

Moonflower (Ipomoea alba) Heavily scented, pure white, flared flowers open in the evening and close in the morning. Zone 10.

Mandevilla (Mandevilla splendens) Slightly twisted, almost flat-faced flowers mainly in reds, pinks and white open from late spring to fall on dependable plants. Wear gloves when pruning to avoid sap contact. Every southern home should have one. Zone 10.

Also try: Lablab bean (Lablab purpureus), Cup and saucer vine (Cobaea scandens), Bridal flower (Stephanotis floribunda).

Ground covers

Ice plant (Dorotheanthus) Low and spreading, ideal in dry soil in full sun, bright flowers like daisy lookalikes face upwards above succulent leaves. Zone 10.

Coleus (Coleus) Spectacular foliage plants for sun or shade, in a surprising range of colors and color combinations. Check tags for low, spreading varieties. Zone 10.

Fan flower (Scaevola) Pretty fingered flowers in blues, pink and white creep steadily, rooting as they go. Popular as an annual in colder zones. Zone 10.

Also try: Silver falls (Dicondra), Mondo grass (Ophiopogon), Star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). You can find star jasmine available at Nature Hills.

Shade perennials

Bromeliads (Many types) Start with aechmeas, neoregelias or porteas. Check the needs of each before buying. Some are best grown attached to tree branches. Zone 10.

Taro (Colocasia), Orchids (Many types) Many are easy to grow and adaptable new varieties are constantly appearing. Start with dendrobiums, oncidiums, or phalaenopsis. Check the requirements of each before buying. Zone 10.

Bird of paradise (Strelitzia) Exotic orange and yellow flowers like tropical birds are held just above dramatic foliage. Benefits from an occasional tidy-up as the leaves become ragged. Zone 10.

Also try: Elephant’s ear (Alocasia), Foliage begonia (Begonia), Coleus (Coleus).

Sun perennials

Mangave (Agave) Succulent rosettes, prettily patterned and shaped, stand out dramatically against gravel and those in the Mangave Series always remain neat enough for small yards. Zone 10.

Aloe (Aloe) Upright stems emerge from rosettes of fleshy foliage and are topped with spikes of tubular flowers in orange and yellow shades. Many types in addition to the familiar Aloe vera. Zone 9.

Banana (Ensete) Very large paddle-like leave, tinted deep red in the best varieties, quickly make a bold focal point. Prefers shelter from strong winds. Zone 9.

Also try: Echeveria (Echeveria), Lobster claw (Heliconia), Tuberose (Polianthes).

Bulbs

Elephant’s ears (Alocasia) Huge leaves like monster arrowheads boldly patterned and often with brightly silvered veins quickly mature into impressive specimens. Zone 9.

Angel Wings (Caladium) Compact clumps of unmistakably patterned leaves in combinations of green, silver and red light up the summer garden. Hates chills. Zone 10.

Glory lily (Gloriosa) A climbing lily – yes, really – with tendrils at the tips of its leaves and distinctive red-and-yellow flowers or, sometimes, in bright red or bright yellow. Zone 10.

Also try: Begonia (Begonia), Taro (Colocasia), Amaryllis (Hippeastrum)

Native shrubs

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) Very vigorous vine, clinging by tendrils, with astonishingly detailed flowers in lavender and white. Zone 10.

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) A valuable low palm with fronds split into up to thirty slender divisions, spreading steadily. Happy in shade. Zone 9.

Desert mallow (Sphaeralcea ambigua) A small shrub with grayish leaves and orange or apricot-colored flowers topping the upright shoots. Best in dry soil, in sun. Zone 10.

Also try: Gumbo Limbo (Bursera simaruba), Lemonade Berry (Rhus integrifolia), Scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea).

Native annuals and perennials

Century plant (Agave) Superb, succulent rosettes with juicy foliage in grays, blues, crimsons and a quickly increasing range of leaf shapes and patterns. Can mature into impressive specimens. Zone 10

California poppy (Eschscholtzia) Sun loving annuals with prettily cut, sometimes silvered, foliage and bright, upward facing flowers in both fiery and pastel shades. Zone 8. You can find California poppy seeds at True Leaf Market.

Blue porterweed (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis) Well known for its appeal to butterflies, its pretty blue flowers only open for a day but more flower buds keep opening. Zone 10.

Also try: Bromeliads (Bromeliad family), St. Andrew’s cross (Hypericum hypericoides), Yellow trumpet flower (Tecoma stans).

Annuals

Impatiens (Impatiens) From the many colors of Impatiens walleriana to New Guinea types with their lustrous foliage, beware of others that may spread too rapidly. Keep moist. Zone 11.

African daisy (Gazania) Large daisy-like flowers in mainly fiery shades are set against slender dark green or gray foliage. Best in dry conditions. Zone 10.

Petunia (Petunia) Prolific, long-flowering and dependably colorful, some now feature extraordinary bicolored patterns. Zone 11.

Also try: Million bells (Calibrachoa), Coleus (Coleus), Star of the Veldt (Osteospermum).

Vegetables

Lettuce Grow as a cut-and-come-again crop, harvested by snipping with scissors and leaving to shoot again. Zone 10.

Sweet potato Easy to grow, although the leafy vines occupy a great deal of space. The roots keep for many months after harvest, some even have attractive, colorful foliage. Zone 10.

Squashes Including summer squashes such zucchini, pattypan, crookneck and luffa, all of which are harvested when small and with the skin soft and tasty - plus pumpkins. Zone 10.

Also try: Chilies, cucumbers and eggplant.

Fruits

Bananas Crop heavily once established, best in a sheltered site where the huge leaves are protected from storms. The variety ‘Cavendish Dwarf’ is ideal in tight spaces. Zone 10.

Dragon Fruit A little like a kiwi fruit but, in fact, this is the fruit of a cactus – but unlike most cacti it dislikes a dry site. High in nutrients and low in calories. Zone 10.

Papaya With fruits rather like a mango, and attached directly to the trunk, you need a bisexual plant, or both a male and a female. Zone 10.

Also try: Custard apple, mango and pineapple.

You can discover more tropical garden ideas and inspiration for tropical plants in our dedicated guides.

When we decide to paint our homes, the most obvious question we ask ourselves is, ‘What color?’

However, there are several other more important considerations that we might guess at, such as the paint finishes and durability. Professional painters warn that these are two of the most important things to consider when redecorating, and leaving them up to chance could spell disaster for your DIY project.

Here, the experts have explained how to pick the right paint for the job by taking the surface, location, and environment into consideration.

How to pick the right paint for a job

Luckily, picking the right paint for a job is not rocket science. With the right knowledge, it is even easier than choosing paint colors (a decision that we know can take weeks at best).

1. Consider the surface

The most important part of picking the right paint for the job is to consider what surface you are painting. ‘Different surfaces require different types of paint for proper adhesion. For example, latex paint is suitable for drywall and plaster, while oil-based paint may be better for metal or wood surfaces,’ explains Andriy Boyko, seasoned handyman and masonry expert at A.O.Handy Inc. ‘Consider the material of the surface you're painting and choose a paint that is compatible.’ More often than not, the paint tin will detail what the paint can be used on, and what should be avoided.

From there, it is about deciding on the finish and paint sheen levels – this is how the paint actually looks on the wall. I.e. if it is flat, shiny and reflects light, and so on. ‘Paint finishes range from flat to high gloss, each offering different advantages,’ Andriy continues. ‘Flat and matte finishes are ideal for ceilings and walls as they hide imperfections, while satin and semi-gloss finishes are more durable and easier to clean, making them suitable for high-traffic areas like kitchens and bathrooms.’

• Interior walls and ceilings: 'For walls in low-traffic areas like bedrooms, a flat or matte finish works well,’ begins Shlomo Cherniak, professional handyman and owner of Cherniak Home Services. ‘It hides imperfections but can be difficult to clean. For higher-traffic areas like hallways or kids' rooms, opt for an eggshell or satin finish - it's more durable and easier to wipe clean.
• Exterior walls: 'Semi-gloss or high-gloss paints are ideal for trim, cabinets, and doors. The higher sheen makes them more durable and easier to clean.
• Trims and cabinets: 'Semi-gloss or high-gloss paints are ideal for trim, cabinets, and doors. The higher sheen makes them more durable and easier to clean,’ Shlomo concludes.

2. Think about functionality

With the paint mix and finish detailed, you now need to decide if you need the paint to do anything else other than stick to the surface and look pretty, adds Andre Kazimierski, CEO, Improovy Painters of La Grange. ‘This is most relevant to areas like the kitchen and bathroom, but can also apply for high-touch, high-traffic areas like hallways,’ he shares. In these areas, you will likely want to pick a paint that doubles as a moisture blocker to prevent mold and mildew growth in high humidity or, when picking the best type of paint for kitchens, an anti-grease paint that will look better longer than regular wall emulsion.

‘You want paint in these areas to stand up well to moisture and be easy to clean, whereas the paint you choose for your living room, office, and bedroom can be more or less whatever you like the most aesthetically,’ Andre says. ‘Flat paint is notoriously a nightmare to clean, because it's so easy to remove, while something with a higher sheen like eggshell or satin will do very well with repeated cleaning.

‘I tend to recommend a semi-gloss for bathrooms since it holds up very well against high humidity,’ he adds.

3. Try before you buy

There is no underestimating how important it is to use paint samples correctly. Trying before you buy is the best way to determine if you have picked the right paint for the job or not, urges Andriy Boyko, seasoned handyman.

‘Many paint manufacturers offer sample pots or swatches that allow you to test the color and finish before committing to a larger purchase. Take advantage of these options to ensure you're happy with the final result.’

4. Read reviews

Once you have decided on color, type, and aesthetics such as satin vs matte paint, you are more or less ready to commit to a larger tin and start work. However, before shopping, Andriy Boyko, a seasoned handyman, suggests reading some reviews (by both tradesmen and homeowners) about what the paint is like to work with. Not all paint is made the same, after all.

‘Before purchasing paint, do some research online or ask for recommendations from friends, family, or professionals. Reading reviews and testimonials can give you valuable insights into the quality and performance of different paint brands and products.’

5. Consult professionals

Finally, if you are ever in doubt about making the right paint decision, you can consult a professional for help, suggests Seth Miles of Groovy Hues Painting Services:

‘When in doubt, I highly recommend asking an expert at your local paint store like Benjamin Moore or Sherwin-Williams. The associate will generally ask you what surface you are painting, what condition the surface is in, whether it is a high-traffic area or you have pets/kids, and what outcome you hope to get.’

FAQs

How can you tell if the paint is good quality?

You can often tell if a paint is good quality by looking at the ingredients, price, and consistency. More often than not, you get what you pay for in paint, so more expensive options are more likely to be higher quality as they have higher percentages of paint pigment to acrylic chips. Lower-quality paints will also have binding ingredients such as clay, silica, and talc to keep the color consistent, while higher-quality paints will have more natural binders. Finally, cheap paint is often a lot thinner and will require more coats or additional priming for an even finish that doesn't flake or chip. Quality paint should still be used with a primer for best results, but you won’t need to layer them up for the same results.

Generally speaking, it is hard to pick the wrong paint unless you do so intentionally. Most paint tins are labelled with the finish and the applications and surfaces it can be used on. Just be sure to always test the paint out first in the area you want it to test how it applies, and the color and sheen level once dry and you will be off to the races.

That being said, always be sure to never use exterior paint indoors due to their high VOCs, and avoid using interior paint outside if you want your project to last.

Fortunate gardeners live in US hardiness zone 9, as the choice of plants you can grow is vast. 

Gardens in zone 9 experience only light frost, or sometimes none, allowing for a wide range of plants that appreciate warm temperate and subtropical conditions to thrive. The average lowest winter temperatures in zone 9 are 20F to 30F, and the zone is sometimes split into zone 9a (20-25F) and zone 9b (25-30F). 

The growing season is also longer, giving you much more scope if you choose to grow vegetable and fruit crops. If you garden in zone 9, we have gathered a comprehensive list of plants, flowers, shrubs, natives and trees that will grow well in your local climate. 

About hardiness zones 

What do we mean when we say that a plant is 'hardy'? In general, it means that it will happily grow outside in our yard, year round. But just because I say that a plant is hardy in my yard, it doesn’t mean that the same plant will grow happily year round in your yard.

In the yard next door – almost certainly. At the other end of the county – probably. In the next state – well, maybe not. This is where the system of hardiness zones comes in. This is a way of seeing, almost instantly, if a plant you’d like to grow will live in your climate.

The United States Department of Agriculture, which does more good work for gardeners than many people realize, has divided the whole country into 13 geographical zones according to the average lowest winter temperatures recorded at weather stations all over the country.

Just about every plant that is available for us to grow has also been allocated a hardiness rating. These hardiness ratings indicate the lowest winter temperatures in which the plant will grow. They are based on the same temperatures as the hardiness zones, so all you need to do is match the hardiness zone of your garden with the hardiness rating of the plant you’d like to grow. A plant’s hardiness rating is displayed on tags, websites, and catalogs.

Choosing plants for zone 9

It’s valuable to remember that plants rated for many colder zones will also grow well in zone 9. At the same time, zone 9 may be too warm for some plants, especially those that grow wild at high altitudes. Sometimes, a combined plant hardiness rating is given. For example: zone 4-9 indicates that the plant will not thrive in zones colder than zone 4 or warmer than zone 9.

Also, its good advice sometimes to try plants rated in the next zone up – zone 10 plants in zone 9, for example – as in a sheltered situation and with good soil drainage they may well be happy.

Finally, many plants recommended for colder zones will develop especially well in zone 9 and such universal favorites are always welcome.

Deciduous trees

Purple orchid tree (Bauhinia variegata) This splendid, deer-resistant specimen shrub or small tree usually loses its leaves in cooler areas, but retains it foliage in warmer sites. The large orchid-like winter flowers are pink or purple.

Sourwood Tree (Oxydendrum arboreum) Fragrant creamy summer flowers are held on sprays like a dainty lily-of-the-alley and, in fall, the whole tree turns fiery or crimson.

Black walnut (Juglans nigra) This large tree with bold foliage, impressive when small and majestic as it matures, needs plenty of space. Hardy down to zone 4, but at its best in zone 9.

Also try: Red maple (Acer rubrum), Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus), Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia).

Evergreen trees

Queen palm (Syagrus romanzoffiana) This attractive, single-stemmed palm has dark green, rather feathery, fronds topping an upright stem. Will take a night or two of low temperatures.

Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) Classically elegant, the slender pencil shape is made up of fine, blue-green needles and looks very stylish planted in small groups. Needs good drainage.

Fragrant teaolive (Osmanthus fragrans) From early fall into spring, this neat rather upright evergreen tree opens its small but heavily scented flowers, often with the bonus of a scattering of summer flowers.

Also try: Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata), Lemon cypress tree (Cupressus macrocarpa), Golden raintree (Koelreuteria bipinnata).

Deciduous shrubs

Chastetree (Vitex agnus-castus) Broad, airy, branched spikes of small purple summer flowers are set among aromatic foliage. Hardy in zone 8, but usually damaged in winter. Thrives in zone 9.

Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) More shrubby than tree-like, the huge bowl-shaped flowers are up to 10in across. The plant is hardy in zone 8, but the vigorous spring growth is often damaged by frost. Zone 9 is safer.

Elliott’s huckleberry (Vaccinium elliottii) Clusters of small, white bell-shaped flowers open in spring and are followed by impressive fall foliage color as the leaves turn to shades of red and reddish purple.

Also try: Cockspur coral tree (Erythrina crista-galli), Fig (Ficus carica), Knock out roses (Rosa Knockout Series).

Evergreen shrubs

Angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia) Large, trumpet-shaped flowers, up to 12in long, swing from the arching branches through a long summer and with an almost intoxicating evening perfume.

Sago palm (Cycas revoluta) Not a true palm but looks like one, maturing into a low, multi-stemmed plant with 4ft, dark green, fern-like foliage. Insists on good drainage and sun.

Oleander (Nerium oleander) This upright, dark-leaved shrub has summer flowers in a wide range of colors – single and double – on plants that rarely exceed 12ft in zone 9.

Also try: Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora), Flowering maple (Abutilon pictum), Sweet bay (Laurus nobilis).

Vines

Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) Strong growing native honeysuckle, hardy in colder zones but at its best in Zone 9, has clusters of tubular orange red spring and summer flowers.

Passion flower (Passiflora) Extraordinary and fascinating flowers with a remarkable structure, and in many colors, sometimes followed by orange fruits. Vigorous, but easily restrained if necessary.

Black-eyed Susan vine (Thunbergia alata) Stems twine up any support, opening yellow summer flowers, each with a jet black center. Varieties in orange, red and pastel tones are now becoming available, some without the black eye.

Also try: Scarlet clematis (Clematis texensis), White jasmine (Jasminum officinale), Confederate jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides).

You can find a range of vining plants available at Nature Hills. 

Ground covers

Creeping rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus Prostrata Group) Low growing form of the popular garden herb, hugs the ground and its blue flowers open in winter. Highly aromatic.

Bayhops (Ipomoea pes-caprae) Also known as railroad vine, the two-tone pink trumpets open all year above heart-shaped leaves on plants that vigorously cover the ground and enjoy sea spray.

Verbena (Verbena) These fine plants for baskets, with clusters of flowers in many colors, also make very effective summer ground cover. Look for the Superbena Series.

Also try: Gardenina (Gardenia), Blue star creeper (Laurentia fluviatilis), Asiatic jasmine (Trachelospermum asiaticum).

Shade perennials

Japanese Painted Fern (Athyrium) Beautifully patterned fronds in crimson, silver and green make fine partners for broad-leaved hostas and fine-leaved sedges.

Toad lily (Tricyrtis) Don’t be put off by the common name! The flowers are like small lilies, often prettily patterned and spotted and lasting very well when cut. And they’re at their peak late in the season.

Coral bells (Heuchera villosa) Large, soft, peachy-colored evergreen leaves, the variety ‘Southern Comfort’ has been developed for the summer heat of the south. You can find this Heuchera variety available at Walmart.

Also try: Bugleweed (Ajuga) Astilbe (Astilbe), Mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus).

Sun perennials

Gerbera daisy (Gerbera) Upright facing daisies in every color but blue are held on strong stems. Look for the unusually prolific Garvinea Series, 

Ginger lily (Hedychium) Easy-to-grow, exotic looking plants with bold leaves and late summer spikes of small, scented, orchid-like flowers in white, yellow, orange or almost red.

Four o’clock (Mirabilis jalapa) Named for its habit of opening its red, purple, pink, yellow or white flowers toward the end of the afternoon. Sometimes, the flowers are striped.

Also try: Hummingbird mint (Agastache), Century plant (Agave), Dahlia (Dahlia).

Spring flowering bulbs

Blackberry lily (Belamcanda) Orange, upward-facing, late summer flowers are symmetrically patterned in rusty red. Uncommon, but pretty and easy to grow.

Daffodil (Narcissus) The most adaptable of spring-flowering bulbs and happy in so many zones, the Jonquil and Tazetta types are best for zone 9.

Windflower (Anemone coronaria) Large, upward-facing spring flowers in bright colors are good in flower borders and for cutting. Best in sun and with good drainage.

Also try: Cape cowslip (Lachanelia), Aztec lily (Sprekelia), Forest lily (Veltheimia).

Summer flowering bulbs

African lily (Agapanthus) Large heads packed with of blue, white or bicolored summer flowers – sometimes hundreds - carried on upright stems from among slender foliage. Happy in wetter soil than many summer bulbs.

Begonia (Begonia x tuberhybrida) A long summer season of mainly double flowers in many colors and bicolors. Good for gardens and containers, some trail attractively.

Freesia (Freesia) Superb scent from long-lasting, crocus-like flowers in many colors, in zone 9 the bulbs will increase steadily if planted in well-drained soil in sun or a little shade.

Also try: Canna (Canna), Dahlia (Dahlia), Tuberose (Polianthes).

Native shrubs

California lilac (Ceanothus) Small-leaved evergreen with the richest blue flowers of any shrub in late spring and early summer. Quick-growing, but can be short-lived.

Summersweet (Clethra alnifola) Probably the most fragrant of any native shrub, happy in cooler zones but at its peak in zone 9 Look for new, neater varieties.

Coralbean (Erythrina herbacea) Dramatic plant with brilliant red summer flowers, sometimes dies back but re-grows the following year. Happy in sea spray.

Also try: Buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus), Yaupon Holly (Ilex vomitoria), Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens).

Native perennials and bulbs

Southern swamp lily (Crinum americanum) Attractive white heavily scented flowers feature six long slender petals and are unusually happy in wet conditions.

Blanket Flowers (Gaillardia aristata) Brilliant daisy flowers in fiery shades, and with a honeyed eye, face upwards on vertical stems. Needs sun and good drainage. These striking blanket flowers are available from Nature Hills. 

Peruvian Lily (Hymenocallis) Extraordinary flowers like spidery white daffodils, from bulbs that also look like daffodils, are heavily scented in evening and at night.

Also try: Rocky Mountain bee plant (Cleome serrulata), Switch grass (Panicum virgatum), Scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea).

Annuals

Million Bells (Callibrachoa) Brings us a very long season of colorful dainty bells on trailing plants, in Zone 9 it also works very well as low ground cover.

Moon flower (Ipomoea alba) Opening in evening and closing as the sun rises, the white moon flower trumpets are heavily scented and open fresh flowers every day.

Purslane (Portulaca) Dazzling, cup-shaped mainly single or sometimes double flowers in many vivid colors on sun-loving plants. Good for the front of the flower garden and containers

Also try: Wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens), Petunia (Petunia), Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus).

Vegetables

Chili peppers A huge variety of shapes and sizes, most ripening to red – some extremely hot, some mild. Choose varieties for the heat-strength you prefer.

Eggplant Needs protection in cooler zones, but in zone 9 can be grown outside for a long season of summer cropping. Look for white and striped varieties as well as the usual purple.

Okra This essential ingredient of gumbo enjoys good light, thrives in damp soil and responds well to feeding. Some varieties may grow as tall as the gardener, so check the notes in the catalog and choose carefully. You can buy heirloom okra seeds at Burpee. 

Also try: Corn, Cucumbers, Zucchini.

Fruits

Citrus There’s nothing quite like your own, home grown, oranges, lemons, key limes or grapefruit. And as well as the juicy harvest, the flowers have that special orange-blossom fragrance.

Olive Olive trees need a hot, dry summer and a cool damp winter – these are the conditions in the Mediterranean region where they’ve been grown for thousands of years. For the best crop, grow two different varieties.

Starfruit Yellow fruits just under an inch long, taste a little like a blend of citrus and grape and reveal a star cross-section when cut.

Also try: Avocado, Passion fruit, Pecan.

With such a wide range of plants and crops available to grow, gardeners in zone 9 can really get creative. If you're looking for more inspiration this month, here are 7 vegetables to plant in June and harvest fresh crops from in the fall. 

How cold is your yard in winter? How deep does the winter frost penetrate the ground? Will plants that are native in your area survive winter better than plants that grow wild in other parts of the world?

The answer to all these questions is that gardeners no longer need to ask them. It’s now easy to choose plants for your yard that will not be killed by winter’s cold; to choose plants that have exactly the winter tolerance you need. 

This is how it works. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has divided the country into 13 different areas, hardiness zones, according to the average lowest winter temperature. The USDA accessed data from weather stations across the country to create the map, which was last updated in 2023. Here, we take a closer look at what this means, and the best plants - from bulbs, trees, natives, vegetables and annuals - to grow if you live in zone 8. 

US hardiness zones explained

Hardiness zone 8 covers areas with a lowest winter temperature of 10F to 20F. For additional accuracy, each zone can be split into two subzones, zone 8a (10F to 15F) and 8b (15Fto 20F), for example, but this level of detail is not always needed.

At the same time, for decades now, horticultural experts across the country have been assessing all the plants that we grow and allocating each variety a hardiness rating, that indicates the lowest winter temperatures that the plant will tolerate. 

Hardiness ratings for individual plants can be found on plant tags, on websites hosted for mail order nurseries and advisory organizations, in books, magazines – hardiness ratings are cited Z8 or Zone 8. These hardiness ratings match the hardiness zones so you can tell in an instant if a plant is hardy enough to survive the winter in your area

Choosing plants for Zone 8

Matching the USDA Hardiness Zone for your area with the hardness rating for individual plants is the best guide to which plants are winter hardy in your area.

But although this is by far the best approach to choosing plants, it’s not 100% guaranteed. Soil conditions, drainage, shelter and other factors are also an influence. So if you garden in zone 8 and you’re tempted by a plant rated as hardy in a zone 9 then give it a try – but be prepared that it could struggle.

Remember, too, that plants rated as hardy in a colder zone will almost always be hardy in zone 8. It will usually be easy to grow plants in zone 8 that are rated as hardy in zone 3, zone 4, zone 5, zone 6 and zone 7, although for some it may be too warm. In this case, you will sometimes see plant hardiness ratings cited as Z4-7, for example.

The USDA Hardiness Zone map was updated in 2023, to take into account how our climate has been changing as North American winters have become warmer. For many years I gardened in zone 5, but the latest revision of the USDA map, reveals that the garden is now assessed as zone 6. So look out for updates from the USDA.

Finally, plants in containers are a special case. A plant growing in the ground has soil all around the sides of its roots, and this works as insulation that reduces the amount of frost that penetrates. That same plant grown in a pot has no insulation around the sides of its roots so the cold penetrates farther and more easily and may well cause damage. The result is that plants for containers need to be rated one zone warmer than plants growing in the ground.

Deciduous trees

Coral Bark Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’) Perhaps the most beautiful of small trees, with elegant, upright growth, coral pink bark and butter yellow fall foliage.

Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia) White summer flowers open over many weeks, followed by fiery fall foliage color – with attractively mottled bark all year.

Dappled Willow (Salix integra 'Hakuro Nishiki') New growth is pink and white, maturing to green speckled in white. Makes a good standard in a large container.

Also try: Crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia), Sourwood tree (Oxydendron arboretum), Sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum).

Evergreen trees

Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) This distinctive, slender needle evergreen in the classic pointed-pencil shape makes an elegant specimen or small group.

Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus) Fast-growing aromatic trees with silvery foliage and beautifully patterned bark. Can be invasive in warmer zones. You can find eucalyptus trees, such as this baby blue variety, at Fast Growing Trees.

Date palm (Phoenix canariensis) One of the hardiest of all palms, and will often survive short icy spells, even if it loses all its fronds.

Also try: American holly (Ilex opaca), Live oak (Quercus virginiana), Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei).

Deciduous shrubs

Flowering quince (Chaenomales) Bushy plants, with flowers like apple-blossom but in a wide range of red, orange, pink and white shades that are often followed by large fruits.

Hydrangea (Hydrangea varieties) A vast variety of tough, easy-to-manage plants with cones or spheres or lacecaps of long lasting flowers in reds, pinks, blues and white.n This stunning hydrangea paniculata 'fire light' is great value from Burpee.

Summer lilac, Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica) An essential flowering tree, sometimes known as the “summer lilac” in the south, many improved varieties are arriving.

Also try: Mock orange (Philadelphus), viburnum (Viburnum varieties), weigela (Weigela)

Evergreen shrubs

Camellia (Camellia) Dark glossy foliage sets off single or double winter and spring flowers mainly in reds, pinks and white. Good in containers.

Japanese fatsia (Fatsia japonica) Tropical looking, with bold jagged leaves and clusters of rounded white fall flowers followed by black berries.

Fringe flower (Loropetalum) Feathery red or pink spring flowers open with reddish new foliage that matures to shining green

Also try: Flannelbush (Fremontodendron californicum), Privet (Ligustrum, Holly teaolive (Osmanthus heterophyllus).

Vines

Armand clematis (Clematis armandii) Very vigorous vine, clinging by curling leaf stalks, the large white flowers open in loose clusters in spring. Easily pruned after flowering to limit its size.

Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) Pretty white spring lacecaps line the branches of this handsome vine that clings to fences and walls like ivy.

Climbing and rambling rose varieties (Rosa) Many many, often fragrant, varieties with large clusters of small flowers or fewer larger blooms. This Rosa 'new dawn' from Nature Hills is a romantic shade of blush. 

Also try: Trumpet creeper, (Campsis grandiflora), Variegated Algerian Ivy (Hedera algeriensis 'Gloire de Marengo'), Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum).

Ground covers

Elephant’s ears (Bergenia varieties) Bold leathery heart-shaped and usually evergreen foliage, which turns rich red in winter in many varieties, comes with spring spikes of pink or white flowers.

Cranesbill (Geranium varieties) Includes many fine ground covers, for both sunny and shady situations, many with attractive flowers and foliage.

Creeping Thyme (Thymus serpyllum) Spring flowering creeping thyme makes dense dark mat in sun, with purple summer flowers.

Also try: Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei varieties), Lilyturf (Liriope muscari), Ground covering rose varieties (Rosa).

Shade perennials

Hosta (Hosta) Favorites for superb foliage in many colors and color combinations, remember that some also come with fragrant summer flowers.

Hellebore (Helleborus) Bowl-shaped flowers, plus some very pretty doubles, in a wide range of colors on tough, winter flowering plants.

Hakone grass (Hakonechloa macra varieties) Fountains of slender foliage, in some varieties striped along their length in yellow or gold, fit well with other shade lovers.

Also try: Ferns (Athyrium, Dryopteris), Lungwort (Pulmonaria), Foam flower (Tiarella)

Sun perennials

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum) Choose hardy varieties, often called Korean chrysanthemums, although many other garden varieties are also good for Zone 8. Pot ‘mums are not reliably hardy in Zone 8.

Coneflower (Echinacea) Stout upright stems carry large daisies originally only in purple or white, with a raised honeyed central cone, but now in many more colors.

Daylily (Hemerocallis) Tough favorites that will take most situations except heavy shade. Choose your favorite colors and color combinations.

Also try: Sneezeweed (Helenium), Coralbells (Heuchera), perennial salvia (Salvia x sylvestris)

Spring flowering bulbs

Windflower (Anemone varieties) Low and creeping varieties enjoy shade, while bright, clump-formers prefer sun. All are easy and colorful.

Crocus (Crocus) Naturalized in grass, spreading steadily through mixed borders and sparkling in pots – you can even grow your own saffron (which is a kind of crocus).

Daffodil (Narcissus) Colorful, dependable and easy to find in stores or online in many varieties. Plant in clumps, or scatter, and let them increase.

Also try: Ornamental onion (Allium), Bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica), Grape hyacinth (Muscari).

Summer flowering bulbs

Dahlia (Dahlia) From knee-high to head-high, in dazzling colors and wondrous flower forms. Dahlias sometimes overwinter in Zone 8, sometimes not - definitely worth a try.

Pineapple lily (Eucomis) Dramatic plant with sword-like leaves surrounding upright stems crowded with flowers and topped by a bold tuft of leaves. For a sunny container or border.

Lily (Lilium varieties) Again, from knee-high to shoulder high, with large, usually trumpet-shaped flowers in many colors and color combinations.

Also try: Angel wings (Caladium), Canna (Canna), Gladiolus (Gladiolus varieties).

Native shrubs and vines

Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus) Frilly, long petalled late spring flowers are followed by purple berries and golden fall foliage color - all on a tree that will fit happily into most yards.

American smoketree (Cotinus obovatus) A large bushy shrub or small tree, with tiny flowers in a smoky summer haze followed by foliage that turns red, orange, gold and even purple.

Arrowwood (Viburnum species) Shrubs with white fluffy or lacecap flowers followed by clusters of berries in red, black, blue and sometimes two colors at once.

Also try: Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata), Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis varieties), Buffalo currant (Ribes odoratum).

Native perennials

False Indigo (Baptisia varieties) Robust plants grown for their slender spikes of pea-like flowers, in many colors and color combinations, plus fat black seed pods and bluish foliage.

Joe Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) Broad, flattish heads of fluffy flowers in shades of purple plus white flower long and late and are much-loved by butterflies. Also known as Eupatorium.

Common blue flag (Iris virginica) Classic iris flowers in shades of blue, each with a yellow flash, open on clump-forming plants in late spring and summer. Best grown in moist soil in sun.

Also try: Coneflower (Echinacea), Bee balm (Monarda), Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata).

Annuals

Wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens) Classic frost-tender annual for containers and flower gardens in sun, with bronze as well as green foliage and red, pink or white flowers all summer. Look for new varieties in new styles.

Impatiens (Impatiens) Only choose disease resistant types such as Beacon and Sunpatiens, the color range is astonishing and they thrive in a little shade.

Petunia (Petunia) Neat and clump-forming at one extreme, or trailing for baskets and creeping as ground cover – check carefully for the type you need and choose your favorite colors.

Also try: Annual lobelia (Lobelia erinus), Purslane (Portulaca), Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus).

Vegetables

Corn Grows in cooler zones, but at its best in zone 8 where seeds can be started direct, in the ground, or in a protected area for a flying start. Plant in blocks, not rows, for the best crop.

Lettuce Hearted lettuce (crisp, romaine, and more) plus babyleaf varieties all thrive, but check websites, catalogs and seed packets for guidance on how to grow each type.

Tomatoes All types from cherry tomatoes to plum tomatoes and beefsteaks, in many colors, are easy to grow if seeds are started in protection or starter plants bought in.

Also try: Carrots, melons, zucchini.

Fruits

Berried cane fruits Choose both summer-fruiting and everbearing raspberry varieties for a long season crop packed with flavor, try blackberries too. Protect from birds with netting.

Dwarf fig Ideal in a large container or in a small yard, the dwarf fig variety ‘Little Miss Figgy’ will never develop into the large and vigorous tree as is common with traditional types.

Peach Choose varieties either for canning or for eating fresh, with yellow or white flesh. Your local extension service will advise.

Also try: Grape vine, Meyer lemon, strawberries.

As you will have discovered, the range of plants and crops you can grow in zone 8 is vast. If you're interested in trying out some of these planting ideas for the first time, you might like to know how to grow corn, or how to grow raspberries - for delicious annual crops. 

Plants vary in their ability to survive the winter. A few will endure the coldest temperatures that our country has to offer, while the plants that thrive in the warmth of a tropical Florida will grow less well in cooler regions and will often be killed in winter in cold areas. It’s all a matter of right plant, right place.

As we look at the continue with our series on what to plant in the 13 different US hardiness zones and move into warmer climates, the range of plants that can be grown expands. The last frost date is earlier, the first frost date is later, and with a longer growing season a wider range of plants can enjoy the time and the conditions that will allow them to mature reliably. 

You can find all the information about the average temperatures and location of US hardiness zone 7 here. In this feature, we take an in-depth look at a vast range of plants, shrubs and crops that will thrive in this part of the US.

Choosing plants for Zone 7

The first thing to remember is that if a plant is rated at zone 7, it will also be hardy in warmer zones – Z8 and up. For some plants, there comes a point where the winter (or sometimes the summer) is too warm so some plants are rated, for example, Z4-8. It’s also worth keeping in mind that, if you’re tempted by a plant rated has hardy in zone 8, it may thrive in your yard in a sheltered site and with good drainage. A potential favorite is always worth a try.

Also, the North American climate is changing – winters are becoming warmer. For many years I gardened in zone 5, but the latest revision of the USDA map, published in 2023, reveals that the garden is now assessed as zone 6.

Finally, a special rule applies to plants growing in containers of all kinds. Frost always penetrates the soil in containers more than it penetrates the soil in the yard as the roots of plants in containers are surrounded by icy air. So, for planters, always choose varieties rated one zone warmer than the zone for the garden as a whole.

Deciduous trees

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) A spring marvel, for most soils, with clusters of small, vivid pink flowers attached to the bare branches. Look for varieties that also feature colored foliage.

Flowering cherry (Prunus) Dependably colorful, with single or double, pink or white spring flowers. Some also feature attractive bark and fiery fall color. There is a wide range of flowering cherry trees available from Fast Growing Trees.

Cleveland pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer') A fine alternative to the popular, but invasive, ‘Bradford’ pear for gardens and parks.

Also try: Fullmoon maple (Acer japonicum), Dogwood (Cornus florida), Pistache (Pistacia chinensis).

Evergreen trees

Strawberry tree (Arbutus) Dark green leaves show off the small, white bell-like flowers followed by fruits like clusters of small strawberries. Sadly, although attractive, the fruits are tasteless. You can find strawberry trees available from Nature Hills.

Arizona cypress (Cupressus ‘Carolina Sapphire’) Pyramidal tree maturing to a more feathery look and with pretty silvery grey needles.

Sweet bay (Laurus nobilis) The invaluable kitchen herb makes a fine yard tree, or container specimen and is good for topiary and hedges.

Also try: Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora), European holly (Ilex aquifolium varieties), Cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus).

Deciduous shrubs

Blue mist (Caryopteris x clandonensis) Naturally dwarf, with grayish leaves and spikes of blue flowers. Cut back hard in spring to promote flowering.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) An adaptable, boldly upright shrub, with single or double summer flowers for many months.

Japanese kerria (Kerria japonica) Tough and tolerant, the green stems carry bright yellow spring flowers – choose only double flowered varieties such as ‘Pleniflora’.

Also try: Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia), Paperbush (Edgworthia chrysantha), old-fashioned shrub roses (Rosa varieties).

Evergreen shrubs

Japanese aucuba (Aucuba japonica) Bold, glossy foliage that in many varieties is speckled or edged in bright yellow. Female plants feature red winter berries.

Rhododendron and azalea (Rhododendron) A vast variety of attractive, dependable but lime-hating plants with dramatic spring flowers.

Sweet box (Sarcococca) The wonderful late winter scent comes from small white flowers that are followed by black or red berries.

Also try: Cryptomeria (Cryptomeria japonica), Winter daphne (Daphne odora), Japanese euonymus (Euonymus japonica).

Vines

Anemone clematis (Clematis montana) Spring flowering, with large, billowing clusters of pink or white four-petaled flowers. Clings to its host with twisting leaf stalks. Many other clematis are also suitable.

Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) White, lacecap flowers open in early summer amongst dark leaves that turn buttery in fall. Stems cling directly to walls.

Gloryvine (Vitis coignetiae) Large, bold, more or less heart-shaped leaves turn the most glorious shades of purple, red and orange in fall. Clings by tendrils.

Also try: Yellow jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens), Summer jasmine (Jasminum officinale), and Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum).

Discover the range of vining plants available at Fast Growing Trees.

Ground covers

Lady’s mantle (Alchemilla mollis) Attractive, densely clumping, maple-like foliage is covered in low clouds of chartreuse summer flowers that go well with roses and are valuable for cutting.

Ice plant (Delosperma) Spreads to make a dense cover of succulent foliage topped in summer with daisy-like flowers is a wide range of vivid colors.

Coral bells (Heuchera) Clumping, steadily spreading foliage in a vast range of bright and also soft colors. Fine small-space ground cover in many colors.

Also try: Hosta (Hosta varieties), Stonecrop (Sedum Sunsparkler Series), Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis).

Sun perennials

Hummingbird Mint (Agastache aurantiaca) Aromatic, often greyish laves are topped with spikes of flowers in red, orange and yellow. Popular with hummingbirds and bees.

Daylily (Hemerocallis) America’s favorite perennial, modern varieties are compact, flower for months and come in every color but blue plus many – sometimes outrageous - bicolors.

New York aster (Symphiotrichum novi-belgii) Steadily spreading plants are topped with clusters of daisy flowers in many colors. Popular with butterflies.

Also try: Peruvian lily (Alstroemeria), Rose mallow (Hibiscus), Beardtongue (Penstemon).

Shade perennials

Cranesbill (Geranium varieties) Mainly low, steadily spreading and long flowering, with purple, blue, pink, lilac or white spring and summer saucers.

Hosta (Hosta varieties) Resolute smotherers with mainly heart-shaped foliage in more green, blue, gold, cream and white color combinations than you thought possible. Superb in shaded containers.

Lungwort (Pulmonaria) Spring flowers like large forget-me-nots mostly open pink and mature to blue above prettily silver-patterned leaves.

Also try: False spiraea (Astilbe varieties), Heartleaf (Brunnera), Bleeding heart (Dicentra).

Spring flowering bulbs

Ornamental onion (Allium) Rounded flower heads in purples, lilac and white range from tennis ball to beach ball in size. Many dry well for winter.

There is a wonderful range of allium bulbs available to browse at Burpee.

Crocus (Crocus) Sparkling spring goblets in many colors. Choose clump-formers or spreaders depending on the situation.

Daffodils (Narcissus) Choose from the unexpectedly large range of flower shapes and colors. Plant in clumps or scattered – never in rows.

Also try: Fritillary (Fritillaria imperialis), Hyacinth (Hyacinthus), Spring iris (Iris reticulata).

Summer flowering bulbs

Elephants’ ears (Colocasia) Grown for their dramatic, tropical-looking summer foliage in green, gold, smoky purple or prettily patterned. Store in a frost-free place for winter.

Dahlia (Dahlia) Enjoying a boom in popularity for their extraordinary range of flower shapes and colors. Store in a frost-free place for winter.

Lilies (Lilium) Winter-hardy bulbs with exotic looking, often fragrant, flowers topping upright stems.

Also try: African lily (Agapanthus), Canna (Canna), Sword lily (Gladiolus).

Native shrubs and vines

Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana) Generous clusters of red or violet berries are carried on the stems at the leaf joints creating a very striking look. Needs little care.

Strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus) Shade-loving deciduous shrub with unusual red fruits in fall as well as yellowish fall foliage color.

Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) Slightly bluish foliage sets off clusters of slender red or orange trumpets. Plant instead of the invasive Japanese honeysuckle.

Also try: Crossvine (Bignonia capreolata), Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis), Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum).

Native perennials

Blue star (Amsonia) Clusters of pale blue, five-petaled, star-like summer flowers are followed by the whole plant turning sunny yellow in fall.

False indigo (Baptisia) Slender spikes of pea-like flowers in yellow, blue, purple and even chocolate shades are followed by inflated black pods.

Sneezeweed (Helenium) Daisy-like flowers in bronze, copper, gold and yellow shades feature a bold central disk.

Also try: Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Bee balm (Monarda), Prickly pear (Opuntia).

Annuals

Coleus (Coleus) Spectacular foliage plants with multicolored leaves in colors, patterns and color combinations not seen in any other plants.

Petunia (Petunia) America’s favorite annual with varieties for baskets and ground cover to borders and decks. Plain colors, picotees and an increasing range of flowers in new patterns.

Monkey flower (Mimulus) Low, quick-growing, moisture-loving plants for sun or partial shade with spotted flowers in may colors.

Also try: Dahlia (Dahlia), African daisy (Gerbera jamesonii), Scarlet sage (Salvia splendens).

Vegetables

Arugula Easy babyleaf or cut-and-come-again salad with a distinctive peppery flavor, ideal to liven up lettuce and other leafy garden or supermarket salads.

Eggplant Look for baby-fruited as well as regular varieties and also check out the white and striped varieties. Less cold tolerant than tomatoes and peppers.

Cucumbers For eating fresh and for pickling, the baby-fruited rather than the full size varieties are easier to grow. Modern varieties are dwarf and compact – good for small, sunny spaces.

Also try: Celery, potatoes, pumpkins.

Fruits

Apricot Hardier than peaches and nectarines, the early blossom may need protecting from spring frosts. Dwarf types for deck containers are now available.

Apples In many ways, the most adaptable of tree fruits but varieties vary in their suitability for different situations so be sure to check which varieties do well in your local area.

Persimmon Good eaten fresh, wait till fully ripe, usually between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Ask for a self-fertile variety. Good in puddings, cookies, curries, cakes and salads.

Also try: Cherries, Papaw, raspberries.

There is a vast range of fruit trees and shrubs available from Fast Growing Trees.

The growing season is much longer as we move into the warmer areas of the country, giving us a lot more scope in the kinds of crops, flowers and plants we can choose for our backyards. For some landscaping inspiration, you might be interested in the best flowering shrubs for full sun.

When you look at those colorful plant tags tucked into the pots at the nursery, there’s usually a tempting picture on the front and, on the back, some text. Apart from a short description and some advice on the conditions the plant prefers, you’ll find something that may seem little puzzling: 'Zone 6' or 'Zone 7', perhaps only 'Z6' or 'Z9'.

When you see 'Zone 6' or 'Z6', this refers to a hardiness zone, and is a guide to the winter temperatures that the plant will survive. But what does it mean?

Hardiness zones create a way for us to easily understand which plants will thrive in our part of the country. This allows us to avoid planting varieties in our gardens that have no hope of survival. Some plants are adapted to survive cold winters, some are not. And there’s no point planting a variety that is not built to survive the winter temperatures in your area. But the zones provide the answer. Here, we delve into much more detail about what this means, and the plants that will thrive if you live within US hardiness zone 6.

US hardiness zones explained 

After years of research using data supplied by weather stations across the country, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) created a hardiness zones map that divides the country into 13 zones, according to the average lowest winter temperature recorded at those weather stations. 

Zone 1 is the coldest zone, with lowest winter temperatures of down to -50F, only a very small part of the country – and very few plants – fit here. At the other extreme, zone 13 is the warmest, with winter temperatures no lower than 60F – this covers only a very small tropical area.

For additional accuracy, each zone is sometimes split into two subzones, zone 6a and 6b, for example, but this level of detail is not always needed.

At the same time, professional horticulturalists and expert home gardeners across the country used their knowledge and experience of the lowest winter temperatures tolerated by all the plants we grow, to give each plant a rating that corresponds to a zone on the map.

All you need to do is match your zone with the rating given to the plants you’re thinking of planting.

Choosing plants for Zone 6

The first thing to remember is that if a plant is rated at zone 6, then it will also be hardy in warmer zones –  zone 7 and warmer. For some plants there comes a point where the winter (or sometimes the summer) is too warm so some plants are rated, for example, Z6-9.

Also, the North American climate is changing – winters are becoming warmer. For many years I gardened in zone 5, but the latest revision of the USDA map, published in 2023, reveals that the garden is now assessed as Z6.

Plants growing permanently in containers are a special case. Any plant in a deck planter, patio pots, baskets, deck rail planters, or window boxes will be less tolerant of cold than the same variety planted in the ground. 

Frost always chills the soil in containers more than it penetrates the soil in the yard, so varieties in containers are always a little more vulnerable in winter. So, when thinking about plants for permanent container planting, always choose varieties rated one zone warmer than the zone for the garden as a whole.

Deciduous trees

Japanese maple (Acer japonicum) This classic tree, an elegant choice for small yards, features reliably spectacular fall foliage color in fiery red, orange and yellow tones.

Silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) Long, delicate-looking, almost fern-like foliage and fluffy pink summer flowers are always appealing on this broadly spreading, drought tolerant tree.

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) An essential flowering tree, opening its large four-petalled red, pink or white flowers in spring. Can be stunning, but dislikes drought. 

Also try: Japanese Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), Smoketree (Cotinus coggygria), Kilmarnock willow (Salix caprea 'Kilmarnock').

You can browse a range of deciduous trees available at Fast Growing Trees.

Evergreen trees

Nellie Stevens Holly (Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens') This adaptable evergreen specimen tree features dark glossy green leaves with fewer spines than most hollies and carries generous crops of bright red berries.

Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) Many varieties available from narrow and upright to broader and bushy, choose the form that fits in best with you.

Southern magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) ‘Bracken's Brown Beauty’ is the variety well-suited to colder zones, its large creamy flowers are set against bold glossy leaves that are cinnamon orange below.

Also try: Weeping Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca Pendula’), Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata), Arborvitae (Thuja ‘Green Giant’).

There is a whole range of cedar trees available to order from Fast Growing Trees.

Deciduous shrubs

Butterfly bush (Buddleja) Colorful, easy-to-grow, summer flowering, butterfly favorites with fragrant spikes in purples, lilacs, pinks and white. Invasive in warmer zones, but non-invasive types now appearing.

Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) Every year, new varieties of this neat and prolific shrub appear with rounded or lacecap flowers in pink or white.

Saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana) Stunning at peak bloom with its large upstanding goblets of purplish, pink, white or sometimes yellow spring flowers.

Also try: Witch hazel (Hamamelis), Mock orange (Philadelphus), Weigela (Weigela).

You can see a huge mix of hydrangea shrubs, including the Annabelle variety, at Nature Hills.

Evergreen shrubs

Japanese euonymus (Euonymus japonicus) Invaluable for its many forms with attractive gold- or white-variegated foliage. Like a larger, more upright and more colorful wintercreeper.

Andromeda bush (Pieris) Dependably deer-resistant with sprays of pretty white or pink spring bells. New growth is often attractively bronzed, makes an attractive specimen without pruning.

Rhododendron (Rhododendron) Many, many varieties from neat and bushy to strong-growing and almost tree-like. The clusters of large, funnel-shaped spring flowers can smother the plants.

Also try: Plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia) Daphne (Daphne ‘Eternal Fragrance’), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia).

