Make Way for May! - The Best Annuals & Perennials for Your Garden
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
It’s hard to believe, but we’re already at the beginning of May! You know what that means: even more amazing plants have hit the tables at Bountiful Gardens! Let’s take a look at some of the best annuals and perennials you can get in the ground now for a full Summer of glorious blooms!
Up first, we’ve got Nicotiana, with its delicate clusters of star-shaped flowers. These plants are absolute hummingbird magnets, especially if you go for the red and pink varieties. If you opt for white, you’ll still be attracting tons of butterflies, so there’s no losing with Flowering Tobacco.
If you really want to draw tons of butterflies to your annual planters, look no further than Ageratum. These funky little clusters of blue, white or pink pom-pom shaped flowers are absolutely adored by butterflies and other pollinators.
Up next is the sun-loving Jamesbrittenia, which is native to South Africa and can tolerate harsh Summer heat, making them perfect for planters in sun-scorched locations.
If you’re looking for a great spiller for your container gardens, you can’t go wrong with Creeping Jenny. These chartreuse beauties will trail over your planters, expanding and enhancing your arrangements.
For an eye-catching centerpiece for your planter, we’ve got Ptilotus. This is an Australian flower with attractive fuzzy pink blooms that will get pinker over the Summer before fading to a bright white, providing Fall interest.
For tall plumes of showy tropical blooms, look no further than Alstroemeria or Peruvian Lily. These work best when planted in a container garden as a centerpiece, or you can plant them in the ground for a seasonal cut flower.
With all the sunny days of Spring ahead, our tables are now a kaleidoscope of color, with new batches of never-before-seen annuals arriving each week!
If you’re looking to add color to your porch or patio but you’re struggling with indecision, we’ve done the hard work for you. We’re carrying tons of new annual hanging baskets in so many different color and texture options.
We’ve got options for sun, like our popular Geranium baskets, and options for shadier porches like Fuchsia, Begonia and Impatiens.
Now it’s time for some perennials, starting with Ornamental Mullein. This plant is fantastic for cut flower gardens, and looks especially beautiful next to Irises and Catmint.
For more of a mounding sweep of color, we have our Potentilla bushes. These are super drought resistant and cold-hardy, so they’re a great low-maintenance option for your yard.
Blue Eyed Grass is a phenomenal flowering perennial whose blue blooms burst open under sunlight and close up at night. It’s actually not a grass at all—in fact it’s much more closely related to Irises. They’re best planted in groups so you can fully appreciate their beauty.
Here at Bountiful Gardens, we’re frequently asked “what’s that amazing smell?!” This week, it’s Alabama Crimson Honeysuckle. This is a native cultivar, and as soon as a breeze hits its flowers, your whole yard will be filled with fragrance.
Normally when you think of a ground cover, you picture something low-growing, but our Robin’s Plantain breaks that mold. These perennials grow to about 12-16 inches tall and then rocket up their daisy-like flowers in mid-Spring. They also have the added benefit of being a host plant to all sorts of moths and butterflies.
Snow in Summer? It’s more likely than you think! This frost-colored, low-growing perennial spreads quickly, making it perfect for filling tough spots in your beds. Plus, they send up cute, delicate little white blooms in mid-Spring.
If you’re looking for ground cover in a rock garden setting or trying to fill in gaps around a sunny patio, Sedum is a great option, and this year we have more varieties to choose from than ever before! You have to See-dum to believe-dum.
We’ve been transfixed this week by our Indigo Flair Mahonia. This is an evergreen that works really well in a shaded area, and it has really delicate lacey leaves. As a bonus, it blooms in the Fall with dainty yellow blossoms.
We’re overflowing with perennial Lavender this week, with over 6 different varieties to choose from. They’re not blooming just yet, so this is a great time to get them in the ground so you can enjoy a Summer full of natural perfume!
And because our phone has been ringing off the hook lately, YES! We have tomatoes!! We have over 25 different varieties to pick from, including incredibly popular choices like Sungold and Black Cherry.
We’ve also got our first batch of cucumbers, Summer squash, melons and more!
What are you waiting for? Make way for May! Come out to Bountiful Gardens and start planting more today!