All About This Site

This site was created to help guide those who are interesed in their gardens. There are various pages so take a look at all of them. You can find them under OLDER POSTS at the bottom of the page. All the flowers listed are grown in my gardens. I have had many of them for years and years.

Perennials/Annuals

Perennial means, plants that come back on their own every year, without the need of spreading seeds or planting bulbs. These plants grow by their base root system. This means, if you disturb the original plants base root system (which includes the trunk), the plant may not come back at all. If you remove it, it will not come back. It is written that most perinnials only last 3-4 years. Some do, some dont. Some plants are soo sensitive that if you cut back any of the plant in the fall, the entire plant may die.

Annual means, needing to be planted each year either by way of purchase or allowing the plant from the season before to spread its own seeds/bulbs. At season end, the remaining plant can be removed. This info is very misleading. All perennials come back from year to year, and 'some' annuals DO come back by themselves..... not all annuals do. Garden shops will tell you annuals do not come back each year. Dont believe it! Once you find out which plants will come back on their own, they are nice to choose.

I have listed some perinnials and come annuals but all of these come back each year with very little effort!

Nigella Damascena-Annual

This annual plant has a very vibrant variety of colors that last all summer long. The colors include dark purple, white, hot pink, and light blue. They spread quickly and grow to about 18 in. tall. They are best used for back borders in gardens or along fences. They like partial sun and are very heat and drought tolerant. They do transplant well but need alot of water at first. Nigella is grown from seeds which spread themselves or you can spread them yourself. Large pods will emerge once the flowering stage is complete. These pods must be dried and stored for the following year or you can let them spread on their own.

Good: comes back on its own, grows from seeds or transplants well, can withstand no watering for long periods, spreads fast, no need to remove any part of plant at season end
Bad: no flower fragrance, needs to be placed in garden backs due to height, needs partial sun
Season: end of May- end of August

Lilacs-Perennial

Lilacs have to be trimmed back each year to keep them from getting leggy in the spring. The fragrance that comes off of a lilac bush is incredible! We take cuttings all thru the blooming season and bring them inside.

White lilacs seem to be the most popular sold and this is what I have the most of.....the color does not make the fragrance different.


I have medium purple also. All my lilacs are bunched together so they grow together in one bush.


This one is my favorite. Its a striped purple. It hasnt taken off alot.....which upsets me. This must be a timid strain.

I also have a light purple cutting that I got from my MIL over 20 years ago. Its strill growing strong.


Good: comes back on its own, transplants easily, cuttings take easily, has a beautiful fragrance while blooming, clippings look great in vases, comes in a ton of colors

Bad: grows tall and wide so it needs lots of room, needs yearly prunning

Season: flowers from end of April- early June

Hostas-Perennial

Hostas are a good plant to grow where you cant seem to grow anything else. Nothing can kill them. They do not need water, sun, good dirt, or any prunning. As a matter of fact, make sure you really want to grow them before you plant them. They are extremely hard to dig up if you decide you want to move them or do away with them all together.

I suggest Hostas for a border but not for the front yard....they tend to take over a garden and grow much larger each year. Most people have the variegated type which get pink flowers. Mine get white flowers. Hostas are very hardy also. I got my first plant from my MIL over 15 years ago and I have split/replanted that original bush at least 8 times.



This is an example of how the bush grows round. This is not the color I have....I have the color above out back and the variegated out front....(which I regret). I cannot get rid of the Hostas out front! We have tried and tried.

Good: comes back on its own, spreads by producing more bulbs, transplants easily, makes a great border

Bad: is hard to dig up or get rid of, flowers do not last long, flower do not come in a large selection and have no fragrance

Season: flowers from mid June - mid July

Yellow Hybiscus-Perennial (tropical indoor & outdoor wild)

Outdoor wild Hybiscus. I have one planted at the bottom of my yard. They grow very tall and get huge flowers. They need trimming back in the fall. I have never seen the wild variety in yellow. I have only see pink, white, and red.

As you can probably tell, yellow is my favorite flower color! One flower I cannot do without each year is the tropical yellow hybiscus. It can grow outdoors in pots and needs partial sun from spring-summer but must come inside when fall approaches. It looks great on a patio or front porch. It does not like drafts. You shouldnt plant it in the ground either as it will grow too large to bring inside in the fall. This color of hybiscus is extremely hard to find and the plant itself is not very hardly but I love it.

Good: needs to remain inside until weather consistantly stays warm, blooms continuously throughout the entire summer

Bad: does not do well in drafts, needs constant watering but not too much watering, is prone to getting aphids , flowers have no fragrance, flowers only last 2 days

Season: flowers from mid May - end of Sept (if weather says warm)

Portulaca or Mexican Roses-Annual

This plant has a huge vibrant variety of colors that last all summer long. They spread quickly and stay low to the ground. They are best used for borders in gardens or in hanging pots. They like full sun and are very heat and drought tolerant. They do transplant well but need alot of water at first, then you can cut back to deep waterings when the top 2-3 inches is dry to the touch. Portulaca can be grown from seeds but they are much more enjoyable to buy when small and watch them grow. Stores will tell you to buy them each year but mine come back on their own.

Good: comes back on its own, can grow from new seeds or plant seeds from previous year, can grow in planters- hanging pots- or gardens, easy to find at garden centers, can withstand no watering for long periods, spreads fast, no need to remove any part of plant at season end

Bad: no flower fragrance, needs to be placed in garden front, doesnt come back nearly as thick from previous year so planting some additional new plants will be needed, needs full sun

Season: end of May- end of August