By Dan Kochanowski and Adriana DeFuoco
Lily of the Valley:
They like partial shade and moist-soil areas, but they can live in the sun depending on the amount of moisture they get.
As with all transplants, the Lily of the Valley should be watered weekly for the first 4-6 weeks after planting. And when it comes to planting, putting it in a pot will prevent it from spreading to different areas, but letting it go crazy might not be an awful idea.
They should be planted in spring.
Don’t eat it.
They are perennials, so they come back every year!
Pansies:
Plant these in spring because they don’t usually survive the summer for too long.
Buy established plants; growing pansies from seed is harder. Plant in moist soil.
Plant in portable containers (12 inches or less in diameter) so the plants can be moved to a cooler area when the sun starts to get stronger.
They MIGHT come back, really depends.
Cornflowers:
Once established in a bed, cornflowers will self-seed and return year after year, bringing enduring cheer in a low-maintenance area of the garden.
Water cornflower plants once per week only on weeks that do not receive rainfall. Allow the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Do not allow the soil to become too dry, or the plants may flop over. However, cornflower is drought tolerant and will easily spring back from under-watering.
Morning Glories:
Sow morning glory seeds in late spring or early summer, same with plants. Give them a fence, lattice, or trellis to climb.
Morning glories are low-maintenance; just be sure to water during dry periods, or water regularly.
They might come back next season.
Cosmos:
Plant in spring or late spring, they will be perfectly okay in the summer.
Cosmos do come back but in a good moderate amount.
Water regularly, but make sure you don't over-water the plants. Over-watering and over-fertilization can lead to plants with fewer flowers. Cosmos can tolerate dry soil, even in a hot, arid, sunbaked spot.
Cosmos beds may become weedy due to the fact that they self-seed, so remember to check them.
Marigolds:
Once planted, marigolds grow rapidly with no fuss. Most thrive in full sun, taking hot, sunny exposures in stride.
Established marigolds in garden beds need a good soak once each week. Give them enough water so that the soil is moist to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. If the weather is unusually hot or windy, they'll need extra water.
They may come back the following year thanks to self-seeding.
Plant marigolds in spring to midsummer.
Alliums:
Allium post-bloom care is very easy. Simply keep the plants moderately watered until they fade to yellow and begin to shrivel. At this point, you can cut the plants down to the ground, leaving them where they are or dividing them.
Allium bulbs should be divided every three or four years. To do this, simply dig around the plant with a trowel and lift the bulbs out. There should be a collection of bulbs, which you can separate gently with your hands. Replant a few in the same spot, and plant the others right away in new locations.
Plant alliums in fall
Snapdragons:
Plant snapdragons in Spring!
After planting snapdragons in a full sun location with well-draining soil, snapdragon care should include a few well-placed clips to manipulate this plant into a bushy, filled-out specimen. Clip the top stem and any long side shoots to encourage more flowers and more attractive planting.
Further care of snapdragons includes appropriate watering. When growing snapdragon, keep moist for the first few weeks. Once established, snapdragon care includes regular watering. Provide approximately an inch of water per week in times of no rainfall.
Nasturtiums:
There are many varieties of nasturtiums, which are divided into two main types: trailing or climbing types (Tropaeolum majus) and bush types (T. minus). As their names suggest, the main difference between them is their growth habit, with trailing nasturtiums forming long vines and bush nasturtiums remaining more compact.
Bushes do well on their own, but the climbing ones need some trellises.
Nasturtiums do well in poorer soils and do not typically need extra fertilizer (unless your soil is extremely poor). Too much nitrogen will encourage more foliage than flowers.
Plant the flowers in spring.
Garden Mums:
Plant garden mums in spring and they’ll last until fall if you take care of them.
Early in the season mums should be watered like your lawn, about one inch a week. As the plants increase in size and summer brings warmer temperatures, your watering should increase proportionately.
Mums do come back every year with a bit of winter care.
Daylilies:
These flowers are summer flowers, so plant in late spring!
Choose a site where your growing daylilies will receive at least six hours of sun. Morning sun is best, particularly in warmer areas where the blazing afternoon sun can scorch the leaves. Here again, these hardy plants will grow with less, but blooming won’t be as prolific.
You'll need to water the plants every couple of days for the first few weeks after planting. After that, water once or twice weekly (depending on whether or not it rains) for the first growing season.
Wax Begonias:
Wax Begonias can totally survive Spring and Summer, so they can be planted anytime. But they do not come back after winter, so maybe bring them inside or let them die and replant next year.
Planted in the garden, wax begonias will require a minimum of 1 inch of water per week. Applying a thick layer of mulch will help retain soil moisture between waterings.
One of the best things about wax begonias is that they grow well in sun or shade and thrive equally well in landscape beds and borders as they do containers.
Verbena:
Verbena is generally pretty happy-go-lucky. It wants at least six hours of sunlight a day, prefers well-drained soil but isn’t picky about the quality of the soil, and needs about an inch of rain a week.
Verbena tends to get pretty leggy as it grows, and this was part of my initial dislike of the plant. But enough time and experience with this annual led me to discover that all it needs to perk right back up is a good shearing a few times a year.
While the verbena flower is drought resistant, the blooms are improved with regular watering of an inch (2.5 cm.) or so each week
Sweet Pea:
Plant sweet peas in spring!
Sweet peas are happiest with their heads in the sun and their roots deep in cool, moist soil. When possible, plant low-growing annuals in front of them to shade their roots. They need friends!
Water the soil around the plants often enough to keep it moist, applying the water slowly and deeply.
Sweet peas are annual plants and will readily self-sow.
Some resources for some more information:
