14 Mailbox Garden Plants and Flowers

These annuals, perennials, vines and other hardy growers make great companions for a mailbox garden design.

By: Jeff Stafford

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California Poppy

A colorful candidate for mailbox gardens in climate zones 6 to 10, Eschscholzia California is a drought-tolerant perennial with a peak blooming period from March to May. It grows well in full sun and dry, well-drained soil and requires little maintenance.

Coreopsis auriculata 'Nana'

Also known as tickseed, Coreopsis auriculata is a North America native perennial that grows easily in conditions of full sun and soil with medium moisture. Yellow blooms appear from May to June that attract butterflies and the seeds that are produced resemble ticks, hence the common name tickseed. Good for zones 4 to 9.

Purple Verbena

Verbena bonariensis requires full sun for the best results and produces a vivid purple flower. A slender-stemmed perennial, it can grow to heights of 6 feet and widths of 3 feet and can bloom from late summer to the first frost in zones 6 to 8.

Rosemary

Winter hardy in zones 8 to 10, Rosmarinus officinalis is a herbaceous perennial that grows best in full sun and produces pale blue and white flowers during the bloom season. Fragrant and easy to prune and shape, rosemary is an easy maintenance choice for mailbox areas, herb gardens or patio containers.

'Purple Wave' Petunia

A lush, versatile annual that is heat and drought-tolerant, Petunia x hybrid ‘Purple Wave’ is a popular favorite due to its large, beautiful flowers, long blooming season of early spring to early fall and easy adaptation to most climates.

Clematis

Clematis is a genus within the buttercup family Ranunculaceae with more than 300 species. Clematis is popular with gardeners for its lovely blooms and ability to grow on walls, fences, mailboxes and other areas to highlight its foliage to best advantage. Hardy in zones 5 to 9.

Yarrow

A perennial that thrives in full sun and well drained, low moisture soil, Achillea ‘Coronation Gold’ is a type of yarrow that produces golden yellow flowers and fern-like, silvery foliage with a bloom period of June to September. Recommended for zones 3 to 8.

Pampas Grass

Cortaderia selloana (aka pampas grass) is a perennial ornamental grass which can grow from 10 to 13 feet in height and spread 6 feet wide. With its graceful plumes, which can range in color from sand-pink to silvery-white, pampas grass makes an appealing living hedge, border or privacy screen in zones 6 to 8. The leaves have sharp edges so wear gloves when trimming them back.

Stonecrop

A dependable border perennial for late season color, Sedum telephium ‘Mohrchen’ is known for its beet-red foliage and dark pink flowers that bloom in late summer. Drought tolerant, stonecrop grows well under conditions of partial shade to full sun in zones 4 to 10.

Phlox paniculata

Native to North America, Phlox paniculata is a summer flowering perennial whose mid-summer to mid-fall blooms may vary in color from white to purple. It requires sandy, loamy soil and can take partial shade and partial to full sun in zones 4 to 8.

'Loddon Pink' English Lavender

'Loddon Pink' English lavender is a compact variety with narrow, grey-green leaves and fragrant, pale pink flowers. The blooms are highly scented and good for drying.

Violet Blue Aster

Aster x frikartii, 'Wunder von Stafa', is an herbaceous perennial, with dark foliage and light violet, yellow-centered flowers. Its daisy-like flowers bloom in late summer and autumn in a sunny site and can reach 28 inches tall. A good choice for zones 5 to 8.

Hyssop

An evergreen, bushy herb that can grow two feet high and blooms from June to September, Hyssopus officinalis requires full sun to part shade but can adapt well to poor soils such as dry, sandy ones. It makes an attractive border perennial in combination with lavender and rosemary and is a low maintenance choice for zones 4 to 9.

Iris

Best grown in full sun to part shade, Iris sibirica ‘Butter and Sugar’ is a perennial that can tolerate poor, dry soil due to its thick root system. The blooms are creamy white and yellow flowers on 28 inch stalks and attracts hummingbirds. It does well in zones 3 to 9.