I am trying to place things for the best effect and need to fill in some bare spots.
I have been in plant files for hours and probably double that in the nurserys, The tags dont always show the correct bloom time for our area. What are your proven carefree perennials with great bloom,(preferrably able to be keep at under 3')
Please tell me what your longest and best bloomer is, how long it blooms, when?, how big,annual and perennial....
impatient-annual april till nov. 6-12"
lorepetalum-perennial april and on and off throughout summer, up to 10' or keep trimmed.
asiatic lily- dont know
gailardia-dont know
ranunculus-
chris
**Your longest Bloomer is**...
Kerria has a very long bloom time in the garden here. On and off all summer.
Kalimeris, the little Japanese aster will bloom in the next week or two and not stop all summer and fall.
Spanish lavender. Mine need to be cut back, but they started blooming so early! They will bloom until fall with their little purple rabbit ear topped flowers.
The Knockout Roses - no explanation needed!
Salvia Guaranticas - they all bloom all summer here
Agastaches: there are many agastache that bloom all season long, mostly the little oranges like apricot sprite.
Salvia (other varieties) some I don't even know what varieties they are. One labeled Peach, hardy to zone 9 was one of the first bloomers here this year. The frost didn't bother it one bit, just made it bloom a little more orange.
Brugmansia: flushes all summer starting in late May or June depending on the age of the plant. The older the plant, and the more fertilized, the faster it will bloom!
GGG
GGG,
Great! There are a couple of those that I now need and a couple I have, and a couple I have to look up. I think the aster is usually kinda low (under 18") and that is what I need the most of. Plant files here I come.
Thanks,
chris
Chris, yes. Kalimeris aster is just under a foot. There are several types, but none do as well for me as the plain little white one.
I buy salvias (and other plants) from Ebay sometimes. I look for certain sellers who will list things like "rated to zone 10, however, it has been hardy in my zone 9 garden". Then I buy it and try it! Most often it is hardy for me too!
GGG
My Dianthus never stopped blooming even in below freezing temps. Slowed down a bit, but has never been without a handful of blooms since I planted it late last summer.
http://pics.davesgarden.com/pics/Cordeledawg_1175614167_150_tn.jpg
I do have a spot that dianthus will work, didnt even think of it, thanks.
GGG, just came from pikes, they have salvia guaranticus in gallon pots in the annual section...they said it wont survive here. Has it come back for you? if it did then I am going to get it, I loved the blue color.
chris
Chris,
It depends on the variety of plant they have listed as Salvia Guarantica.
Sometimes they grow salvia Mexicana and have it mis-labled. But yes, mine in the species, and black and blue are hardy as bullets. I just do not cut them back until spring. The stems are hollow. If they fill with water and it freezes they can die out if not fully established. Slavia Guarantica forms black underground tubers, these are a few inches down in the soil. They come back from these tubers.
GGG
Thanks,
that is good enough for me to give it a try. I hope it is labeled right. I might be able to see if it has the black tubers when I take it out of their pot.
chris
Homestead purple verbena.. keeps going and going and going and .......
:)
Susan
Gerbera daisies, scabiosa (pincushion plant) and creeping phlox bloom forever here for me.
Susan
Found this list :)
Susan
http://gardening.about.com/od/perennials/a/LongBloomers.htm
Long Blooming Perennials
From Marie Iannotti,
Your Guide to Gardening.
Add Impact to Your Garden with Repeat Bloomers
Many gardeners like perennial flower plants because they return year after year. However, that doesn't mean that you can plant them once and forget about them. Perennials require regular maintenance to look and perform their best. Staking, pruning, deadheading, dividing and pest control are a few of the gardening chores you can expect to enjoy when growing perennials.
To get the most bang from your buck, be sure to include some long blooming and repeat blooming perennial flowers in your garden design. Large blocks of color add impact to a garden and the best way to achieve that is with long blooming perennial flowers. Here are some to consider:
Achillea (Yarrow)
USDA Zones: 2 - 9, varies by species - Bloom Span: 3+ Months
Achillea will grow almost anywhere, but it actually favors dry, lean soil.
