BEAUTIFUL TRAILING ANNUALS FOR RETAINING WALLS
Looking for a way to add some more visual interest to a retaining wall? Trailing plants soften hard edges and vertically add green to otherwise plain walls. These are just a few of our favorite trailing annuals for Indianapolis gardens.
FLOWERING CASCADING ANNUALS
Bacopa is a vigorous grower that will quickly spread and cascade over a wall. It features bright green leaves, with pretty little flowers in shades of white, lavender, and pink. They'll bloom from spring right through until the first frost. They perform best in a sunny location, though they'll also be happy with a bit of dappled shade in the afternoon.
Calibrachoa, more commonly known as Million Bells, is one of the best and easiest flowering spillers for containers, retaining walls, and hanging baskets. It’s loaded with little bell-shaped blossoms in almost any color you can imagine, including variegated patterns. They like a sunny place with at least 6 hours of full exposure, and good drainage. While they are a sun lover, they will bloom better if they're watered regularly during dry periods.
Trailing Lobelia is compact and loaded with blooms. Its tiny flowers are available in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white. They will create a mound of pretty blooms and tumble over the edges of walls, rockeries, and containers. They do well in a sunny location but will benefit from some dappled shade to protect them from hot afternoon sunshine.
Trailing Verbena features abundant clusters of flowers in shades of pink, white, red, purple, and blue. This vivid trailing plant will cascade down a retaining wall while attracting all sorts of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.
Wave Petunia is one of the most popular cascading plants for many good reasons. It's tough, easy-care, and flowers profusely all season long. They only get about 6 inches tall, but they can spread up to 4 feet. The best part is, they don't require deadheading! They're happy in a sunny place with good drainage.
FOLIAGE CASCADING PLANTS
Sweet Potato Vines are a favorite cascading foliage plant. They come in many unexpected shades from nearly black to lime green. Each type also has a slightly different and interesting leaf shape. Sweet potato vines will cascade down a wall and thrive best in a spot with full sun and good drainage.
Silver Falls Dichondra features stunning silver leaves, and it's a vigorous grower, cascading a long way down from hanging baskets or over walls. It needs good drainage and regular watering, especially during high heat.
English Ivy is another vigorous ground cover that features attractive lobed foliage, often with interesting variegated patterns. It will cascade down, climb up, or grow across a wall or the ground. Ivy can handle dappled shady and humid locations.
Helichrysum, or licorice plant, has tiny frosted leaves that are a silvery-white. It likes a full sun spot with good drainage, and while it does need regular watering, it is susceptible to root rot, so don't overwater it.
The best thing about cascading annuals is that you can try something new every year, and play around with plant placement to get a great trailing and cascading effect over your retaining wall. Give one or two of these trailing beauties a try this year and see what you like best. Stop by our garden center to find a few gorgeous cascading annuals for your yard.