GROWING A PERENNIAL GARDEN
If there is one thing, in the whole scope of landscaping, that has grown by leaps and bounds, it would have to be Perennials.
Loved for their one time planting and yearly enjoyment, perennials, if laid out properly, could bring into your flower garden a wide variety of distinctly different plants, color and uniqueness all season long.
When planning a perennial garden a few things need to be considered. First, does the area to be planted receive full sun, semi-sun or full shade? Once known, refer to the list below for that particular light situation. Keep in mind that plants, in the semi-sun category, will do fine in full sun. Some on the shade list will do well in the sun also.
Two other things that need to be considered is, bloom time and mature height. By coordinating these two plant characteristics you can avoid situations like; tall plants hiding shorter ones; or all plants blooming at once, and so on...
Lastly, a good fertile, well-drained soil is a necessity. This can be created in your clay soil by mixing 1 part compost, 2 parts peat moss, 1 part sand. This mixture should be spread out over the clay soil 2 inches thick and tilled in with a rototiller or by hand. In sandy-gravely soils mix 1 part compost, 1 part peat moss, 1 part good topsoil. The thickness of this mixture you will be tilling in is up to your wallet; the thicker the better.
Below is a list of each plant and its height, light and bloom time requirements
FULL SUN
ACHILLEA (Yarrow) bloom June-mid Sept.
- Gold Plate-----color yellow ht. 3 ft.
- Moonshine------color yellow ht. 1 1/2-2 ft.
- Red Beauty-----color red ht. 1 1/2 ft.
ACONITUM NAPELLUS (Monkshood) bloom July-Aug.
- Bi-Color-------color white w/ blue edge ht. 3-4 ft.
- Napellus-------color royal blue ht. 3 ft.
ASTER bloom Sept.
- mix colors ht. 2-3 ft. some 1-2 ft.
BABY'S BREATH bloom June-July
- Bristol Fairy color white ht. 4 ft.
- Rosy Veil color pink ht. 1 1/2 ft.
BEE BALM bloom July-Aug.
- colors of red & pink ht. 2-3 ft.
CARNATION (Dianthus) bloom late June-Aug.
- colors mixed ht. 1-2 ft.
LADY'S MANTLE bloom early summer
- color yellow ht. 1-1 1/2 ft.
DRUMSTICKS (Alium) bloom May
- color red ht. 1 ft.
HOLLYHOCKS bloom mid July-Ag.
- color mix ht. 5-7 ft.
ACSLEPIAS (Butterfly Flowers) bloom July
- color orange ht. 1 1/2-2 ft.
CHELONE (Turtle's Head) bloom fall
- color red ht. 2-3 ft.
DAISY bloom June-July
- color mix ht. 1-1 1/2 ft., 1 1/2-2 ft., 2-3 ft.
COREOPSIS (Tickseed) bloom mid June-Aug
- color yellow ht. 1-2 ft.
GAILLARDIA (Blanket flower) bloom June-July
- color red tipped w/ yellow ht. 1 ft.
MAIDEN PINK bloom June-July
- color red ht. 1 ft.
PURPLE CONEFLOWER bloom late summer
- color light purple ht. 2 1/2 - 3 ft.
GLOBE THISTLE bloom mid July-mid Aug
- color purple ht. 2-3 ft.
FOXTAIL LILY bloom early summer
- color yellow orange or pink ht. 4-5 ft.
PEONY bloom may-mid June
- color white, pink or red ht. 2-3 ft.
GARDEN PHLOX bloom mid July-Aug.
- color mixed ht. 2-4 ft.
CREEPING PHLOX bloom May
- color mixed ht. 4-6 inches
SEMI-SUN
ANEMONE JAPANESE bloom Aug-mid Sept.
- color white pink ht. 2-3 ft.
COLUMBINE bloom May-mid June
- color mixed ht. 8-10 inches some varieties 2 1/2 ft.
BELLFLOWER bloom July-mid Aug.
- color purple ht. 8-10 inches
DWARF PLUMBAGO bloom July-Aug.
- color blue ht. 8-12 inches
BUGBANE bloom fall time
- color white ht. 3-4 ft.
DELPHINIUM bloom July
- color shades of blue ht. 2-3 ft.
BLEEDING HEART bloom May-mid June
- color white, pink, red ht. 2-4 ft.
FOXGLOVE bloom mid June-July
- color white, pink or rose ht. 4 ft.
CRANESBILL bloom mid June-July
- color red or pink ht. 1-1 1/2 ft.
DAYLILY bloom mid June-mid Sept.
-color mixed ht. 2-3 ft.
CORAL BELLS bloom June-July
- color red ht. 1 1/2-2 ft.
HARDY GLOXINIA bloom May
- color bright pink ht. 1-1 1/2 ft.
IRIS bloom May
- color mixed ht. 2-3 ft.
LUPINE bloom July
- color mixed ht. 2 1/2-3 ft.
PLATYCODON (Balloon Flower) bloom July-mid Sept.
- color blue or white ht.1 1/2-2 ft.
BLACK-EYED SUSAN bloom July-Sept
- color yellow w/ black center 2-2 1/2 ft.
MUMS bloom Aug-Sept.
- color mixed ht. 1-2 ft.
STONECROP SEDUM bloom Sept.
- color red ht. 1-1 1/2 ft.
SIDALCEA (Prairie Mallow) bloom mid-summer
- color pink ht. 2-4 ft.
MEADOW RUE bloom July-mid Aug
- color pink ht. 5-7 inches
SPIDERWORT bloom mid June-July
- color blue, red or white ht. 1 1/2-2 ft.
SHADE
ANEMONE HUPEHENSIS bloom Sept.
- color pink ht. 2 1/2-3 ft.
ASTILBE bloom June-July
-color white, pink or red ht. 1 1/2-2 ft.
BERGEIA bloom April-May
-color reddish pink ht. 1 ft.
FOR GET-ME-NOT bloom May-June
color blue ht. 1 ft.
CAMPANULA bloom June-July
-color blue or white ht. 6-8 inches
DUCHMAN'S BREECHES bloom May
-color white ht. 6 inches
FERNS no bloom
-color just green leaves ht. 1-1 1/2 ft.
SWEET WOODRUFF bloom May
-color white ht. 6 inches
JACK-IN-THE-PULPIT bloom May
-color whitish green ht. 1-1 1/2 ft.
LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY bloom May
-color white or pink (rare) ht. 7-8 inches
HOSTA ht. 1-2 ft.
PRIMROSE bloom May-mid June
-color mixed ht. 8-12 inches
TRILLIUM bloom May
-color white or pink (rare) ht. 10-12 inches
MYRTLE bloom May
-color blue ht. 6-8 inches
I realize there are many more varieties, but this list will get you started nicely. There are plenty of books at your local library to expand your knowledge and expertise in growing these wonders of creation.
Be sure to obey all the planting instructions listed on their tags and water them every other day for the first couple of weeks. Once they are established, water when dry.
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