If given too much moisture or rich soil, the plants can become floppy. Deadhead spent flowers for repeat bloom. After the second bloom, rejuvenate the plant by cutting back to new growth. Yarrow tends to die out in the center of the plant and should be divided every 3 years or so.
GOOD CHOICES: Achillea 'Coronation Gold', A. millefolium 'Fire King', A. m. 'Summer Pastels'
Campanula (Bellflower)
USDA Zones 4 - 9, varies by species - Bloom Span: 2+ Months
There are many species of Campanula or Bellflowers, all easy to grow and relatively long lived. They perform best in areas with cooler summers or in partial shade where the summers are more intense. Most Bellflowers will readily self sow. If they start to look tired and ragged after several blooms, shear or mow them down to a few inches and they will grow back fresher.
GOOD CHOICES: Campanula carpatica 'Blue Clips' or 'Blue Chips', C. c. 'White Clips' or 'White Chips'
Centranthus (Red Valerian)
USDA Zones 3 - 9 - Bloom Span: 3-4 Months
Centranthus is often seen spilling over in photos of English gardens. Like Achillea, Centranthus prefers dry, lean soil, but it blooms longer in cooler climates. In intense heat it will bloom in spring and again as it feels up to it, throughout the summer. Centranthus rarely grows true from seed and is best propagated by cuttings. To be certain of what color you are getting, buy the plant while it is in flower. The plants don't live longer than about 5 years and they resent being divided or every relocated.
GOOD CHOICES: Centranthus ruber 'Albus'
Coreopsis (Tickseed)
USDA Zones 3 - 9 - Bloom Span: 3+ Months
Coreopsis are undemanding plants, but short lived. Either allow them to self-seed or divide the plants every 2-3 years and replant the newer, outer sections. Flower buds form all along the stems, making deadheading a time consuming challenge. Once the initial buds have completed blooming, sheer the plants back by 1/3 to encourage new flower buds.
GOOD CHOICES: Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb', C.v. 'Golden Showers', C. grandiflora 'Early Sunrise'
Corydalis lutea (Fumewort)
USDA Zones 4 - 9 - Bloom Span: 4 Months
Corydalis' ferny foliage and delicate flowers belie its fortitude. This is a plant that prefers partial shade and well drained soil and will find a home in cracks in rocks, on slopes in woodlands and along paths. Once established, Corydalis self sows wherever it can. However it can take years for the seed to germinate, so trying to start your own plants can be frustrating.
GOOD CHOICES: You will probably only find the species of C. lutea
Dianthus (Pinks)
USDA Zones 3 - 9 - Bloom Span: 2+ Months
While most Dianthus have a long natural period of bloom, many will rebloom with some deadheading. Several varieties are also evergreen and make nice edging plants. Dianthus does well in any well-drained soil, though it prefers a slight alkalinity. They don't tend to live very long and should be divided or seeded regularly.
GOOD CHOICES: Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Bath's Pink', D. g. 'Cheddar Pink', D.
deltoids (Maiden Pink)
Dicentra formosa & Dicentra eximia (Fringed Bleeding Heart)
USDA Zones 2 - 9 - Bloom Span: 3+ Months
Unlike the common bleeding heart (D. spectabilis), cultivars of the fringed species will repeat bloom for most of the summer. D. formosa is a western native while D. eximia is able to handle the heat and humidity of the eastern U.S. The fringed bleeding hearts are smaller plants than D. spectabilis and the flower is not as pronounced a heart shape, but the gray-green ferny foliage and abundance of flowers make it a prize. Most self-seed.