Vines

Patio clematis (Clematis Boulevard Series) These modern varieties are far neater in growth than older types and the spring pruning (cut back hard) is simple. Many colors to choose from.

Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) Clusters of long red or orange summer flowers. Check non-native honeysuckles before buying as they may be invasive.

American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) A vigorous, twining vine with shorter strings of paler blue/lilac flowers than exotic types but without their aggressive invasive tendencies.

Also try: Trumpetcreeper (Campsis ‘Madame Galen’), Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris), Climbing roses (Rosa).

Ground covers

Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis) Low, steadily and relentlessly spreading and very effective under deciduous shrubs, pachysandra is widely planted for good reason.

English Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) Glossy leaves, from 2in to 10in long, densely cover the plants, from 2ft to 10ft in height. Choose from an increasing range of varieties, all with upright spikes of spring flowers.

Oso Easy roses (Rosa Oso Easy Series) The ten varieties of low growing, ground covering roses with spreading, weed-smothering growth are easy-to-grow and disease resistant.

Also try: Sweet Woodruff (Galium odoratum), Creeping Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens), Golden Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola')

Sun perennials

Rose mallow (Hibiscus) Enormous, trumpet-shaped summer flowers in purples, reds, pinks, bicolors and white will astonish you, your neighbors and passers-by – such huge flowers on well-behaved plants.

Siberian iris (Iris sibirica) Elegant, clump-forming, moisture-loving irises for sunny sites, they bring long, pointed, slender leaves and flowers mainly in blue and patterned shades.

Bee balm (Monarda) Bee balm needs sunshine and moist soil to help prevent end-of-season disease, modern varieties are neater and more disease resistant than older types. Check the tags.

Also try: Yarrow (Achillea), Astilbe (Astilbe), Peonies (Paeonia)

You can find the glorious astilbe 'younique lilac' at Burpee.

Shade perennials

Perennial forget-me-not (Brunnera) Bold, heart-shaped leaves – prettily patterned in silver in the best varieties - the clouds of small, blue or white flowers are like tiny forget-me-nots.

Male fern (Dryopteris) Bold fronds look lacy and delicate but are tough and dependable and look good with the bold or slender leaves of hostas or sedges.

Hosta (Hosta) Almost America’s favorite perennial (daylilies just beat them), the range of foliage size, shape and pattern is astonishing – and a few also feature fragrant summer flowers.

Also try: Evercolor sedges (Carex Evercolor Series), Hardy geranium (Geranium varieties), Hellebore (Helleborus) 

Spring flowering bulbs

Quamash (Camassia) Starry flowers in shades of blue, or in white, open in upright spikes. Good in damp borders and in rough grass. Usually spreads steadily.

Daffodil (Narcissus) Those familiar yellow trumpets are also available in orange and creamy and white tones – plus bicolored varieties. All are easy to grow – it’s all a matter of taste.

Tulip (Tulipa) Available in every color except blue – but including black and some bright or pastel color combinations, those elegant goblets are especially impressive planted in tight clumps.

Also try: Hardy cyclamen (Cyclamen coum), Crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis)

Summer flowering bulbs

Dahlia (Dahlia) Winter hardy in zone 8, in zone 6 winter will kill the bulbs so plant in spring for a stunning summer display and keep cutting or dead-heading every few days.

Bearded iris (Iris) For a combination of elegance, color and dependability these summer stunners are the top choice. Dwarf types flower first then taller, larger flowered varieties flower later.

Lily (Lilium) Those bold stylish trumpets in so many colors and color combinations look wonderful emerging through the foliage of perennials. Look for varieties with fragrance.

Also try: Tuberous begonia (Begonia x tuberhybrida), Summer hyacinth (Galtonia), Louisiana Iris (Iris)

Native trees and shrubs

American holly (Ilex opaca) Develops into an attractive, cone-shaped large shrub or small tree, with shining evergreen foliage and persistent red winter berries

Winter currant (Ribes sanguineum) Colorful spring shrub with pendulous strings of red, pink or white flowers. Happy in light shade, more prolific in full sun.

Snowbell (Styrax americanus) Spring flowering shrub or small tree, with flared white bell-like flowers swinging from the spring branches. Happy in shade, dislikes drought.

Also try: Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia), Shrubby St John’s wort (Hypericum prolificum), Sweetspire (Itea virginica).

Native perennials

Blue star (Amsonia hubrichtii) Small starry blue flowers make a colorful summer show, then the mounds of slender foliage turn brilliant yellow and gold for a long and fiery fall foliage display.

Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) Vivid orange summer flowers produce unusually large crops of nectar attracting a large range of insects, as well as hummingbirds. Does well in poor soil. 

Coneflower (Echinacea) The classic coneflower comes with large, upward facing flowers now in a very wide range of colors from purple to white and scarlet to lemon yellow.

Also try: New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae), Tickseed (Coreopsis), Joe pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum)

Annuals

Wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens) Neat plants with shining green, or rich bronze, foliage setting off the long season of scarlet, pink or white flowers. Ideal in small deck containers.

Fuchsia (Fuchsia) Ballerina-like flowers sway from the branches all summer on plants that can be upright, bushy or semi-trailing. Some also feature variegated foliage.

Geranium (Pelargonium) Slightly woody, bushy or trailing plants, some with aromatic foliage, feature rounded heads of flowers all summer.

Also try: Cosmos (Cosmos), Morning glory (Ipomoea), Sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus). 

Vegetables

Chard and spinach Quick growing, and nutritious, grow as cut-and-come-again seedlings or allow to mature. Many chards now come with colorful leaf veins.

Tomatoes Start seeds in a warm pace indoors, or buy plants from a local nursery. Bushy, rather than upright, varieties often produce the best crops.

Kale Another to crop when the plants are small, or leave to develop into larger and more productive specimens – mature plants have good winter frost resistance,

Also try: Cucumber, potatoes, zucchini, 

Fruits

Apricots From your own yard? Yes, please. Check locally for guidance on the best varieties and plant them in a site shaded from early morning sun.

Grape vines Grapes to eat fresh from the vine, or to make into delicious home-made wine – but remember that they will probably need protecting from birds.

Raspberries Perhaps the most adaptable and tolerant of all fruits, try the black-fruited varies as well as the usual red.

Also try: Apples, pears, strawberries

Many of these wonderful plant and tree varieties can be grown in pots. For more inspiration you might enjoy these container garden ideas -  though remember to choose plants rated one zone warmer than where you live to be sure they will survive the winter. 

America is a big country. Some of us live and garden in cold areas; some of us enjoy a much warmer climate. It’s the same with plants. Some native plants open their flowers as the mountain snow melts around them, others insist on tropical conditions to grow at all. The same applies to all the garden plants we grow that originate from around the world, each species is adapted to a particular climate.

The big question is this: how do we match the needs of individual varieties of garden plants with the climate in our area? In particular, are the winter temperatures in our area too cold to suit the plants that we’d like to grow? Which plants really will perform after their winter dormancy – and which should we simply not consider? Fortunately, there’s a very simple system that provides the answer.

The answer is the US hardiness zones. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), along with the American Horticultural Society and horticultural experts across the country, have developed way of matching plants with the conditions they need. Here, we explain what this means and look at a big list of plants, trees, shrubs and flowers that will thrive specifically in zone 5. 

US hardiness zones explained

The USDA has divided the whole country into 13 zones according to the average coldest winter temperatures recorded at a huge range of weather stations. The coldest is zone 1, with winter temperatures of below -50F – very few plants will tolerate such frigid conditions and, anyway, there are few gardeners living in those areas. At the other end of the scale is zone 13, with winter temperatures of 60F or above. Zone 13 is too warm for many plants, but many thrive there.

The companion work has been done by expert horticulturalists around the country, assigning just about every plant we grow in our gardens to a specific zone according to the winter temperatures it will tolerate. This is the plant’s hardiness rating. Plant tags are marked with the hardiness rating and it will also be found on websites, in catalogs, and in books and online guidance.

Then, it’s simple: simply choose the plants whose hardiness rating corresponds with your hardiness zone.

Choosing plants for Zone 5

The simplest way to choose the right plants for your zone is to visit a local retail nursery or garden center. There you’ll find plants that will thrive in the local area – after all, if they sold plants that die in their first winter and are never seen again they’d spend more time dealing with complaints than selling plants. They may well offer some plants that will not re-grow in spring but will advise on how to coax them through the winter in a sun room or screened porch.

Online nurseries are invaluable, especially for those new to gardening. Many provide a facility that allows you to enter your zip code, and your hardiness zone is revealed – then you can easily select varieties that suit your zone.

Zone 5 gardeners should not only be able to grow plants rated for zone 5, but also those rated for zones 1-4. If your yard is sheltered, is well-drained gets plenty of sunshine you may also be able to grow some plants rated for zone 6.

Deciduous trees

Himalayan birch (Betula utilis) Shining white, or pink-tinted, bark lights up the winter garden and many feature colorful fall foliage. Ideal in small spaces.

Flowering cherry (Prunus) Spectacular pink or white spring blossom, varieties with double flowers retain their impact the longest. The best also have fiery fall foliage.

Mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia) Ideal in small yards, the white spring flowers and followed by red or orange fall berries and fiery fall leaf color.

Also try: Paperbark maple (Acer griseum), Flowering dogwood (Cornus), Japanese Pagoda Tree (Styphnolobium japonicum).

Evergreen trees

False cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera) Attractive needle evergreens, many mature into neat growing varieties often with attractive gold or gray-blue foliage.

Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) Makes an attractive specimen or small group, slightly bluish needles often turn purplish in winter. Height varies between varieties.

Sweet bay magnolia (Magnolia virginiana) Bold, silver-backed foliage is an impressive year-round feature and the large, creamy summer flowers have a strong lemony scent.

Also try: Silver Korean Fir (Abies koreana), Yew (Taxus varieties), Weeping hemlock (Tsuga canadensis ‘Pendula’).

Deciduous shrubs

Forsythia (Forsythia) Bright yellow flowers line the bare branches in late winter or spring, easy-to-grow and happy in a range of soils and situations. Prune annually immediately after flowering.

Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) Tough, long-lived, with summer-long single or double flowers in purples, pinks and white.

Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) Underused foliage plants for sun or partial shade with leaves in many bronzed, coppery or golden shades. Happy in wet soil.

Also try: Smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria), Oakleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea quercifolia), American holly (Ilex verticillata).

Evergreen shrubs

Japanese holly (Ilex crenata) A good range of neat, small-leaved varieties with green or golden foliage, and black berries on female plants. Best in full sun.

Oregon grapeholly (Mahonia) Showy clusters of yellow spring flowers are followed by black berries, all set against glossy foliage that matures from bronzed to dark and glossy green.

Rhododendron (Rhododendron) Bold foliage shows off the large and colorful spring flowers – a huge variety of plant sizes and flower colors are available though all need acid (lime free) conditions.

Also try: Boxwood (Buxus), Wintercreeper (Euonymus), Andromeda (Pieris).

Vines

Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) White lacecap flowers in early summer, stems cling to walls and fences as they climb.

Honeysuckle vine (Lonicera periclymenum) Twining, superscented cottage-style vine with clusters of colorful, pollinator-friendly flowers in reds, purples, cream shades and white.

Climbing roses (Rosa) Two types: Vigorous climbers that will scramble into mature shrubs or trees, with large clusters of small flowers, or better behaved varieties with fewer, larger blooms. Many are scented.

Also try: Clematis (Clematis varieties), Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens).

Ground covers

Carex Evercolor Series: A range of low, spreading, evergreen perennials with green, gold or striped leaves. Plants expand slowly to dominate weeds.

Wintergreen (Euonymus fortunei) Low and spreading, with neat green foliage often prettily edged or splashed in white, cream or yellow. Good in shade.

Yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolon ‘Hermann’s Pride’) Dark green leaves with the veins picked out in silver and upright spikes of bright yellow flowers.

Also try: Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), Pachysandra (Pachysandra terminalis), Stonecrop (Sedum ‘Angelina’).

Shade perennials

Bugleweed (Ajuga) Steady spreader for damp shade, most have blue flower spikes combined with an increasing range of golden and bronzed foliage.

Barrenwort (Epimedium) Dainty, spidery flowers in reds, pinks, yellows or white dance in arching sprays followed by a dense cover of glossy foliage sometimes mottled in bronze.

Hosta (Hosta) Eternal shade-loving favorites for borders or containers, leaves vary from dramatic and heart-shaped to a quiet, more slender look and in many colors and patterns.

Also try: Perennial forget-me-not (Brunnera), Hardy geranium (spreading Geranium varieties), lungwort (Pulmonaria).

Sun perennials

Yarrow (Achillea) Feathery foliage makes an ideal background for the broad, flat heads of tiny flowers. Now comes in a wide range of fruity and pastel shades.

False indigo (Baptisia) Spikes of pea flowers in blues, yellow shades, purples and more are set off by slightly bluish foliage on steadily spreading plants.

Peonies (Paeonia) Exceptionally resilient plants with single or double bowl-shaped early summer flowers in many red, pink and white shades. 

Also try: Rose mallow (Hibiscus, Bee balm (Monarda), Marjoram (Origanum vulgare 'Aureum').

Spring flowering bulbs

Anemone (Anemone blanda, Anemone nemorosa) Low growing, steadily spreading with sparkling flowers in vibrant and pastel tones. (The bulbs look more like stiff bootlaces).

Crocus (Crocus) Upward facing goblets in many colors and bicolors open on short, often clump-forming plants. The flowers open most fully in sun.

Daffodil (Narcissus) Easy, reliable with many styles of mostly yellow trumpets. Plant in clumps, or scattered, but never in rows.

Also try: Snowdrops (Galanthus), Hyacinth (Hyacinthus), Grape hyacinth (Muscari).

Summer flowering bulbs

Tuberous begonia (Begonia x tuberhybrida) Superb plants for summer containers, in particular, with a great variety of flower colors and sizes, many with patterned or richly colored foliage.

Hardy cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium) Unexpectedly tough, the dainty flowers with their swept back petals are followed by prettily silvered foliage.

Dahlia (Dahlia) The one indispensable summer bulb, ranging from huge to dainty in vibrant or pastel tones.

Also try: Indian shot (Canna), montbretia, (Crocosmia), lilies (Lilium).

Native shrubs

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Summer flower heads like little creamy fireworks are butterfly favorites, especially in damp soil.

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) Deciduous holly with prolific berries in red, orange or yellow. Happy in wet soil, never gets out of hand but an occasional male plant needed for pollination.

Cranberry viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium) Brilliant fall color, an ideal alternative to the popular, but invasive, burning bush (Euonymus alatus).

Also try: Sweetspire (Itea virginica), Clove currant (Ribes aureum), Wild roses (Rosa Carolina, Rosa palustris).

Native perennials

Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum) Strongly aromatic plant with small blue flowers packed into dense, upright, pointed spikes.

Stokes’ aster (Stokesia laevis) Large, upward-facing, summer flowers like blue or lilac dandelions open for a long season and also make fine cut flowers.

Blue phlox (Phlox divaricata) Pretty, steadily creeping woodlander with upward facing blue flowers, each of the five petals neatly notched at the tip

Also try: Columbine (Aquilegia varieties), False indigo (Baptisia australis), Coneflower (Echinacea).

Annuals

Cosmos (Cosmos) Feathery foliage sets off large golden-eyed daisies in many red and pink shades plus white and some new, very pretty bicolors. Flowers in sunny gardens all summer.

Morning glory (Ipomoea) Twining annual vine with flared trumpets in blues, purples and more. The flowers open for only one day, but are prolifically produced.

Monkey flower (Mimulus) Very quick growing, flowering in as little as eight summer weeks after seed-starting, the prettily spotted flowers can also be boldly marked in blood red.

Also try: Sunflower (Helianthus), Sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus), Zinnia (Zinnia).

Vegetables

Onions Growing onions in zone 5 is all about choosing the right varieties. Get local advice on “long-day onions” from your local nursery or extension service.

Watermelons Choosing varieties that mature quickly after seed starting is the key, take local advice and check the guidance on vegetable seed suppliers’ websites. 

Zucchini Choose bushy varieties that stay compact but crop prolifically, instead of climbing varieties that take longer to mature and need more care.

Also try: Chard, lettuce, tomatoes.

Fruits

Apples Apples stand out as the best tree fruits for zone 5 and other cold areas, many varieties are suitable but, as ever with edibles, check those that do well in your area.

Pears Many varieties are suited to zone 5, but pears are best panted where they are not exposed to early morning spring sun that can damage opening flower buds.

Plums Early morning spring sunshine can damage frozen buds so later flowering varieties are best. As ever, check locally.

Also try: Apricots, blueberries, grape vines.

Getting advice at your local garden center before you purchase plants is hugely beneficial, and their expert staff will be able to advise on exactly the right growing conditions and soil type to match the perfect plants to your area. 

All the plants that we grow in our backyards are derived from plants that grow wild somewhere across the world and which have adapted to local conditions. Across North and South America, knowledge of the uses and needs of our native wild flowers has been passed down from one generation to the next, often through the healers of native peoples. 

In recent centuries, explorers have brought attractive or useful plants back from their travels and tried to grow them in North America. Sometimes they did well, sometimes they faded away, and sometimes they grew well in the summer but failed to survive the winter.

So now our yards and gardens feature a mix of native plants and plants from around the world – all with their own needs and, in particular, all with their own degree of tolerance of winter cold. Low winter temperatures, leading to frozen soil and frozen plant roots, will kill some plants but not those that have adapted to cold conditions. But how do we know which plants will be killed by our winters and which will survive? How do we access the wisdom of generations and the latest scientific research to help us? This is where the USDA hardiness zones come in. Here we take a comprehensive look at what this means and, specifically, which plants will thrive if you live in zone 4.

What are the USDA hardiness zones?

The United States Department of Agriculture has collated historical winter weather data recorded at thousands of weather stations across the country over the last twenty years. With that data, it created a map showing the areas with the coldest winter temperatures, the areas with the warmest winter temperatures and those in between – 13 zones in all.

Zone 1 is the very coldest zone and zone 13 covers the areas with the warmest winter temperatures. Most zones are again split into two, zone 4a and zone 4b, for example, where greater accuracy is needed. 

The lowest winter temperatures in zone 4 are between -30°F and -20°F. Zone 4a has a minimum average temperature of -30°F to -25°F and zone 4b has a minimum average temperature of -25°F to -20°F.

To complement the hardiness zones, horticulturalists and home gardening experts have used their research, their experience and their expertise to assign just about every plant we could possibly want to grow with a hardiness rating indicating the lowest winter temperature that the plant will take.

Then, it’s simply a matter of choosing plants whose hardiness rating matches the hardiness zone of where  you live – it’s that simple. The hardiness rating of individual plants will be found on their tags, in catalogs, on websites and in books and magazines.

Choosing plants for zone 4

Most online plant nurseries and seed suppliers have a search facility on their website, use this to generate a list of the plants offered by the nursery that are hardy in zone 4. It’s often possible to refine your search to include your preferences for type of plant, flower or foliage color, mature height as well as soil and situation preferences and more.

Your local nursery or garden center should only offer plants that are suited to your local area but it pays to check the information on plant tags as well. If in doubt, ask the nursery staff. You may find that not all staff members have the expertise you need so, if you’re uncertain, ask for an expert who can advise you.

Don’t be shy: staff costs are built in to the price of the plants, so you’re paying for the advice whether you ask for it or not.

A good range of native and non-native plants are suited to zone 4, winters are milder than in colder zones, so more plants will thrive, and summers are not so hot as to exclude plants that do not tolerate high summer temperatures.

Starting with plants, rather than seeds, will steal you a few valuable spring weeks of growing time. Alternatively, as some varieties are usually only available as seeds, start the seeds in a sun room or other light pace where temperatures remain above freezing in spring.

Evergreen trees

Eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) This native needle evergreen comes in a range of shapes and colors, choose a variety to suit your needs.

Arborvitae (Ahuja occidentalis) Popular, dependable native needle evergreen in many varieties, some turn rich gold in winter. Grows in a wide variety of soils but popular with deer.

Spruces (Picea) Serbian spruce (Picea omorika) and Oriental spruce (Picea orientalis) make elegant trees, often with attractive colored cones.

Also try: Concolor fir (Abies concolor) (a good substitute for Colorado blue spruce), Austrian pine (Pinus nigra), Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis).

You can see the range of evergreen trees available at Fast Growing Trees.

Deciduous trees

Ginkgo tree (Gingko biloba) Develops into an exceptional specimen, its uniquely fan-shaped leaves turn yellow or gold in fall. Ask for male trees, female trees have smelly fruits.

Saucer magnolia (Magnolia × soulangeana) Makes a superb specimen, elegant in shape with stunning purplish-red, pink or white goblets in spring.

Flowering cherry (Prunus) Brings a short but astonishing display of pink or white flowers, followed in some varieties by yellow or orange fall color.

Also try: Honey locust (Gleditsia triacanthos), Crab apple (Malus), American sycamore (Platanus occidentalis).

Deciduous shrubs

Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) Impressively colorful in damp shade, with loose spring spikes of orange-red flowers. Popular with hummingbirds.

Winterberry (Ilex verticillata) Neat growing, with long lasting berries in shining scarlet - sometimes orange or yellow. Female (berrying) plants need a male for pollination.

Viburnum (Viburnum x burkwoodii) Super-scented white spring flowers are followed by red berries that mature to black. Best in acid soil, in sun.

Also try: Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) (non-invasive varieties only), Kerria (Kerria japonica 'Pleniflora'), Roses (Rosa Knockout Series, Oso Easy Series).

You can see the range of viburnum shrubs available at Fast Growing Trees.

Evergreen shrubs

Boxwood (Buxus) Valued for low hedges, foundation planting, and clipping to shape, Chicagoland Green (‘Glencoe’) is the pick but there are many options, some with variegated foliage.

Inkberry (Ilex glabra) Undervalued, highly adaptable native for sun or shade, wet or dry soils, limey soil or lime-free. Many varieties, most with reliable black berries’

Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) Superb flowering shrub for early summer, with generous clusters of prettily marked flowers in combinations of red shades, pinks and white. Needs lime-free soil. 

Also try: Heather (Calluna vulgaris), Junipers (Juniperus varieties), Rhododendron (Rhododendron ‘PJM’)

Vines

Clematis (Clematis varieties) A large number of mainly single-flowered varieties in a vast variety of colors and clinging by curling leaf stalks. Check the pruning needs of your chosen varieties before reaching for the pruners.

Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) Clusters of long red or orange summer flowers open profusely in full sun on this colorful twining native.

American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) Avoid planting invasive non-native varieties, the twining stems of American wisteria carry pale lilac flowers on vigorously twining vines.

Also try: Kiwi vine (Actinidia arguta), climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris), Climbing roses (Rosa varieties).

You can see a wide range of vines available to order from Nature Hills. 

Ground covers

Hellebores (Helleborus x hybridus) Shade loving, early flowering perennials with saucer-shaped flowers in many colors (literally from white to black) and large, bold evergreen leaves.

Foamy bells (Heucherella) Beautifully patterned leaves create a low cover in shade with short spikes of feathery, pink or white spring flowers. Spreads steadily.

Periwinkle (Vinca minor) Low and spreading evergreen, blue or white spring flowers amongst glossy green or prettily patterned leaves. Invasive in warmer zones.

Also try: Hardy geranium (spreading Geranium varieties), Juniper (spreading Juniperus varieties), dead nettle (Lamium maculatum).

Shade perennials

Male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas) Dramatic, but never invasive, fern for almost any soil in a shady place, good with broad-leaved plants including hostas and brunneras.

Cranesbill (Geranium) Many varieties of bushy or spreading  plants with attractive toothed leaves and saucer-shaped flowers in blues, pinks, white and bicolors.

Hosta (Hosta) Broad, usually more or less heart-shaped leaves in a huge variety or green, gray-blue, white, cream or yellow leaves, many prettily patterned.

Also try: Bugleweed (Ajuga), Wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa), Hellebore (Helleborus varieties), lungwort (Pulmonaria varieties).

Sun perennials

Rose mallow (Hibiscus) Huge bowl-shaped flowers in reds, purples, pinks, white and bicolors are set against green or bronzed foliage in high summer. Once seen, never forgotten.

Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum) Big and bright white daisies face upwards from dark green foliage. Easy and reliable, double-flowered, frilly and yellow-flowered varieties also now available.

Peony (Paeonia) Classic early summer perennials with single or double flowers in many colors, often surviving for years in neglected gardens. 

Also try: Blue star (Amsonia), Daylilies (Hemerocallis), Summer phlox (Phlox paniculata).

You can see the range of full sun perennial plants at Nature Hills.

