An Update on the Front Landscaping and 3 Perennial Plants that Will Make Your Landscape Pop

Our front perennial landscape bed is really starting to pop, so thought I would show you how much it has grown in since we first planted it two years ago. And share some more details on three perennials that I love.

Front Perennial Plant Bed 2-Year Update

Here's what our front landscape bed looked like right after I planted everything in 2021.

Two years later, everything is growing in really nicely and getting thick. The knockout rose really started to show around the first of June in this photo:

From the grasses to the junipers and everything in between, two weeks later even more is coming to life. The allium millennium are just about to bloom in this picture which was taken today.

Three Perennial Plants that Will Make Your Landscape Pop

Perennials come back year after year. Frequently at garden centers I hear customers discussing or asking if the plant comes back year after year. A perennial comes back and annual only lives one year or usually until it freezes in the fall. Let me tell you about three of my favorites - we are in garden zone 5.

1. Allium Millennium

I discovered this plant in a magazine about five years ago when it was awarded perennial plant of the year. I was simply looking for something with color that rabbits and deer didn’t eat. It is a nice round bunch of dark green grass and it shoots out small purple globes about the size of a 50-cent piece. It smells and is connected to garlic and that keeps the animals away. The bumble bees love this as a pollinator plant and fills in spots or you can use it as a border. It grows in most soil conditions and you really never have to touch it. The best part about these is if they get too big you can split them and plant them all over. I’ve even split them and put them in annual flower pots just to fill space. Bloom time is usually in mid-summer right when you could use some color. They bloom slowly and last for a long time. I’ve planted these in full sun and in part shade. You can’t go wrong with this plant if you want some color and animal safe. Cut them down at the start of spring and it comes back every year. You can now find these in most stores, but they sell out fast.

Here's what the plant looks like before the blooms start to pop.

Then right as they begin to bloom.

Should be very bright and purple in a couple weeks!

2. Double Knockout Roses

This is a rose bush that started blooming at the end of May and will keep going until October. My knockout roses have always thrived on morning sun with late afternoon shade. However, I’ve seen them in parking lots where they have very little shade and they still go strong as long as they’re watered. New growth appears on purplish green stems and the flower is cherry red that turns to a bright pink. On most tags and advertisements, it says you don’t have to dead head, but trust me it gives you way more growth and flowers. I find the new growth on the stem and cut the branch that the flowers connected to. Deadheading allows the plants energy to work on the new flowers and keep shooting out new growth. It’s important in the fall to stop deadheading which allows the plant to hibernate. Easy to grow and tons of bright colors. With plenty of deadheading I’ve seen these grow to right around 4 feet and 4 feet wide. Once spring arrives I cut these down to about 18 inches. The only problem I’ve had with these is that deer like to eat the flowers. Usually, a little deer resistant spray will fix that. The plant is naturally very disease resistant.

The plants are already exploding at the start of June.

3. The Incrediball Hydrangea

I just found this hydrangea last year when searching for hydrangeas for our border in the backyard by the pool. It was created from the famous Annabelle Hydrangea that produced giant white flowers; however, those plants would get so heavy that they would flop to the ground. The Incrediball Hydrangea has strong sturdy stems that aren't supposed to flop. And their giant white flowers get nearly the size of a basketballs. These just started to show little snowballs and it’s just the beginning of June. I look forward to these lining is backyard for years to come. Really no maintence is needed, they just like to be watered. Plant these where they will get morning sun and afternoon shade. I have not seen these in big box stores yet, but you can now find these at most local garden centers. Big white snow balls that give color to a hedge or you can plant individual. These will put on a show year after year.

Getting ready to bloom at the start of June:

Two weeks later, they're starting to show off.

We've got the incredballs planted in the backyard plant beds along the fence line under our large pine trees. These should really do a great job of adding privacy for us back here in another year or two.