GOOD CHOICES: 'Alba' has a pure white flower
Echinacea purpurea (Coneflower)
USDA Zones 3 - 9 - Bloom Span: 2-3 Months
Having a long bloom period is just on of Echinacea's many attributes. Coneflowers are extremely drought tolerant, attract birds and butterflies and the intense color adds punch to any garden. The tall stalks are self-supporting, unless they've received so much water they become floppy. They require good drainage and full sun. Deadheading will prolong the bloom period. Although Echinacea is slow to spread, division is the best way to get the cultivar you want. The seed heads can be left on through the winter and will provide a treat for neighborhood birds.
GOOD CHOICES: Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus", E.p. 'Fragrant Angel', E. "Art's Pride'
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
USDA Zones 2 - 9 - Bloom Span: 3-4 Months
Daisies on caffeine. Gaillardia's yellow petals around a burgundy center are impossible to ignore in a garden. All they ask is full sun and they will keep on blooming all summer. Too mush shade and the stems begin to flop. In most cases, deadheading is not necessary for continual bloom, but it can make the plants look tidier. Gaillardia is another short-lived perennial and should be divided or seeded often.
GOOD CHOICES: Gaillardia x grandiflora, Gaillardia 'Goblin' (dwarf), G. 'Burgundy', G. 'Monarch'
Kniphofia (Red Hot Poker)
USDA Zones: 5 - 9 - Bloom Span: 3+ Months
The spiky, bottle-brush flowers of Kniphofia are beacons for hummingbirds. Although they look like tough customers, Kniphofia actually requires a bit of winter protection in cooler zones. They are also a bit fussy about liking moist conditions in the summer, but well-drained soil for the winter months. Full sun is generally necessary for ample blooms. Kniphofia does not divide or transplant well, although you can usually get away with removing and replanting the young side shoots of the plants.
GOOD CHOICES: Any of the hybrids. Kniphofia ''Primrose Beauty' is especially hardy.
Liatris (Gayfeather, Blazing Star)
USDA Zones 3 - 9 - Bloom Span: 3 Months
Liatris are easy to grow and texturally unusual. The thin, spiky leaves jut off the stems all the way to where the rosy-purple flower spikes begin. Unlike most spiky flowers, Liatris blooms from the top down. Liatris can handle just about any type of soil, but the richer the soil, the more likely they'll need staking. They'll grow in full sun or partial shade. Liatris is long lived and doesn't often require division. They will self-seed, but generally don't take over.
GOOD CHOICES: Liatris spicata (Spike Gayfeather) comes in white, pink and shades of purple
Nepeta (Catmint)
USDA Zones 3 - 9 - Bloom Span: 2-3 Months
Most people think of Nepeta as catnip (Nepeta cataria), a somewhat weedy garden plant. But there are many excellent ornamental Nepetas that will bloom throughout the summer, if deadheaded. Most have some shade of blue-lavender flowers and gray foliage.
They are very drought tolerant and make a nice substitute for lavender, in areas where lavender won't thrive. Although not as attractive to cats as catnip, you may still find a cat or two rolling around in your plants.
GOOD CHOICES: Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant', Nepeta x faassenii 'Dropmore' (Sterile and doesn't need deadheading)
Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan)
USDA Zones: 3 - 9 - Bloom Span: 3 Months
Rudbeckia are at home everywhere and many are native to various parts of North America. They prefers well-drained, somewhat lean soil and full sun. Deadheading will prolong bloom and cut Rudbeckia flowers will last a long time in water. With their flat landing pad petals, they are attractive to butterflies and the seeds will be eaten by the birds during the winter. Relatively long lived, Rudbeckias can be easily multiplied by division.
GOOD CHOICES: Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm"
Scabiosa (Pin Cushion Flower)
USDA Zones 3 - 9 - Bloom Span: 3+ Months
Scabiosa is a unique looking plants with a low growing rosette of narrow leaves and a profusion of gangly stems topped by pincushion flowers. They are relatively easily grown in average soil and full sun. Deadheading is a must for long bloom and general appearance. Divide plants every 3-4 years. You can also root the secondary stems you will see coming from the base of the plants.
