What to plant in Dallas, Texas

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

• Weigela 'Wine & Roses'

  × 1

  Weigela florida 'Alexandra'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 4 ft apart · grows 4–5 ft tall · May–Jun

  Can't find it? Use Shrub rose 'Knock Out' or Dwarf panicle hydrangea 'Little Lime'.

• 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 Pink muhly grass or Dwarf fountain grass 'Hameln'.

• Mexican bush sage

  × 3

  Salvia leucantha

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

  Can't find it? Use Bee balm or Turk's cap.

• Black-eyed Susan 'Goldsturm'

  × 7

  Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm'

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

  Can't find it? Use Siberian iris 'Caesar's Brother' or Threadleaf coreopsis 'Moonbeam'.

• 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 Creeping phlox 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 86% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

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

• Dwarf yaupon holly 'Nana'

  × 2

  Ilex vomitoria 'Nana'

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

  Can't find it? Use Korean boxwood 'Wintergreen' or Dwarf pittosporum 'Wheeler's Dwarf'.

• 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 sedge 'Evergold'.

• Hardy geranium 'Rozanne'

  × 3

  Geranium 'Gerwat' (Rozanne)

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

  Can't find it? Use Hosta 'Sum and Substance' or Hosta 'Patriot'.

• African iris

  × 5

  Dietes iridioides

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

  Can't find it? Use Hosta 'Sum and Substance' or Hosta 'Patriot'.

• Variegated lilyturf 'Variegata'

  × 9

  Liriope muscari 'Variegata'

  Edge · Edge of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1 ft apart · grows 1–1.25 ft tall · Aug–Sep

  Listed as invasive in North Carolina in our table. Don't plant it there.

  Can't find it? Use Mondo grass or Japanese sedge 'Ice Dance'.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 89% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

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

• Shrubby yew pine

  × 3

  Podocarpus macrophyllus var. maki

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3 ft apart · grows 8–12 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Gold dust aucuba 'Variegata'.

• Japanese painted fern 'Pictum'

  × 9

  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 Lilyturf 'Big Blue' (invasive in North Carolina: don't plant it there) or Japanese sedge 'Evergold'.

• Hosta 'Patriot'

  × 3

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

  Can't find it? Use Lenten rose or Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'.

• Cast iron plant

  × 5

  Aspidistra elatior

  Filler · Front of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 2–3 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Lenten rose or Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'.

• Mondo grass

  × 13

  Ophiopogon japonicus

  Edge · Edge of bed · quart pot · 0.8 ft apart · grows 6–9 in tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Japanese sedge 'Ice Dance' or Japanese sedge 'Evergold'.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 88% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.