What to plant in Seattle, Washington

12 × 6 ft · Zone 9a · 6+ hours of sun · Cottage

• Gardenia 'Frostproof'

  × 4

  Gardenia jasminoides 'Frostproof'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 2.5 ft apart · grows 3–4 ft tall · May–Jun

  Can't find it? Use Upright rosemary 'Tuscan Blue' or Glossy abelia 'Kaleidoscope'.

• 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 Northern sea oats or Feather reed grass 'Karl Foerster'.

• Foxglove beardtongue 'Husker Red'

  × 7

  Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red'

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

  Can't find it? Use Garden peony 'Sarah Bernhardt' or Hardy geranium 'Rozanne'.

• 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 Garden peony 'Sarah Bernhardt' or Hardy geranium 'Rozanne'.

• 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 Cheddar pinks 'Firewitch' or Creeping phlox.

Mulch: 0.67 cu yd at 3 in deep (9 bags of 2 cu ft). Plants cover about 92% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 9a · 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 Sasanqua camellia 'Shishi Gashira' or Reblooming azalea 'Encore Autumn Amethyst'.

• Holly fern

  × 3

  Cyrtomium falcatum

  Grass · Middle of bed · 1-gallon pot · 2 ft apart · grows 1.5–2 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Listed as invasive in Hawaii, New Jersey, South Carolina and Texas in our table. Don't plant it there.

  Can't find it? Use Japanese painted fern 'Pictum' or Japanese forest grass 'Aureola'.

• 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 Hosta 'Patriot' or Hairy alumroot 'Caramel'.

• 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 Hosta 'Patriot' 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 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 83% of the 72 sq ft bed when mature.

12 × 6 ft · Zone 9a · Under 2 hours of sun · Classic

• Gold dust aucuba 'Variegata'

  × 1

  Aucuba japonica 'Variegata'

  Structure · Back of bed · 3-gallon pot · 4.5 ft apart · grows 4–6 ft tall · Foliage plant

  Can't find it? Use Dwarf yaupon holly 'Nana' or Sweetbox.

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

  Can't find it? Use Hairy alumroot 'Caramel' or Astilbe 'Fanal'.

• 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 Hairy alumroot 'Caramel' or Lenten rose.

• 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 Coral bells 'Palace Purple'.

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.