TOP  5  Flowers

For those of us with limited budgets and limited time I've put together my top five picks for the best flowers that will give you the biggest bang for your buck (so to speak).  I've also tried to cover at least one from spring, summer, and fall. 

#	Photo	Name	Why
1		Blackeyed Susans  Rudbeckia	These flowers are long blooming, make a great showing in summer and can easily be seeded, giving you more plants for your money.  Summer bloomers
2		Mums	These flowers are long blooming, come in a great variety of colors, and, I think, are one of the best fall plants for color.  Fall bloomers
3		Clematis	They can be a tad expensive to get started (2-3 year old plants can be $20 or more) but by their 4th year they bloom profusely. They are great for covering up and hiding things like gutters, trellises, fences and bad areas of the house. They also come in wonderful colors, like blue, purple, white, red and pink. Spring bloomers
4		Astilbes	Great for shady areas, the astilbes' blooms last into the fall. I also like their green leaves which are beautiful for three seasons.  Summer to fall bloomers
5		Purple Coneflower	A nursery once told me these could be invasive. For me that's a good thing, that means they are hardy, will take easily and grow easily.  Summer bloomers

  I've also found with these plants that the deer and squirrels leave them alone. That's another advantage.