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Best Outdoor Plants? — Brooklynian

Best Outdoor Plants?

fourthstreeter
fourthstreeter
edited November -1 in Park Slope
My weekend plans include a little neighborhood beautification in front of our place.

Does anyone have any recommendations for attractive outdoor plants that do well with partial sunlight, are low maintenance and are, preferably, perennial?

I'm planting in plant boxes and pots (if it makes a difference).

Comments

  • caaahyoko
    caaahyoko
    Asiatic and Oriental Lilies and Daylilies make a good tall+short planting if you put them together. And the orientals smell amazing.
  • veets
    veets
    I am not gonna say I am the garden expert but I am pretty well outted on this Forum so at least some people know that I have a well established garden (and a well established residency in Park Slope).

    So if your intention is to do flower boxes or pots the way I would go is to forget about the Perrenial idea. Plants that "come back" do so largely because they are attached to THE GROUND, in the soil.. blah blah.. If I was doing window boxes, containers I might try some Roses but I would be more inclined to invest the money (read that throw out some money) and do Annuals that bloom all season and basically "over-plant" (put in more of those little cubes from the flats). And I would buying those annuals from Home Depot or Lowes or anywhere where the prices for annuals are low.

    P.S.
    I bought some Perenials in Leopoldies that were great ($8 each).. Salvia... gorgeous, well developed plants. Sometimes they have nothing I would buy but I check them every week in season. Thursday I know they get a fresh supply so Thurs and Fri are the days to check them out. They had luscious Dahlias today and gorgeous red geraniums ( which are widely available; but these were well developed, blooming and a great price).

    So ends the Plant Report.
  • new2hood
    new2hood
    I think I'm hijacking a bit, but when can I cut down the remaining bulb flower greenery (and the dead flowers) so I can plant for summer? I remember hearing I had to let them die back, but it feels like that's going to take until August. And then, can I just dig the bulbs up that are in planters and put in the basement until the fall when I can plant them in a different location?

    And to contribute to the original post, I have a lot of luck with mint and thyme...if you get enough variations you can get some really pretty colors going, they grow quickly and are pretty forgiving. Or, if you want flowers, geraniums mixed with vinca looks great, blooms often, and again, will not punish you for eternity if you forget a watering here or there....
  • caaahyoko
    caaahyoko
    Yep, I've had luck with mint and salvia too. The salvia I got from Lowe's--its the May Night variety. I bet they have it now or will very soon as its blooming right now. Oh, and that's a good hint as to when to find perennials at Lowe's/Home Depot--find out when they bloom.
  • caaahyoko
    caaahyoko
    new2hood wrote: I think I'm hijacking a bit, but when can I cut down the remaining bulb flower greenery (and the dead flowers) so I can plant for summer? I remember hearing I had to let them die back, but it feels like that's going to take until August. And then, can I just dig the bulbs up that are in planters and put in the basement until the fall when I can plant them in a different location?
    When I did research on this before starting my garden, the general consensus was that yes, you can cut them back and store them after they bloom. However, if you want them to multiply, grow in size, and thus get more blooms next year, leave them in the ground/pot with the greenery intact so they continue to store up energy. I took the latter approach, and I'm glad I did. Do you think you could just cut back half the greenery and plant the annuals in amongst there? Since the bulbs sit lower than the annuals' root balls, you should be able to squeeze them in there. Plus, that should give the pots a fuller look :D
  • new2hood
    new2hood
    Caahyoko, thanks! I have a planter I planted w/bulbs, and I want to pull them out and replant in the ground, so I think I'll go ahead and yank 'em up now, but I'll wait to cut back the ones in the ground.

    I'm impatient to plant a hydrangea in the planter, abut didn't want to kill the bulbs.
  • caaahyoko
    caaahyoko
    new2hood wrote: Caahyoko, thanks! I have a planter I planted w/bulbs, and I want to pull them out and replant in the ground, so I think I'll go ahead and yank 'em up now, but I'll wait to cut back the ones in the ground.

    I'm impatient to plant a hydrangea in the planter, abut didn't want to kill the bulbs.
    You're welcome! Bulbs are awesome. Just chuck em somewhere and they grow. :D
  • opossumqueen
    opossumqueen
    Petunias, especially the wave variety. They cost more than regular petunias, but you need fewer for the same space as they spread well.
  • citizent
    citizent
    I bought some Salvia at Lowe's today (it was a zoo there today!) and a bunch of other plants - impatiens and I can't remember what else.

    My first garden and I think I've overplanted and planted without enough planning, but I'm still excited about it

    If my tomato plant leaves are turning yellow are they getting too much water, or not enough?
  • caaahyoko
    caaahyoko
    Leaves that yellow suddenly means too much water. I learned that after drowning a few plants myself. :oops:
  • joe ship
    joe ship
    oopsie. Thanks. I'll let them get a little more thirsty
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