What to plant in Louisville, Kentucky

12 × 6 ft · Zone 7a · 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'.

• 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.

• Blue false indigo

  × 3

  Baptisia australis

  Filler · Back of bed · 1-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 3–4 ft tall · May–Jun

  Can't find it? Use Siberian iris 'Caesar's Brother' or Bearded iris.

• Spike speedwell 'Royal Candles'

  × 7

  Veronica spicata 'Royal Candles'

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

  Can't find it? Use Threadleaf coreopsis 'Moonbeam' or Hardy geranium 'Rozanne'.

• Creeping phlox

  × 5

  Phlox subulata

  Edge · Edge of bed · quart pot · 1.3 ft apart · grows 3–6 in tall · Apr–May

  Can't find it? Use Creeping thyme or Angelina stonecrop 'Angelina'.

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.

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

• Korean boxwood 'Wintergreen'

  × 2

  Buxus sinica var. insularis 'Wintergreen'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 3.5 ft apart · grows 2–4 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Inkberry holly 'Shamrock' or Glossy abelia 'Kaleidoscope'.

• Lilyturf 'Big Blue'

  × 14

  Liriope muscari 'Big Blue'

  Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 1 ft apart · grows 1–1.5 ft tall · Aug–Sep

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

  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

  × 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 Coral bells 'Palace Purple' or Hardy geranium 'Rozanne'.

• 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 Coral bells 'Palace Purple' or Hardy geranium 'Rozanne'.

• Dwarf mondo grass 'Nana'

  × 22

  Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana'

  Edge · Edge of bed · 4-inch pot · 0.5 ft apart · grows 2–4 in tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Blue star creeper.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 82% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 7a · 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 sedge 'Evergold'

  × 14

  Carex oshimensis 'Evergold'

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

  Can't find it? Use Lilyturf 'Big Blue' (invasive in North Carolina: don't plant it there) or Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'.

• 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 Hosta 'Patriot' or Chinese astilbe 'Visions'.

• 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 Hosta 'Patriot' or Chinese astilbe 'Visions'.

• Dwarf mondo grass 'Nana'

  × 18

  Ophiopogon japonicus 'Nana'

  Edge · Edge of bed · 4-inch pot · 0.5 ft apart · grows 2–4 in tall · Foliage plant

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.