White is such a versatile color. It can look fresh and clean, or cool and classy. Gardens will look that way, too, dressed up in white. Choose a few white flowers for your garden, and they will reflect whatever style you want, from casual cottage gardens to formal style.

Consider both cool and warm shades of white

But which white will you use? A white with blue undertones can look ice cold, but you can use that to your advantage in a combo that includes blue or purple flowers. Grow them near a warm patio to help create a cool and relaxed feeling. Pair warmer creamy whites with reds and yellows to tone down the more intense colors. Can’t decide which white flower you like best? No problem — use them all! An all-white garden has an elegant style that’s hard to beat.

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How to use white flowers in your garden

Concerned that white will look too stark in your bright-colored garden? If you set a white cosmos next to a red rose, you might be surprised to see that the cosmos has a hint of pale pink. That’s because many whites reflect the color nearby. So don’t count white out — it has a way of fitting in almost anywhere.

White always seems to look best in the shade of evening or morning’s early glow. So I have white flowers in a spot where the rising sun peeks in between the neighbor’s houses. They catch and hold that golden light as I’m enjoying my morning coffee. On the other hand, afternoon light is usually a little intense. It can make white overly bright or wash it out so you can’t make out the details.

8 of Our Favorite White Flowers

I’ve gathered a few of my favorite white flowers for cutting gardens and mixed borders. There are annuals and perennials for sun and shade, as well as a tree and a gorgeous clematis. By now you probably have a few ideas about where to grow white flowers, so let’s take a look at some plants you might want to use.

Sparkler White spider flower (Cleome hassleriana)

Sparkler^™ White above has big 4- to 6-inch flowers of pure white. The name is perfect. A large group of this cultivar can really sparkle in the late-day or early-morning sun. Plant a drift of white flowers — it’s quite noticeable from a distance. Sparkler White is a choice cultivar for calling attention to the back border of a large yard.

Direct sow spider flower in spring and it will bloom the same year. It does reseed easily, though. And if you have the more common pink-and-white variety nearby, next year’s plants won’t all be white. You can prevent reseeding by snipping off the bean-like seedpods that form under the flower.

Type: Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual)
Blooms: Early summer to frost
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained
Size: 36 to 48 in. tall, 24 to 36 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11

BabyWing White begonia (Begonia hybrid)

Petite BabyWing^™ White begonia is a great space-saver. In addition, it’s low-maintenance and tolerant of a wide range of conditions, including periods of drought, shady spots and even the hot metal urn this plant is growing in. Begonias do better when the potting mix dries out between waterings. Too much water and the plants will rot.

Because the crisp white begonia flowers have thick petals and a waxy texture, they’re great at reflecting light. You can see what a strong contrast the white is against the black urn. That helps to create the elegant, formal feel.

Type: Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual)
Blooms: Spring to frost
Light: Part sun to part shade
Soil: Well-drained
Size: 12 to 15 in tall, 10 to 12 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11

‘Sonata White’ cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus)

Looking for an easy-to-grow cut flower to add to your garden? Check out the seed rack at your favorite garden center and grab a few packets of ‘Sonata White’ cosmos. Start plants from seed and they’ll flower from early summer until frost the first year.

Once it’s blooming, butterflies are sure to visit, flitting around the 3-inch flowers. Don’t forget to cut a few for yourself, too. It’s great in bouquets. Inside or out, those papery thin petals look lovely with sunlight filtering through. Pair cosmos with heavier-looking zinnias to brighten up the combo.

Type: Annual
Blooms: Early summer to frost
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained to poor
Size: 18 to 24 in. tall, 12 to 15 in. wide

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‘Black Negligee’ bugbane (Actaea simplex)

Need some height in your shade garden? Try stately ‘Black Negligee’ bugbane. White bottlebrush flowers can get up to 24 inches long and are quite fragrant. Though plants do well in shade, they need some sun to get the darkest foliage. And you’re going to want it. The darker the leaves, the better they highlight the white flowers. Besides that, deep shade causes flower stalks to lean toward the light and need staking to stay upright. Growing plants under a high-limbed tree is usually your best bet. Slow-growing bugbane needs consistent moisture and rich organic soil to look good.

Type: Perennial
Blooms: Late summer to fall
Light: Part to full shade
Soil: Moist, well-drained
Size: 4 to 5 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8

‘Fama White’ pincushion flower (Scabiosa caucasica)

The big 3- to 4-inch blooms of ‘Fama White’ pincushion flower bobbing in the breeze are a classic summer image. Add the butterflies that flutter in and you have a picture-perfect garden! If you grow flowers, bouquets can’t be far from your mind. Cut a few to take inside — they last up to a week. Long stems grow over a low mound of foliage, so they’re easy to cut.

This plant is more than just a pretty flower, though. It’s deer resistant and drought tolerant, too. Combine 'Fama White' with oranges, yellows and reds to keep hot colors from looking too intense.

