At 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, join Marianne Binetti at Windmill Gardens for “Container Wars” an interactive way to learn about container gardening with prizes, a design contest and great planting ideas. For more info visit windmillgardens.com.

The last week of April is full of spring color but it is also the time that is full of spring weeds.

Make this the week you hoe, pull and mulch to get control of invasive weeds before they flower and go to seed.

Some weeds are trying to tell you something about your soil and garden. Weeds in the lawn are sprouting to remind you that nature abhors mono culture. A mixture of blooming plants is what nature wants to feed the diverse pollinators and wild life. If you want a traditional green lawn, consider balancing this will plants that flower at different times of the year. Blooming plants encourage more birds and other wildlife that will naturally control outbreaks of insects and disease.

Over the forty-plus years of writing this garden column I have learned what plants cause Wester Washington gardeners the most problems (daphnes, hebe, basil and dogwood to name of few) and which plants seem to thrive in our climate and adapt to many different types of growing conditions.

Of course what grows best in your garden will depend on the sun, soil and water a plant encounters so even these reliable bloomers may not perform to perfection. Here are my top five plants for NW gardens:

JAPANESE MAPLES

So many varieties of Japanese maples (Acer palmatum) from the grafted versions that grow out but not up, to the tall and spreading types that give delicate shade to patios and open space. They love our acid soil and filtered sunlight from evergreens.

LILACS

Give a lilac full sun, good drainage and here’s the secret – lots of wind and you’ll have a shrub that flowers with fragrant blooms every spring. The new dwarf lilac called “Miss Kim” is perfect for smaller yards. Just don’t plant lilac close to the house. They need good air circulation.

PEONIES

Long lived and adaptable, I have a peony plant that has been flowering for 35 years near the trunk of a huge cedar. It must like the good drainage and partial shade that is a hallmark of cedar tree roots. Peonies flower best if not planted too deep. Add a mulch on top of your peony and it may stop blooming for a few years.

BARBERRIES

Yes, they have barbs, but barberries are also hard to kill and adapt to hot sun and dry soil. Plus, those barbs make them useful in front of windows to keep the burglars out – or teenagers in. A hedge of barberries will also keep the neighbors’ pets from wandering over for a potty visit.

NANDINA HEAVENLY BAMBOO

Do not confuse Heavenly Bamboo, the well behaved shrub with the problems associated with true bamboo. Heavenly Bamboo is a type of Nandina and not a member of the bamboo family. It does not spread. Nandina adapts to full shade or full sun and comes in different sizes and colors but all have bamboo-like leaves that are mostly evergreen in our climate. As a bonus you can cut Nandina down to just stumps every few years if it grows too large and after a heavy pruning you will be rewarded with fresh new growth.

There are plenty more plants that perform beautifully in Western Washington and the fastest way to discover more is to visit a local nursery. Try to visit when the staff is not overwhelmed on a weekend and simply ask what they recommend for an area you want to fill with beauty. Plant lovers are passionate and very helpful as we all join the quest to make our world more beautiful.

Marianne Binetti has a degree in horticulture from Washington State University and is the author of “Easy Answers for Great Gardens” and several other books. For answers to gardening questions, visit plantersplace.com and click “As The Expert”. Copyright for this column owned by Marianne Binetti. For more gardening information, she can be reached at her website, www.binettigarden.com.