What to plant in Denver, Colorado

12 × 6 ft · Zone 6a · 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 Ninebark 'Summer Wine' 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 Northern sea oats or Pink muhly grass.

• Threadleaf coreopsis 'Moonbeam'

  × 7

  Coreopsis verticillata 'Moonbeam'

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

  Can't find it? Use Catmint 'Walker's Low' or New England aster 'Purple Dome'.

• Russian sage

  × 3

  Salvia yangii (syn. Perovskia atriplicifolia)

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

  Can't find it? Use Purple coneflower or Bearded iris.

• 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 Creeping phlox.

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 6a · 2–4 hours of sun · Classic

• Bigleaf hydrangea 'Endless Summer'

  × 1

  Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailmer'

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

  Can't find it? Use Smooth hydrangea 'Annabelle' or Oakleaf hydrangea 'Ruby Slippers'.

• Autumn fern

  × 3

  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'.

• 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 Coral bells 'Palace Purple' or Astilbe 'Fanal'.

• 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 Coral bells 'Palace Purple' or Astilbe 'Fanal'.

• 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 Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'.

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 6a · 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 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 Autumn fern or Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'.

• Siberian bugloss 'Jack Frost'

  × 7

  Brunnera macrophylla 'Jack Frost'

  Filler · Front 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'.

• 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 Lenten rose 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 85% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.