Spring flowering bulbs

Daffodils (Narcissus) Tough, colorful, deer-resistant and available in a huge range of colors and color combinations. Plant in clumps, most spread steadily.

Crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis) The most flamboyant of the spring flowering bulbs, clusters of large nodding bells in red, orange and yellow shades.

Grape hyacinth (Muscari) Clusters of small, tightly packed, flowers in many shades of blue, plus white and the occasional pink-flowered variety, are easy-to-grow and spread steadily. 

Also try: Glory of the snow (Chionodoxa), Crocus (Crocus), snowdrop (Galanthus)

Summer flowering bulbs

Montbretia (Crocosmia) Spikes of fiery mid or late summer flowers in red, orange, golden and yellow shades open among upright, sword-shaped foliage. Dig up in fall and store frost free in zone 4.

Dahlia (Dahlia) Spectacular, often multi-colored flowers up to dinner plate size will catch your eye from across the yard. Dig up in fall and store frost free in zone 4.

Lily (Lilium) Elegant, sometimes flamboyant flowers in a wide color range, many prettily spotted, on upright stems. Some are strongly scented.

Also try: Autumn crocus (Colchicum), hardy cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium), Persian buttercup (Ranunculus).

Native shrubs

Witch hazel (Hamamelis) Fall flowering common witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) and spring flowering vernal witch hazel (Hamamelis vernalis), are both yellow-flowered and both are scented.

Fragrant sumach (Rhus aromatica) Splendid native suckering ground cover with yellow spring catkins and red fall foliage color. Grows well in dry conditions.

Virginia rose (Rosa virginiana) A classic American wild rose with bright pink flowers, orange fall leaf color and red winter stems.

Also try: Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia), smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens), arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum).

Native perennials

Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) Upright stems, spiraled with leaves, feature clusters of vivid orange flowers in late summer and early fall fallowed by long slim pods.

False indigo (Baptisia australis) Elegant spikes of blue or purple, pea-like spring flowers are followed by inflated black seed pods. Spreads steadily to make a large plant.

Coneflower (Echinacea) Large, single or double, daisy flowers face upward on slightly bristly stems with petals in purple or white plus red or orange surround a honeyed central cone.

Also try: Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), oxeye (Heliopsis helianthoides), Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium).

Annuals

Sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) Colorful and fragrant, try starting seeds outside in fall although starting in spring is more dependable.

Alyssum (Lobularia) Low and bushy, the scented flowers come in dazzling white plus purple and mauve shades. Plants will often appear around the garden.

Sunflower (Helianthus) Big and bright yellow or orange daisy flowers grow from large and easy-to-handle seeds. Ideal for kids.

Also try: Monkey flower (Mimulus), petunia (Petunia), marigold (Tagetes).

Vegetables

Chard: Similar to spinach, but easier to grow and with a longer cropping period. Rich green leaves now come with stems in purple and orange as well as red, white and green. More reliable than spinach.

Cucumbers: Growing small-fruited vining varieties in pots against a warm wall is usually the most reliable approach. Be sure to pick regularly.

Tomatoes: In zone 4, tomatoes are best grown in pots in a sunny place. Start by trying favorite local varieties.

Also try: Lettuce, Rhubarb, Zucchini.

Fruits

Apples: The best cold-winter tree fruits, check for local advice on proven varieties for your area but be sure to try new introductions which may have better disease resistance.

Apricots: Surprisingly cold tolerant, but still best planted against a wall and especially against a chimney which will provide a little extra coziness. Consult your local extension service for guidance on varieties.

Cherry: Sour cherries are hardier and more tolerant of long cold winters than sweet cherries and so are more reliable in zone 4. They also mature to smaller trees.

Also try: Blueberries, raspberries, strawberries.

The less extremes of temperatures experienced in zone 4 means you can grow a wide range of plants, trees and vegetables in your yard. If you're inspired to get started, you might find our guide on raised bed garden ideas useful, to get your growing off to a productive start. 

It’s not easy to know which bushes, flowers and edibles are adapted to the climate in your area. Looking around to see what grows naturally, and taking note of the wildflowers that thrive in wild paces nearby is always a good place to begin. Many will have improved cultivated varieties in extra colors or with double flowers or with neater growth. But far more other plants, varieties that are not local wildflowers, will also do well in your yard - and these are the plants that are more difficult to choose. So, which will survive the winter, and which will not?

This is where the United States Department of Agriculture can help. Its experts have divided the country into 13 hardiness zones according to the average lowest winter temperatures. They used data from thousands of local weather stations across the country to make sure that it’s accurate. Zone 1 is the very coldest zone and zone 13 covers the areas with the warmest winter temperatures. Most zones are again split into two, zone 3a and zone 3b, for example, where greater accuracy is needed. 

So, how do you know what to plant in zone 3? Here, we take a look at the plants, flowers and edibles that are specifically suited to growing in this US hardiness zone.

How to identify the best plants for your area

In addition to the USDA hardiness zones, professional and home gardening experts have used their experience and expertise to assign just about every plant we could possibly want to grow with a hardiness rating, indicating the lowest winter temperature that the plant will take.

All you need to do is to match the hardiness rating of the plants you would like to grow with the hardiness zone in which you live – and you’re all set. The hardiness rating of individual plants will be found on their tags, in catalogs, on websites and in books and magazines.

The lowest winter temperatures in zone 3 are between -40°F and -30°F. Zone 3a has a minimum average temperature of -40°F to -35°F and zone 3b has a minimum average temperature of -35°F to -30°F.

Choosing plants for zone 3

Gardeners in zone 3 may think that their winters are cold - and they are - but compared with the very limited planting palette that is available to gardeners in zones 1 and 2, zone 3 gardeners are very fortunate.

Some spectacular deciduous trees are suitable and, while appropriate evergreen trees are still mainly needle evergreens (conifers), among the shrubs there are some broad-leaved evergreens, including a few rhododendrons, that fit the bill.

In deciduous shrubs the range broadens out significantly to include varieties of two favorites: roses and lilacs, although it remains important to choose varieties wisely. Some very attractive vines are available to zone 3 gardeners and, when it comes to groundcovers, we find that zone 3 suits some of the best.

Look to native perennials, for sun and shade, there’s a huge range that fit here and it’s in perennials that zone 3 gardeners can really indulge their preferences – there are so many from which to choose.

When it comes to bulbs, there are relatively few types but just think of the many hundreds of different daffodil varieties, for example, that are easy to find in mail order listings.

As for edibles, quick starts, brisk growth and availability of starter plants all enable us to harvest more crops than perhaps we thought possible.

Deciduous trees

Red maple (Acer rubrum) Large, handsome, North American native with spectacular scarlet fall color.

Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) Elegant North American native with attractive peeling bark and rich yellow fall foliage.

Cleveland pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’) A fine alternative for the popular, but invasive, ‘Bradford’ pear in gardens and parks.

Also try: Eastern serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), wild plum (Prunus americana).

Evergreen trees

Concolor fir (Abies concolor) Stately tree with bluish needles, varieties vary in their final size. A good substitute for the increasingly unhealthy Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens).

Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis) A large number of varieties of this dependable native are available, many with attractively colored needles.

Stone pine (Pinus cembra) An impressive, usually narrowly shaped tree with amazing deep blue cones standing up from the branches.

Also try: Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum), Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris), Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata).

Evergreen shrubs

Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens) Bright red berries sparkle among glossy, dark green, aromatic leaves in fall and into winter.

Juniper (Juniperus species) Many different juniper varieties are suitable,  choose from a wide variety of shapes, from prostrate varieties to pillars, and leaf colors.

Great laurel (Rhododendron maximum) Fragrant summer flowers in rich pink or white, the hardiest of rhododendrons.

Also try: Russian Cypress (Microbiota decussata), cowberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea), Rhododendron ‘PJM’.

Deciduous shrubs

Panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) Large, fat cones of summer and fall flowers often changing from white to deep pink. Size can easily be controlled by pruning. The 'limelight' variety from Nature Hills is a hugely popular choice. 

Spirea (Spiraea japonica) Flat heads of pink, deep red or white flowers above leaves in an increasing range of rich and variegated colors.

Lilac (Syringa Bloomerang Series) A series of fragrant lilac varieties that never grow too tall and that flower all summer.

Also try: Chokeberry (Aronia), Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), Roses (Rosa Oso Easy Series)

Vines

Woodbine (Clematis virginiana) An easy native, clouds of white starry flowers are followed by feathery seedheads. Very vigorous but can be pruned hard in spring.

Golden hop (Humulus lupulus 'Aureus') A twining hardy perennial with rich yellow leaves that are especially bright in spring. Dies back to the ground for winter.

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) Clinging naturally to almost any surface, and happy in most soils, the shining foliage turns to amazing orange and red shades in fall. 

Also try: Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris), Honeysuckle vine (Lonicera periclymenum), American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens).

Ground covers

Bugleweed (Ajuga) Low and creeping, ideal in damp shade, an increasing range of new colored foliage types is now available. Most have short spikes of blue spring flowers.

Pigsqueak (Bergenia cordifolia) Colorful heads of pink or white flowers emerge through bold, leathery, rounded leaves that are often tinted crimson.

Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla) Rough-textured heart-shaped leaves, often prettily patterned in silver, are lovely with the clouds of small blue spring flowers.

Also try: Snow in summer (Cerastium tomentosum), Juniper (Juniperus, spreading varieties), Spotted deadnettle (Lamium maculatum).

Shade perennials

Bleeding heart (Dicentra) Low and steadily spreading, the prettily divided leaves are often tinted blue-grey and set off the dancing reddish, pink or white lockets prettily.

Hostas (Hosta) Tight, clumps feature a huge variety of leaf sizes and shapes with many patterned in gold, chartreuse, cream, white or blue-gray.

Lungwort (Pulmonaria) Roughly textured, narrow to heart-shaped leaves are spotted in silver or entirely silvered and with blue or pink spring flowers.

Also try: Sweet woodruff (Galium odoratum), Coralbells (Heuchera Northern Exposure Series), Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum).

Sun perennials

Daylily (Hemerocallis) Extremely resilient summer-flowering sun-lovers with flowers in an extraordinary range of sizes, colors and patterns. The flowers only open for a day – but keep on coming. Many varieties of daylily, including 'Rosy Returns' are available from Nature Hills.  

Peonies (Paeonia) The intensely colorful early summer display of single or double flowers in rich or pastel shades returns each year with the minimum of care.

Oriental poppy (Papaver orientale) Large, dazzling flowers in bright white, pastel shades and also in more vivid colorings. In zone 3, oriental poppies are better behaved than in warmer zones.

Also try: Butterfly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Fall phlox (Phlox paniculata), Ice plant (Sedum spectabile).

Spring Bulbs

Crocuses (Crocus) Dazzling, dwarf, look-after-themselves bulbs with upward facing goblet flowers in many colors and color combinations. Inexpensive and very good value.

Daffodils (Narcissus) Steadily increasing into colorful clumps, check the white, cream, orange and bicolored varieties as well as the familiar yellows.

Tulips (Tulipa) Always impressive, in bold or more subtle colors, some are more frost hardy than others, so look for those rated Zone 3.

Also try: Glory of the Snow (Chionodoxa), Winter aconite (Eranthis), Snowdrops (Galanthus).

Summer bulbs

Quamash (Camassia) Vertical spikes carry large starry flowers in shades of blue, or white. A US native that’s happy in damp soil where it will spread steadily once it’s settled down.

Dahlias (Dahlia) Many varieties, in a surprising range of flower shapes and sizes. All are colorful, but protect from the last chills of spring as well as from slugs.

Iris (Iris) Available in a dazzling rainbow of colors and color combinations, as well as dwarf and medium height and tall.

Also try: Ornamental onion (Allium), Turkscap lily (Lilium martagon), Mountain Lily (Ixilirion).

Native shrubs

Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) The fragrance of this fall flowering witch hazel is often noticed before the golden fall flowers. Flowering sometimes overlaps with the yellow fall foliage color.

Smooth hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) An increasing range of varieties mostly with large rounded flower heads on compact plants.

American elderberry (Sambucus racemosa) Dome-shaped heads of tiny white spring flowers are followed by weighty clusters of purplish black berries.

Also try: Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa), Winterberry (Ilex verticillata), Stag’s horn sumach (Rhus typhina)

Native perennials

Coneflower (Echinacea) Large, attractive, daisy-like flowers are much loved by butterflies and now come in a wide range of colors with both single and double flowers. You can find coneflower seeds available at True Leaf Market.

New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) Small, single and double daisies in pink, purple, mauve and blue shades plus white. Many varieties available. Sometimes listed as Aster novae-angliae.

Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) This thistle-like plant has silvery flower heads carried above bluish, toothed foliage. Established plants make a dramatic feature.

Also try: Goldenrod (Solidago varieties), Bleeding hearts (Dicentra varieties) Heath aster (Symphyotrichum ericoides varieties).

Annuals

English marigold (Calendula officinalis) Cheerful daisies in orange and yellow shades with the recent addition of softer and more stylish colorings. Usually spreads by seeds.

California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) Sparking California native, usually in vivid orange but also in softer shades – varieties with blue-gray leaves are especially pretty. Seeds are available from True Leaf Market.

Sunflower (Helianthus annus) From roof-high monsters to container favorites, some are single-stemmed and perfect for cutting, others more branched and flower for much longer.

Also try: Love-Lies-Bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus), Alyssum (Lobularia maritima), Zinnia (Zinnia Zahara Series).

Vegetables

Pole beans Set seeds after your last frost date or set out plants around the same time. Provide stout support for their twining stems from the start.

Pumpkins and squashes Quick growing, but best started off protected from frost and planted out when it’s safe to do so.

Tomatoes Set out plants around your last frost date and cover the plants at night to protect from chills until frost no longer threatens.

Also try: Kale, Lettuce, Zucchini.

Fruits

Apple trees Check with knowledgeable neighbors and with your local extension service for guidance on exactly which varieties flower after the last frost and which mature quickly.

Plum trees Local knowledge is again the best guide to exactly which varieties will thrive in your area. Locally based social media groups can be especially helpful.

Cane fruits Blackberries, black and red raspberries, loganberries and tayberries are all good choices but will only crop well with annual pruning.

Also try: Blueberries, Currants, Highbush cranberries.

Winters might still be long and cold within US hardiness zone 3, but the variety of plants and crops that can grow successfully is pleasantly surprising. If you want to grow your own vegetables and fruit, to help get your plants off to a good start, you might be interested in greenhouse ideas or how to use cold frames to start seedlings. 

Plants vary in their ability to survive the winter. Plants that thrive in the warmth of a tropical Florida will grow less well in cooler areas and will be killed in winter in Alaska. The trick is to know which are which - and this is where the US hardiness zones come in.

The USDA has split the country into 13 zones according to the average lowest winter temperature recorded at weather stations across the country in the ten years up to 2020. (The two very warmest zones cover very small areas and are usually omitted.) At the same time, the nation’s expert professional and home gardeners, and particularly the American Horticultural Society, have used their expertise to assign all the plants we grow in the United States and Canada (and farther afield) with a corresponding rating that instantly indicates the lowest winter temperature they will survive.

So, how do you know what to plant in zones 1 and 2? Here, we take a look at the plants that are specifically suited to growing in the coldest US hardiness zones.

How to identify the best plants for your area

All you need to do is match your hardiness zone with the rating assigned to the plant. In some cases, the rating will apply to all the varieties of a particular plant, in other cases varieties may vary in their rating. The rating assigned to an individual variety will be shown on its tag, on websites, in catalogs, and on seed packets. 

For additional accuracy, each zone is split into two subzones, zone 7a and 7b, for example, but this level of detail is not always needed.

The key point is this: Hardiness zones create a way for us to see quickly which plants will thrive in our yard. Without them, we’d be planting varieties in our gardens that have no hope of survival.

 Choosing plants for zones 1 and 2 

Zone 1 and zone 2 include the very coldest parts of the country, mainly in Alaska. Winter temperatures in Zone 1 fall, on average, to below -50F. Winter temperatures in zone 2 are between -50 to -40°F. Compared with warmer areas, there are relatively few plants that tolerate such hard winters although foundation plantings that benefit from the warmth and shelter of a house wall can often be treated as if in zone 3. Although, as our homes are insulated more effectively, this feature becomes less useful.

Mulching in fall helps reduce the depth of ground that freezes in winter, using hoop houses and low tunnels in spring can advance the planting season for edibles. Starting seeds of edibles and annual flowers, or buying starts locally or by mail order, helps advance the spring growing season but spring growth of a wide variety of plants may need protection from frost using frost cloth or frost blankets (a non-woven fabric) or old bedsheets.

Plants rated as zone 1 will thrive in zone 2, and it’s always worth trying zone 2 plants in zone 1.

Deciduous trees

Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) A native birch with shining white, or sometimes pink-tinted, bark and bright yellow or orange fall foliage color. Zone 1.

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) Often called Balsam poplar, for the sweet fragrance given off by the buds, its leaves flutter in a distinctive way and turn yellow in fall. Zone 1.

Native Mountain ash (Sorbus americana) White spring flowers, orange-red fall berries, yellow fall leaf color. Zone 2

Also try: Crab apple (Malus varieties) zone 2, White willow (Salix alba) Zone 2, Larch (Larix species). Zone 2.

Evergreen trees

Juniper (Juniperus communis) An invaluable needle evergreen, that comes in a wide variety of shapes and sizes from narrowly upright to low and spreading. Zone 2.

Eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) An elegant, widely planted, strong growing elegant native pine with long, slightly bluish needles. Zone 2.

Blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’) Attractive stiff needles in shades of silvery blue, the trees come in a range of forms. Some are vigorous, some are neater and more compact. Zone 2.

Also try: Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) Zone 2, Rocky mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) Zone 2, Siberian pine (Pinus pumila) Zone 1.

Deciduous shrubs

Red Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea) Colorful and dependable, the winter twigs are yellow or orange or red, white berries follow clusters of white flowers and a few have attractive, variegated leaves. Zone 1.

Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) Modern varieties of this bomb-proof native have bronze or golden foliage or leaves that change color as they mature. Carries clusters of blushed white spring flowers. Zone 2.

Rugosa rose (Rosa rugosa) Single or double flowers in red, pinks and white are followed by large showy red hips. Thorny, spreads steadily, thrives in poor soil and by the sea. Zone 2.

Also try: Tatarian dogwood (Cornus alba) Zone 1, Cinquefoil (Potentilla fruiticosa) Zone 2, Sand cherry (Prunus x cisterna) Zone 2.

Evergreen shrubs

Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) Spectacular clusters of red, white or bicolored early summer flowers, often featuring intricate color patterns. Ignore dwarf types which rarely create an impression in the coldest zones. Requires lime-free soil. Zone 1.

Mugo pine (Pinus mugo) Well-branched, adaptable shrub with both very dwarf and taller varieties available so be sure to check exactly what is offered. Zone 1.

Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) Shining, deep green leaves set off spring clusters of small, blushed white flowers followed by red berries. Insists on poor soil and good drainage. Zone 2.

Also try: Juniper (Juniperus varieties) Zone 2. Labrador tea (Rhododendron groenlandicum). Zone 1, Arborvitae (Thuya occidentalis varieties). Zone 2.

Ground Covers

Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi) Dense, glossy foliage spreads steadily making attractive, low, widely spreading, enduring ground cover. Blushed white spring flowers. Zone 2.

Rock Soapwort (Saponaria ocymoides) Very low, creeping, mat-forming plant with five petalled pink spring flowers. Makes an effective spring flowering carpet. Zone 2.

Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) Starry flowers in a wide range of colors and bicolors face upwards from a mass of fresh-looking neat green foliage. Makes a dense carpet in sun. Zone 2. You can find creeping phlox plants available at Nature Hills. 

Also try: Maiden pink (Dianthus deltoids) Zone 2, junipers (spreading Juniperus communis varieties such as this one at Nature Hills) Zone 2, Siberian cypress (Microbiota decussata, spreading varieties) Zone 2.

Perennials

Yarrow (Achillea) Feathery foliage, topped with flat summer heads of tiny flowers in many bright, pastel and fruity shades. Spreads steadily, good for cutting and drying. Zone 1.

Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria) Richly scented, arching sprays of dainty white bells are set against broad, dark foliage. Exceptionally elegant, spreads steadily but never a nuisance. Zone 2.

Eryngo (Eryngium alpinum) Steely blue, bristly flower heads with spiny ruffs and white-veined leaves. Like a very elegant and high class thistle.

Also try: Columbine (Aquilegia), with seeds available from True Leaf Market, Zone 2, Cushion Spurge (Euphorbia polychroma) Zone 2, Daylily (Hemerocallis) Zone 2.

Spring Bulbs

Snowdrop (Galanthus) Very appealing, dwarf, clump-forming plants, the nodding white flowers feature three teardrop petals. Usually the first flower of spring, spreads steadily. Zone 2.

Daffodils (Narcissus) Reliable spring bulbs, bursting into flower as soon as the thaw comes. Consider varieties with white, pink, or orange flowers as well as the familiar yellow. Zone 2.

Squill (Scilla) Short, steadily spreading clumps feature dainty, rich blue flowers with white markings and open early in spring. Good as companions for other spring flowering bulbs. Zone 2.

Also try: Glory of the snow (Chionodoxa) Zone 2. Crocuses (Crocus) Zone 2. Winter aconite (Eranthis). Zone 2.

Native shrubs

Juniper (Juniperus virginiana) Tough, adaptable, the rich green summer needles take on rusty tones in fall. Choose varieties according to height and spread. Succeeds when almost everything else fails. Zone 2.

Coralberry (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus) Tolerant of most bright conditions, the clusters of small white summer flowers mature to long-lasting purplish fruits. Zone 2.

Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) An invaluable shrub with flat heads of white spring flowers followed by clusters of black, or bluish, berries plus fiery fall leaf color. Zone 2.

Also try: Serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia) Zone 2, ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) Zone 2, American cranberrybush (Viburnum opulus var. americanum) Zone 2.

Native perennials

Ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) This bold and impressive fern develops from fiddleheads in the crown to a large and impressive plant. Insists on damp conditions, where it spreads steadily. Zone 2.

Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) Dense mats of short slender leaves create an excellent weed-smothering carpet to show off the upward facing flowers in white, pinks, mauves, red and bicolors. Zone 2.

Goldenrod (Solidago) Familiar spikes of tiny yellow summer flowers, often in elegantly arching sprays, attract many insects and do not (as is sometimes said) cause allergies. Zone 2.

Also try: Yellow giant hyssop (Agastache nepetoides) Zone 2, Fleabane (Erigeron varieties) Zone 2, Prairie blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium campestre) Zone 2. 

Annuals

Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) Low and creeping, heads of white flowers – or pink, cream or purple – cover the plants over many moths. Quick growing, some are scented. Zone 2.

Love-Lies-Bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus) Grows quickly, so develops well in short summers, with long purplish pendulous strings of branched trails. Dramatic. Zone 2.

Zinnia (Zinnia Zahara Series) Grows quickly and flowers early with single or double daisy flowers in bright colors. Neat, and prolific and good in containers. Zone 2. Zinnia seeds are available to order from True Leaf Market.

Also try: Orache (Atriplex hortensis) (Zone 2), Borage (Borago officinalis) Zone 2, English marigold (Calendula officinalis) Zone 2.

Vegetables

Beetroot Matures quickly to a tender golf-ball size, or can be allowed to reach tennis-ball size or larger although larger roots can be woody. Zone 1.

Cut-and-come-again salads Lettuce, spinach, chard, kale, rocket and more are ready to cut just a few short weeks after sowing, then sprout again for another crop. A case where a low hoop tunnel can be very useful. Zone 1.

Chard Comes in a range of stem colors, the baby leaves are very tasty in salads, the larger leaves and stems are best steamed separately Zone 2.

Also try: Radishes Zone 1, turnips Zone 2, summer squash Zone 2.

Fruits

Apples Get advice on good local varieties of both eating and cooking apples and look out for varieties that have been specially developed for the coldest zones . Zone 1.

Blackberries Look for locally popular varieties as some are more suited to Zone 2 than others. Annual pruning encourages the best crop. Zone 2.

Plums Again, check with local suppliers, with your extension service and with neighbors to find the best varieties for your area. Zone 2.

Also try: Haksap (honeyberry) Zone 2, Chokeberries Zone 2, Raspberries Zone 1.

For further inspiration on how to grow vegetables in zones 1 and 2, you might like to read our guides to growing chard and growing beets. 