Type: Perennial
Blooms: Summer to fall
Light: Full sun
Soil: Well-drained
Size: 20 to 24 in. tall, 12 to 18 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 10

‘Snow Queen’ clematis (Clematis hybrid)

This clematis is an old favorite for good reason. Those 6- to 7-inch white flowers with red-purple anthers attract a lot of attention. Grow it on a trellis, an obelisk or even in a container. New spring flowers open with a slight pink or blue tint that fades quickly to white. ‘Snow Queen’ is at its showiest early in the season but there’s a second, smaller flush in late summer.

Pruning is simple

As this variety blooms on old wood in spring and new growth in summer, just cut back any broken or dead branches before it blooms. If needed, thin the vines after they bloom to keep it from looking wild.

Type: Vine
Blooms: Late spring and late summer
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Well-drained
Size: 6 to 10 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8

Fothergilla (Fothergilla major)

Fragrant, creamy white bottlebrush blooms of fothergilla are charming in early spring. Then summer brings leathery blue-green foliage that turns red, yellow and orange, often all on the same leaf, in fall. You can see it in the inset photo.

Get more flowers

The flowers bloom at the tips of the branches, so you can simply deadhead them. But if you cut back to a leaf joint, your fothergilla will reward you with more flowers in midspring. As a bonus, this pruning encourages a fuller, bushier growth habit.

Type: Shrub
Blooms: 2- to 3-in.-long bottlebrush white flowers in early spring
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Evenly moist, well-drained soil that’s acid to neutral
Size: 6 to 10 ft. tall, 6 to 8 ft. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

Kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa)

Kousa dogwood flowers bring out plant envy in everyone who sees them. And it’s an understory tree, so even if you have an established tree, you can still grow a Kousa dogwood. The 3- to 5-inch white pointed flowers will go a long way toward brightening up a yard that has some shade. Those “petals” are actually bracts — a modified leaf — and the flowers, which butterflies like a lot, by the way, are in the center. In its younger years, Kousa dogwood has a vase-shaped habit. As it ages, it develops a more rounded look.

Type: Tree
Blooms: Late spring
Light: Full sun to part shade
Soil: Well-drained to sandy
Size: 15 to 30 ft. tall and wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 8

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When designing a perennial border, keep in mind each plant's growth habit, branching pattern, and leaf shape. Large, solid leaves command attention and visually make a space seem smaller. In contrast, fine, delicate foliage seems to recede, creating a more open, spacious feeling. Grassy or swordlike blades add striking vertical lines.

When combined, this patchwork of varied plant shapes gives a garden depth as light and shadow play across the greenery. A garden with great texture is eye-catching, even when no flowers are in bloom. Explore the plants and design details behind this sunny perennial border created by Kansas gardener Joyce Householder.

Love this garden? Read the full feature!

Create a terraced landscape to showcase perennials

Terracing on this slope helps to slow rainwater runoff and control erosion in Joyce's garden. The added benefit is a better view of the gorgeous assortment of perennials that grow here in full sun, shown above in late spring. Although flowers come and go through spring and summer, the constant is the contrast between the strappy bearded iris foliage, velvety Russian sage leaves and solid mounds of false indigo.

Plant care tips

• To encourage a light rebloom, cut back salvia, spike speedwell, bearded penstemon and catmint after the first flush of flowers fade.
• Snip faded iris blossoms to keep the plant tidy, but let spent false indigo flowers form black seed pods that look intriguing through fall and winter.

Fall cleanup

• Most of these perennials die back to the ground in winter, so cut off dead foliage in late fall after a frost or in early spring as new growth begins.
• Russian sage stems can stay standing all winter to provide structure. It’s semi-evergreen in warmer hardiness zones. In colder zones where it dies back, trim to 8 to 12 inches tall in spring as new leaves emerge near the base.

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Sunny perennial border plant list

A) Salvia (Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’)
Perennial; deep blue-violet flower spikes from early summer through fall above mounds of rough leaves; full sun; 18 to 20 in. tall, 12 to 18 in. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

B) Speedwell (Veronica ‘Lavender Lightsaber’)
Perennial; lavender flower spikes in early to midsummer rise above clumps of medium green foliage; full sun; 28 to 30 in. tall, 18 to 20 in. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8

C) False indigo (Baptisia ‘Sparkling Sapphires’)
Perennial; violet-blue flowers in late spring to early summer on upright, blue-green foliage; full sun to part shade; 30 to 36 in. tall and wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

D) Bearded penstemon (Penstemon barbatus ‘Jingle Bells’)
Perennial; red-orange tubular flowers on long stems from late spring to early summer above clumps of basal foliage; full sun; 18 to 36 in. tall, 12 to 24 in. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

E) Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)
Perennial; tiny lavender-blue flowers line tall stems of silver, fernlike foliage from mid- to late summer; full sun; 2 to 5 ft. tall, 2 to 4 ft. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9

F) Lanceleaf coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Perennial; yellow daisies on long, thin stems from late spring to early summer stretch above a rosette of narrow, lobed leaves; full sun; 12 to 18 in. tall, 15 to 18 in. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

G) Bearded iris (Iris ‘Obsidian’)
Perennial; deep purple to black flowers in mid- to late spring above swordlike leaves; full sun to part shade; 30 to 33 in. tall, 18 to 24 in. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

H) Catmint (Nepeta faassenii ‘Cat’s Meow’)
Perennial; blue-purple flowers in late spring to early summer on mounds of dusky green foliage; full sun to part shade; 17 to 20 in. tall, 24 to 36 in. wide; cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9

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Tips for creating a shade garden oasis

When Joyce Hannaford and her husband, Charlie, moved into their Massachusetts home 23 years ago, there wasn’t much there — Joyce felt like they were living in a fishbowl on their corner lot. So they added a privacy fence and planted lots of trees around the yard. It took some time, but now they have a sheltered place just outside their back door to eat dinner with friends or just relax alone.

