When picking plants for your flowers beds, pay close attention to the….

Foliage. Plants should be healthy and vigorous with thick branching stems, dark green foliage (in most cases) and flower buds just starting to show a bit of color. Avoid plants either too compact or too spindly. Stay away from yellowing or browning leaves and foliage with spots or brown edges. That can be a sign of stress, disease or pests.