What to plant in Albuquerque, New Mexico

12 × 6 ft · Zone 7b · 6+ hours of sun · Cottage

• Shrub rose 'Knock Out'

  × 1

  Rosa 'Radrazz'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3 ft apart · grows 3–4 ft tall · May–Oct

  Can't find it? Use Weigela 'Wine & Roses' or Ninebark 'Summer Wine'.

• Pink muhly grass

  × 3

  Muhlenbergia capillaris

  Grass · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2.5 ft apart · grows 2.5–3.5 ft tall · Sep–Nov

  Can't find it? Use Dwarf fountain grass 'Hameln' or Northern sea oats.

• Blue false indigo

  × 3

  Baptisia australis

  Filler · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–4 ft tall · May–Jun

  Can't find it? Use New England aster 'Purple Dome' or Bearded iris.

• Lavandin 'Phenomenal'

  × 3

  Lavandula × intermedia 'Phenomenal'

  Filler · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2.5 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Jun–Aug

  Can't find it? Use New England aster 'Purple Dome' or Spike speedwell 'Royal Candles'.

• Two-row stonecrop 'Dragon's Blood'

  × 3

  Sedum spurium 'Dragon's Blood'

  Edge · Edge of bed · quart pot · 1 ft apart · grows 3–6 in tall · Jul–Aug

  Can't find it? Use Hens and chicks or Creeping phlox.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 94% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 7b · 2–4 hours of sun · Classic

• Smooth hydrangea 'Annabelle'

  × 1

  Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–5 ft tall · Jun–Aug

  Can't find it? Use Bigleaf hydrangea 'Endless Summer' or Oakleaf hydrangea 'Ruby Slippers'.

• Japanese painted fern 'Pictum'

  × 3

  Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'

  Grass · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Autumn fern or Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'.

• Lenten rose

  × 3

  Helleborus × hybridus

  Filler · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Feb–Apr

  Can't find it? Use Hardy geranium 'Rozanne' or Siberian bugloss 'Jack Frost'.

• Hosta 'Sum and Substance'

  × 3

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 4 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Aug

  Can't find it? Use Hardy geranium 'Rozanne' or Bleeding heart.

• Japanese sedge 'Ice Dance'

  × 3

  Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance'

  Edge · Edge of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 0.75–1 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Coral bells 'Palace Purple' or Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 83% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 7b · Under 2 hours of sun · Classic

• Smooth hydrangea 'Annabelle'

  × 2

  Hydrangea arborescens 'Annabelle'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–5 ft tall · Jun–Aug

• Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'

  × 7

  Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'

  Grass · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Autumn fern or Japanese painted fern 'Pictum'.

• Lenten rose

  × 7

  Helleborus × hybridus

  Filler · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Feb–Apr

  Can't find it? Use Siberian bugloss 'Jack Frost' or Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'.

• Astilbe 'Fanal'

  × 7

  Astilbe × arendsii 'Fanal'

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1.5–2 ft tall · Jun–Jul

  Can't find it? Use Siberian bugloss 'Jack Frost' or Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'.

• Japanese sedge 'Ice Dance'

  × 5

  Carex morrowii 'Ice Dance'

  Edge · Edge of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 0.75–1 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Coral bells 'Palace Purple' or Japanese sedge 'Evergold'.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 87% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.