Joyce has two brick patios connected by stone steps. The organic shape and color of the stone repeats the color and texture of the nearby raised beds and adds variety to all the bricks. Joyce calls the small patio with blue chairs the cocktail patio and the larger one the dining patio. Both are surrounded by lush shade-tolerant plantings.

Want to watch a tour of the entire garden? Check out the video above or watch the Talk & Tour on our YouTube channel here.

Manage trees

After 18 years, the roots of the multistemmed river birch next to the patio were pushing up the stone edging and the patio bricks. Plus the canopy had filled in and changed the area from dappled to dense shade. Joyce tried making adjustments to the border and carefully working around the main roots, but it just got too difficult to grow anything. So, reluctantly, she had it removed.

Adjusting to changing light conditions

The first year, the hakonechloa, ferns, hostas and other shade plants developed crispy leaf edges and looked a little faded in the extra sunlight. But the next season they bounced back, and with a little more light, it was easier to grow impatiens and other flowering plants that do best with a bit of light from morning sun or dappled shade.

Shade creates privacy

With a fence along the property line, trees screening the view of other nearby neighbors and layers of shrubs and perennials to muffle any sounds, this shady patio has a cozy, intimate feel.

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Enjoy the advantages of shade gardening

Joyce has discovered one big plus to gardening in shade — it’s a lot easier to move plants. The sun isn’t harsh, and the temperature here is a bit cooler. So if a plant isn’t doing well in an area, she moves it in the morning, waters a bit more than the other plants, and it settles in quickly.

Add a water feature

This stone recirculating fountain sits next to the dining patio and is surrounded by a collection of texture-rich shade perennials. Adding a water feature to this part of the garden provides both a focal point for the dining area and a source of soothing sound. Flowing water makes sitting in shade even more relaxing and helps mask sounds from nearby neighbors.

Winter care for outdoor water features

In her USDA zone 6 garden, Joyce has to drain the basin and put a stone cap on top of the fountain to prevent snow and debris from collecting there. Most winters she tops it off with a container full of greenery and colorful stems to create an enjoyable view from inside her warm home.

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Nothing makes a gardener’s stomach drop quite like walking out to water one morning, only to find the leaves on the plants you worked so hard to grow are wilting and yellow — or worse. While it certainly feels like garden infestations pop up overnight, more often than not, they build slowly as well-intentioned gardening habits create an environment tailor-made for unwelcome pests and pathogens.

Without realizing it, even seasoned gardeners can create the perfect storm of shelter, excess moisture, stressed plants and predictable food sources that draw pests in like a moth (larvae) to a — well, you get it.

The good news? Small changes in how you care for your plants can keep your garden from becoming a bug-and-bacteria buffet. Here are five common mistakes to avoid, along with easy fixes. 

5 Common Gardening Mistakes That Attract Pests

1. Using too much — or too little — mulch in the garden

Mulch is the underappreciated workhorse of the garden. When applied correctly, it conserves moisture, moderates soil temperature, suppresses weeds and helps reduce the spread of disease.

Avoid these common mulching mistakes

However, misapplying mulch can create a host of problems. For example, excess mulch can trap moisture and create ideal habitats for slugs, fungi and rot — especially when piled against stems or trunks. “Mulch volcanoes” are a common culprit, as are heavy mulch layers around moisture-loving plants like hostas (Hosta spp. and hybrids).

Too little mulch can also stress plants by creating uneven moisture levels in the soil and allowing weeds to compete for water and nutrients.

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2. Watering plants at night

Evening watering often means foliage and turf stay wet overnight, creating ideal conditions for fungal diseases and some insects. Lawns are especially susceptible — diseases such as brown patch and dollar spot thrive with too much moisture.

Ornamentals aren’t immune, either. Prolonged leaf wetness can lead to powdery mildew, leaf spot diseases, root rot and increased pest activity on popular picks such as garden phlox (Phlox paniculata), bee balm (Monarda spp. and hybrids) and zinnia. (And if that wasn’t enough to deter you, nighttime watering can also increase mosquito activity.)

Watering earlier in the day, ideally in the morning, allows plants to absorb moisture while giving foliage time to dry before nightfall.

3. Replanting in the same spot after an infestation

Many pests and diseases are specific to certain types of plants and can hide in the soil between growing seasons. Replanting the same plants in the same location allows problems to recur and even intensify.

