Help me with planting flowers ....?

I live in st. louis mo, and was wanting to plant flowers in my front yard. I have no idea what-so-ever what to do. This is my first house. There are bushes planted in the front yard, with mulch. I would like to plant flowers that are easy to maintain, since i have 2 children and 6 mo. pregnant. I would like something failry inexpensive , but will cover the front yard, with a variety of colors. I have no green thumb at all, so any help would be appreciated...do they make gardening for dummies???





Thanks everyone ,


Lisa

FlowersBirthday FlowersSympathy FlowersHere are some old and popular ones to begin with.


Marigolds


Petunias


Portulaca (moss rose) These require almost no water and are very colorful.


Geraniums





Can't go wrong with these. They are easy to grow and just as easy to care for.





Good Luck
Reply:P.Allen Smth has a great website - look for your planting zone. Also, I'd talk to my local garden center to see what is nice and vigorous for the area. And, calling a nearby Botanical Garden would give you an idea of native flowering plants - some of them have great plant sales. For your children, I'd also seek out kid-friendly plants - no poisonous ones allowed...And, I had my two-year-old help me plant a few sunflower seeds, and took some lovely summer pictures amidst the magnificent results. Have a healthy and happy leap year!
Reply:First of all, chose between annuals and perennials. Annuals must be replaced each year. Perennials come back each year. Some easy and reasonably priced perennials are: hosta (some varieties are expensive, many aren't) , lavender, tulips (fall planted bulbs - so too late for this year), cone flowers, etc.





Check with your local extension office. They can hook you up with a Master Gardener. MG's must provide several hours of community service each year to keep their status. They would be more than happy (at least I would be!) to help you choose the proper plants and may even help you draw up a garden plan.....
Reply:Gardening for Dummies:





Stake in artificial flowers of your choice. No watering required unless they get dirty.
Reply:I think you should plant "perennials" so you don't have to plant every year. For me, that means bulbs like tulips and daffodils and crocus and grape hiacynth and regular hiacynth, peonies. In my opinion, bulbs are "gardening for dummies", that's why I like them. Also try different kinds of Iris. The bearded will cost you more. Oriental poppies are cool! You may still have to plant a few perennials. If you have shade, try the heleborus, it's a small shrub. It likes shade and blooms in the late winter to early spring. try these web sites for more info on flowers for your zone and soil conditions and sun vs shade in your yard. www.americanmeadows.com www.brecks.com www.waysidegardens.com www.dutchbulbs.com www.parkseeds.com and www.jacksonandperkins.com The last has roses, but they have a lot of other stuff too! The clematis is a flowering vine you might be interested in as well. Blooms summer-ish. If your soild is more acidic, try some azalea or rhododendron for shade or hydrangea or camelia shrubs for sun, but they require a bit more care in alkaline soil like I have here in Utah. Be sure to check any of these sites for your gardening "zone" and choose from there.
Reply:I have the center of my garden with grass for my children, they can run and play with balls... at the back we have some trees, a picea, a hazel, a birch, some bush, and a cupressus shrub with the fence. At right, with the neighbours fence, we've a climber (parthenocissus quinquefolia), and at left, we have a "container" (I'm not sure how to say "jardinera" in english)with sleepers on track, and there we have mint, rosemary, thymus, and a lot of bulbs, gladioli, tulip, freesia... and they love them. They like to smell all the plants, and looking at how they grow.super nanny