Every gardener has dreamed at one point or another of an “instant landscape.” Unfortunately, none of the home-shopping networks sell a garden that matures quickly. (Trust us—we’ve checked). The next-best thing is to plant an array of perennials that bulk up quickly, giving your beds a look of being full and therefore far older than they actually are. In fact, several of our recommendations can be divided within a year or two of planting, so you’ll get even more bang for your buck. The options we talk about in this episode may fill out quickly, but they aren’t aggressive or invasive.
Expert: Kelly Norris, director of horticulture and education at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden in Iowa.
It’s beautiful, tough as nails, and you can eat it! ‘Foxley’ thyme (Thymus pulegioides ‘Foxley’, Zones 5–9) is a billowy ground cover that is easily divided.
Anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum, Zones 4–8) is a pollinator’s dream. Although it does self-sow, the seedlings remain in the general area of the original plant and are easily removed if you don’t appreciate them.
Danielle thinks the flowers of ‘Blonde Ambition’ blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis ‘Blonde Ambition’, Zones 4–9) look like little flags. Steve, on the other hand, thinks they look like praying mantis arms. Regardless, this is a well-behaved ornamental grass that bulks up quickly and adds great movement to a garden edge.
A lovely, fast-growing perennial for shade is
candelabra primrose (
Primula beesiana, Zones 5–8), which creates rosettes of romaine-lettuce-looking leaves in spring followed by tall stems of pink and purple flowers.
Fine Gardening Recommended Products
Bee Watering Station with Vivid Flower Design
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Thoughtful Combo: You will receive a bee feeder and 30 glass marbles. This thoughtful combo can provide clean water for the bees, you just need to put the marbles into the bee watering station, add water (note: the water level should not exceed the height of the marbles) and hang them in the right place. The round, colored marbles can provide a place for the bees to stand and prevent them from falling into the water, effectively keeping the bees safe. Fine Material: This exquisite bee bath is made of high quality iron material, smooth surface, rust and weather resistant, not easy to fade, sturdy and reliable. Bee cups for garden can well meet the drinking water needs of lovely bees, and it can also provide food for bees, such as sugar water, nectar, etc., attracting more bees to your outdoor area and making your garden full of vitality. Perfect Size: The butterfly watering station has an overall height of 13.4 inches, a bowl diameter of 9.4 inches, and a weight of 0.44 pounds. The bee cup serves the needs of the bees well without plunging them into dangerously deep water or taking up unnecessary space in your garden, and this compact and efficient design makes it a practical addition to any outdoor space. Elegant Design: Our bee watering cups are designed in unique flower shapes with vibrant and realistic colours to attract lovely bees to your garden and patio, bee feeders for outside are not only functional but can also be used as a landscaping element, their vibrant floral patterns enhance the beauty of your garden. Multicolored Decoration: Colorful bee water stations look like flowers in a garden, flower bed or pot and attract bees and butterflies. They can drink or bathe in bee feeders, which are highly decorative and practical.
The Regenerative Landscaper: Design and Build Landscapes That Repair the Environment
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2024 Nautilus Award Gold Medal Winner! This awe-inspiring guide weaves together permaculture design, food resiliency, climate adaptation, community organizing, and indigenous wisdom that you can implement in your own backyard.
Corona® Multi-Purpose Metal Mini Garden Shovel
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Longer Service Life: The blade of this round small shovel is made of carbon steel, which can effectively improve the hardness by high temperature quenching, and the surface has anti-rust coating to avoid rusting. In the process of use when encountering hard objects will not bend and deformation.
Sturdy Structure: The small garden shovel with D-handle, ergonomically designed grip can increase the grip of the hand when using, the handle is made of strong fiberglass, will not bend and break under heavy pressure. Quick Digging: Well-made digging shovel has a sharp blade, and the round shovel head is designed to easily penetrate the soil and cut quickly while digging to enhance your work efficiency.
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