My plan is to concentrate on getting some flower beds in this year, along with some foundational plants. As I mentioned, we have plenty of trees, but I thought some shrubs would be a good place to start for this first year. I stumbled upon some good choices at the local Menards. I felt like I hit the jackpot. So many times I see plants in the big retail stores which are totally unsuited to our area. It’s not uncommon to see plants rated Zone 6 for winter temperatures, but on this trip I was delighted to find quite a few hardy, cold resistant- and even drought tolerant species. Kudos to Menards!

The shrubs I chose are not low water plants, but I’ve placed them relatively close to each other in a bed I am willing to water often. For beds further from the house, I’ll be looking for more drought tolerant species.

I have always loved the native Red Twig Dogwood. I tried to grow some from stem cuttings one year, but they all succumbed to fungus. So I was happy to see some Red Twigs and grabbed a few for the front yard. I was quite surprised to see Arctic Willow. I’m not sure how they’ll do in the sand, but I’m going to give them a try. I love the fine little leaves and the delicate shape and they will only be about 4 feet tall at maturity. Perfect for under the windows. I also bought a flowering viburnum. It adds a little charm and keeps my design from being too symmetrical.