Avoid planting tomatoes or peppers where you previously had disease issues, and keep cucumbers, squash and melons away from the site of a squash bug infestation. And if you dig out your garden phlox because of a powdery mildew infestation, don’t plant more in the same spot. Same goes for black spot on roses (Rosa spp. and hybrids) or rust on hollyhocks (Alcea rosea).

Rotate vegetable crops to avoid recurring issues

Rotating crops disrupts pest life cycles by removing their preferred hosts. Even simple swaps — moving plants to a different bed or section each year — can significantly reduce recurring issues. See a simple crop rotation example in the illustration above.

4. Planting too early in spring

Many insects emerge and feed during early planting periods. While it’s hard to resist the temptation to get a jump on the growing season, plants put in the ground too soon may be exposed to peak pest activity before they’re strong enough to withstand the damage.

For example, bean leaf beetles often target early-planted green beans, while beans planted a few weeks later may escape the worst damage. Cucurbits planted at the first hint of warm weather can also be more vulnerable to squash bugs and cucumber beetles.

Early planting can negatively affect flowers, too. Tender annuals such as petunias (Petunia hybrids) or impatiens (Impatiens hybrids) planted when nighttime temperatures are still regularly in the 40s and 50s (F) may grow slowly, producing soft new growth that attracts aphids. Aphid populations can build quickly in the spring, before beneficial insects are abundant enough to control them.

Consider timing when harvesting crops

Harvest timing matters as well. Cool-season crops like lettuce, spinach and peas that linger too long in warm weather can attract late-season pests and disease, so be sure to enjoy your produce at peak freshness.

Adjust timing to help dodge garden pests

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5. Leaving diseased plant debris in the garden over winter

Many perennials, ornamental grasses and shrubs can provide critical shelter and food to animals throughout the colder months. However, sometimes leaving behind dead leaves and spent annuals provides insulation that allows insects, eggs, larvae and diseases to survive the winter. When spring arrives, those pests and pathogens are already in place to infest new growth.

For example, in vegetable gardens, squash vines left in beds can harbor squash vine borer eggs, while tomato debris may bring blight spores from one growing season to the next. Flower gardens face similar risks. Peony (Paeonia hybrids) foliage can contain botrytis blight (gray mold), and diseased rose leaves can carry black spot through winter.

Break the cycle by removing infected material

Removing spent plant material that is diseased or infested before the snow flies helps break pest and disease cycles. While you can compost or leave most healthy debris in place, you should discard anything that looks suspicious.

Plants that tend to harbor pests and disease overwinter

This list of edible and ornamental plants is especially prone to harboring pests and diseases if left standing over winter. Consider removing them if they show any signs of pests or disease during the season to avoid carrying those problems into your garden the following year.

Edible Plants

• Bean
• Cucumber
• Eggplant
• Melon
• Squash
• Pepper
• Potato
• Tomato

Ornamentals

• Bee balm
• Hosta
• Peony
• Garden phlox
• Rose
• Zinnia

Creating a flower-filled front yard from scratch

When Ellen Goldfarb first moved to her New Jersey home 40 years ago, the front yard was all lawn, with a few standard-issue shrubs skirting the foundation. Soon after, she removed many of those original shrubs and planted a cottage border along the driveway. Watch the Talk & Tour video above to hear more about how this front yard makeover came together.

Over the years, she added more garden space and removed lawn while establishing What’s Blooming?, a garden design and maintenance firm that she now runs with her daughter, Tracy Buttrick. Eventually, she says, “I was doing all of these nice gardens for people, and I wanted what they had.”

Front yard before

A sloping front lawn with a foundation planting of yews (Taxus spp. and hybrids), rhododendrons (Rhododendron hybrids), Japanese pieris (Pieris japonica) and other shrubs provided the blank slate for the front-yard showpiece you see below.

You Can Also Read this Feature on Ellen's Garden in the Summer issue of Garden Gate magazine!

Starting from scratch

So to divide up the 56-foot-wide by 35-foot-deep front yard and manage the slope better, Ellen had a curving 1-foot-tall stone wall installed that effectively created three distinct terraces. Then she converted the front yard into a garden filled with a variety of Japanese maples (Acer palmatum), boxwoods (Buxus spp. and hybrids), hydrangeas (Hydrangea spp. and hybrids) and other flowering shrubs and perennials, both for her own enjoyment and to showcase her work.

Creating levels in the garden

She likes to think of the levels that this change created as stages that allow the plants to show off better. However, even though the garden is full of plants, she takes care to position them so that the contrasting stone shows through here and there, even during the growing season, utilizing plants pruned into standards and a mix of different shapes and textures.

Want Ellen's List of Deer-Resistant Plants?

Download Ellen's Deer-Resistant Plant Palette

Smart plant choices

While she was initially drawn to flowers (and still is), Ellen recognizes that every good design needs structure. “I like organized chaos,” she says. Tidy ‘Wintergreen’ Korean boxwoods (Buxus sinica var. insularis), Japanese plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia) and deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara) all frame exuberant plantings on each terrace. Although Ellen starts with a list of flowers that she wants to include in a new garden design, when it’s time to put the design to paper, she always places the evergreens and other structural plants first.