The US hardiness zone system, in which the hardiness of a vast range of plants is matched to parts of the country with winters they can tolerate, is well known to gardeners everywhere. The Hardiness Zones Map produced and recently updated by the USDA, shows clearly which parts of the country are in which zone, numbered zone 1 (the coldest) to zone 13 (the warmest), and these ratings correspond to those assigned to just about every plant you could ever think of growing.

But there are also other, less familiar approaches to hardiness. Firstly, there are Canada's Plant Hardiness Zones. Used in the same way as the USDA system, and focused on low winter temperature tolerance, it builds in far more factors than simply lowest winter temperatures. There is also The American Horticultural Society's (AHS) Plant Heat Zone system, which measures tolerance of summer heat. 

In addition, Sunset magazine has developed a more detailed system of hardiness classification that takes into account far more factors than winter temperatures. In the UK, the Royal Horticultural Society has also developed its own independent approach. Each approach is a trade-off between accuracy and simplicity of use, and here we go into more detail about each one. 

Four planting zone systems explained for gardeners

Here we delve into four other climate and planting systems, which when used in conjunction with the US Hardiness Zones Map, can help you to best select the plants which will thrive in your locality. 

American Horticultural Society's Plant Heat Zones 

The AHS Plant Heat Zone Map was developed by AHS President Dr. H. Marc Cathey. Launched in 1997, the system does the same thing as the USDA Hardiness Zone system – but at the other end of the temperature spectrum, revealing how much summer heat different plants will tolerate, and where across the country these areas fall.

The heat zone system is based on the average number of days per year when the temperature exceeds 86F. The zones range from 1 (less than one day per year over 86F) to 12 (more than 210 days per year over 86F).

A plant’s response to heat is complicated. Heat damage is often more subtle than damage from winter cold, it is often less obvious than winter damage – when plants may simply be killed. Intolerable heat may cause one or more of these problems: roots may cease to grow, buds may drop, fruits may shrivel, leaves may become very pale or dry up or simply fall off, growth may come to a halt. In many cases the plant dies over a long period, rather than quickly, and in some cases drought can be more of a problem than heat. 

The launch of the Heat Zone system in 1997 was greeted with enthusiasm but it was never widely adopted. Drought is always at least a partial cause of heat damage, and the Heat Zone system assumes that plants are kept adequately moist - which is not always the case. So the ratings may seem less accurate than they are.

While heat ratings are seen quoted on plant tags, in catalogs and online, the heat zone approach is less universal than the widely familiar US Hardiness Zone system.

Canada's Plant Hardiness Zones 

Created by Natural Resources Canada, and last modified in 2022, the Canadian approach takes into account far more factors than the USDA system. 

In addition to the monthly mean of the daily minimum temperatures (in °C) of the coldest month, other factors built into the Canadian system include: the number of frost-free days, amount of June to November rainfall, snow depth, maximum wind speed and other factors. The ratings run from zone 1 (at the cold end) to zone 9.

This approach has the benefit of building in more data, so is more comprehensively accurate, but summer heat, humidity, and the influence of mountains or large bodies of water are not taken into account. It is also generally more opaque and less easily understood by most home gardeners.

The Canadian government publishes maps created by both the USDA system and the Canadian system.

The Sunset Climate Zones 

The system devised by Sunset magazine takes a broader approach. It recognizes that there’s more to hardiness than winter cold and summer heat and takes into account height above sea level, latitude, oceans and lakes, humidity, wind speed, high summer temperatures, low winter temperatures, the timing and amount of rainfall, the length of the growing season. In short, they take into account the whole climate – so are known as the Sunset Climate Zones.

Focused mainly on the west, Sunset magazine divides the United States, parts of Canada and parts of Mexico into 45 zones, from the harshest (zone 1) to mildest (zone 45), running more or less from north to south, but also west to east. 

It takes account of the differences in climate in the west (zone 1 through zone 24) and the east (zone 25 through zone 45). Some zones cover very small areas, just part of a state, others cover much large areas.

As with the Canadian approach, in the Sunset system more factors are taken into account than with the USDA system, but it is also more complicated. As ever it boils down to a trade-off between simplicity and accuracy.

 The British system 

In the United Kingdom, a move towards adopting the USDA Hardiness Zone approach was replaced by the introduction of a unique system developed by the Royal Horticultural Society. 

This relies on a combination of absolute minimum winter temperatures (not average low winter temperatures) augmented by reference to the way plants are actually grown, such as the fact that greenhouses are more widely used than in most other parts of the world.

The ratings go from H1 (winter minimum of 15C, plants grown in a heated greenhouse or conservatory all year round) to H7 (winter temperatures below -20C, very hardy).

The Royal Horticultural Society system has the disadvantage that its H1 to H7 (warmest to coldest) approach runs in the opposite direction to other systems which run, coldest to warmest.

References to the British system will usually be seen in British books and magazines published in North America, and on UK websites.

FAQs

Why are plant hardiness zone ratings important?

Plant hardiness zone ratings matter because using them as a guide, it’s simple to see which plants will survive the winter in your area. They are attached to individual plant varieties and noted on plant tags and on websites.

Although the USDA hardiness zones map is very commonly used, there are other climate systems which are useful to have as additional plant resources, depending on where you live. Of course, the more information you can arm yourself with about what will grow in your local area, the better your garden will look. Another vital piece of knowledge is understanding what soil type you have, as this will also dictate which plants will thrive in your yard. 

If you are looking to protect your hydrangeas for spring frost, consider covering them as a defensive tactic from the cold. But beware if the cover is left on for too long and the temperatures suddenly rises, you may risk overheating your hydrangeas and cause more harm than good.

When it comes to protecting hydrangeas from spring frost, the decision to cover them is nuanced. Covering hydrangeas can offer a vital shield against sudden temperature drops that threaten to damage the tender new growth appearing in spring, and is often used as a technique for winterizing hydrangeas.

Hydrangeas vary species-wise, some species are more cold tolerant than others, but if new buds have formed this can be affected by the late spring frost and will die. It is essential, however, to use breathable, lightweight materials. This minimizes the risk of trapping moisture against the plant, which can lead to fungal diseases. Discover more from hydrangea experts about the right way to protect these stunning plants.

Should you cover hydrangeas for spring frost?

The decision to cover your hydrangeas for spring frost depends on various factors, including the severity of the frost, the stage of growth of your hydrangeas, and the specific hydrangea variety you are cultivating. Below our experts have listed some considerations to help you make an informed decision.

Frost severity: Assess the severity of the forecasted frost. If temperatures are expected to dip significantly below freezing, especially during the budding or blooming stage of your hydrangeas, it's wise to take protective measures.

Hydrangea variety: According to Lorraine Ballato, author of Success with Hydrangeas, different hydrangea varieties have varying levels of cold tolerance. Some varieties are more resilient to frost than others. For instance, panicle hydrangeas (Hydrangea paniculata) tend to be more cold-hardy compared to mophead hydrangeas (Hydrangea macrophylla).

Stage of growth: Identifying the different stages of growth is important when learning how to grow hydrangeas and how to protect them from spring frost. If your hydrangeas are still in the dormant stage or have not yet started budding, they are less susceptible to frost damage. However, if they have begun to bud or bloom, they are more vulnerable and may benefit from protection.

How to cover hydrangeas during spring frosts

If you decide to cover your hydrangeas, ensure that you use appropriate materials such as frost cloth, such as this one from Amazon, burlap rolls, or even old bedsheets. 

‘Avoid using plastic, as it can trap moisture and cause more harm than good,’ says Chris Link, co-owner of Plant Addicts. ‘Erecting a simple frame around your hydrangeas can help prevent the covering from weighing down the delicate branches.’

To fit the hydrangeas, measure its height and cut four stakes of wood that are 18 inches longer. Branches or lumber are acceptable materials. Use a rubber mallet to drive the stakes into the ground. Place the stakes in the ground approximately 12 inches deep, with 6 inches sticking out above the hydrangeas.

When covering your hydrangeas, do so in the evening before the frost sets in and remove the covering during the day once temperatures rise above freezing. This allows the plants to receive adequate sunlight and airflow during daylight hours.

Applying a layer of organic mulch, such as Ribbon Organics organic compost from Amazon around the base of your hydrangeas can help regulate soil temperature and protect the roots from frost damage. Using leaf mold to mulch hydrangeas can also be beneficial, as the natural product protects roots and helps the soil to retain moisture.

FAQs

When do hydrangeas need to be cut back?

When to prune hydrangeas depends on the variety you are growing. Hydrangea species that bloom in early spring should be cut back just after they finish flowering in May or June. Those that bloom in the summer should be pruned while they are dormant in December through February. Dead wood can be removed at any time of the year.

Remember, while covering your hydrangeas can provide temporary protection from spring frosts, it's also essential to focus on long-term strategies for promoting plant health and resilience. This includes proper watering, soil management, and selecting suitable planting locations. 

Covering hydrangeas for spring frost is advisable, but doing so with the right materials and vigilance is key. Incorrect covering can do more harm than good, emphasizing the importance of expertise and care in these situations.

In most of the country, the coldest winter temperature has a profound effect on our choice of plants – some plants can take Alaskan winters, some will die if exposed to a light frost. In our very warmest areas, mainly in the subtropical and tropical south – where, ninety nine winters out of a hundred, there is little or no frost then other issues come into play.

The hardiness zones map that the USDA created to show us the average coldest winter temperatures across the country also displays, in glorious color, the lowest winter temperatures in even the warmest areas.

Based on the latest scientific research, the different zones are shown in colored bands across the country, the zones are numbered zone 1 (the coldest) to zone 13 (the warmest). The corresponding hardiness ratings for individual plant varieties are found on plant tags, on websites and in catalogs - it’s easy to see which plants are right for your area. Here, we discuss only the very warmest zones 10-13.

US hardiness zones 10+ explained

At the warmest end of the spectrum - Z10, Z11, Z12 and Z13 - frost is so rarely a problem that we do not even consider it. It’s more a case of which plants need tropical warmth across the seasons.

The parts of the country that fall into the warmest zones are so small, and resulting choice of plants so broad, that we can deal with zones 10-13 together.

Gardening in zones 10+

In zone 10, even the lightest frost is rare. In zones 11-13 we can assume that frost will never be a problem and that a huge range of tropical and sub-tropical plants can be grown.

The boundaries between the zones are less important at the warm end of the scale than in cold regions and I suggest trying any plants rated as zone 10 or higher in any zone from 10 upwards. However, keep in mind that plants that prefer cool climates may grow poorly, or the soft growth fail to support itself, and unexpected pests and diseases may cause problems.

A more realistic division comes when considering rainfall. Plants adapted to grow in hot, dry conditions, for example, are unlikely to thrive in rainforest conditions or other damp climates.

In zone 10, average lowest winter temperatures fall between 30F and 40F. Zones 11-13 include those areas where the average lowest winter temperatures fall in the range of 40F to above 60F.

• If you’re gardening in any zone from Z10 to Z13, start by considering any plants rated for any of those zones - be flexible. Most plants rated as Z10 will thrive in Z13, plants rated as zone 13 may well succeed in zone 10. Plant, see what happens, learn by the past experiences of your neighbors and you’ll be better informed for the future.
• Always check whether your planting possibilities require dry conditions, are drought tolerant or prefer plenty of moisture - and choose accordingly. As a rough guide: succulents including agaves, aloes and cacti prefer dry conditions while leafy shrubs usually prefer moist conditions.
• Even though these zones are frost free, the winter months are still cooler than summer months, and often with more rainfall. This is the time to start cool season leafy edibles such as lettuce, kale, chard and spinach.
• Try not to fight the climate. It may be tempting to grow the plants of the cool northern woods – such as trilliums and coral bells – but they rarely thrive. Instead, focus on the plants that thrive in your zone – but not in the north.
• Be aware that non-native invasive plants can sometimes cause problems so follow advice about what not to plant, and discuss the situation with your local extension service.
• Be ready to irrigate moisture-loving plants when necessary – but never use an overhead sprinkler as they waste so much water. Choose a drip or trickle system instead.

Zone 10+ Main features 

In zone 10, the average lowest winter temperatures fall in the range of 30-40F.

In zone 11, the average lowest winter temperatures fall in the range of 40-50F.

In zone 12, the average lowest winter temperatures fall in the range of 50-60F.

In zone 13, average lowest winter temperatures are above 60F.

Here we treat them as one zone: zone 10 and above.

Each of the cooler zones is again divided into a and b subzones but this has little value in the warmest conditions.

Only a very small part of the south of the country is rated zone 10 and above. These scattered areas include southern Florida and the Keys, southern Texas, southern California and most of Hawaii.

Although frost is rare, and only in zone 10, hurricanes and other storms, and also salt sea air - may damage some intolerant plants and dry winds can also cause problems to susceptible plants.

Plants for Zone 10-13 

Trees

Royal Poinciana (Delonix regia) Clusters of orange or red, orchid-like flowers are shown off against delicate fern-like foliage. Makes a dome-like shade tree. Zone 11.

Orchid tree (Bauhinia variegata) Pale pink to purple flowers, that are a little like orchids, open in winter. Grows as a small tree or a large shrub. Zone 10.

Also try: Weeping fig (Ficus benjamina) Zone 10.

Shrubs

Angel’s trumpet (Brugmansia x candida) Spectacular super-scented trumpets in white, yellow and pink shades swing amongst bold soft foliage. A real head-turner. Zone 11.

Frangipani (Plumeria) Sparkling orange, yellow, red, pink, white or often bicolored five-petaled flowers open in from late spring to early fall. Zone 11.

Also try: Oleander (Nerium oleander). Zone 10.

Vines

Bougainvillea (Bougainvillea glabra) Very vigorous, and very thorny, but an amazingly prolific and colorful vine that may well need restraining with hard pruning. Wear stout gloves. Zone 10.

Mandevilla (Mandevilla splendens) Large flat-faced flowers in reds and pinks, but with an increasing color range, open in summer and fall against glossy, rippled leaves. Zone 10.

Also try: Spanish flag (Ipomoea lobata). Zone 10.

Perennials

Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) Colorful, exotic-looking flowers open among clumps of sword-like leaves. Easy, reliable and always impressive. Zone 10.

Orchids (Many types) Start with oncidiums, dendrobiums or the vast varieties of phalaenopsis that are now available. Check the needs of each before buying. Zone 10-12.

Also try: Bromeliads (Many types).

Natives

Century plant, mangave (Agave) Superb, succulent rosettes with juicy foliage rosettes in grays, blues, crimsons and a quickly increasing range of leaf shapes and patterns. Zone 10

Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) Very vigorous vine, clinging by tendrils, with astonishingly detailed flowers in lavender and white. Zone 10.

Also try: Scarlet sage (Salvia coccinea) Zone 10.

Annuals

Impatiens (Impatiens) The familiar colorful garden impatiens just keeps on growing in Zone 10 and warmer, and can be cut back whenever necessary. Zone 10.

Petunia (Petunia) Many many types, in every rainbow color, from ground covers to almost vines. Zone 11.

Also try: African daisy (Gazania) Zone 10.

Vegetables

Sweet potato: Easy to grow, but taking up a great deal of space, look for the new varieties with colorful leaves as well as tasty tubers.

Chilies: Choose the heat you prefer, from almost none to burn-your-tongue, all are happy in the hottest of seasons.

Also try: Squashes and pumpkins.

Fruits

Pineapple: An attractive, low growing plant, taking over a year to mature, but worth the wait to taste your own home grown pineapple. Zone 10.

Papaya: Often growing more as a perennial than a tree, and not long-lived, ask the nursery for a bisexual plant. Zone 10.

Also try: Bananas. Zone 10.

With high temperatures and virtually no threat of frost, the topical plants, flowers and vegetables that can be grown in zones 10+ is fascinating. If you live in one of these climate areas, you might be interested to know about the best drought-tolerant vegetables, that will grow well in more arid conditions.  

Plumbago is an impressive flowering plant prized for producing clusters of sky-blue flowers, a color that is often rare for flora. Native to South Africa, plumbago is today a popular flowering shrub for full-sun gardens and landscapes around the world, and it is easy to see why. 

The popularity of plumbago is due to the profusion of delicate, five-petaled flowers that bloom in shades of sky blue, pink or white, depending on the variety. These flowers form dense clusters, creating a striking contrast against the shrub's verdant foliage.

Considered one of the best fast-growing shrubs, plumbago thrives in warmer, sunny climates, making it a favorite for gardeners who enjoy tropical and subtropical summers. What's more, for those asking how to attract butterflies to their garden borders, this ornamental shrub is a hit with pollinators. Read on for expert advice on how to grow and care for plumbago. 

How to grow plumbago

Plumbago is an attractive shrub that produces masses of sky-blue flowers. Popular with both gardeners and pollinators, planting plumbago in your garden borders will add a pop of color that is sure to add impact and interest. 

Things to consider about growing plumbago

If you are considering how to grow blue flowers, plumbago should be at the top of your list. As a shrub native to South Africa, plumbago thrives in sunny and warm situations. In the United States, it grows well in states with hot summers and mild winters, including Texas, Florida and California. 

'Plumbago is only hardy in US hardiness zone 9 to zone 11,'  says Tricia Hunt, plant expert and owner of Millstone Nursery. While it can be grown in cooler zones, it might not survive the frosty winter months, meaning that it should be treated as an annual in cooler zones. For example, in US hardiness zone 4, it would not survive the winter.

'In warmer zones, plumbago can be grown as a shrub in garden borders,' adds Tricia. 'Coming in three colors, white, blue and pink, but most notable for the blue, plumbago can bloom year-round in these zones.' 

In cooler zones, 'consider planting plumbago as a seasonal container plant,' Tricia continues, adding a flash of pale blue to your pot displays that can either be grown an annual plant, or moved indoors to a heated greenhouse when the temperatures begin to drop. It is important to remember that with tender, tropical shrubs, such as plumbago, cold weather can irreparably damage or kill your plant. 

'Plumbago shrubs are enjoyed for their long bloom time,' Tricia says, and helpfully, they are both 'pest-free and deer-resistant.' So, if you have a sunny, sheltered spot in the backyard, plumbago might just be the vibrant, low-maintenance plant you need. 

Growing advice for plumbago

• Soil: 'Plumbago is a true gem for southern landscapes and pot gardening in non-tropical conditions,' says Tatiana Anderson, plant expert and co-founder of Top Tropicals. 'It prefers well-drained soil,' adds Tatiana, and can grow well in slightly acidic or slightly alkaline soils. If growing plumbago in a container, ensure that you incorporate drainage material with your potting mix, such as grit, to create a free-draining environment. 
• Light: This shrub 'thrives in full sun to partial shade,' says Tatiana. Plumbago is 'adaptable to a variety of environments, making it an excellent choice for the often unpredictable climates of the southern and warmer regions.'  Additionally, it is 'remarkably tolerant of direct sunlight and heat,' adds Tatiana, making it an ideal candidate for garden borders in these zones. While plumbago can tolerate partial shade, the less sunlight it receives, the fewer blooms it will produce.
• Watering: Plumbago 'requires only moderate watering,' Tatiana says, and is 'remarkably tolerant of drought.' During the first year after planting, it is recommended that you water your shrub regularly, monitoring the soil every week during the summer months. 
• Fertilizing: Apply a balanced, general-purpose fertilizer to your plumbago shrub in early spring and then again in late autumn, using something like this plant feed from Walmart. 
• Pruning: 'One of the remarkable qualities of plumbago is its rapid growth rate,' says Tatiana. 'Under favorable conditions, it can grow several feet in a single season, quickly filling spaces with lush foliage and vibrant blooms.' While it doesn't necessarily require frequent pruning, 'occasional trimming can help maintain its shape and encourage more prolific flowering,' Tatiana adds. It is recommended that pruning is completed in the early springtime before new growth begins to emerge. Doing so will help to maintain a compact and bushy form. 
• Additional Tips: While plumbago makes for an attractive shrub in the backyard, it 'possesses a sprawling growth habit, making it suitable for training as a climber against walls or fences,' Tatiana says. While plumbago might not often be thought of as one of the best climbing plants, 'with the help of some gentle support and occasional tying in, using something like this garden twine from Walmart, it can gracefully ascend vertical surfaces, adding a vertical dimension to your landscape design.' This feature makes it an excellent choice as one of the best shrubs for privacy, adding screening in your outdoor space where it is needed. 

FAQs

Can I grow plumbago in a container?

Yes, plumbago is a great shrub to grow in a container. This is recommended if you are living in a cooler zone, as you can protect your container during the winter months. Use a good potting mix with plenty of drainage material, ensuring that you water and feed your plumbago regularly during the growing season. 

In what hardiness zone does plumbago grow?

Plumbago is hardy in US hardiness zones 9 to 11. Growing in these zones, your plumbago shrub will thrive in full sun or partially shaded position. Plumbago is a tender shrub, meaning that in cooler zones it will not survive the chill and frost of winter. It is recommended that if you live in a cooler zone, such as US hardiness zone 6, plumbago should be grown in a container so that it can be protected during the winter. 

Enjoy a profusion of pale-blue blooms by planting plumbago in your garden borders this year. If your location and climate permits, consider adding other tropical blooms for a colorful display. For example, learn how to grow an orchid tree, or learn how to grow a desert rose, for masses of tropical flowers to add to the blue blooms of plumbago. 

Some plants wait dormant through the coldest of all winters and emerge fresh and ready to grow in the spring. Others will be singed by a chilly breeze and wiped out by a light frost. So how do we know where plants fit on this spectrum?

The USDA has divided the country into 13 zones, depending on the average coldest winter temperature. These zones are shown in bands on the USDA Hardiness Zone map and numbered zone 1 (with the coldest winters) to zone 13 (with the warmest winters). But how do we choose the right plants that will be happy in the backyard conditions of US hardiness zone 9? We all need a little guidance and advice on which trees, shrubs, perennials and other plants are naturally adapted to the winters in our individual situations.

Luckily, just about every plant we grow has been rated for hardiness by the American Horticultural Society and other experts. A plant’s rating is shown on plant tags, on websites and in catalogs. Match a plant’s rating to the zone with the same number and you have the answer, it’s easy to see which plants will survive the winter in your area. 

US hardiness zone 9 explained

Gardens in zone 9 only experience the lightest of frost, and then not always every year. The ground is never frozen for long periods or to any depth and this allows a huge range of extra plants to be grown compared with zone 8 and colder zones. But remember that a rare late frost can be damaging.

Remember, too, that not all gardens are the same. Some are near the sea or slope towards the sea, some are in valleys, some have mountains or lakes or tall buildings nearby. All these factors influence exactly how cold your winters are.

Gardening in zone 9

From trees to annuals, the range of choices is greatly expanded and, although deciduous trees and shrubs are less common, many plants grown as annuals in older zones can survive the winter. Subtropical vegetables and fruits from eggplants to avocados can be planted outside with confidence. Many palms will thrive in zone 9.

In zone 9, the average lowest winter temperatures fall in the range of 20F and 30F.

• Choose plants rated as suitable for zone 9, but be flexible – it really is well worth trying zone 10 plants. At the other end of the scale, plants hardy in zone 3 or zone 4 may find zone 9 too warm.
• There will be no need to use hoop houses or low tunnels to protect crops from early and spring frosts. And instead of starting seeds in a sun room, many can started in pots outside, or in the ground.
• Mulching is valuable, but not so much to protect plants from frost, as in colder zones, but to keep roots cool. But remember: never pile the mulch against tree trunks.
• Watering in the dry season may prove necessary, especially in areas of the yard bordering mature shrubs and trees. Always try to use drip irrigation as sprinklers waste a huge amount of water.
• This is the zone where you can be confident of being able to grow subtropical and tropical fruits including avocados, citrus of all kinds, olives, passion fruit and star fruit.
• Be aware that trees and shrubs planted in zone 9 may grow taller, and develop more quickly, in these mild temperatures than they would in cooler areas. Vines, in particular, may grow too strongly for the situation in which they’re planted and so need trimming back more often than you expect.

Zone 9 main features 

Average coldest winter temperatures in zone 9 fall to between 20F and 30F.

Zone 5a has a minimum average temperature of 20F to 25F. Zone 4b has a minimum average temperature of 25F to 30F.

Only a small part of the south of the country is rated zone 9. From central Florida along the coast of Louisiana and Texas and then through New Mexico, Arizona and much of California.

The first frost date of the winter is usually about November 25 – December 13, the last frost date of the winter is usually about February 6 – December 13.  

Plants for zone 9 

Deciduous trees

Bitternut Hickory Tree (Carya cordiformis) A narrow tree with shining, pale green, boldly divided leaves that turn yellow in fall and large nuts that are mostly ignored by squirrels.