GOOD CHOICES: Scabiosa caucasica 'Butterfly Blue', S. c. 'Pink Mist'
Sedum (Stonecrop)
USDA Zones 3- 9 - Bloom Span: 2-3 Months
The taller sedums are unparalleled garden performers. Sedum 'Autumn Joy' is a near perfect plants, looking good for 4 seasons. Sedum flower buds are attractive long before they are fully in bloom and long after they have gone to seed, so there is no need to deadhead. They thrive in well-drained soil and full sun. If your plants tend to flop, they can be sheared back in early summer to form a bushier, sturdier plant. Sedums can go years without division, but can be propagated by stem cutting. Once the plant begins to thin out in the center, division is necessary.
GOOD CHOICES: Sedum 'Autumn Joy', S. 'Bertram Anderson', S. Madrona, S. 'Brilliant'
Tradescantia (Spiderwort)
USDA zones 4 - 9 - Bloom Span: 3-4 Months
Tradescantia doesn't get much respect, probably because they can become a bit aggressive. However, they will readily bloom in partial shade and can be easily controlled by pulling young plants or by crowding them in with other plants. They have somewhat grassy like leaves with clusters of 3-peteled flower heads. Each flower lasts only one day, but there are so many buds the bloom period is quite long. They prefer cool, moist soil and full sun, but will accept partial shade in exchange for the cool soil.
GOOD CHOICES: Tradescantia ''Carmine Glow', T. 'Snowcap'
Veronica spicata (Spike Speedwell)
USDA Zones 3 - 9 - Bloom Span: 3-4 Months
Veronicas start blooming in the spring and keep going through frost. The genus includes a broad range of plants, but V. spicata is most popular in gardens. The low growing dense foliage gives rise to narrow flowers spikes in blues, reds, pinks, whites and purples. Deadheading will keep them going all summer long. Drought tolerant, Veronica likes a well-drained soil.
GOOD CHOICES: Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'
http://www.gardening-tips-perennials.com/longbloomingperennials.html
Achillea is a long blooming plant for full hot sun
• Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’ or licorice plant is one of the better longer blooming Agastache.
•Anthemis tinctoria is a long blooming daisy that will self sow with abandon.
•Asters. There are a few fall blooming asters such as ‘Monch’ and ‘Wonder of Staffa’ that are extremely long blooming. Check out the newer varieties.
•Campanula a decent long bloomer three years out of four.
•Centaurea montana was a reliable plant for me but self seeded everywhere.
•Centranthus is easy and a little known but decent blooming plant.
•Chrysanthemum. Everybody knows Shasta daisies and Fall mums. Deadhead the Shasta daisies for longer blooming.
•Coreopsis. All bloom for extended times but the lanceolata and grandiflora types benefit from deadheading to get repeat blooms. Deadheading is not necessary with verticillata and rosea hybrids to make them into long blooming perennials.
•Corydalis lutea is my favourite long blooming perennial and simply the longest blooming plant in my garden.
•Dianthus can be very long blooming perennials if you pick new hybrids. Dianthus gratianopolitanus and D. deltoides are two of the best.
•Dicentra Formosa and D. exemia hybrids are long lived for shade. Short bleeding hearts are superb while the taller ones are short bloomers. ‘Luxuriant’ has been my shade garden stalwart.
•Echinacea are the current darlings of the plant breeding world and it is true the blooms last a long time and each individual flower lasts a long time. Good for mid summer blooms and so far they all seem to be about the same length of time in my garden.
•Gaillardia are long bloomers but tend to be short lived. Will self sow but what a bloom they give.
•Gaura plants are tremendous long blooming perennials and with its airy butterfly like flowers, it is a garden ornament worthy of the best designers. Grow it.
