What to plant in Boston, Massachusetts

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

• Shrubby cinquefoil (potentilla) 'Goldfinger'

  × 4

  Dasiphora fruticosa 'Goldfinger'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 2.5 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Jun–Sep

  Can't find it? Use Shrub rose 'Knock Out' or Birchleaf spirea 'Tor'.

• 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'.

• Bearded iris

  × 7

  Iris germanica

  Filler · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Apr–Jun

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

• Siberian iris 'Caesar's Brother'

  × 7

  Iris sibirica 'Caesar's Brother'

  Filler · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.5 ft apart · grows 2.5–3 ft tall · May–Jun

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

• 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 Two-row stonecrop 'Dragon's Blood' or Angelina stonecrop 'Angelina'.

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 7a · 2–4 hours of sun · Classic

• Dwarf boxwood 'Green Gem'

  × 4

  Buxus 'Green Gem'

  Structure · Back of bed · 2-gallon pot · 2.5 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Glossy abelia 'Kaleidoscope' or Spreading yew 'Densiformis'.

• Japanese sedge 'Evergold'

  × 14

  Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'

  Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1 ft apart · grows 0.75–1 ft tall · Foliage plant

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

• Lenten rose

  × 7

  Helleborus × hybridus

  Filler · Middle 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 Hardy geranium 'Rozanne'.

• Coral bells 'Palace Purple'

  × 10

  Heuchera micrantha var. diversifolia 'Palace Purple'

  Filler · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Jun–Jul

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

• Foamflower

  × 5

  Tiarella cordifolia

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

  Can't find it? Use Cranesbill 'Biokovo' or Variegated lilyturf 'Variegata' (invasive in North Carolina: don't plant it there).

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 85% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

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

• Spreading yew 'Densiformis'

  × 1

  Taxus × media 'Densiformis'

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

  Can't find it? Use Sweetbox.

• 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 Japanese forest grass 'Aureola' or Autumn fern.

• Hosta 'Patriot'

  × 5

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

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

• 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 Coral bells 'Palace Purple' 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 Hairy alumroot 'Caramel' or Japanese sedge 'Evergold'.

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.