Everything in the garden shouldn’t be a diva, the way the tall urn, yellow standard lantana or stately ‘Seiryu’ Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) are in the photo above. You need plenty of supporting cast too. Some favorites for these roles include black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia fulgida sullivantii), ornamental grasses, hydrangeas and ostrich ferns (Matteuccia struthiopteris). She frequently turns to chartreuse-foliaged plants, such as hakonechloa (Matteuccia struthiopteris), as supporting cast members. She says, “Chartreuse just makes everything else look better.”

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Dealing with the deer problem

Walking through the neighborhood, you might not suspect that deer would be such voracious pests. But in recent years she’s had to work hard to keep them from eating her garden and her clients’ gardens as well. After much experimentation (and heartbreak), she’s discovered that evergreen shrubs like boxwoods, many junipers (Juniperus spp. and hybrids) and cherry laurel (Prunus laurocerasus) tend to be deer-proof. She’s also had relatively good luck with bigleaf hydrangeas and roses like those in the Drift series.

But some years are worse than others. Last year a persistent doe and her two fawns even ate the black-eyed Susans and heleniums, which they usually avoid. Find a few of Ellen’s favorite deer-resistant flowers below.

Site deer-susceptible plants in protected areas

Over the years, she’s moved the most susceptible plants to more protected spots, such as the windowbox full of lettuce in the photo above, and many of her beloved David Austin^® roses, which she has relocated to the fenced-in backyard. But nothing is foolproof, so in addition, she has a local deer-control service spray their proprietary solution at least once a month during the growing season. She follows up with a spray bottle every week or so, covering tender new growth. 

Ellen’s favorite easy-care shrub roses

• Drift^®
• Knock Out^®
• Julia Child
• Easy Does It^®
• Bonica^® (she's had one for 40 years!)

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6 of Ellen’s Favorite Deer-Resistant Flowers

Want to see a bigger list of deer-resistant perennials, shrubs and trees? Download the full guide from Ellen here. Download her Deer-Resistant Plant Palette PDF here.

1. Helenium (Helenium spp. and hybrids)

These long-blooming perennials tolerate heavy soil well.

• Type: Perennial
  
• Blooms: Yellow, orange or red daisy-shaped flowers summer to fall
  
• Light: Full sun to part shade
  
• Soil: Average to wet well-drained soil
  
• Size: 2 to 5 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide
  
• Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9

2. Calamint (Calamintha nepeta)

The white, frothy flowers of well-behaved ‘Montrose White’ calamint complement so many plants and bloom from May through frost.

• Type: Perennial
  
• Blooms: Tiny white flowers late spring through frost
  
• Light: Full sun
  
• Soil: Dry to average well-drained soil
  
• Size: 12 to 24 in. tall and wide
  
• Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9

3. Allium (Allium hybrids)

After the jaunty purple lollipop blooms of ‘Millenium’ allium have faded, the dried seedheads still have garden interest.

• Type: Perennial
  
• Blooms: Small globe-shaped lavender or white blooms in early to late summer
  
• Light: Full sun
  
• Soil: Dry to medium well-drained soil
  
• Size: 12 to 18 in. tall and wide
  
• Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8

4. Angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia)

These flowers are everblooming, never reseed, seldom fall over and perform well with or without deadheading.

• Type: Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual)
  
• Blooms: Spiky white, purple, pink or raspberry blooms from spring through fall
  
• Light: Full sun
  
• Soil: Moist, well-drained soil
  
• Size: 12 to 30 in. tall, 10 to 18 in. wide
  
• Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11

5. Salvia (Salvia spp. and hybrids)

Hummingbirds adore the tubular flowers of salvia, especially the red varieties.

• Type: Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual)
  
• Blooms: Blue, purple, white, red or pink flowers in summer through fall
  
• Light: Full sun to part shade
  
• Soil: Moist, well-drained soil
  
• Size: 2 to 5 ft. tall and wide
  
• Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 7 to 11

6. Lantana (Lantana camara)

Reliable nonstop bloomers and standard forms provide height in just the right spots.

• Type: Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual)
  
• Blooms: Small white, yellow, pink, purple, red or orange flowers from spring through fall
  
• Light: Full sun
  
• Soil: Dry to medium well-drained soil
  
• Size: 1 to 4 ft. tall, 1 to 3 ft. wide
  
• Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11

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Summer gardening brings plenty of challenges. Discover reader-tested tips for dealing with slugs, deterring birds from nesting in rain gutters, and making the most of your garden space by sharing it with neighbors.

An easy way to use eggshells to deter snails and slugs

Constance has a problem with slugs and snails eating her hostas, so she applies ground eggshells to the areas around her hostas to deter the pests. To make the process easier, she realized she could reuse a grated parmesan cheese shaker — the durable plastic kind that dispenses from holes in the lid like you see above. Just wash the container out and let it fully dry before filling with clean, dry, ground eggshells and apply with ease. 

—Tip submitted by Constance Larson, ID

Deter nesting birds with this simple solution

To prevent birds from making nests in unsafe or inconvenient spots, Jim found that he could use two unexpected items: An old tuna can and a golf ball. In some spots, such as the one where a gutter or light attaches to siding, he just balances a can where the birds will knock it off if they try to land. It makes a clanging noise that scares them away.