•Geranium ‘Rozanne’ is a season-ling blooming geranium and the others are so-so long season bloomers. Watch for more repeat bloomers such as ‘Jolly Bee’ with its huge two-inch blue flowers. Both are stunning long blooming perennials in my garden (I like geraniums.)
•Hemerocallis or daylilies ‘Stella D’ Oro’ is the classic but look for “repeat bloomers” at your favourite garden shop. See note in the introduction.
•Heucherella – this cross between Heuchera and Tiarella has produced some very long blooming plants with dainty flowers. Not for heavy competition in the main flower border against phlox and daylily but lovely in containers or small dainty gardens.
•Hibiscus moscheutos or perennial hibiscus is a very long blooming fall plant and the modern hybrids are simply stunning. I have three and I lust for more.
•Kalimeris pinnatitida "Hortensis" or Japanese Asters produce a profusion of small flowers or a very long period of time.
•Kniphofia can be long bloomers if you can grow them. The used to be very short green plants in my old garden. Haven’t gotten around to killing any in the new one yet.
•Lavender is a classic long blooming plant for growing anywhere in the full sun.
•Liatris, is Gayfeather or Blazing Star and is a good long bloomer and unusual flower heads.
•Linum perenne or perennial flax is disappearing from garden centres because the larger nurseries have a hard time growing it. It produces literally hundreds of blue flowers every day almost all summer from early July onwards. Grow it yourself from seed – direct sow it in the garden – it is easy.
•Lysimachia clethroides or goose neck flower. This blooms for a very long time but then again, after a few years of growing it you’ll have a tremendous number of this very aggressive thug in your garden.
•Malva sylvestris or ornamental mallow blooms for a long time but is very weedy.
•Nepeta or Ornamental Catnip is a good plant if you get the newer hybrids. The old species plants are not as long blooming.
•Perovskia or Russian Sage gives a good blue mist to the garden in late summer and early fall and is a good plant in full sun gardens with great drainage.
•Phlox paniculata or garden phlox. No list would be complete without this classic backbone plant. Pick modern mildew resistant hybrids so the plant will keep its foliage on until August.
•Rudbeckia or black eyed Susan is a good long bloomer. ‘Goldsturm’ is the classic standard and well worth growing. Pooh-poohed currently by the gardening “elite”, because it is over-used and “boring”. It is overused because it is rock hardy and long blooming. Go figure.
•Scabiosa, the pin cushion flower, is a very long bloomer if you can keep the powdery mildew away from it. If you can’t, it’s a really short lifespan never mind bloom. The shorter versions have more flowers but also more mildew. Take your chance, if your garden is good for them, you’ll see blue and pink flowers for a very long time.
•Sedums are very long blooming perennials in the fall garden and I can’t imagine a fall garden without them. Great new variegated varieties mean you don’t have to depend on flowers but the leaves give you season-long appeal. Again, newer varieties have different coloured foliages as well as good flower times.
•Stokesia or Stoke’s Aster is a good bloomer particularly if you deadhead it.
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•Tradescantia is a mainstay of the damp garden where it will happily bloom almost all summer. Don’t let it dry out or it will immediately stop producing buds. One of the best long blooming perennials.
•Veronicas are often suggested as good long blooming perennials and ‘Sunny Border Blue’ did very well for me. If your garden gets powdery mildew, this is another plant you should pass on.
For Michigan... but some work here :)
http://www.inthegardenonline.com/basics_10favlngblmperB24.htm
Ten Favorite Long Blooming Perennials
These are my picks for the best long blooming perennials for Michigan gardens. There were three criteria I used in selecting these ten. First, they had to be very low maintenance plants. Second, they had to be easily located in local garden centers, or, at the very least, in most catalogs. Finally, they had to be plants that would all work well together. What this list gives you is, in essence, a complete garden plan for a low-maintenance, long-blooming garden.