Sourwood Tree (Oxydendrum arboreum) Tiny, white, well-scented summer flowers hang in elegant airy sprays, there’s also fiery fall color. Best planted when small.

Also try: Purple orchid tree (Bauhinia variegata).

Evergreen trees

Ponytail palm (Beaucarnea recurvata) The swollen base of the trunk tapers until topped with a cascade of slender fronds. A modestly sized palm for smaller spaces.

Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) This slender, upright, needle evergreen with its slightly bluish leaves, makes a striking statement. Dislikes wet conditions.

Also try: Chinese Flame (Koelreuteria bipinnata).

Deciduous shrubs

Tree peony (Paeonia suffruticosa) Huge single or double flowers in exotic colors and combinations, the mild climate spares the frost-tender new growth.

Flowering quince (Chaenomales) Very early flowering and very tough, the single or double, apple-like flowers in reds, pinks and white. Look for thorn-free varieties.

Also try: Knockout roses (Rosa Knockout Series).

Evergreen shrubs

Gardenia (Gardenia) Spectacularly fragrant, with single or double white flowers on plants that never grow too tall. Tolerates drought, hates wet soil. Good in containers.

Oleander (Nerium oleander) Broad-leaved evergreen with clusters of summer flowers in reds, pinks and white. Thrives in a container.

Also try: Sago palm (Cycas revoluta).

Vines

Passion flower (Passiflora) Vigorous vines, clinging by tendrils, with extraordinary flowers in many colors, often followed by orange fruits (some are edible).

Texan clematis (Clematis texensis and its hybrids) Bell-shaped flowers in reds and pinks have prettily flared tips to the pointed petals.

Also try: Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens).

Perennials

Dahlia (Dahlia) Flamboyant plants in a huge range of single or double daisy flowers in an unbelievable choice of colors and color combinations.

Gingerlily (Hedychium) Upright stems carry bold, exotic-looking foliage topped with spikes of small, orchid-like flowers in orange and yellow shades.

Also try: Gerbera daisy (Gerbera).

Natives

Swamp lily (Crinum americanum) Moisture loving bulb, with stems topped by up to a dozen, usually white, fragrant flowers each with six slender petals.

Scarlet sage (Salvia splendens) Cone-shaped heads of vivid scarlet flowers set amongst dark green leaves. Now also in many other colors and color combinations.

Also try: Spider lily (Hymenocallis).

Annuals

Morning glory (Ipomoea) Twining vine with flared flowers in sky blue, purple and many other colors and patterns, including striped. Flowers open early for only day – but keep on coming.

Petunia (Petunia) Long flowering, easy-to-grow plants for ground cover, borders, and containers of all kinds.

Also try: Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus).

Vegetables

Okra: Dark green (or sometimes red), five-angled pods follow pretty, trumpet-shaped cream flowers. Flowers and pods both edible.

Eggplant: All varieties from the well-known varieties with large purple fruits to the pretty varieties with egg-shaped white fruits, thrive outside in Zone 9.

Also try: Chili peppers.

Fruits

Citrus: All citrus will thrive in zone 9, in the ground or in containers. Lemons are the most dependable. Makes a handsome small tree needing no pruning. Hates drought.

Olive: An attractive, small, grey-leaved tree for well-drained soils. Fruits best when at least two trees are grow near to each other.

Also try: Avocado.

If you enjoy growing subtropical and tropical fruits including avocados, citrus of all kinds, olives, passion fruit and star fruit, they will all thrive in the heat of zone 9. Here are some more tropical garden ideas to inspire your planting choices. 

Winter frost kills plants – to be precise, winter frost kills plants that are not adapted to cope with the low temperatures. And, while some plants will be affected by just a few degrees of frost, there are others that will happily endure the most chilling northern winters and shoot again in spring. But how do we choose the right plants, the plants that will be happy in the conditions in our yard in US hardiness zone 8? We all need a little guidance, advice on which trees, shrubs, perennials and other plants are naturally adapted to the winters in our individual situations.

The USDA has consulted the records of the average lowest winter temperatures from thousands of weather stations across the country and they’ve turned all this information into a map – the US Hardiness Zones Map. Areas with similar lowest winter temperatures are shown in the same color on the map, revealing a series of color bands – from zone 1 to zone 13 across the country.

So far, so good. In parallel, the American Horticultural Society along with botanical gardens, nurseries and expert horticulturalists, have determined how much winter cold individual garden plants will tolerate – and assigned them a rating. These ratings are noted on plant tags, on websites, in catalogs and in books and magazines. So it’s simple: choose the plants whose hardiness rating matches your hardiness zone. Here, we take a closer look at what you can plant if you live in US hardiness zone 8.

US hardiness zone 8

This is the zone that provides good conditions for the widest variety of plants. In colder zones winter frost is a killer, in warmer zones those plants that appreciate a winter chill or cool summers grow poorly.

Of course, we’re dealing with nature so nothing is absolutely 100% guaranteed. For example, your lowest winter temperatures can be affected by the local presence of lakes, the sea, mountains, buildings and so on. 

 Gardening in zone 8

Zone 8 is suitable for a wide range of trees and shrubs, deciduous, needle evergreens and broad-leaved evergreens, grown for their foliage and their flowers. Many perennials and bulbs whose roots are vulnerable to frost can be left in the ground all winter and some annuals will also survive the winter outside

Also, in zone 8, a sunny wall provides just enough extra winter warmth to allow an even great range to be grown.

• Choose plants rated as suitable for zone 8, but be flexible. Some plants rated as zone 9 may well succeed in suitable garden microclimates in zone 8 and including them in your choice will widen your range of options.
• As always, hoop houses and low tunnels can be helpful in extending the season for vegetables and herbs, and can even ensure that you have some pickings in mid-winter.
• Light spring frosts can easily damage early growth of perennials and shrubs – even roses – and this is the time when those old bedsheets you have stored away can be spread over to provide protection.
• A fall mulching will protect overwintering perennials and bulbs that are a little tender. Do not be tempted to mulch in spring as your mulch is likely to smother dwarf spring bulbs.
• Mature evergreen shrubs and small trees – in your own yard or nearby – can help create protected microclimates where borderline frost tender varieties can survive.
• Most fruit trees do well in zone 8, but frost can damage the blossom, ruining the crop. Choose later flowering varieties that have proved successful in your local area.
• As always, mulch is invaluable – bark, garden compost, composted leaves, gravel (in sunny, well-drained areas) all help alleviate winter chills while black plastic helps raise soil temperatures in spring before planting a veg garden.

The main features of zone 8 

Average coldest winter temperatures in zone 8 fall to between 10F and 20F. Zone 8a has a minimum average temperature of 10-15F . Zone 4b has a minimum average temperature of 15F to 20F.

Zone 8 includes North and South Carolina, much of Georgia, Alabama, Missouri and southern Arkansas. It also stretches across central Texas into central Arizona and up the rest coast through California, Oregon and Washington state mainly west of the Rockies.

In zone 8, in many gardens, the soil freezes a little, thaws again and so on through the winter but rarely penetrates deeply. Whether tender bulbs such as dahlias overwinter undamaged can vary from one winter to the next and may also depend on whether you remember to much in fall.

The first frost date of the fall is usually about November 7 – November 28, the last frost date of the spring is usually about March 13 – March 28. 

Plants for zone 8 

Zone 8 provides conditions that suit the most plants, allowing you to grow the widest possible range of ornamentals and edibles. Many plants that grow naturally high in the mountains will grow well alongside some plants from almost subtropical areas.

Most plants from zone 4, zone 5, zone 6 and zone 7 are also suitable for zone 8.

Deciduous trees

Coral Bark Maple (Acer palmatum ‘Sango-kaku’) Classic tree for small spaces, with upright growth, coral pink bark and butter yellow fall color.

Sassafras tree (Sassafras albidum) Distinctive, lobed foliage. One of the best native trees for fall foliage color.

Also try: Stewartia (Stewartia pseudocamellia).

Evergreen trees

American holly (Ilex opaca) Makes dense pyramids of dark green foliage with red berries lasting into winter. Slow growing, but dependable.

Chinese windmill palm (Trachycarpus fortunei) The hardiest of all palms, steadily developing an unmistakable look with fan-like leaves up to 5ft across.

Also try: Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens).

Deciduous shrubs

Hydrangea: Reliable and easy-to-grow, look for varieties of PeeGee (H. paniculata) and Annabelle (H. arborescens) hydrangeas which are the easiest to prune. New varieties every year.

Viburnum: Many native and non-native varieties, with clusters of white spring flowers  followed by berries in many colors.

Also try: Mock orange (Philadelphus).

Evergreen shrubs

Camellia: Exotic-looking with large double or single, winter or spring flowers in reds, pink and white set dark, gleaming foliage.

Privet (Ligustrum japonicum) Clusters of strongly scented, creamy flowers are set against dark, exceptionally glossy foliage and followed by black berries.

Also try: Fringe flower (Loropetalum).

Vines

Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum) Fragrant and colorful summer flowering twiner, plant instead of the invasive Japanese honeysuckle.

Rose (Rosa) Zone 8 is perfect for climbing and rambling roses. They need tying in and careful pruning - but the color and the scent make them worth it.

Also try: Wisteria (Wisteria frutescens).

Ground covers

Rose (Rosa) Ground cover roses are ideal in sun and will flower for many summer months. Start with the Flower Carpet Series, in twelve colors.

Cranesbill (Geranium) Cranesbills, or hardy geraniums, are invaluable weed smotherers with upward facing saucer-like flowers for many summer months.

Also try: Lilyturf (Liriope).

Shade perennials

Hosta Indispensable for their huge variety of foliage patterns, in shady borders or containers, but beware of spring slugs.

Ferns: The lacy foliage of lady ferns (Athyrium) and male ferns (Dryopteris) is ideal in partnership with hostas or other broad foliage.

Also try: Hellebore (Helleborus).

Sun perennials

Perennial sage (Salvia nemerosa) The upright summer spikes of small purple, blue, pink or white flowers create a burst of color in early summer, with more to follow.

Tickseed (Coreopsis) Fine-leaved plants with daisy flowers, originally in yellow but now in a huge range or colors and color combinations.

Also try: Coneflower (Echinacea).

Spring flowering bulbs

Daffodil (Narcissus) Always recognizable, different varieties of these invaluable and easy-to-grow favorites now feature white, pink and orange flowers as well as the usual yellow.

Grape hyacinth (Muscari) Clusters of tiny rounded, purple, blue or white flowers are like elongated grape bunches. 

Also try: Wood anemone (Anemone nemerosa).

Summer flowering bulbs

Dahlia (Dahlia) Spectacular flowers ranging from huge to tiny, grown from clusters of tubers that will survive zone 8 winters in some seasons, but not all.

Lilly (Lilium) Very hardy, rather scaly bulbs send up exotic looking, often heavily perfumed, summer flowers.

Also try: Foxtail lily (Eremurus).

Native shrubs

Creeping Juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) Naturally low and spreading, the short and sharp, blue-green needles make a splendid cover and come in many forms.

Blackhaw viburnum (Viburnum prunifolium) Flat clusters of white flowers are followed by berries that mature from pink through to bluish black – with red fall color.

Also try: Buffalo currant (Ribes odoratum).

Native perennials

Bee balm (Monarda) Strongly aromatic foliage is topped with tiered clusters of lilac, red or pink summer flowers in that are popular with bees.

Tall summer phlox (Phlox) Large, rounded or pyramidal heads of small, fragrant, flat-faced flowers are mainly red, purple, pink, or lavender shades or white.

Also try: Coneflower (Echinacea).

Annuals

Wax begonia (Begonia semperflorens) Glossy green or rich bronze foliage shows off the yellow-eyed red, pink or white flowers all summer. Keep moist.

Petunia: From strong-growing trailers and ground covers, to neat rounded plants for pots petunias are available all over.

Also try: Impatiens.

Vegetables

Corn: Start seeds in individual pots or cells in a little protection and plant out after the last frost. Always plant in blocks, rather than rows.

Tomatoes: Choose varieties intended to be grown out in the open and plant after your last frost.

Also try: Melons.

Fruits

Figs (Ficus carica) All figs thrive in zone 8, but the dwarf ‘Little Miss Figgy’ makes a superb deck plant in a container. 

Meyer’s lemon (Citrus x limon ‘Meyer’) The hardiest and most dependable citrus for Zone 8, appreciates shelter from chilly winter winds.

Also try: Peach (Prunus persica).

Stretching over a vast area of the country, if you live in US hardiness zone 8 the choice of plants, vegetables and flowers you can grow is enormous. Whether you plan to create a fragrant moon garden or embark on some square foot gardening to grow vegetables, the options are vast.

North America has a wide variety of climates from tropical Florida to icy Alaska and there are no plants that will happily survive everywhere. In particular, some plants will endure the coldest of winters, while some will be killed by the lightest frost. But how do we know which plants will survive where? And how we know which plants will survive the winter temperatures in our yard?

To help gardeners and farmers understand all this, the USDA has collated records of the average coldest winter temperatures from thousands of weather stations all over the country. This data has all been plotted on a map and the country divided into thirteen zones which are displayed on the USDA Hardiness Zone map and numbered zone 1 (the coldest) to zone 11 (the warmest). There are two more warmer zones (Z12 and Z13), but these cover tiny tropical areas.

The other part of the solution is that all the plants we commonly grow, along with many many rare and unusual varieties, have been assessed for winter hardiness, and each variety assigned its own rating. Once you’ve checked on the map to find your zone - you can check the plant’s rating to see if it will take the winter in your yard. It’s a simple and effective system.

It’s important to remember that this is not a hard-and-fast rule as other factors can influence winter hardiness. These include soil type and whether the soil is well-drained, as well as the local presence of mountains, large bodies of water, buildings and so on.

Discover more about zone 7 with our expert guide, and learn which plants will grow well across this large area. 

US hardiness zone 7

As we look at one zone, and then the next, the range of plants that can be grown expands. The last frost date is earlier, the first frost date is later, and with a longer growing season a wider range of plants can enjoy the time and the conditions that will allow them to mature reliably. 

How To Garden In Zone 7

There’s another factor to keep in mind if you live in zone 7. We can grow tomatoes, for example, in zone 4 through to zone 9 - but the longer growing season in warmer zones allows them to ripen more fruits, crop more heavily and, sometimes, develop more flavor.

On top of all that, varieties have been developed that are best suited to just one or two zones.

In zone 7, average lowest winter temperatures fall in the range of 0F to 10F.

• Choose plants rated as suitable for zone 7, but be flexible in your choices. Some plants rated as zone 8 may well succeed in suitable garden microclimates in zone 7 and including them in your choice will widen your range of options – although, sometimes, you may be disappointed.
• Use what protected space you have to start flower and vegetable seeds and summer flowering bulbs into growth so that when they’re planted out they’re more advanced than they would be from starting outside.
• As the climate changes, you may find you can be less fixed about when you start edibles and flowers. Rely less on precise guidance based on traditional practice and pay more attention to each year’s seasonal changes.
• A greenhouse, hoop house and tunnels can make a significant difference in zone 7, allowing a wider range of plants to thrive and get started into growth when it’s still too cold in the open garden.
• Horticultural fleece or even old bedsheets can be used in spring or fall as temporary protection against unexpected chills.
• Mulching in fall will help protect crowns and roots against winter frost, but if you forget to mulch in fall, mulching in spring is still useful and helps preserve summer moisture.
• Fences, walls, and hedges can protect plants from icy winds but can also cast spring shade slowing the thawing of winter frost and snow.
• As they mature, evergreens can create small areas, microclimates, where conditions are slightly different from those in the rest of the garden. Pay attention to where the sun and the shade fall.
• If varieties of fruit have been specifically developed for your climate, or been locally in your area, for generations – be sure to try them.

Zone 7 main features 

Average coldest winter temperatures in zone 7 is between 0F and 10F.

Zone 7a has a minimum average temperature of 0F to 5F. Zone 7b has a minimum average temperature of 5F to 10F.

Zone 7 stretches from Cape Cod, MA and Long Island, NY through Philadelphia, PA and Washington, DC then Virginia, North Carolina, and across to Texas and up the western side of the Rockies – with colder zones at higher altitudes and warmer zones at lower. Check the map, or use the zip code look-up, for more detail.

The first frost date of the fall is usually about October 29 – November 15, the last frost date of the spring is usually about March 22 – April 3.  

Plants for zone 7 

In zone 7, we’re approaching the areas of the country which can be home to the widest variety of ornamental and edible plants. The choice can be bewildering, so always look out for varieties that have received national, regional or state awards.

Most plants noted for zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are also suitable for zone 7.

Deciduous trees

Full moon maple (Acer japonicum) Wonderful fall color on an attractively shaped small tree ideal for suburbs and subdivisions.

Cleveland pear (Pyrus calleryana ‘Chanticleer’) Plant instead of the widely-planted ‘Bradford’, which is invasive and has fragile branches.

Also try: Golden rain tree (Koelreuteria paniculata).

Evergreen trees

Southern magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora) Imposing, large-leaved evergreen with bold foliage and huge super-scented white flowers.

European holly (Ilex aquifolium varieties) A very wide range of varieties with variegated foliage, berries in reds, orange and yellow – or both. 

Also try: Monkey puzzle tree (Auracaria auracana).

Deciduous shrubs

Old-fashioned shrub roses (Rosa varieties) Generally tougher than recent varieties, old roses come in a huge variety of colors and fragrances.

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia) Spikes of powerfully fragrant pink or white summer flowers are followed by golden fall foliage.

Also try: Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus).

Evergreen shrubs

Japanese aucuba (Aucuba japonica) Bold, glossy leaves are often intensely speckled in yellow and bright scarlet berries may sparkle in fall.

Rhododendron (Rhododendron) From neat patio treasures to almost tree-like boldness, the clusters of spring flowers are stunning.

Also try: Sweet box (Sarcococca).

Vines

Summer jasmine (Jasminum officinale) Vigorous twiner with heavily scented white summer flowers. Responds well to hard spring pruning.

Winter jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) A sprawling plant that needs tying to its support. Opens its bright yellow winter flowers on bare green stems.

Also try: Anemone clematis (Clematis montana).

Sun perennials

Daylily (Hemerocallis) Tough, sun and cold tolerant, the flared flowers in many colors and color combinations open continually all summer.

Hibiscus Huge trumpet-shaped flowers in reds, pinks and white open on big bushy plants. Will astonish neighbors.

Also try: Aster (Symphiotrichum novae-angliae, Symphiotrichum novi-belgii)

Shade perennials

Cranesbill (Geranium varieties) Dependable, clumpers and sprawlers mainly with dense maple-like leaves and upward facing saucer-flowers in many colors.

Hosta (Hosta varieties) Tightly clump-forming, spreading steadily and smothering weeds effectively but protect from slugs in spring.

Also try: Lungwort (Pulmonaria)

Spring flowering bulbs

Crocus (Crocus) Many colors, many spread steadily, ideal companions for spring flowering perennials, good everywhere from borders to pots.

Daffodil (Narcissus) Easy-to-grow, tough, reliable – and now in many more colors than plain old yellow and single and double flowered varieties.

Also try: Ornamental onion (Allium).

Summer flowering bulbs

Dahlia (Dahlia) Many kinds for containers, borders and cutting – simply choose the color and style that appeals. Store in a frost-free place for winter.

Lily (Lilium) Many are scented, start with Oriental lilies which come in good range of colors for borders or containers.

Also try: sword lily (Gladiolus).

Native shrubs

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Intriguing rounded white summer flowers much loved by butterflies. Good in wet conditions. 

Arrowwood viburnum (Viburnum dentatum) Glossy leaves bring fiery fall color, blue berries follow white flowers.

Also try: Beautyberry (Callicarpa americana)

Native perennials

Bee balm (Monarda) Aromatic mint-like foliage is topped with tiers of slender hooked summer flowers in reds, pinks, purples, mauves and white.

Prickly pear (Opuntia) Unexpectedly tough, the fat, thorny, more or less succulent discs form a uniquely distinctive plant.

Also try: Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

Annuals

African daisy (Gerbera jamesonii) Exceptionally bright, single or double, daisy-like flowers held singly above a rosette of leaves.

Petunia (Petunia) Literally a rainbow of colors (plus black) with an increasing range of unusual colors and color patterns.

Also try: Scarlet sage (Salvia splendens).

Vegetables

Pumpkins and squashes: Start the seeds in a protected pace, such as a sun room, or buy starts from a local nursery.

Eggplant: Check for the earliest varieties to ripen in your area and start with them.

Also try: Arugula

Fruits

Persimmon: Underappreciated, late ripening tree fruit. Not all trees produce fruit, so be sure to ask for a self-fertile variety.

Cherries: All cherry types grow well in zone 7, and an increasing range of varieties is now available as small, deck-sized trees.

Also try: Apples.

It's clear that the range of plants and flowers that grow well in zone 7 is wide, and with a longer growing season the breadth of crops you could plant makes for a plethora of options for your vegetable garden ideas. 

The lowest winter temperatures vary across the country, from Alaska to Florida, and some plants are better adapted to thrive in colder winter temperatures than others. To help make all this easy to understand, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has collated records of the average coldest winter temperatures from all over the country. 

This data has been plotted onto a map and the country divided into 13 zones which are displayed on the USDA Hardiness Zone map and numbered zone 1 (the coldest) to zone 13 (the warmest). The map reveals the hardiness zone in which you live. 

Also, just about every plant you can grow has been assessed for winter hardiness, and each assigned its own rating. Once you’ve checked on the map to find your zone - you can check the plant’s rating to see if it will take the winter in your zone.

It’s important to remember that this is not a hard-and-fast system, as other factors can influence winter hardiness. These include soil type and whether the soil is well-drained, as well as the local presence of mountains, large bodies of water, and buildings. 

US hardiness zone 6

With each step to a warmer zone, the range of plants that can be grown expands. The last frost date is earlier, the first frost date is later, and this gives a longer growing season so that more varieties of plants have enough growing time in which to mature. 

How to garden in zone 6

Warm season vegetables including tomatoes, bell peppers, melons and squashes, cucumbers and eggplants will crop well, especially if seeds are started early in a protected space such as a sunroom. 

Early perennials have more time in which to bloom before the summer heats up and succulents such as prickly pears (Opuntia) and ice plant (Delosperma) should grow well 

In zone 6, average lowest winter temperatures fall in the range of -10F and 0F.

 Zone 6 main features 

The average coldest winter temperatures in zone 6 fall to between -10F and 0F.

Zone 6a has a minimum average temperature of -10F to -5F. Zone 6b has a minimum average temperature of -5F to -0F.

Zone 6 stretches in a long arc from Long Island and New Jersey, through Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri and Kansas, and then right up through The Rockies into Washington State – with colder zones at higher altitudes and warmer zones at lower.

The first frost date of the fall is usually between 17 - 31 October, while the last frost date of the spring is usually about 1 -21 April.  

Plants for zone 6

In zone 6, there are so many plants from which to select that most gardeners should not feel limited by the available choices. Dependence on needled evergreens is lessened by the tolerance of more broad-leaved evergreens, rhododendrons in particular.

All plants noted for zones 1 to zone 5 are also suitable for zone 6.

Deciduous trees

Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis) Creates an invaluable spring display of purple-red, pink or white flowers on an elegant, small and spreading tree. Some feature purplish spring foliage.

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) An essential flowering tree, opening its large four-petalled red, pink or white flowers in spring.

Kilmarnock willow (Salix caprea 'Kilmarnock') Small, dramatically weeping tree with early catkins on bare branches. Thrives in a large container.

Also try: Japanese maple (Acer japonicum), Smoketree (Cotinus coggygria), Silk tree (Albizia julibrissin).

Evergreen trees

Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica ‘Glauca’) An impressive stately tree maturing into a dramatic specimen with silvery blue needles.

Nellie Stevens Holly (Ilex 'Nellie R. Stevens') Makes an elegant red-berried pyramid of dark glossy evergreen leaves with few spines.

Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) Hardier than other yew varieties, makes a dense hedge and is adaptable and tolerant.

Also try: Japanese holly (Ilex crenata), Dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides), Arborvitae (Thuja ‘Green Giant’).

Deciduous shrubs

Butterfly bush (Buddleja) Colorful, summer flowering, butterfly favorites with spikes in purples, lilacs, pinks and white. Invasive in warmer zones.

Witch hazel (Hamamelis) Fragrant winter flowers in red, orange and yellow tones, the best are super-scented and with yellow fall color.

Annabelle hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens) Very large, rounded heads of white, pink or red summer flowers. Prune hard for the most dramatic display.

Also try: Saucer magnolia (Magnolia x soulangeana), Mock orange (Philadelphus), Weigela (Weigela).

