13 Plants That Give You Bang for Your Buck
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What makes a plant a good buy? It's not purchase price alone. Value is best measured by how a plant performs once it's in the ground. "A bargain doesn't need lots of attention, isn't prone to disease or insect problems, and spreads on its own," says Lexington, Kentucky-based landscape designer Jon Carloftis. And while there's no question that annuals deliver the most bang for the buck in a single season, perennials, shrubs, and trees provide long-lasting structure and color to the landscape. We polled garden experts for their hardy and inexpensive favorites in all four categories.
Perrenials: Lavender
Genus:Lavandula spp.Zones: 5 to 9
Cost:$ to $$
Expert Says:"Lavender's practically indestructible, genuinely deer-resistant, and comes in beautiful hues." —Robert Kourik, garden designer, Sebastopol, California
Perrennials: Maiden Grass
Genus: Miscanthus sinensis 'Adagio'
Zones: 5 to 9
Cost: $ to $$
Expertsays:"This grass forms a light, airy four-foot-tall mound and grows really well in otherwise tough and dry sites." —David McMullin, garden designer, Atlanta, Georgia
Zones: 5 to 9
Cost: $ to $$
Expertsays:"This grass forms a light, airy four-foot-tall mound and grows really well in otherwise tough and dry sites." —David McMullin, garden designer, Atlanta, Georgia
Perennials: Daylily
Genus: Hemerocallis varieties Zones: 3 to 9
Cost: From $
Expertsays:"Daylilies are gorgeous and easy to divide. You can build a fine collection of colors and shapes by acquiring a few plants each year." —Barbara Damrosch, farmer and author, Harborside, Maine
Perrennials: Black-Eyed Susan
Genus: Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii
Zones: 3 to 9
Cost: From $
Expertsays:"The showiest of my self-seeding perennials, these golden daisies bloom from mid-July through mid-September and beyond." —Patricia Hill, garden designer, Elgin, Illinois
Zones: 3 to 9
Cost: From $
Expertsays:"The showiest of my self-seeding perennials, these golden daisies bloom from mid-July through mid-September and beyond." —Patricia Hill, garden designer, Elgin, Illinois
Annuals: Snapdragon
Genus: Antirrhinum majus 'Snap Daddy'Zones: All Zones
Cost: $
Expert says:"This long-blooming snapdragon has bright flowers and variegated foliage — and flourishes in cool and hot temperatures." —Dennis Schrader, nursery owner, Mattituck, New York
Annuals: Caladium
Genus: C. varieties
Zones: All Zones
Cost: From $
Expert says: "Caladium brings color to a shady garden in the heat of summer. And some newer varieties can even take a little more sun." —John Dromgoole, nursery owner, Austin, Texas
Zones: All Zones
Cost: From $
Expert says: "Caladium brings color to a shady garden in the heat of summer. And some newer varieties can even take a little more sun." —John Dromgoole, nursery owner, Austin, Texas
Annuals: Cleome
Genus: C. hassleriana 'White Queen'Zones: All Zones
Cost: $ to $
Expert says: "To make a big splash in a sunny area, plant cleome. From late Kune to frost, you'll have four-to-five inch spiderlike blooms." —Jon Carloftis, landscape designer, Lexington, Kentucky
Shrubs: Yaupon Holly
Genus: Ilex vomitoria
Zones: 7 to 10
Cost: $$ to $$
Expert says:"This drought-tolerant Texas native can grow to 15 feet or taller. In winter, its attractive red berries feed birds." —John Dromgoole
Zones: 7 to 10
Cost: $$ to $$
Expert says:"This drought-tolerant Texas native can grow to 15 feet or taller. In winter, its attractive red berries feed birds." —John Dromgoole
Shrubs: Spiraea
Genus: S. nipponica 'Snowmound'Zones: 3 to 8
Cost: $ to $0
Expert says:"The tiny cascading summer blossoms are spectacular. But the wild waterfall-like shape of the stems gives great 'fill' to landscapes year-round." —Rebecca Cole, garden designer, New York, New York
Shrubs: Clethra
Genus: C. alnifoliavarieties
Zones: 3 to 9
Cost: $$ to $$
Expert says:"One plant will perfume a whole yard in August, so I have what my father jokingly called 'a plethora of clethora' next to the porch." —Barbara Damrosch
Zones: 3 to 9
Cost: $$ to $$
Expert says:"One plant will perfume a whole yard in August, so I have what my father jokingly called 'a plethora of clethora' next to the porch." —Barbara Damrosch
Trees: Sourwood
Genus: Oxydendrum arboreumZones: 5 to 9
Cost: $5 to $5
Expert says:"The sourwood offers four seasons of interest: late-spring blooms, glossy summer foliage, amazing fall color, and winter seedpods."—Jon Carloftis
Trees: Apple
Genus: Malus domestica
Zones: 4 to 8
Cost: $$ to $$
Expert says:"Apple trees produce lovely, fragrant pink blooms followed by fruit. Plus, they can be trained on a wall, as espaliers, or bent over arches." —Judy Murphy, landscape architect, Lakeville, Connecticut
Zones: 4 to 8
Cost: $$ to $$
Expert says:"Apple trees produce lovely, fragrant pink blooms followed by fruit. Plus, they can be trained on a wall, as espaliers, or bent over arches." —Judy Murphy, landscape architect, Lakeville, Connecticut
Trees: Swamp White Oak
Genus: Quercus bicolorZones: 3 to 8
Cost: $$
Expert says:"On a dollar-per-square-foot basis, oaks are an incredible bargain. They may grow 60 feet or more and live for 300 years." —Steve Castorani, nursery owner, Landenberg, Pennsylvania
More from Country Living:
• 5 Fast-Climbing Vines for Your Garden
• 3 Quick Lawn Makeovers
•7 Perennials That Bloom Multiple Times Every Summer
5 Plants That Help Keep Mosquitoes Away
We'll take a lovely lavender bush over an ugly bug zapper any day.Next
9 Fresh Ideas for a Fun Vertical Garden 
By Warren Schultz
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