What to plant in Detroit, Michigan

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

• Shrub rose 'Knock Out'

  × 3

  Rosa 'Radrazz'

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

  Can't find it? Use Shrubby cinquefoil (potentilla) 'Goldfinger' or Dwarf panicle hydrangea 'Little Lime'.

• Pink muhly grass

  × 3

  Muhlenbergia capillaris

  Grass · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2.5 ft apart · grows 2.5–3.5 ft tall · Sep–Nov

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

• New England aster 'Purple Dome'

  × 3

  Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Purple Dome'

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

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

• 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 Spike speedwell 'Royal Candles' or Blanket flower 'Arizona Sun'.

• Angelina stonecrop 'Angelina'

  × 9

  Sedum rupestre 'Angelina'

  Edge · Edge of bed · quart pot · 1 ft apart · grows 3–6 in tall · Jun–Jul

  Can't find it? Use Two-row stonecrop 'Dragon's Blood' or Cheddar pinks 'Firewitch'.

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 6b · 2–4 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 Reblooming azalea 'Encore Autumn Amethyst' or Korean boxwood 'Wintergreen'.

• 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 forest grass 'Aureola' or Japanese painted fern 'Pictum'.

• Chinese astilbe 'Visions'

  × 10

  Astilbe chinensis 'Visions'

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

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

• 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 Hardy geranium 'Rozanne' 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 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 87% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 6b · 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 forest grass 'Aureola'

  × 7

  Hakonechloa macra 'Aureola'

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

  Can't find it? Use Japanese painted fern 'Pictum' or Autumn fern.

• Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'

  × 7

  Heuchera villosa 'Caramel'

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

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

• Bleeding heart

  × 5

  Lamprocapnos spectabilis

  Filler · Middle 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 Astilbe 'Fanal'.

• 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 European wild ginger.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 91% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.