Evergreen shrubs

Plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia) Easy look-after-itself needled evergreen in many shapes and sizes.

Japanese euonymus (Euonymus japonicus) Invaluable for its many forms with attractive gold- or white- variegated foliage.

Rhododendron (Rhododendron) A vast variety of attractive, dependable but lime-hating plants with dramatic spring flowers.

Also try: Golden anise tree (Illicium parviflorum 'Florida Sunshine'), Daphne (Daphne ‘Eternal Fragrance’), Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia).

Vines

Clematis (Clematis) Many self-clinging, spring or summer flowering deciduous varieties with large or small flowers, single or double, in many colors. Indispensable.

Yellow jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) Dependable, twining, evergreen vine with dazzling yellow spring flowers.

Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris) Clings effectively to walls and fences, very pretty early summer flowers like white lacecaps.

Also try: Purple Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei ‘Coloratus’), Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum),Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)

Sun perennials

Catmint (Nepeta) Aromatic, gray-leaved, usually rather twiggy plant with spikes of two-lipped flowers in many blue shades, pinks and white.

Hyssop (Agastache Kudos Series) A range of aromatic, often gray-leaved plants with spikes of flowers in fiery and peachy shades.

Japanese anemone (Anemone x hybrida) Large white or pink, single or double flowers in late summer and fall.

Also try: Astilbe (Astilbe), Avens (Geum), Siberian iris (Iris sibirica).

Shade perennials

Lady fern (Athyrium) Elegant ferns with prettily divided leaves in soft greens as well as silver and burgundy. Spreads steadily.

Cranesbill (Geranium) Vital, often ground-covering plants with bowl-shaped flowers in a wide variety of purple, blue, pink and white shades.

Hellebore (Helleborus) Dependably early, sometimes flowering through melting snow, with large nodding saucer-like flowers.

Also try: Elephant’s ears (Bergenia), Sedges (Carex), Male fern (Dryopteris).

Spring flowering bulbs

Hyacinth (Hyacinthus) Fat spikes are packed with fragrant flowers in purples, blues, pinks and white. Ideal in containers.

Daffodil (Narcissus) Choose from an extraordinary variety of flower forms, flower colors and bicolors. Very dependable, increasing well.

Tulip (Tulipa) Goblets in more colors and color combinations than you thought possible. Fine plants for containers.

Also try: Quamash (Camassia), Hardy cyclamen (Cyclamen coum), Spring squill (Scilla).

Summer flowering bulbs

Foxtail lily (Eremurus) Very tall and elegant spiers packed with starry flowers in yellow, amber, pink or white. Ideal at the back of a sunny border.

Bearded iris (Iris) Truly, a rainbow of colors in these dazzling sun-lovers, flowering at 12in-3ft, shortest flowering first.

Lily (Lilium) Large, exotic looking, sometimes super-scented flowers in a wide choice of colors, from short varieties for containers to taller varieties for borders.

Also try: Summer hyacinth (Galtonia), Gladiolus (Gladiolus byzantinus), Louisiana Iris (Iris).

Native trees and shrubs

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) Moisture loving deciduous shrub with white, spherical flower heads popular with butterflies.

Strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus) Tiny greenish flowers on this deciduous shrub are followed by bright red berries opening from vivid pink buds.

American holly (Ilex opaca) Lustrous, slightly prickly evergreen with persistent red winter berries but slow growing.

Also try Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia), Sweetspire (Itea virginica), Snowbell (Styrax americanus).

Native perennials

New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae) Dependable fall flowering daisy with single or double flowers in a wide range of colors. Sometimes listed as Symphiotrichum.

Joe pye weed (Eutrochium maculatum) Classic native perennial, with pale purplish flowers, popular with moths, butterflies and other insects. Better known as Eupatorium maculatum.

Gayfeather (Liatris) Upright spikes of feathery flowers in pinkish purple or white. Unusual in the flowers opening from the top of the spike downwards.

Also try: Blue star (Amsonia), Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa), Tickseed (Coreopsis).

Annuals

Larkspur (Consolida) Mainly tall, upright spikes of flowers in blues, pink shades, white and bicolored tones. Very good for cutting. Rather like an annual delphinium.

Sunflower (Helianthus) Large, usually dark-eyed daisies in orange and golden and yellow shades on plants 18in-6ft+ in height.

Annual phlox (Phlox drummondii) An annual version of the native perennial phlox in a wider range of colors and bicolors.

Also try: Floss flower (Ageratum), English marigold (Calendula), Poppies (Papaver).

Vegetables

Beets: Easy and adaptable, thin out carefully and harvest at about tennis-ball size.

Broccoli: Modern varieties are best for summer and fall cropping, be sure to protect the plants from birds.

Melons: Start seeds in a warm place indoors and then acclimatize them to growing outside before planting.

Also try: Cabbages, beans, tomatoes.

Fruits

Strawberries: For consistently good crops, replace plants every few years as disease tends to build up.

Cherry trees: Get local advice from nurseries or your extension service on which are the best varieties to avoid the spring frost in your area and which will crop well without other varieties nearby.

Pear trees: Most varieties of both European pears and Asian pears will crop well in zone 6 but, again, get advice on the best local varieties.

Also try: Peaches, plums, highbush blueberries.

The choice of plants you can grow within zone 6 is wide-reaching, with a longer growing season and warmer temperatures giving many more options for your backyard ideas. 

Hardiness zones are areas across the country whose average coldest winter temperatures are the same. They are shown in bands on the USDA Hardiness Zone map and numbered Zone 1 (the coldest) to Zone 13 (the warmest).

They’re important because - used alongside the hardiness ratings attached to individual plant varieties and noted on plant tags, websites and in catalogs - it’s easy to see which plants will survive the winter in your area.

In zone 5, rapidly warming spring days encourage a surge of new growth, especially in perennials and bulbs, so that the first flowers of summer may start to open when spring glowering bulbs are still colorful – flowering of roses and daffodils may overlap. The pond may still be frozen when the air temperature is 70F.

Annual flowers and leafy vegetables do well in zone 5 but may need protection against the final frosts, especially if the chills come after a week or two of warmer nights.

Gardening in US hardiness zone 5

In zone 5, average lowest winter temperatures fall in the range of -20F and -10F. 

It’s important to remember that whether or not a particular plant will grow in your yard is also influenced by the local presence of mountains, large bodies of water, buildings and so on.

• Choose plants rated as suitable for zone 5, but be flexible. Some plants rated as zone 6 may well succeed in suitable garden microclimates in zone 5 and including them in your choice will widen your range of options.
• Hoop houses and low tunnels are helpful in adding a little growing time in spring and for frost protection in fall – even old bedsheets can be very effective against the final frosts of winter.
• Spring mulch will protect the crowns of perennials if the first shoots are frosted.
• Fences, walls, and hedges can screen plantings from warming spring sun so may hold back spring growth,
• Mature evergreen shrubs and small trees – in your own yard or nearby – can help create protected microclimates where the iciest frosts fail to penetrate allowing more plants can thrive.
• Many fruit trees do well in zone 5, but frost can damage the blossom, ruining the crop. Choose later flowering varieties that have proved successful in your local area.
• As always, mulch is invaluable – bark, garden compost, composted leaves, gravel (in sunny, well-drained areas) all help alleviate winter chills while black plastic helps raise soil temperatures in spring before planting a veg garden.
• Don’t be afraid to expect the unexpected: carefully chosen kiwi vines and cacti can thrive in zone 5.

Zone 5 main features 

The average coldest winter temperatures in zone 5 fall to between -20F and -10F.

Zone 5a has a minimum average temperature of -20F to -15F. Zone 4b has a minimum average temperature of -15F to -10F.

Zone 5 includes parts of Montana, Wyoming and much of Colorado, southern South Dakota and Nebraska, and southern Minnesota. It also includes most of Iowa, plus southern Wisconsin, northern Illinois and Michigan, as well as much of New York, New Hampshire and Maine.

The ground in zone 5 mainly remains frozen until spring, but sudden warm days can thaw the top few inches while below that level the ground remains frozen. This creates standing water which may rot the crowns of some perennials.

The first frost date of the fall is usually about 13-21 October, while the last frost date of the spring is usually about 7-30 April. 

Plants for zone 5 

Although zone 5 winters are too cold for many plants, gardeners in zone 5 can grow a vast range of evergreen and deciduous trees and shrubs along with a wealth of vines, perennials and bulbs plus edibles and annuals.

All plants noted for zones 1 and 2, zone 3 and zone 4 are also suitable for zone 5.

Deciduous trees

Crabapple (Malus) Beautiful spring flowering trees with red, pink or white blossom followed by mini-apples in red, orange yellow and even white.

Paperbark maple (Acer griseum) An invaluable small tree with fiery fall foliage and flaking cinnamon colored bark.

Also try: Birches (Betula varieties)

Evergreen trees

Silver Korean Fir (Abies koreana) This neat, slow-growing conifer with dark green needles, white below, features striking purple cones even when young.

Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) From neat globes to weeping elegance, in many sizes and leaf colors. All are good.

Also try: Weeping hemlock (Tsuga canadensis ‘Pendula’).

Deciduous shrubs

American holly (Ilex verticillata) Easy to grow native with bright clusters of red, orange or yellow berries in fall and winter.

Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius) Adaptable native foliage plants with leaves in copper or bronze, deep blood red, amber and golden shades.

Also try: Smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria)

Evergreen shrubs

Andromeda bush (Pieris) Narrow foliage sets off the clusters of flowers like lily-of-the-valley in reds, pink and white.

Heather (Calluna) Low and spreading, in a huge variety of foliage and flower colors, good in containers and for edging.

Also try: Oregon grape holly (Mahonia) 

Vines 

Trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) Clusters of long red or orange summer flowers. Avoid non-native honeysuckles as they may be invasive.

American wisteria (Wisteria frutescens) Pale lilac flowers on vigorously twining vines. Avoid invasive non-native varieties.

Also try: Climbing roses (Rosa)

Perennials

Bee balm (Monarda) Aromatic summer native with tiers of flowers in many shades. Look for mildew-resistant varieties. Very popular with bees

Peonies (Paeonia) Tough and tolerant, almost indestructible summer flowers in many flower shapes and colors. 

Also try: Hardy hibiscus

Spring flowering bulbs

Grape hyacinth (Muscari) Low clump formers with upright, grape-like clusters of small blue, white or bicolored flowers. Spreads steadily.

Dutch iris (Iris) Brightly colorful flowers in a huge range of colors and color combinations. Easy, reliable and good for cutting.

Also try: Hyacinth (Hyacinthus)

Summer flowering bulbs

Indian shot (Canna) Tropical-looking temp-perennial for spring planting and exotic summer flowers, some with colorful leaves.

Dahlia: Thousands of varieties in many, many flower styles from dwarf to head high and in every color but blue. Essential.

Also try: Tuberous begonia (Begonia x tuberhybrida).

Natives

Coneflower (Echinacea) Large, upward facing daisies in red, orange, yellow, purples, pinks and white - single and double - with cone-shaped centers.

American witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana) Exceptionally fragrant fall flowers in golden tones follow yellow fall foliage.

Also try: Fringe Tree (Chionanthus virginicus).

Annuals

China aster (Callistephus) Large, single or double, pastel daisies for summer borders and for cutting. Seeds can be started indoors. 

Coleus (Coleus) Spectacular summer foliage plants with leaves in colors and color combinations not seen in any other plants.

Also try: Zinnia (Zinnia)

Vegetables

Cabbage: Many kinds, start seeds indoors a month before your last frost date and grow cool before planting.

Lettuce: Head and looseleaf lettuce can be started indoors then planted out to mature. Start cut-and-come-again types in flats indoors or outside, after the last frost.

Also try: Onions

Fruits

Grape vine: Grow your own black or white grapes to eat fresh or use to make wine. Focus on new, hardier varieties. Regular pruning essential.

Raspberries: Get local advice on the best red and black raspberries for your area.

Also try Blueberries.

FAQs

Which vegetables grow best in zone 5?

Many varieties of cool season vegetables such as lettuce, cabbages, kale, onions, spinach, carrots, and potatoes can be sown direct into the soil outdoors in April and May. Or start seeds indoors the month before and plant out after the final frosts have passed.

The breadth of crops, flowers and native plants you can grow in zone 5 is wide reaching, and allows for much more variety when it comes to planning your backyard ideas. 

Hardiness zones are areas of the country whose average coldest winter temperatures are the same. They are shown in bands on the USDA Hardiness Zone map and numbered zone 1 (the coldest) to Zone 13 (the warmest).

They’re important because - with the hardiness ratings attached to individual plant varieties and noted on plant tags and on websites - it’s simple to see which plants will survive the winter in your area.

In zone 4, the earlier spring thaw and the extra frost free days in fall allow a wider range of edibles to thrive.

There are also more evergreen shrubs from which to choose, more annual flowers have the frost-free growing season they need and varieties of many more perennials come into play. We examine the key features of gardening in this zone, and consider which plants will best thrive in this climate. 

How to garden in US hardiness zone 4

In zone 4, average lowest winter temperatures fall in the range of -30F and -20F. It’s important to remember that whether or not a particular plant will grow in your yard is also influenced by the local presence of mountains, large bodies of water, and buildings. 

 Gardening in zone 4 

• Choose plants rated as suitable for zone 4, but don’t be too rigid about applying this rule. Some plants rated as zone 5 may well succeed in suitable garden microclimates.
• Hoop houses and low tunnels are especially valuable in helping to steal extra growing days in spring.
• Spring mulching will have a useful insulating effect in fall.
• Mature evergreen shrubs and small trees help create microclimates, cozy places where borderline plants can thrive.
• Remember that features in neighbors’ gardens, and in your own, can also create protected areas.
• But fences, walls, and hedges can also screen plantings from the warmth of the spring sun and hold back spring growth.
• Don’t be afraid to expect the unexpected: carefully chosen kiwi vines and cacti can thrive in zone 4.
• Mulch is your friend – bark, garden compost, composted leaves, gravel (in sunny, well-drained areas) all help alleviate winter chills, while black plastic helps raise soil temperatures in spring .
• Consider creating raised beds, in the spring they’ll warm up more quickly than other areas (and also reduce the backache of weeding).

Zone 4 - main features

The average coldest winter temperatures in zone 4 fall to between -30F and -20F.

Zone 4a has a minimum average temperature of -30F to -25F. Zone 4b has a minimum average temperature of -25F to -20F.

Zone 4 incudes much of the extreme northern United States including most of Montana, parts or western and southern Alaska, most of North Dakota, Minnesota and high altitude Wyoming. It also includes parts of South Dakota, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

The ground in zone 4 remains frozen solid for many winter months, plants remain dormant, and the active growing season will usually be about four months. The long summer days are often warm.

The first frost date of the fall is usually about 21 September – 7 October, while the last frost date of the spring is usually about 24 April – 12 May. 

Plants for zone 4 

Many deciduous trees, shrubs, perennials, vegetables and fruits enjoy zone 4 and many annuals, especially fast growing types will thrive in the longer, warmer summer days. 

Deciduous trees

Flowering cherry (Prunus) Clouds of white or pink spring flowers, some with fiery fall color or attractive bark.

Saucer magnolia (Magnolia × soulangeana) A spectacular spring show of large, saucer-like pink or white flowers.

Also try: Crabapple (Malus)

Evergreen trees

Colorado spruce (Picea pungens) A tough and elegant tree with varieties in a range of heights, many with silver-blue needles.

Arborvitae (Thuya occidentalis) North American native in a wide range of varieties, many with bronzed winter foliage.

Also try: Other spruces such as Picea koreana.

Deciduous shrubs

Barberry (Berberis thunbergii) Tough, with very pretty summer and fall foliage. Choose only the new non-invasive varieties.

Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia) Colorful spikes of orange-red flowers open just in time to feed the arriving hummingbirds.

Also try: Winterberry (Ilex verticillata).

Evergreen shrubs

Boxwood (Buxus) This is an invaluable evergreen for foundation planting, dwarf and medium hedges and for clipping to shape.

Rhododendron (Rhododendron) A huge range of plant sizes, flower colors and leaf sizes – all insist on acid (lime free) conditions.

Also try: Heather (Calluna).

Vines 

Kiwi vine (Actinidia) Twining vine with bold foliage, sometimes with green-pink-and-white leaves. 

Clematis (Clematis) A huge variety of spring and summer flowering, self-supporting vines in a wide range of flower sizes and colors.

Also try: Climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea petiolaris).

Perennials

Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum) Large white daisies face upwards from dark green foliage. Yellow and double-flowered varieties also now available.

Cranesbill (Geranium) A varied range of bushy or weed-smothering  plants with saucer-shaped flowers in blues, pinks, white and bicolors.

Also try: Hellebore (Helleborus).

Spring bulbs

Snowdrop (Galanthus) The dainty white flower that tells us winter is almost over. Pretty, easy-to-grow, spreads steadily.

Crocuses (Crocus) Goblet-shaped flowers open widely in the sun revealing a dazzling range of colors.

Also try: Glory of the snow (Chionodoxa) 

Summer bulbs

Autumn crocus (Colchicum) Like a large-flowered, late summer and fall flowering crocus in purple, lilac, pink or white.

Lily (Lilium) Flamboyant flowers in a wide color range, many prettily spotted, on upright stems. Some are native.

Also try: Ornamental onion (Allium).

Natives

Black Chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa) A neat, glossy-leaved shrub, the clusters of white flowers are followed by edible black berries.

Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans) A vigorous deciduous vine with loose spikes of large, orange, late summer flowers.

Also try: Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis).

Annuals

Cosmos (Cosmos) Colorful, golden-eyed daisies in reds, many pink shades and white set against feathery foliage. Good for cutting.

Sunflower (Helianthus) Easy annuals from knee-high to head-high in an increasing range of sunny colors. 

Also try: Zinnia (Zinnia).

Vegetables

Tomatoes: Start by trying favorite local varieties, but also try some of the latest introductions on websites which are often more disease resistant.

Cucumbers: Growing vining varieties in pots against a warm wall is often the best approach.

Also try: Zucchini.

Fruits

Apples: Check with neighbors, or the extension service, for the varieties that do best in your area, and remember to check their pollination needs.

Strawberries: Growing well even in colder zones, but don’t expect fruit in the first year.

Also try: Sour cherries.

FAQs

How long is the growing season in zone 4?

The US hardiness zone 4 has a fairly short growing season, which on average lasts four months. There are still a wide choice of plants you can grow in this area of the US, many however may need more care to keep them warm over the colder months, with the use of horticultural fleece, cloches or a greenhouse. 

There are plenty of annuals that will grow well in zone 4 over the summer. You may find our guides to growing cosmos or zinnias useful if you live within this area. 

Despite what you might think, hedges don't have to be hard work as easy-care plants will pretty much look after themselves while creating shelter, absorbing noise and adding precious privacy to your outside space. 

Not all hedges are equal, of course, and while some do require a careful routine of pruning and plant care, there are plenty of varieties which, once established, really do need only minimum attention. 

Most hedge-related chores relate to the trimming back needed to keep the branches and foliage in shape and under control. Although it is tempting to choose a fast-growing variety to ensure the quickest possible coverage, slower growing hedges will create less work in the long run. 

Evergreen shrubs, which do not lose their leaves in winter, are more straightforward to care for than their deciduous counterparts, so keep this in mind if you're searching for hedging plants. 

Cut down on gardening tasks with the best low maintenance hedge plants

Get a garden boundary that requires minimal upkeep with our top choices for the best low-maintenance hedge plants. From classic evergreens to options that are covered in pretty flowers in spring, there's something to suit every size and style of yard. 

Once you have chosen a suitable hedge for your garden or backyard, even the most low-maintenance varieties must be watered for the first few months as the roots establish. Once that has happened, it is time to sit back and enjoy the many advantages of a soft and leafy green hedge for wildlife. 

1. Euonymus japonicus

When it comes to low-maintenance shrubs, this is a great all-rounder for any plot as it suits every site and situation. It is a bushy shrub with neat, evergreen leaves which tolerates exposed sites, coastal locations, a sunny or shady position and any kind of soil. It is also rabbit-resistant. 

Give it a light trim after it flowers, but other than that, it’s a fuss-free privacy hedge. We like Silver King Euonymus at Nature Hills for USDA zones 6-9. 

2. Choisya 

Also known as Mexican Orange, this is another of the best low maintenance hedge which grows in most light and soil conditions. ‘Aztec Pearl’ and ‘Sundance’ to his clients. 

A drought-tolerant plant, choisya has narrow, glossy aromatic green leaves and sweet-smelling spring flowers, which return in the fall. It grows to between 5-6.5ft tall and is suitable for zones 7b to 10 in the US, preferring milder winter locations. 

Shop hedge trimmers

3. Thuja smaragd 

An evergreen conifer with upright, fan-like sprays of leaves. Some varieties of Thuja make very fast-growing hedges and are tall, which means they need careful watching and pruning, but Thuja smaragd takes 10-20 years to reach its ultimate height of about 8ft, yet it still offers a dense, attractive screen of bright green all year round. 

It is a popular choice for screening ideas in the US. 

4. Cherry laurel

Whether you use it as a windbreak, or plant it to mute the sound of noisy neighbors and improve your garden privacy, cherry laurel is a trooper of a hedging plant, and it’s attractive, too. Try Otto Luyken Cherry Laurel at Fast Growing Trees.

Another evergreen, it has neat, glossy leaves which will form a dense screen, with white flowers in spring and bright red berries in winter. It grows in full sun or shade and just needs one annual cut back. So trim evergreen bushes in late winter or early spring. 

The ultimate height is around 16ft, but it can be easily trimmed to size. This plant is also known as ‘English Laurel’. 

5. Yew

One of the best low-maintenance hedge plants for creating a more formal, classic look, yew is a bushy, dense and evergreen tree with berries, with fine, needle-like dark green leaves. 

It will grow tall, up to around 49ft, so it is suitable for larger backyards, although it can be kept under control with hard pruning in spring or summer. It copes well with sun or shade. 

Yew berries and foliage are toxic, so take care in gardens with young children or pets. Yew is native to Europe, Turkey and Iran. It does well in cooler, northern areas of the US, but it can be trickier to grow well in hot and dry climates. 

6. Pyracantha

If you want a low maintenance hedge which will also deter intruders, this spiky plant is a great choice. Try ‘Mohave’ which has dense, small green leaves, white flowers in summer and thick clusters of red berries in the fall. 

It can be cut into shape in the spring and early summer (make sure you have a thick pair of gardening gloves to hand for the job) or just leave it alone for an informal wildlife-friendly hedge. 

Its prolific nature means that pyracantha is classed as invasive in certain parts of the US. But if it's ok for your area this makes a vibrant front yard hedge for privacy.

7. English holly (Ilex Aquifolium)

A slow growing evergreen, with spiny leaves and delightful red berries in winter, holly makes a sturdy, thick and secure hedge which needs little more than a trim in the summer to keep it happy and healthy. 

There are many different types of holly, with both solid green and variegated leaves, but generally this plant has flexible needs, tolerating full sun and part shade and any kind of moist, well-drained soil. 

In rural areas, holly plants may require a rabbit guard around the trunk as they get established, particularly if you're already struggling with how to keep rabbits out of your yard. 

It thrives in US growing zones 7-9, but American holly is a good substitute for gardens outside these areas. Try American Holly at Fast Growing Trees. 

8. Photinia

Just because a plant is evergreen does not mean that it stays the same boring color all year round, and this pretty option for the best low-maintenance hedge plants certainly rings the changes. 

Try Photinia X Fraseri ‘Louise’ which shifts through red to olive green to a dark gray green as the seasons turn. It is a spring flowering shrub where white flowers appear, followed by red berries. It will thrive in sun or partial shade, in moist, well-drained soil. 

Minimal pruning is needed, just a light trim in spring and summer (avoiding the height of summer). It is a popular choice for gardeners in Australia and will grow in the US, zones 7-9. 

9. Osmanthus x burkwoodii

An evergreen shrub with leathery, sharp leaves which have a similar shape to holly, Burkwood Osmanthus, as it’s also known, is a very hardy, easy going hedging plant, which will tolerate full sun or part shade. 

It is a well behaved slow-grower, and only needs pruning if it gets too big for the plot. This is best done in late spring, after the display of starry and superbly scented white flowers (the botanic name actually means ‘fragrant flower’). 

It’s a good choice for a small backyard and it grows well in USDA zones 7-10. 

FAQs

Which low maintenance hedges will stay green all year round? 

