Out
On A Limb / July 2006
Put on Bloomers for Summer
The dogged days of summer can put a gardener in the doldrums. The myriad blooms of spring and the bright color of annuals from early summer can fade, dry out or burn up once real summer starts. If the garden is looking hot and tired, start planning for next year for some additions that will add excitement for next year’s Fourth of July backyard barbecue.
Canna is a stalwart summertime producer. The canna lily spends the first part of summer producing large, tropical-looking leaves and finally decides to bloom late in the season. Some varieties are welcomed for their big, showy flowers in yellow, red, pink and orange. Others make their contribution with beautifully colored or variegated foliage. And, it’s perfectly acceptable to go for both.
Try ‘Bengal Tiger’, with yellow and green pinstriped leaves, or ‘Phaison’, with stripes of purple, yellow and red. ‘Australia’ has solid, deep purple foliage. Cannas grow best with full sun, average soil and lots of water, but can tolerate drought as well. The dwarf specimens can be just twelve inches tall, but cannas can reach a giant eight feet tall. The flowers come in small, medium and large.
Moonbeam Coreopsis (Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’) takes a while to get going in the spring, but makes up for it later in the summer. Named the 1992 Perennial Plant of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association, the low-growing plant produces a frenzy of yellow daisy-like flowers all summer long when planted in full sun and well-drained soil. To extend the bloom time into fall, shear the plant back by about one third when blooming lulls in late summer. It will be going strong again in a few weeks.
Dahlias shine in summer, with just a little pampering. They need rich, well-drained soil, at least half a day of sun and plenty of water to look their best. There are dwarf varieties and some that grow to six feet tall with flowers that range from only an inch to the size of a dinner plate. The variety of colors, color combinations and forms are simply incredible.
Purple Coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) are the eco-friendly choice for garden stewards. Butterflies and birds love them. The long-lasting, daisy like flowers grow three to four feet tall and like full sun, but they will also tolerate some shade and they self-spread generously.
Shasta Daisies start blooming in early summer and just don’t stop, especially if the old flowers are removed regularly. The yellow and white daisies have sturdy, wind-resistant stems, which also makes them great for cutting.
Black-Eyed Susans will bloom their heart out, in full sun and poor soil, from early summer to fall. The sun loving perennial does multiply in a hurry, so some care must be taken that the garden doesn’t become all Black eyed Susans.
One of the most drought tolerant perennials is Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’. Happy in full sun and well drained soil, it looks good in a variety of ways as summer progresses. The flower buds start out pale green, then change to pale pink, dark pink and finally a nice rusty red color. The flowers often persist into winter but should be cut back in the spring.
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Femme Fair 2006
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