If they’re trying to build nests on the flat tops of his lights, he secures the can to the top. Then he places a golf ball inside. The ball rolls around when birds try to land and nest, startling them and sending them off to a different location.

—Tip submitted by Jim Fameree, WI

Grow flowers from seed all season for budget-friendly containers

It’s more economical to change your containers from season to season when you are growing some of the plants from seed. Richard has a simple rotating system in place to keep his front yard container display stunning: At the same time he plants up the spring containers in the front yard, he plants seeds and seedlings in a few pots in the backyard too.

By the time the containers out front are fading, the seed-grown plants in the back have come into their own. Richard swaps the faded planters for fresh ones that keep his front entrance looking its best. Then in the backyard he refreshes the faded pots, pulling out some spent plants, replenishing potting mix and reseeding the empty spaces with cool-season plants that will be ready to show off by the time fall comes and he’s ready to swap the containers again.

—Tip submitted by Richard Sunberg, OH

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Upcycle a rusty firepit into a garden planter

Instead of tossing out your old metal fire pit, line it with landscape fabric or coir lining and plant it up! Anna’s old fire pit had a few holes caused by rust that could provide drainage. But if yours doesn’t, just carefully drill a few new ones. If the exterior is looking a little rusty, a couple layers of spray paint can give it a fresh new look.

—Tip submitted by Anna Ellenberger, PA

Create a neighborly growing space

If you are lacking space for a vegetable garden, you might want to team up. Kent and his neighbor both wanted a vegetable garden and decided that the flattest and sunniest location was where their side yards met. Together they built the raised bed in three stair-stepping sections to follow the slope of the yard, each with their own trellises. Then they each chose one section to plant and tend themselves, leaving the middle section for shared crops.

Pole beans and cucumbers grow on the 7 ½-foot-tall trellises that also help support tomatoes and peppers. Plus there’s always room to tuck in a few flowers. This has worked so well that they often have a big harvest they can share with friends and family.

—Tip submitted by Kent Young, IA

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Photos courtesy of contributors; Illustration by Carlie Hamilton

Reader Garden Award 2026 Runner-Up:

Congratulations to Shelly (Bell) Schnettler from Essexville, Michigan!

Shelly was born with a love for the land. Growing up on her family’s century farm in Michigan, she was eagerly learning to drive farm equipment while most kids were riding bikes. Her love of agriculture evolved into a passion for gardening, which led to her receiving local recognition and awards for her lively home landscape.

A garden for celebrating

A vibrant tapestry of blooms from flowering shrubs, perennials and annuals welcomed garden visitors with color and creativity, and the space became so special that three of her children decided to get married in the garden. A photo from one of these weddings can be seen above, the large bed creating a colorful backdrop for the ceremony.

Stay tuned! We'll be announcing more Reader Garden Award winners for 2026 in our Fall and Winter issue of Garden Gate magazine!

Honoring a lifelong love of gardening

Shelly died unexpectedly in November 2024 but left behind a legacy of love for plants that is still felt in her family and community. In honor of Shelly’s passion for gardening and agriculture, her family established the Bell Family Memorial Scholarship. The scholarship, Farm Girls for a Better Tomorrow, provides financial support to young women pursuing agriculture through formal education, homesteading projects or community leadership, and aims to preserve farming traditions and champion regenerative practices for future generations of farm girls like Shelly.

You can donate to Farm Girls for a Better Tomorrow here: bellfamilyfarmestate.com/donate

Thanks to Milwaukee^® Tool for providing a pruning tools package valued over $100 as our runner-up prize.

Enter your garden for a chance to be one of next year’s winners!

For details on entry guidelines for submitting your garden in the Garden Gate Reader Garden Award, click here.

See Our Previous Year's Reader Garden Award Winners:

• 2025: The Giving Garden, Sue & Bob Olson of Minnesota
• 2024: Multiseason Beauty With Perennials & Flowering Trees
  
• 2023: Grand Garden Experiment
  
• 2022: Charming Southern Backyard Garden
  
• 2021: Beautiful Hillside Garden
  
• 2020: Urban Garden Retreat
  

Try these natural pest control methods for a healthier garden

A 2005 study at the University of Illinois found that bagworm-infested shrubs surrounded by flowering plants had 71 percent higher rates of parasitism on the bagworms than shrubs that didn’t have flowers nearby. And while it’s true that you can buy some predatory insect species, growing flowers whose pollen and nectar feed beneficial insects, such as lady beetles, hoverflies or predatory wasps, is a more reliable (and easier!) way to bring them in.

For example, if your peonies attract adult tiphia wasps, they’ll lay eggs on nearby adult Japanese and Oriental beetles. And the larvae of hoverflies and lady beetles are voracious predators of aphids, plant hoppers, caterpillars and other pests.

Natural pest control tips

Follow these tips and grow the plants at right to make your garden more attractive to beneficial insects.

