does she have gumbo, loam or sandy soil? i lived in cypress a dozen years or so and now live south of houston, but some easy plants for me were roses, salvia and camellia, if drainage is an issue, i'd take care of that before planting any of these, size of these plants vary from small salvia, to camellia or roses of a type that would get larger and i would recommend old garden roses if you can find them.....rcw nursery and arbor gate at tomball carry those and im sure buchanan's and other places that i'm not aware of carry them too if you have lots of shade plant camellia or maybe ginger and if you have lots of sun, go for the roses or salvia (indigo spires are beautiful ) also there are lots of lantana which may be large or small depending on what you buy and day lilies and agapanthus work well also

So imagine what the bed will look like after the daffodils and tulips fade. It will probably look like a dark green sea and then it will turn brown. Many people plant annuals on top of their bulbs, but those only last a season. My plan this year was to plant Showy Primrose I wintersowed among the tulips so that it comes back every year and will leave something pretty growing when the tulips die back. Perennials for large areas: Yarrow-white, red, yellow, pink. Starts easily from seed or a few plant starts and it's a midplains native and grows well. Feathery foliage that's pretty and long-blooming. I have plant starts if you want some. Cushion Spurge. Some people like it, others don't. It's a plains native and it spreads quickly. It grows 12" high and blooms wonderful yellow blossoms. As the blossoms fade you have a green feathery foliage shorter than the yarrow. I have lots of plant starts if you want some. Daisies. As the tulips fade the Shasta/Becky Daisies come to life and bloom their little heads off. The white flowers dance in the breeze. If you deadhead they keep reblooming. Nice long bloom period. These grow stronger by the year. (You guessed it--I have some.) Phlox Subulata: Groundcover that blooms early spring. If you plant around your bulbs the bulbs come through it. Blooms purple, pink or white as a carpet of blooms. Rest of the year it's green and happy, very low to the ground. Low maintenance. I've only transplanted it, never done seeds. Yep, I have some. Columbine: Grow well from seed. It will take a couple years for them to gain some size, but you'll have beautiful blooms. I personally have trouble with Columbine. I think it's my soil. Mine get about 24" high, last about 3 years, and that's it. My aunt's got as big as a bush, but didn't make it through the 2014-15 winter. Sweet William grows well from seed. You'll have pink and white blossoms in mid spring. Gaillardia grows well from seeds. Bright orange and yellow blooms depending on which seed you get. Short-lived perennial so they are around a couple years before they disappear and you can keep planting more seed to keep the cycle going. Look at Craigslist or post on Craigslist for iris if you're interested. Many people have to divide roots of daylilies, iris or peonies and want someone to adopt their babies. They are usually unnamed, but if that doesn't bother you then you're in luck. They all come back like clockwork for years and years. This was probably too much information! Heidi

I've had a LDBE for about 5 years and have moved it several times. It only gets about 2' tall per year and gets 1-2 blooms. Very susceptible to freeze damage. When it does bloom the color is very "peachy" which is attractive. The leaves also turn very light in the sun. I'm not really a fan of it though. I've done much better with LD Rhythmic Blue and Rave. My parents also have a Blue Jangles which is 3x3' this year with about 15 blooms and is doing very well. I'm considering donating LDBE to someone or another place, or moving it down the hill into the woods along a couple trails I made this year. If anyone else can chime in with some LDBE photos (depicting plant siting, etc) that would be helpful as well!

I am not sure if you can get the Shield Rose where you live. This one has survived everything that is thrown at it. I never got around to covering it up for the winter. due to going for therapy on a pulled muscle in my arm and upper thigh. I was afraid it had gone but like wow they all survived but one. Here is one of my Shield or there is the gorgeous Chinook Sunrise. Was having issues but you should see it this year and I never got to cover it up as well. This shield rose is awesome!!! Hah one lady said I should cut it back as I wouldn't get any roses on it. Well it made a liar out of her as it did indeed get roses on it all kinds of beautiful red ones. Even had a bout with the sawfly larvae which I ended up taking out my stool and a measuring cup of hot water and dish detergent and picking them off it by hand. Then when finished I threw the water over our wooden fence with them in it. :) I live north of Toronto in Ontario, Canada. Have yet to see the flowers on the chinook as they were all finished with for the season when I bought it from our nearby garden centre. But have seen pictures of them online. Have yet to see any buds on the shield or the chinook.