With daisy-like flowers growing on thin, leggy stems, Japanese anemones are also known by the poetic moniker, "wind flower." This perennial not only looks beautiful in your landscape, it's also hardy and easy to maintain.
Japanese anemones grow to about four feet tall and will bloom till frost. Bees and butterflies love them, too, and they grow well in full shade, though must have moist, well-drained soil.
Do note, however, that they can get aggressive and take over your garden space. In the spring you'll need to prune them or divide them. This gives you the chance to place the plants you've separated in other portions of your lawn or landscape.
Q: I live in Montpelier. I want to grow hardy roses. — Chandralaka, in Montpelier
Look to the north! The Canadians have been breeding cold, hardy roses for years. Try the Canadian Explorer series, or if you want some really tough ones, try the Parkland Series from Manitoba — they're hardy to Zone 3 and Zone 4. Or try the damask rose and rosa rugosa, which are old-fashioned varieties that only bloom once in summer but will last through the winter.
For delicate roses, put down some mulch around the base of the plant and they will overwinter that way, then in spring, remove the mulch, cut off the dead growth and get ready for new blooms!
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