• Grow long-blooming plants

That way there are always flowers for beneficial insects to feed on. While it’s often the larvae that feed on pests, adults can have a short lifespan and need food at just the right time to feed, reproduce and lay eggs.

• Beneficial insects need water too

Add a few stones to a birdbath so insects have shallow areas where they can safely access moisture.

• Flower shape makes a difference

Many beneficial insect adults feed on nectar and pollen but have small mouthparts. Make it easy for them to access by growing umbel-shaped and daisy-shaped blooms.

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6 Plants That Help Attract Beneficial Insects to the Garden

1. Dill (Anethum graveolens)

Type: Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual)
Blooms: Airy yellow flowers on top of long stems from summer to early fall; host plant to swallowtail butterflies
Light: Full sun
Size: 3 to 5 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 7 to 11
Attractive to beneficial insects including: Lady beetles, lacewings, ichneumon wasps

2. Goldenrod (Solidago spp. and hybrids)

Type: Perennial
Blooms: Plumes, spikes or long arching stems covered in small individual flowers from late summer to fall
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 1 to 6 ft. tall, 2 to 3 ft. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9
Attractive to beneficial insects: Hoverflies, leatherwing soldier beetles

3. Peony (Paeonia hybrids)

Type: Perennial
Blooms: Single or double pink, white, purple, yellow or red blooms in early to late spring
Light: Full sun
Size: 2 to 4 ft. tall and wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8
Attractive to beneficial insects: Tiphia wasps

4. Pot marigold (Calendula officinalis)

Type: Annual
Blooms: Daisy-shaped blooms in golden yellow, orange, pink, peach, cream or bronze from late spring to frost
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 12 to 24 in. tall, 12 to 18 in. wide
Attractive to beneficial insects: Lady beetles, hoverflies

5. Queen Anne’s lace (Daucus carota)

Type: Biennial
Blooms: White blooms in summer; be cautious of toxic sap
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 36 to 48 in. tall, 6 to 12 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 3 to 11
Attractive to beneficial insects: Hoverflies, lacewings, lady beetles

6. Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima)

Type: Tender perennial (usually grown as an annual)
Blooms: Clusters of individual white, purple or lavender flowers form a mass of color from late spring to frost
Light: Full sun to part shade
Size: 3 to 9 in. tall, 6 to 14 in. wide
Hardiness: Cold hardy in USDA zones 9 to 11
Attractive to beneficial insects including: Hoverflies

PHOTOS: stock.adobe.com, jonnysek (Dill); stock.adobe.com, Gerry (Queen Anne’s lace)

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From the Wild Side: Drinks All Around

One hot, sunny day last summer, I killed a bee. Not on purpose — I work hard to not kill bees — but it was my fault. I had walked outside to check the hummingbird feeder and to add water to the “ant well,” the little reservoir that keeps ants from reaching the homemade nectar farther down. And there she was: a bumblebee floating alone in the cup, looking terribly small and certainly dead. Her fluffy stripes were messy and matted, while the pollen she’d stored on her thighs was now melting into yellow sludge.

I’ve used that cup for years, not so much to discourage ants as to encourage chickadees. They and the goldfinches and tufted titmice all prefer to take private, dainty sips from the ant well rather than catch communal drinks at any of my birdbaths-of-the-masses. And who can blame them? Birds can’t take a bath or a dump in an ant well. But apparently, bumblebees can drown in one. I already use sticks as safety ladders in every other possible water source, but that was the day I learned that hummer feeders need one too.

Did you know?

A hummingbird’s diet is 80 percent meat (tiny insects and spiders), but fresh sugar-water is always welcome, especially during spring and fall migration. Clean the feeder every two or three days to avoid mold.

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Water for All Types of Wildlife

The thing is, no drowning should ever happen on my watch. Not when I pile bumpy stones in the birdbaths, angle sticks in the pond and heap gravel in the butterfly puddling dish. I cover water barrels with netting, tip saucers after rain and leave a scrap of chicken wire in the watering can. And I’ve spent untold hours tweaking ways to make it almost impossible for my Mosquito Buckets of Doom to doom anything but mosquitoes. I didn’t invent the mosquito-bucket trick, but I did invent the name, and my version was the first to feature an escape ramp, should anyone other than a mosquito fall in.

Simple solutions can save a life

Water is life, so I hate when my water kills things. I want every creature, whether bird, skink, snake, squirrel, possum, chipmunk or bug to come for drinks and then leave in one piece. Providing water, even one dish of it, is essential for adding habitat back to where we live. How did I fix the ant well? With a short stub of a stick rough enough for a bee to grab, but small enough for a chickadee to have room for his drink too. 

Secret water sources: Weeping plants

There is another source of water I should mention. Although it likely happens in everyone’s yard, it’s kind of a secret and kind of a miracle, and it never needs a safety ramp: plants that weep water. Some species have hydathodes, one-way nozzles that let extra water seep up and out of the leaf margins at night, and only when the humidity is right and the soil is wet, and only at leaves low to the ground. The process is called guttation.

Imagine the heart-shaped leaf of a wild violet rimmed with tiny, clear beads that sparkle in the sun. Or curvy columbine leaves fringed with droplets. I’ve seen guttation on tomato leaves, kale, grapevine, jewelweed, and bee balm, and some days on every single blade of grass.

Fireflies get thirsty too!

You know what else is low to the ground at daybreak? Thirsty fireflies. It’s now a highlight of a summer morning to run out and watch fireflies suck the violets and sip the grass. They must be tired after a night of trying to make more fireflies, and each guttation drop contains valuable carbs and protein — a breakfast of champions. And the best part is that no one can drown in a drop.

Joanna, author of "This Is How a Robin Drinks: Essays on Urban Nature," writes about everyday wonders in everyday habitat loss on Instagram @jo_brichetto and at SidewalkNature.com.

Bring a tropical feel to your patio, porch or deck with bold tropical plants in containers. Whether you love dramatic foliage, vibrant flowers or a mix of both, tropical container gardens create lush, eye-catching displays all season long.

Even better, many tender tropical plants can be overwintered in colder climates, making them a smart investment year after year. Get inspired with our favorite tropical plant combinations for containers below, and learn how to create stunning, tropical-style arrangements for your own outdoor space.

Tropical plants make a spectacular focal point in full sun

Nothing says “Wow” like a showstopping tropical plant used as a specimen in a container, either by itself or with other supporting players. Here, a red Abyssinian banana does just that. But its pot-mates are pretty, too, and provide just enough color and filler to show the banana off to its best advantage. Formal in its composition, this planter could serve as a striking focal point in an informal setting as well with a change of container.

Let these plants dry a touch between waterings, but give them a good soaking when you do water. Keep reading to learn how to take care of bananas and other tropical plants through winter.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Red Abyssinian banana Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’ (1)
B) Canna Canna ‘America’ (4)
C) Geranium Pelargonium Caliente^® Mix (24)
D) Creeping Jenny Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’ (4)
Container is 36 in. square

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Add a touch of purple to cool down tropical plants

Cool and refreshing, this combination of purple and yellow-green would give off a tranquil feeling even if it wasn’t next to water. Relax and enjoy the soft flowing verbena draping over the edge of the container, knowing you don’t have to work hard at all to take care of it. Just snip off spent blooms to keep the plant full and floriferous.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Canna Canna ‘Bengal Tiger’ (1)
B) Licorice vine Helichrysum petiolare ‘Lemon Licorice’ (2)
C) Euphorbia Euphorbia hypericifolia ‘Hip Hop’ (2)
D) Verbena Verbena canadensis ‘Homestead Purple’ (4)
Container is 18 in. square

3 ways to overwinter tropical plants

Tropical plants can stay outside until night temperatures get below 50 degrees F. Here is how to care for them once you bring them indoors.

1. Keep it as a house plant

Place plants like crotons (Codiaeum spp.), sprengeri fern (Asparagus sprengerii), ivy (Hedera helix) and ficus (Ficus spp.) in a sunny south-facing window with plenty of humidity.

2. Let it go dormant

A container-grown plant, such as banana (Musa hybrids), can be cared for like a house plant if you have the space. Or cut the stems back to 6 in. tall, place the pot in a cool, dark location and let it dry out. In late winter, start watering and new growth will begin in a few weeks.

3. Dig it up and overwinter tender bulbs

Cut elephant ear (Colocasia hybrids), caladium (Codiaeum hybrids) and canna (Canna hybrids) back after frost has killed the foliage. Dig bulbs or tubers, and let them dry for up to a week, then store them in slightly damp peat moss in a cool (45 degrees F), dry location.

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Little tropical container, big impact!

A bold container doesn’t have to be big — just look at this eye-catching arrangement. It grabs your attention with tropical colors and patterned foliage. Guests will be drawn to this gorgeous container; use it to lead them to a patio seating area for lively conversation.

Though lantana is drought tolerant, croton and New Guinea impatiens are thirsty, so check the soil and water when it is just dry to the touch and before foliage wilts. Terra-cotta containers are breathable and will dry out faster than glazed ceramic or plastic pots, so keep an eye on it every day in the summer.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Croton Codiaeum variegatum pictum ‘Petra’ (1)
B) New Guinea impatiens Impatiens hawkeri (2)
C) Lantana Lantana camara Little Lucky^™ Orange (1)
Container is 12 in. in diameter

Fast-growing container planting bursting with color for part shade

This simple container has all the elements for a great container planting that uses the classic "thriller, filler, spiller" recipe. And vigorous growers like the sweet potato vine, elephant ear, impatiens and asparagus fern here fill up a container fast — perfect for spots you want to call attention to all season.

But don’t put this in too much sun —‘Tricolor’ sweet potato vine’s white variegation can burn in hot midday heat, so keep it in a partly shady spot.

Container plant list (number to plant)

A) Elephant ear Colocasia esculenta ‘Mojito’ (1)
B) Asparagus fern Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’ (1)
C) New Guinea impatiens Impatiens Devine^™ Blue Pearl (4)
D) Begonia Begonia Dragon Wing^® Pink (1)
E) Sweet potato vine Ipomoea batatas ‘Tricolor’ (2)

Container is 20 in. square