What to plant in Cleveland, Ohio

12 × 6 ft · Zone 7a · 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 Shrubby cinquefoil (potentilla) 'Goldfinger' or Shrub rose 'Knock Out'.

• Dwarf fountain grass 'Hameln'

  × 3

  Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln'

  Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Jul–Sep

  Can't find it? Use Pink muhly grass or Northern sea oats.

• Bearded iris

  × 7

  Iris germanica

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

  Can't find it? Use Purple coneflower or Spike speedwell 'Royal Candles'.

• English lavender 'Hidcote'

  × 7

  Lavandula angustifolia 'Hidcote'

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

  Can't find it? Use Blanket flower 'Arizona Sun' or Spike speedwell 'Royal Candles'.

• Two-row stonecrop 'Dragon's Blood'

  × 9

  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 Angelina stonecrop 'Angelina' or Creeping phlox.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 84% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

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

• Glossy abelia 'Kaleidoscope'

  × 2

  Abelia × grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope'

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

  Can't find it? Use Dwarf boxwood 'Green Gem' or Korean boxwood 'Wintergreen'.

• Japanese painted fern 'Pictum'

  × 3

  Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum'

  Grass · Middle 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 Holly fern (invasive in Hawaii, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas: don't plant it there).

• Lenten rose

  × 3

  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 Hardy geranium 'Rozanne' or Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'.

• Hosta 'Sum and Substance'

  × 3

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

  Can't find it? Use Hardy geranium 'Rozanne' or Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'.

• 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 Japanese sedge 'Evergold' or Coral bells 'Palace Purple'.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 90% 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.

• Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'

  × 7

  Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'

  Grass · Middle 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'.

• 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 Chinese astilbe 'Visions' or Coral bells 'Palace Purple'.

• Bleeding heart

  × 5

  Lamprocapnos spectabilis

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

  Can't find it? Use Siberian bugloss 'Jack Frost' or Hosta 'Sum and Substance'.

• 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 Japanese sedge 'Evergold' or Mondo grass.

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.