Any hedge which is described or labeled as a hardy evergreen will keep its color and its leaves through every season of the year. But it is important to choose a species that will not grow too big for your space as some can become dominant in record time. 

Which low maintenance hedge plants are best for shady areas?

For areas which hardly get any sunlight, opt for shade plants such as a holly (ilex) or a Japanese laurel (Aucuba japonica), as both will tolerate lower light levels.

Hedges don't only add permanent evergreen interest and structure to your backyard, they can also work as plants for home security as break-in deterrents.

Hardy hibiscus, with its stunning and vibrant flowers, offers a touch of the tropics that can be enjoyed in any backyard. These resilient and frost-hardy shrubs are known for their dazzling blooms in a spectrum of colors ranging from deep red to pristine white, golden yellow to pale pink. 

The distinction between hardy and tropical hibiscus is crucial, with most tropical hibiscus varieties unable to survive the winter months in central and northerly locations outside of US hardiness zones 9 - 12. 

Hardy hibiscus options, however, many of which are native to North America, will thrive in cooler zones and climates, making them a suitable and popular option that can add tropical floral interest to any yard. 

For those aiming to incorporate a tropical and colorful aesthetic into their outdoor space, cultivating these hardy and fast-growing shrubs in pots and containers should be a consideration. Container growing, for example, is an ideal solution for those with limited or reduced space, whilst also enabling flower growing in attractive pots that are visible from your home. 

How to grow hardy hibiscus in containers

Hardy hibiscus are ideal shrubs to grow in pots and containers. This is a solution for those with smaller yards or terraces. By following our top tips on cultivating hardy hibiscus in containers, you too can enjoy masses of colorful flowers this year. 

Things to consider when planting hardy hibiscus in a container

The name 'hardy hibiscus' or 'perennial hibiscus' generally refers to cultivars of Hibiscus moscheutos that can withstand colder conditions and cool temperatures through the winter months when compared with most other hibiscus species. 'Hardy, perennial hibiscus shrubs will thrive in US hardiness zones 4 - 9,' says Tricia Hunt, plant expert and owner of Millstone Nursery. 

Hardy hibiscus should be planted in the springtime, when there is no further risk of frost. Despite being hardy, it is best not to plant smaller shrubs and plants when the weather - and the soil - is still warming. If the weather in your location is changeable in early spring, it is best to wait a few more weeks for the risk to abate. 

There are many options to pick from, all with bright and brilliant blooms, such as this Hibiscus moscheutos 'Midnight Marvel' from Garden Goods Direct with red blooms, or this Hibiscus moscheutos 'Kopper King' from Garden Goods Direct adorned with pale pink flowers come summer. 

Hardy hibiscus shrubs will grow quickly, helping to 'maintain magnificent color... unlike any other flowering plant,' says Tricia. Importantly, hibiscus shrubs will also fill your yard with pollinators and birdlife, known to 'actively attract hummingbirds,' says Tricia. 

Advice on planting hibiscus in a container

When you have selected your hardy hibiscus shrub, consider the potential growth habit of your new plant. You will want to use a container to suit the needs of the plant. Whilst hibiscus plants generally prefer having their roots slightly cramped, it is best to think about how much your new shrub could grow this year. Using too small a container will reduce the size of your shrub. 

When considering how to plant your hibiscus in a container, 'opt for well-drained soil that leans towards the acidic side and is rich in organic matter,' says Tatiana Anderson, plant expert and co-founder of Top Tropicals. 'Consider a mix that includes ingredients like bark, coconut fiber, and perlite.' In doing so you will create a nutritious and well-draining environment in the container for your hibiscus shrub. 

Most hibiscus varieties 'are well-suited for container growing,' Tatiana says. 'Particularly in pots ranging from 3 to 7 gallons in size as this offers the flexibility of easily moving the pots around, showcasing certain blooming specimens at certain times.' 

Place your container in a sunny spot in the backyard or near the front door, and watch as your shrub grows and blooms in the months to come. It is also a good idea to regularly deadhead hibiscus flowers, which can prolong the flowering season. 

Maintaining your hardy hibiscus

Hardy hibiscus can be relatively thirsty plants, especially in containers, where they can dry out quickly in warm weather. 'It is important to strike a balance,' Tatiana says, 'keeping the water flowing regularly, but making sure that it doesn't linger in your container.' Hibiscus will not enjoy sitting in water, so ensure that drainage is sufficient, 'allowing your hibiscus to thrive in optimal conditions.' One sign to be wary of is yellowing leaves on your shrub, as this can be a sign of over-watering. 

Known to be heavy feeders, hardy hibiscus shrubs grown in containers will benefit from fertilizer during the growing months in spring and summer. However, 'caution is needed to avoid over-fertilization with granulated plant food,' Tatiana says. 

'Excessive plant food can accumulate in the soil, resulting in an unhealthy-looking plant.' For best results, always dilute your fertilizer according to the instructions on the packaging, and apply it with caution. Using a fertilizer high in phosphorus is ideal, such as this bone meal from Walmart.

Hardy hibiscus shrubs are deciduous and will die off in winter. Following cold weather and frosts in the winter, the foliage will turn brown and collapse. Fear not, at this point, you can prune your hibiscus using clean, sharp pruning shears, which is important to avoid problems with hibiscus pests. Cut stems down to the ground before new growth emerges. This is best done in mid-winter. Come spring, new growth will begin to shoot, and soon enough your container will be full of blooms once again. 

Finally, it is recommended to repot any container-grown hibiscus into a larger pot every three years. Doing so will help your pot-bound hibiscus shrub to remain healthy and actively growing each year. 

FAQs

When is the best time to plant hardy hibiscus in a container?

It is best to protect your new hibiscus shrub until you can plant it outside in a container in the spring, once all risk of frost has passed. Whilst these shrubs are hardy, it is not recommended to move young plants outside when there is a risk of cold weather, as snowfall and frost can cause irreparable damage. Planting outside in the spring will give your new shrub the best chance to succeed.

Growing hardy hibiscus shrubs in containers will brighten up any backyard or front porch. Why not consider other brilliant blooms to grow in containers, such as growing celosia, and add even more color to your outdoor space? 

Choosing all white flowers for your garden might seem a little simplistic, but the results can be truly spectacular and even more dramatic than a scheme bursting with color. 

White is a soothing, tranquil shade, which will create a timeless feel. Whether you choose to plant your entire backyard or just one flower bed in this monochromatic scheme, the results will always feel relaxing, comforting and calming. 

One of the most well-known examples of a white garden is at the famous Sissinghurst Castle in England. Done well, they are a truly beautiful, elegant feast for the eyes – offering a cool and soothing subtlety, yet still with plenty of interest. 

Of course, you don't have to apply this look to the whole of your plot. White plants are a lovely pick for individual flowerbeds, borders or even container displays. 

When it comes to the plants themselves, you won't be stuck for choice – there are so many stunning varieties in all different shapes and sizes, and in some cases, scents.

How do you plan an all-white border?

'Choosing a garden color scheme can make the plant-planning stage much easier as it narrows down your choices. You could pick hot hues, carnival brights, or soft pastels,' says says garden expert and Homes & Gardens contributor Holly Crossley. 

'But, for a stylish, monochromatic design, all-white is a reliable approach. White plants have an elegance that works in both a contemporary style setting and a more traditional cottage garden design. They also appear to glow in the low evening light, giving a garden a magical feeling,' she says.

'The most successful white gardens aren't purely white, however. They're actually a combination of green, gray and white, with sometimes the occasional hint of other colors such as pink or blue. The foliage is key to creating a successful white garden, as white blooms need a strong backdrop to allow them to stand out,' she says.

White-themed borders are often planted with a focus on them looking at their best in midsummer. But, in a small garden in particular, it's important for planting picks to offer something all year round. It's possible to extend the white theme throughout the seasons by planting snowdrops and other white-flowered spring bulbs alongside early-flowering shrubs. 

For fall, white-flowered nerines will gleam in the low light and late-flowering perennials such as asters and gaura will continue blooming until the first frost. And, if you have the space, the white bark of a silver birch will provide interest for your winter garden ideas, as will frosty-white hellebores.

Create a calming plant palette with these 11 white flowers

'Once you've got your white garden up and running, be sure to keep on top of deadheading. White flowers don't tend to die attractively, particularly if the weather has been wet, which can cause petals to turn brown and mushy,' says Holly.

'Deadheading is crucial to keep it looking its best. Plus, snipping away fading blooms will also encourage side shoots to form, producing more flowers,' she says.

1. Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert'

• Hardiness zone: USDA 4 - 7
• Height: 4ft
• Spread: 24in

Japanese anemones are nothing short of elegant and are wonderful for providing height and late summer blooms. You could try the anemone hup. honorine jobert at Burpee.

This particular variety showcases tall, wiry stems holding pure white, cup-shaped flowers with bright yellow centers from summer through fall. It's an excellent herbaceous perennial for areas of dappled light, so try growing it as a shade plant.

2. Penstemon 'White Bedder'

• Hardiness zone: USDA 3-9
• Height: 27in
• Spread: 20in

'White bedder' is a great semi-evergreen perennial for extending an all-white theme into the fall months. It sends up masses of erect stems that have funnel-shaped, foxglove-like flowers from midsummer to the first frosts. 

It is borderline hardy, so give it a good mulching to protect the roots. 

3. Nicotiana sylvestris

• Hardiness zone: USDA 10-11
• Height: 5ft
• Spread: 1ft

Nicotiana is a well-loved choice for cottage garden plant schemes, offering sweetly-fragranced blooms on long stems.

This variety is perfect if you're looking to add height and drama to your scheme. A half-hardy annual, it forms a low-growing rosette of large leaves and has towering stems of drooping, white, trumpet-shaped blooms. 

4. Digitalis purpurea albiflora

• Hardiness zone: USDA 4-9
• Height: 7ft
• Spread: 20in

This white variety of foxglove will add plenty of vertical interest to your borders with its statuesque stems and tubular flowers. And it's a favorite of pollinators, so it's a fabulous choice if you're looking to fill your space with more flowers that attract bees.

This biennial will self-sow and is happy in part shade. Have a look for the white foxglove (digitalis purpurea 'alba') at Monticello shop.

5. Erigeron annuus

• Hardiness zone: USDA 3-8
• Height: 3.25in
• Spread: 2ft

This perennial makes a haze of small, white, daisy-like flowers from June to November. It's perfect for creating a wilder, laid-back look.

It will gently self-sow about the border, but it's easily controlled. The tall stems benefit from being staked in mid-spring. 

6. Gaura lindheimeri 'The Bride'

• Hardiness zone: USDA 6-9
• Height: 5ft
• Spread: 24in

The abundance of white flowers on this bushy perennial looks like a mass of dainty butterflies dancing in the breeze. And, the tinge of pink offers a pleasing visual effect. If you're creating a cottage garden border this is a good contender.

Gaura lindheimeri 'The Bride' blooms from summer through fall and is hardy in most gardens. 

7. White Dame's Rocket

• Hardiness zone: USDA 3-9
• Height: 3ft
• Spread: 16in

Otherwise known as sweet rocket (Hesperis matronalis var. albiflora), this short-lived perennial forms a clump of dark green leaves from which tall stems arise. In late spring and early summer, these are topped with clusters of fragrant white blooms. 

It's fantastic for pollinators and will readily self-seed if allowed. Plant in full sun or part shade. You could try these white dames rocket flower seeds at Amazon.

Make sure you check that it is not considered invasive in your area before you plant.

8. Cosmos bipinnatus 'Purity'

• Hardiness zone: USDA 2-11
• Height: 4ft
• Spread: 2ft

This floriferous, half-hardy annual creates a froth of feathery, green foliage and a succession of elegant white blooms between July and October. It's a magnet for pollinating insects and very easy to grow from seed. 

And, it makes one of the best cutting garden flowers for brightening up indoors. You can buy cosmos seeds - purity at Eden Brothers.

9. Rosa 'Madame Alfred Carrière'

• Hardiness zone: USDA 5-9
• Height: 13–26ft
• Spread: 8ft

Strong-growing and almost thornless, if you're sticking to an all-white theme, this is one of the best climbing plants to brighten up a pergola or garden wall.

It's studded with blousy, creamy-white blooms that repeat flower throughout summer and into fall. Plus, you can expect an especially strong, fruity fragrance. 

10. Trachelospermum jasminoides

• Hardiness zone: USDA 8-10
• Height: 13–26ft
• Spread: 13–26ft

Trachelospermum jasminoides, otherwise known as the star jasmine, is another gorgeous climber. In particular a good climbing plant for shade.

It has twining stems covered in glossy, dark green leaves that take on red tints in winter. And, in midsummer, it's smothered in a profusion of fragrant, white flowers. Try training it up a trellis for a beautiful backdrop to your border or seating space.

11. Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'

• Hardiness zone: USDA 3-8
• Height: 8ft 2in
• Spread: 8ft 2in

If you're looking for a shrub to bring into your white-themed border or garden, then this is a gorgeous (and currently, very popular) choice. You can find Annabelle hydrangea plants in 2 gallon pots at Walmart.

Deciduous yet fully hardy, it offers huge globes of flowerheads from July to September in a sparkling white, which gradually fade to green. It's an ideal hydrangea for a partly shaded spot, but will grow in full sun too. 

FAQs

What foliage plants look good with white flowers?

Foliage plays a crucial role in a white garden or border, offering depth and form to the display.

'Dark green foliage provides a fabulous contrast to sparkling whites. But, it's a good idea to combine bottle greens such as yew, box, and osmanthus with gray-leaved plants such as Stachys byzantina and Lychnis coronaria 'Alba' to avoid the planting feeling gloomy,' says garden expert Holly Crossley.

'Artemisia 'Powis Castle' is another good choice for silvery foliage. A dwarf, evergreen shrub, it creates a loose mound of finely divided leaves that have a fabulous aroma and it thrives in full sun.'

'The easy-care shrub Sarcococca hookeriana 'Winter Gem' is worth considering, too. Its leaves aren't silver but instead are a gleaming green all year round. And, in late winter, tiny white flowers emerge which smell like lily-of-the-valley.'

And if you're looking for ground cover plants to go with your white flowers? Try pulmonaria 'Sissinghurst White', a herbaceous perennial that forms mounds of green leaves, each of which is covered in white spots. It has early white flowers that are great for pollinators, too.

What are the best white flowers for spring?

There are lots of beautiful white choices for spring blooms.

If you're planning on planting bulbs, narcissus 'Thalia' has to be one of the best – a pure-white, multi-headed daffodil that looks beautiful en masse. In terms of tulips, another spring bulb favorite, the lily-flowered 'White Triumphator' is effortlessly sophisticated. 

Alternatively, 'White Heart' offers plenty of romance with its peony-like double blooms. And, if you're looking for a beautiful crocus to pep up a lawn, try 'Jeanne d'Arc' which are large and ice-white with deep yellow anthers.

Meanwhile, Magnolia stellata is lovely for an early-flowering shrub, with its delicate, star-like flowers. 

If an all-white scheme is what you're after to create a calming backyard, knowing how to plant a flower bed is key to a successful scheme.

Hardiness zones are areas of the country whose average coldest winter temperatures are the same. They are shown in bands on the USDA Hardiness Zone map and numbered Zone 1 (the coldest) to Zone 13 (the warmest).

They’re important because - with the hardiness ratings attached to individual plant varieties and noted on plant tags - it’s simple to see which plants will survive the winter in your area.

It’s important to remember that whether or not a particular plant will grow in your yard is also influenced by the local presence of mountains, large bodies of water, buildings and so on.

In this guide to zone 3, we look at what to plant and how to garden in the upper midwest states and some northeast states of the US.

Gardening in US hardiness zone 3

In zone 3, cold winter temperatures are still limiting the range of plants that will thrive but winters are a littles less brutal than in zones 1 and 2. This, combined with a longer summer growing season, allows noticeably broader range of suitable plants to be grown.

In zone 3, average lowest winter temperatures fall in the range of -40F and -30F.

• Choose plants rated as suitable for zone 3, but don’t be too rigid about applying this rule. Some plants rated as zone 4 may well succeed in suitable garden microclimates.
• Make the most of suntraps, screens and features in nearby yards that help keep parts of your yard a little warmer than the rest.
• Remember that mature evergreens provide valuable shelter from icy winds.
• Create raised beds, in the spring they’ll warm up more quickly than the rest of the yard but will also be chilled earlier in fall.
• Raised beds also help improve drainage, plants are that frozen for the winter in waterlogged soil are usually less likely to overwinter well than those in well-drained situations.
• Mulching with weed free organic matter, such as bark, helps slow down the fall freeze and hasten the spring thaw.
• In many situations, covering bare ground with black plastic helps warm the soil in spring.

 Zone 3: Main features 

Lowest winter temperatures in zone 3 are between -40°F and -30°F. Zone 3a has a minimum average temperature of -40° to -35°F and Zone 3b has a minimum average temperature of -35°F to -30°F.

Areas of the country rated as zone 3 are mainly in a sweep from The Great Lakes, north west through Minnesota, the Dakotas and into Montana, Wyoming and parts of Idaho. Areas on both sides of the Canadian border fall into zone 3 together with the mountains on the west coast of Alaska. 

The range of plants that will thrive is still limited by the low winter temperatures, but the use of plastic and organic mulches, and starting seeds indoors, has a greater effect on extending the growing season. 

The first frost date of the fall is usually between 8-15 September, the last frost date of the spring is usually between 1-16 May.

Here, the use of protective coverings in spring, as a precaution against the last frosts of winter, and in fall to help plants withstand the first early snaps, are very useful. Starting seeds indoors, or buying starts by mail order, helps extend the growing season.

Plants for zone 3 

The range of suitable plants is significantly greater than in nearby zones 1 and 2, cultivated varieties of native plants hardy in zone 3 are especially useful.

Deciduous trees

Red maple (Acer rubrum) Large, handsome, North American native with spectacular scarlet fall color. You can see red maple trees available at Nature Hills.

Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) Elegant North American native with attractive peeling bark and rich yellow all foliage.

Also try: Ginkgo tree (Gingko biloba)

Evergreen trees

White fir (Abies concolor) Beautiful tree with greyish green needles and large cones turning purplish.

Stone pine (Pinus cembra) Dense, conical tree with blue-green needles and large, colorful deep blue cones.

Also try: Colorado spruce (Picea pungens)

Deciduous shrubs

Lilac (Syringa) Late spring spikes of small, fragrant flowers in purples, mauves and white. Many varieties, every yard should have one. 

Panicle hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata) Large, fat cones of summer and fall flowers often changing from white to deep pink.

Also try: Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis).

Evergreen shrubs

Juniper (Juniperus species) Stiffly vertical to horizontally spreading, many with silvery blue needles. Sun-loving. Many varieties.

Russian Cypress (Microbotia decussata) Like a shade-tolerant, spreading juniper whose leaves bronzed winter foliage.

Also try: Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens).

Vines

Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) Vigorous, self-clinging deciduous vine whose foliage turns brilliant scarlet and orange in fall.

Golden hop (Humulus lupulus 'Aureus') Twining perennial plant with yellow spring foliage maturing to gold.

Also try: Woodbine (Clematis virginiana).

Perennials

Hostas (Hosta) Dependable shade-loving plants in a vast range of attractive foliage patterned in green, blue, yellow, gold and white.

Daylily (Hemerocallis) Resilient summer-flowering sun-lovers with flowers in an extraordinary range of sizes, colors and patterns. 

Also try: Fall phlox (Phlox paniculata)

Spring Bulbs

Daffodils (Narcissus) Reliable spring bulbs, bursting into flower as soon as the thaw comes. Many varieties, and you can see the range of narcissi bulbs available at Burpee. 

Tulips (Tulipa) Varieties vary in their hardiness, so look for those rated zone 3.

Also try: Crocuses (Crocus).

Summer bulbs

Dahlias (Dahlia) Many varieties, in many flower shapes and sizes. All are colorful but protect from the last chills of spring.

Lily (Lilium martagon) Turkscap lilies, with their rolled back petals, are among the hardiest of lilies. May take a year or two to settle, but worth the wait.

Also try: Ornamental onion (Allium)

Natives

Coneflower (Echinacea) Large, attractive, daisy-like flowers much loved by butterflies and now in a wide range of colors.

New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) Small, single and double daisies in pink, purple, mauve and blue shades plus white. 

Also try: Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi)

Annuals

Amaranth (Amaranthus) Upright or hanging plumes packed with thousands of tiny flowers in purple, green, crimson and many honey and rusty shades. Flowers quickly from seed.

English marigold (Calendula) Many heirloom varieties with single and double daisies in yellow and oranges tones, plus some very pretty pastels. This 'mission giant' variety, available in seed form at Burpee, will stand out in a backyard. 

Also try: Love-in-a-mist (Nigella)

Vegetables

Kale Grow from starts in spring, or raise your own plants from seeds started in good light indoors for a quick getaway

Tomatoes Set out plants in mid-May and cover the plants at night to protect from late frost. 

Also try: Zucchini

Fruits

Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) Tough, reliable and easy to grow. Prune annually after harvest.

Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) A delicious home grown treat, but only does well on lime-free soils. Popular with bears in rural areas!

Also try: Honeyberry (Lonicera caerulea).

FAQs

Where is the US hardiness zone 3?

Zone 3 covers the northern midwest states and some of the northeastern US states. It covers the Great Lakes, the Dakotas and into Montana, Wyoming and parts of Idaho. Areas on both sides of the Canadian border fall into zone 3, together with the mountains on the west coast of Alaska. Average winter temperatures in zone three fall to between -40°F to -30°F. 

It may feel a little challenging to garden in harmony with the low temperatures of zones 3, however it is entirely possible with the right gardening kit. These frost-hardy plant ideas might also be useful.

Hardiness zones are areas of the country whose average coldest winter temperatures are the same. They are shown in bands on the USDA Hardiness Zone map and range from zone 1 (the coldest) to zone 13 (the warmest).

They’re important because - alongside the hardiness ratings attached to individual plant varieties and noted on plant tags - it’s a simple way to see which plants will grow and thrive in your area.

It’s important to remember, however, that whether or not a particular plant will grow in your yard is also influenced by other factors such as the presence of mountains, large bodies of water, and urban developments. 

In zones 1 and 2, cold winter temperatures severely limit the range of plants that will thrive, and in zone 1 in particular, there are very few.

Gardening in zones 1 and 2

Zones 1 and 2 include the very coldest parts of the country, with winter temperatures in zone 1 falling, on average, to below -50°F. Winter temperatures in zone 2 are between -50 to -40°F. 

Here is some expert advice worth bearing in mind when getting started:

• Winter temperatures in foundation plantings and other areas close to the house will be less cold than in more exposed parts of your property.
• Do not be overambitious in spring, but be ready to prepare and plant as soon as the soil thaws.
• For vegetables, covering your intended planting area with black plastic will hasten the thaw, and using well-secured row tunnels or cloches also warms the soil before planting.
• The timing of the thaw varieties from year to year, so be alert and pay attention to local conditions and the local forecast.
• When growing vegetables, where possible begin with starts - young vegetable plants. Compared with starting seeds at the same time, you will gain valuable growing weeks which leads to heavier crops.
• Raising starts yourself indoors from seed brings you several valuable extra weeks of spring growing. Alternatively, order them in from a mail order nursery.
• Frost cloth or frost blankets (a non-woven fabric) is an invaluable aid to help starting plants a little earlier in spring and bring them extra time to grow in fall.

Zone 1: Main features  

The coldest winter temperatures in zone 1 fall, on average, to below -50°F.

Zone 1a has a minimum average temperature of -60°F to -55°F and zone 1b has a minimum average temperature of -55°F to -50°F, although these zones are rarely used.

Zone 1 includes the very coldest parts of the country, all in Alaska. 

The ground is frozen solid for many months, and during this time plants remain dormant. It’s impossible to work on even the most basic garden tasks outdoors for all but around four months of the year.

The first frost date of the fall is usually between 25 - 31 August, while the last frost date of the spring is usually between 22 May to 4 June.

While for much of the year the cold winter temperatures limit the range of plants that thrive, the use of protection, mulches, and making use of local topography can be very helpful in extending the range of plants that will thrive.

Plants for zone 1 

Few plants will thrive in zone 1. The best advice is to try anything you see rated as zone 1, anything that grows well in your area, and also try plants rated zone 2. Here are a few of our top picks:

Deciduous tree

Balsam poplar (Populus tremuloides) Often called quaking aspen, for its dark foliage that vibrates in the slightest breeze and turns gold in fall, as pictured above.

Also try: Mountain ash (Sorbus aucuparia)

Evergreen tree

Blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca’)