Choosing Lawn Grasses and Foliage
Use these charts to help you select plants for your annuals garden that have colorful foliage, fruits, or seedpods. These grasses, bushes, and foliage bearers can add to you annuals garden.
The first chart indicates appropriate soil moisture levels, the second chart indicates appropriate light levels, and the third chart indicates expected height of each plant.
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Annual |
Dry Soil |
Average Soil |
Moist Soil |
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Amaranth, Globe |
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Asparagus Fern |
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Basil |
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Burning Bush |
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Caladium* |
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Castor Bean |
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Cloud Grass |
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Coleus |
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Dracaena |
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Dusty Miller |
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Geranium, Ivy-Leaf |
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Geranium, Other |
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Geranium, Zonal |
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Golden Top |
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Job's Tears |
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Gourds |
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Love-in-a-Mist |
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Moses-in-a-Boat |
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Ornamental Cabbage, Kale |
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Ornamental Peppers |
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Perilla |
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Polka Dot Plant |
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Quaking Grass |
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Snow-in-Summer |
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Wheat Grass |
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Wild Oats |
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*Bulb
| Annual | Full Sun | Part Shade | Full Shade |
| Alternanthera | |
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| Amaranth, Globe | |
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| Asparagus Fern | | |
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| Begonia, Tuberous |
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| Burning Bush | |
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| Caladium* |
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| Castor Bean | |
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| Cloud Grass | |
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| Coleus |
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| Dracaena | | |
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| Dusty Miller | |
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| Geranium, Ivy-Leaf | | |
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| Geranium, Other | |
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| Geranium, Zonal | |
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| Golden Top | |
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| Job's Tears | |
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| Love-in-a-Mist | |
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| Moses-in-a-Boat | | |
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| Ornamental Cabbage, Kale | |
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| Ornamental Corn | |
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| Ornamental Peppers | |
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| Perilla | |
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| Polka Dot Plant |
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| Quaking Grass | |
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| Snow-in-Summer | |
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| Wheat Grass | |
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| Wild Oats | |
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*Bulb
|
Annual |
Under 12 Inches |
12-24 Inches |
Over 24 Inches |
Vining |
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Alternanthera |
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Amaranth, Globe |
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Basil |
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Begonia, Tuberous |
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Burning Bush |
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Caladium* |
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Castor Bean |
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Cloud Grass |
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Dracaena |
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Dusty Miller |
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Geranium, Ivy-Leaf |
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Geranium, Other |
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Geranium, Zonal |
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Golden Top |
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Job's Tears |
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Gourds |
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Love-in-a-Mist |
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Moses-in-a-Boat |
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Ornamental Corn |
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Ornamental Peppers |
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Perilla |
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Polka Dot Plant |
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Quaking Grass |
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Snow-in-Summer |
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Wheat Grass |
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Wild Oats |
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*Bulb
These cultural
recommendations are intended to suggest the average conditions over a wide
geographic area. It is important to be aware of local requirements.
Plant
white flowers and green flowers in the annuals garden alongside
ornamental grasses and foliage.
In the next section, you’ll learn how to use ornamental grasses in your lawn.
For more information on lawn care and related topics, try these:
- Lawn Problems: We explore the most common reasons why lawns struggle.
- Gardening: Make a garden part of your home’s landscape.
- Types of Lawnmowers: Which mower is best for your lawn?
