You get a lot of bang for the buck with these showy, inexpensive plants. A small investment can pay big rewards in curb appeal.
9 Inexpensive Plants to Make Your Garden Pop
Updated on Nov. 18, 2024
Cleome
Cleome is just one of the many self-seeding annual plants that come back year after year without any effort on your part. Also called spider flower because of the spider-like flowers, it grows 4 feet tall or better and brandishes large pink, purple or white flowers. Although it is a vigorous self-seeder, unwanted seedlings are easy to pull when they’re young.
Because of its size, cleome is not a plant to be ignored. That size also makes it a great back-of-border plant in a flowerbed.
Check out more butterfly flowers you can grow from seed.
Celosia
Celosia is another rampant self-seeder that makes itself at home in your garden year after year. If so, consider yourself lucky, because the vividly colored blooms on this plant are a pure delight. They feature a variety of colors—from burgundy, red, magenta and pink to cream, orange and yellow.
Celosia offers different flower shapes, too. There are plumes, crests and spikes. No wonder this annual is loved by so many gardeners. There’s a size to fit any garden, from 6-inch dwarfs to 3-foot-tall specimens. Celosia thrives in hot weather.
Lilies
Lilies (Lilium spp., zones 3 to 8) earn a special place in many gardeners’ hearts because of their captivating flowers. Not only are they bright and cheerful, they come in a range of colors, including pink, purple, red, orange and yellow.
Asiatic lilies bloom in early summer, while the more fragrant Oriental lilies bloom from midsummer to fall. They are hardy in many areas of the country, so unlike many other summer bulbs you won’t have to dig them up in fall and store them for the winter in cold climates.
One drawback: lilies are a favorite food of rabbits. To thwart the furry critters, spray the plants with repellent or rim with hardware cloth or chickenwire. Another option is to grow white clover in your lawn—rabbits favor that over other snacks.
Sweet Summer Love Clematis
Sweet Summer Love (Clematis hybrid, zones 4 to 9) is a vigorous grower that’s literally covered in vanilla scented blooms that change color from red to purple. Plant it in a sunny area for the best flowering and enjoy the spectacular show from mid-summer through fall.
It is a rampant grower, reaching anywhere from 10 to 15 feet, but reacts well to an early spring pruning.
Learn more about growing clematis vines.
Jerusalem Artichoke
Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus, zones 5 to 9) isn’t from Jerusalem and isn’t an artichoke. It is a perennial sunflower with edible tubers, or root structures. Some have called it a weed, because it can colonize open fields. But Jerusalem artichoke, or sunchoke, is quite attractive when in bloom. The golden yellow flowers are an important source of nectar for pollinators when many other flowers are finished.
Jerusalem artichoke is a sturdy perennial reaching 6 to 8 feet tall if not cut back during the growing season, so it makes an excellent screen for sunny locations. Make sure it gets plenty of sun, though, because it will develop powdery mildew if it gets too much shade.
Hostas
Hostas (zones 3 to 8) are one of the most popular shade plants and for good reason—they are remarkable easy to grow and they have stunning foliage. Plus, dividing hostas is a smart way to save money. Dig the entire clump, separate into larger sections, then replant. Late summer or early fall is the best time to divide them.
If you decide to buy a hosta, try to find a larger plant that can be divided prior to planting. You may get two (or more!) for the price of one.
Get to know some other ornamental grasses.
Lamium
Lamium (Lamium maculatum, zones 4 to 8) differentiates itself from many other ground cover plants with eye-catching beauty that demands attention rather than taking a backseat to other plants. The secret is its foliage, which is variegated in different patterns and hues, depending on variety.
The most popular lamiums are a mix of silver and green, but some now have a mix of lime and green. Then there are the bright pink, purple or white blooms that peak in spring but appear sporadically the rest of the growing season. Lamium spreads easily but is not invasive.
Helenium
Helenium (Helenium autumnale, zones 3 to 8), also called Helen’s flower, is a late-summer showpiece that is exceedingly easy to grow. It boasts flowers with truly beautiful autumnal hues of gold, amber and mahogany—and it’s long blooming if deadheaded. Helenium typically grows 3 to 5 feet tall with stiff stems that seldom require staking. For shorter, bushier plants, you can cut stems back by half in early summer.
Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemum is the undisputed king of plants in the fall garden—and no wonder, with its bright and festive colors, ranging from yellow, orange and red to pink, lavender and white.
The trick to making chrysanthemum, or mum, a low-cost star in your garden is to plant it early in the season so the roots have time to spread out and increase the plant’s ability to withstand winter.
If you’re buying mums in the fall (as most people do), they can either be treated as an annual or coaxed into returning in Zones 5 to 7 by storing them in an attached garage over the winter, keeping them just slightly moist. Cut them back in spring and plant in a permanent location.
Originally Published on The Family Handyman