1. Coreopsis "Moonbeam," "Zagreb," "Early Sunrise"
Coreopsis gives you huge bang for your buck in the garden. They are prolific bloomers that need little more than regular deadheading to be happy. Place them in full sun and average soil. In fact, they don't like soil that is too fertile, as they will become floppy over time. Coreopsis should be divided every three years or so to keep them vigorous.
2. Daylily (Hemerocallis)
"Stella D'Oro," "Pardon Me," and any variety with "Returns" in the name
Certain varieties of daylily are longer bloomers than others. The common orange daylily that you see everywhere, while beautiful, is not the best choice if you want continuous color. Choose one of the above varieties, and give it average soil in a location with full sun to part shade. Remove the spent flowers and stalks to keep the plant looking tidy. For more on daylilies, see our Plant Profile.
3. Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)
"Pink Delight," "Adonis Blue," "Peacock," "Black Knight," "Guinevere"
Buddleias, commonly called butterfly bush, are wonderful accents to a garden. They are absolutely gorgeous in bloom; their plumes of pink, purple, blue, or white flowers attracting butterflies all summer long. They are very easy to care for, fast growing, and fragrant. Place them in full sun and semi-moist soil. Simply remove the spent blooms to keep it flowering from July until frost. To prune, cut the plant either all the way down to the ground, or back to green wood in March. Cutting it back helps develop tons of blooms for the coming season.
4. Lavender (Lavandula)
"Hidcote," "Munstead," "Grosso"
Lavender "Munstead"My personal favorite, because lavender is my favorite fragrance in the entire world. Put these beauties in full sun, in soil that stays relatively dry. After they bloom, cut the flower stalks off (save them, either for potpourri, sachets, or dried arrangements. Even the stems have that gorgeous scent!) and you will soon enjoy a second, smaller bloom. The blooms last a long time. If necessary, you can prune lavender in early spring, just as new growth starts. Just be sure not to cut into old, woody stems because new growth (and blooms) don't grow from old wood. Although, to be honest, I haven't had to do more to my lavenders than snip off the occasional winter kill.
5. Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia)
"Goldsturm," "Goldilocks," "Indian Summer"
Rudbeckia are everything a plant should be: cheerful, drought-tolerant, and care free. Besides all that, if you leave the seed heads on after the flowers fade, you will have winter interest as well. Plant Rudbeckia in full sun. They are easy self-sowers as well. Where I once had a small plant, I have what now seems more like a Rudbeckia shrub! Rudbeckias rarely need dividing, but digging up the volunteers and planting them elsewhere in the garden isn't a bad idea. You'll want to have this plant all throughout your garden.
6. Russian Sage (Perovskia)
"Little Spire," "Blue Spire," "Longin"
Russian Sage sports tall spikes of delicate, lavender-blue flowers above lacy, grayish-green foliage. Russian Sage is fragrant. Plant them in full sun in fairly dry soil. I do absolutely nothing to my Russian Sage. You could cut back the old stems in the spring, but I leave mine standing year round. I think this is the one plant in my landscape that I honestly haven't touched since I put it in the ground!
7. Yarrow (Achillea)
"Gold Plate," "Summerwine," "Coronation Gold"
Yarrow can grow up to 40" tall and up to two feet wide. Give them full sun and average soil. Yarrow is very drought-tolerant. Once the flowers start to fade, cut the stems back to lateral buds to encourage more blooms. You can leave the stalks over the winter for seasonal interest, and cut the stalks down all the way to the clump of basal foliage in the spring. Yarrow also makes great cut and dried flowers.
8. Coneflower (Echinacea)
Echinacea "Magnus""Magnus," "White Swan," "Big Sky Sunrise"
The best way to get prolonged bloom in your Echinacea is to remove the spent blooms. Smaller flowers will follow. I usually deadhead mine once, and then I leave the remaining flowers and seed heads all winter for seasonal interest as well as food for the birds. For more on coneflowers, see our Plant Profile.
9. Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum)
"Becky," "Alaska," "Silver Spoons"
Leucanthemum x superbumThe shastas I have in my yard are the legacy of the former homeowner, who had tons of them planted behind the garage. Once I saw their cheerful blooms, I dug them up and put them in the main yard where I could enjoy them. Shastas are tough, require hardly any care, and are drought tolerant. The only problem I have with them (mine is the old kind, Leucanthemum x superbum-maybe other varieties don't have this problem) is that they are prolific self-sowers. I spend quite a while in the spring pulling up Shasta seedlings. However, keeping them deadheaded will kill two birds with one stone. It will reduce the amount of self-sowing, and it will promote more blooms. Plant these cheerful flowers in full sun to partial shade in well-drained soil. Shastas also make great cut flowers.
10. Pincushion Flower (Scabiosa)
"Butterfly Blue," "Pink Mist," "Deepwaters"
Scabiosa "Butterfly Blue"These are wonderful not only for their long bloom period, but also for the fact that butterflies love them. Scabiosa gets up to two fee tall and wide. The plant consists of a mound of dark green, lacy foliage with tall strong stems, which hold up blooms in pink, white, purple, or blue. Plant them in full sun to part shade and well-drained soil. Keep them deadheaded to prolong bloom. As an added bonus, the foliage is evergreen. Leave the foliage through the winter, just cut back the flower stems. I have these is my side yard with Shasta daisies, Buddleia, and old-fashioned orange daylilies. I have color from Late May until frost!
So, there they are. Ten perennials that will work hard all summer so you don't have to!
Wow!!
Thank you, Thank you. I have been on lazy s's site for 2 hours trying to put together an order and I am in awe of the amount of things I never seen or even heard of. I will check out that list against their site. I have to figure out how to minimize the order that I have accumulated already, just clicked add to cart everytime I saw something I "might" want. But their is no link back to the pictures from the cart, so this is going to take some time. Tomorrow.
That is a great help!!
chris
Great Chris.. I wasn't sure if I was helping or not.. These lists may be from other parts of the country.. like lavendar woudln't be the best for GA.. so check your plants :) have fun!! :)
Susan
I came across this thread (don't live in Georgia mind). Love the list of long bloomers.
My two longest bloomers are the Red Fairy rose and catmint "blue wonder"
Literally bloomed the entire summer in my last house in zone 6. (looked nice together too)
Susan, your post is extremely helpful!
Hi Susan - my lavenders are doing very well, thank you! I have 4 different kinds.
My longest bloomer has to be wallflower - it never STOPS blooming, even in February! Stick a cutting in the ground and next year you have another blooming plant. Can't say better than that.
Sterling
alllllrightyy then Sterling.. I'm going to have to run over to Dunwoody and get me some of it!!
:)
Susan
Wow,
Sterling I never knew wallflower was that nice and it doesnt look too tall...I need that also, will you be bringing any cuttings to the round-up? hint, hint :)
Thanks for all the great ideas,
chris
It is a little over knee high - I have the yellow and the variegated lavender - http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/54651/index.html - too but none is as robust as these purple.
I have somewhat improved - was red clay and I keep adding amendments so it is better but these seem to grow pretty well where ever I put them. The only drawback is that the plant (supposedly) is only good for 4 or 5 years and then it dies back. So you are supposed to keep cutting going. That's not a problem. This year I am seeing some of my older plants get very woody with a few split stems from falling over...
http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/110515/index.html
I will try to remember to bring some cuttings!! I'll put it on my list.
Sterling
These are long-blooming for me:
stella D'Oro daylily
tradescantia
stokes aster
ice plant
impatiens(annual but reseeds)
echinacea
kerria 'pleno flora'-starts in spring-blooms all summer
flowering maple-has flowers that look like little red lanterns
salvia "gauranticus'
winter honeysuckle bush-blooms January-March
hellebores
lantana-my pink one comes back-this year 2 yellow ones are coming up--yeah
cannas
Oh yea, Stella D' Oro. Very dependable bloomer. Non-stop until frost.