My name is Pam Zimmerman, and I garden in State College, Pennsylvania (Zone 5b).
I’ve been gardening at this home since 2006. I have shade in the front of the house and sun in the back gardens. I’m challenged by black walnut trees along the back of my property and deer roaming through my backyard. I’m planning to do more experimenting with native plants to attract more birds and pollinators and because I’ve learned that many native plants will survive near black walnut trees.
In May, one of my garden beds displayed a bearded iris (Iris hybrid, Zones 3–8) originally from my aunt’s garden and transplanted through the years from other gardens at other homes. The rest of the bed is still green, waiting its time to flower.
The same bed in early July featured the Shasta daisy (Leucanthemum × superbum ‘Becky’, Zones 5–9) and coreopsis (Coreopsis verticilata ‘Moonbeam’, Zones 3–9) in full bloom.
Later in July, the Shasta daisy and coreopsis started to fade, but garden phlox (Phlox paniculata, Zones 4–8), hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Limelight’, Zones 3–8), dahlia (Dahlia ‘Debra Renae’, Zones 8–10 or as a tender bulb), Russian sage (Salvia yangii, Zones 5–9). I like to start some annuals from seed or seedlings in large pots and then transplant them into the garden where there are bare spots after the perennials are done blooming. I continue to “tuck in” plants all summer. Here you can see annual zinnias (Zinnia elegans), snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) and white angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia).
Salvia (Salvia nemorosa, Zones 3–8) with purple spikes bloom next to a happy clump of chives (Allium schoenoprasum, Zones 4–8).
Peonies (Paeonia hybrid, Zones 3–8) take center stage with glowing blooms, their warm color echoed by the other plants around them.
In early summer, the container of annuals echoes the blooms of the perennials in the garden beds behind them.
In this tapestry of flowers, bright lantana (Lantana camara, Zones 9–10 or as an annual) echoes the glowing colors of the big daylily (Hemerocallis hybrid, Zones 3–9) behind it.
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Comments
Beautiful . Keep pluggin' things in ! The more plants , the less weeds ! Fact . It's a win-win scenario . Keep up the great work ! I have gardens , like other people , that are weed-free all season long ... Peace .
Thank you for your kind comments-my friends laugh because I’m always finding places to tuck In more plants !
My car can’t drive past a nursery!
Very nice Pam. I really liked how you us the same bed 3 times to show the progression as the seasons changed
Thank you for your kind comments! I had just taken a Zoom class on layering throughout the season and thought it might be helpful to others to see it in some of my beds.
Pam, you definitely have 'smile worthy' gardens filled with with beautiful colors and textures. Lovely!!!
Thank you for your kind comments!
Very very beautiful and so well planned and all is so healthy! Such a beautiful garden!
You have created such a happy looking garden - that border of Shasta daisies and Moonbeam coreopsis made me smile! I used to garden in northern NJ and had such beautiful peonies all through my garden - here in the clay of NC, I've just had my first peony bloom this weekend and actually jumped up and down with glee. Seems like it's going to take a long time for them to get going. Thanks for sharing yours!
Love the daisy/coreopsis border. But to me the coreopsis looks more like Zagreb than Moonbeam. Moonbeam is usually a more pastel yellow, at least it is on the West Coast. What do you think?
What a lovely garden you have!!! So much work. So much joy!
Your garden is wonderful. I strive to have garden beds like yours. Maybe one day. Thx for sharing.
It's such lovely garden. I really love this towing and roadside assistance
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