You can make your house a home with personal touches, including planting your very own garden. As you think through what you might want to plant, consider these perennial options.
1. Coreopsis
Coreopsis plants grow in upright clumps and feature masses of bright, showy, daisy-like flowers throughout the summer. Foliage of the species varies, with some having large green leaves and others sporting narrower leaves. (The Spruce)
2. Azaleas
Known as “The Royalty of the Garden,” azaleas have long been adored for their brightly colored flowers and outstanding form and foliage. (The Old Farmer's Almanac)
3. Boxwood
Boxwood plants (Buxus) are dense, evergreen shrubs often planted in elegant and formal landscapes. Many varieties and cultivars of boxwood plants exist. Boxwoods are grown for foliage as their flowers are insignificant. (Gardening Know How)
4. Rhododendrons
Rhododendrons and azaleas are acid-loving, woody shrubs with colorful flower clusters. They prefer damp climates and mild temperatures, but there are rhododendron plants and azalea bushes suitable for Zones 4-9. With thousands of varieties available, there's one to suit just about every garden. (Garden Design)
5. Gladiolus
Gladiolus is a classic perennial known for its tall flower spikes and large, colorful blooms. Great cutting flowers, gladioli look spectacular in summer bouquets. (The Old Farmer's Almanac)
6. Hostas
Hostas are shade garden classics. These easy-to-grow perennials come in a variety of colors, sizes and shapes. (Garden Gate Magazine)
7. Russian Sage
Admired for its silvery gray, fragrant foliage as much as its lavender-purple flowers, Russian sage makes a bold statement in the garden. The abundant, spiky clusters of flowers bloom from late spring until autumn, almost completely obscuring the leaves. (Gardening Know How)
8. Echinacea
Echinacea, commonly called “coneflowers” for their cone-shaped inflorescences capped by a prickly dome of seedheads, grow well in the home garden, when provided with the right conditions. Echinacea are important sources of nectar for butterflies and many birds (particularly goldfinches), who flock to the plants to devour the seed. Echinacea are, in this way, “two for one” plants. You get to enjoy the gorgeous flowers, as well as the colorful wildlife they attract. (American Meadows)
Do these flowers inspire your garden? Or, are they inspiring your home purchase? If so, be sure to contact Kanawha Valley Engineering & Home Inspections to make sure it's the right fit!