Black-eyed Susan can be planted in full sun .
Oak-leaf hydrangea has all-season interest .
Flowers can be tougher than you think
By Reba Mize Special to Ozark Living
I love the smell of peat moss in the morning . My best friends are those that will take off on a brisk Saturday morning road trip to our favorite plant nurseries , farmers markets and local garden shows to ogle flowers .
Spring , glorious spring , is a time filled with possibilities of your most beautiful garden . Weeds won ’ t have a chance in your garden if you fill it with flowers instead . That is a great excuse to buy more plants .
In my own garden I have chosen easy-care , longblooming perennials . I always spice it up with annuals and love to plant zinnias and sunflowers from seed . I love adding edible plants into my garden space and enjoy using found objects to help stake the taller plants – twig trellises or pieces of old wood fences . The joy of a cottage garden is there are no rules , it ’ s not formal or fussy . It should be a visual and sensory delight to you . When I moved into my house 14 years ago , there were only a few shrubs and clay soil . The plants I have now are what you might call bullet- proof – surviving 115-degree highs , 0-degree lows , hail the size of baseballs , snow in April , drought and occasional complete neglect . These are some of the plants you may try even if you have grown flowers before .
All of the plants I grow lure bee , butterflies , songbirds and hummingbirds and all of these creatures help with pest control , as I use no harmful pesticides .
Most of these plants are available at local garden centers or from plant sales from the rose society or Master Gardeners . My favorite plants , however , are “ pass along plants ” given to me by fellow gardeners . Each time I see the blooms , I remember the special friendships gardening grows .
Lantana is tough – heat and drought tolerant .
Black and blue salvia – hummingbirds love this and it creates a bed of light green foliage .
OZARK LIVING • APRIL 2025 • 31