What to plant in Atlanta, Georgia

12 × 6 ft · Zone 8a · 6+ hours of sun · Cottage

• Dwarf panicle hydrangea 'Little Lime'

  × 2

  Hydrangea paniculata 'Jane'

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

  Can't find it? Use Weigela 'Wine & Roses' or Shrub rose 'Knock Out'.

• Northern sea oats

  × 3

  Chasmanthium latifolium

  Grass · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–4 ft tall · Jul–Sep

  Can't find it? Use Dwarf fountain grass 'Hameln' or Feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster'.

• Catmint 'Walker's Low'

  × 3

  Nepeta × faassenii 'Walker's Low'

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2.5 ft apart · grows 2–2.5 ft tall · May–Sep

  Can't find it? Use Lavandin 'Phenomenal' or Anise hyssop 'Blue Fortune'.

• Butterfly weed

  × 7

  Asclepias tuberosa

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1.5–2.5 ft tall · Jun–Aug

  Can't find it? Use Lavandin 'Phenomenal' or Anise hyssop 'Blue Fortune'.

• Evergreen candytuft 'Purity'

  × 5

  Iberis sempervirens 'Purity'

  Edge · Edge of bed · quart pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 0.5–1 ft tall · Apr–May

  Can't find it? Use Lamb's ear 'Helen von Stein' or Angelina stonecrop 'Angelina'.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 86% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 8a · 2–4 hours of sun · Classic

• Oakleaf hydrangea 'Ruby Slippers'

  × 1

  Hydrangea quercifolia 'Ruby Slippers'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 4 ft apart · grows 3–4 ft tall · Jun–Jul

  Can't find it? Use Bigleaf hydrangea 'Endless Summer' or Smooth hydrangea 'Annabelle'.

• Holly fern

  × 3

  Cyrtomium falcatum

  Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 1.5–2 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Listed as invasive in Hawaii, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas in our table. Don't plant it there.

  Can't find it? Use Lilyturf 'Big Blue' (invasive in North Carolina: don't plant it there) or Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'.

• Siberian bugloss 'Jack Frost'

  × 7

  Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Apr–May

  Can't find it? Use Lenten rose or Hosta 'Patriot'.

• Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'

  × 7

  Heuchera villosa 'Caramel'

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Aug–Sep

  Can't find it? Use Lenten rose or Hosta 'Patriot'.

• 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 Variegated lilyturf 'Variegata' (invasive in North Carolina: don't plant it there) or Mondo grass.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 73% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 8a · Under 2 hours of sun · Classic

• Gold dust aucuba 'Variegata'

  × 1

  Aucuba japonica 'Variegata'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 4.5 ft apart · grows 4–6 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Dwarf yaupon holly 'Nana' or Sweetbox.

• Autumn fern

  × 7

  Dryopteris erythrosora

  Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 1.5–2 ft tall · Foliage plant

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

• Hosta 'Patriot'

  × 5

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

  Can't find it? Use Siberian bugloss 'Jack Frost' or Coral bells 'Palace Purple'.

• 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 Coral bells 'Palace Purple'.

• Dwarf mondo grass 'Nana'

  × 13

  Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana'

  Edge · Edge of bed · 4-inch pot · 0.5 ft apart · grows 2–4 in tall · Foliage plant

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 82% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.