Digging In: The Must Have Plant List

By Jennifer Smith 

Gardeners are constantly tweaking their must-have plant lists.  Some plants fall out of favor and off the list because they are too difficult to maintain, turn out to be thugs or divas, or fail to live up to their hype. As curious gardeners we are learning about new ways to garden, be it planting for pollinators, growing native plants in a shade garden or experimenting with drought tolerant plants. As a result, there are always new plants waiting in the wings, to fill any vacated slots on our must-have plant list. And that’s how it should be. No hobby has a finite amount of information, skill,or materials to acquire, just ask any fiber artist about her hoard of fabrics, threads and books. The more you garden the more your plant palette evolves. 

It was a foray into gravel gardening last year that introduced me to a few new annuals that left me wondering how I managed all these years without them. The new gravel garden with its 4-5” of chipped stone, is a new way to garden that’s allowing us to see if plants that struggle or succumb to our cold, wet, winter soil will persevere in the gravel. The plants’ roots are in the soil, but their crowns will be high and dry through the winter. The few random trial perennials would have made for a rather odd-looking garden if not for the addition of annuals to add color, as well as a bit of intentional design. What started as a way to fill the gaps the first year, turned out to be my favorite aspect of the garden: its annuals!

Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) is not a new plant and may be considered by some to be old fashioned and trite. In the gravel garden, it was a rock star!  It quickly matured to lush stands of endless white, delicate blooms that cascaded over the garden’s rock edging. In some areas it slipped into the gravel walk, effortlessly blurring the lines between garden and path. I would say that alone earns it a place on the must-have list. 

Gomphrena was another winner. Blooming until the first hard frost, it added a nice shape to the planting scheme, the color was clean, crisp and bright, and it was a constant favorite of the pollinators. It’s the most marvelous companion for annual blue salvia which, in its own right, deserves a place in every garden. Annual blue salvia holds its blooms with their lovely blue color until the first frost. It is beloved by bees, particularly our larger native bees, as well as skippers and hummingbirds. 

The other annuals have been on my list for years. Lantana blooms without fail or fuss. Skippers and some of the bees like it as do the hummingbird moths. But, in all fairness, it may be the verbena bonariensis they are really after and the lantana is just a stop on their journey from verbena to verbena.  Verbena bonariensis has been with me since my first days of gardening more than 20 years ago. It’s a constant in English gardens where their globes of cheery purple flowers make an appearance in nearly every garden. It’s easy to grow, loves the sun and heat and is water-wise. It will reseed, so fair warning when planting this near your property line — your neighbors may not appreciate the volunteers. I’m curious to see how well, if at all, it’s able to set seed in the gravel garden.  

Cuphea was another spectacular plant in the gravel garden. Nature gave it a ruthless pruning early spring (thank you to the deer or rabbit for that task), and it responded with a vigorous show of blooms. The Cuphea’s deep green leaves contrasted with the orange tubular flowers and the gray of the gravel.  I have always enjoyed this plant, but it exceeded my expectations in the gravel with its blooms and the way it stood out: taking possession of its spot in the garden. 

Jennifer Smith is an award-winning pollinator garden designer with Wimberg Landscaping.