Ahh, plant swaps... I learn so much and get so many plants I would've otherwise never even known about!

I actually started another kind from seed this winter, Sunshine Hybrids, so I am looking forward to having another one in the garden.

:)
Dee

I'd like to try again -- possibly 'Sahin's Early Flowerer' or 'Ruby Tuesday' or maybe even 'Double Trouble'.

My favorite is Mardi Gras. Unlike my other ones it blooms twice- starts mid to late June here and blooms until the hottest part of summer (deadheading prolongs blooming), when it takes a break. Then it comes back for round two in the fall, when the colors are even more vibrant! Seedheads are very nice looking in winter.

Never had any trouble with mine. I think the spot you have picked out for yours sounds perfect ;-) Helenium like somewhat moist soil and always bloom best in full sun.

Hope you end up loving yours as much as I do mine jayco!
Happy Gardening
CMK

I run the "Heleniums" photo group on Flickr because I like them so much. Not only are they easy, long flowering and beautiful, the always photograph well. You'll love them. If you are on Flickr you are welcome to add your helenium photos to the group.

Lynda

They didn't seem to seed down in the bed itself though... so i will try and cut the seeds off before they set this year

First class:

1) Flammenrad. In my opinion the best of them all. Big, bold, tall, storm proof.

2) Vicky. Very good

3) Topaz. Very beatifull and healthy leaves. Later then Flammenrad.

4) Eldorado. Early yellow with dark eyes. Stands well and repeat blooming if deadheaded.Lower than others: 1m tall. Here just before deadheading:

5) Cancan. Late yellow with dark eye. Stands well.

6) Rubinzwerg. Low red, good branching, stands well

Rubinzwerg with Feuersiegel

7) Indianersommer. Stands well, warmer red than others, lower . At the bottom of the picture in front of Vicky.

Bottom left

Second class:

1) Die Blonde, Biedermeier, Westerstede

Die Blonde (at the back): yellow with yellow eye. Stands well. As soon as flowers begin to age, the leaves dry quickly up, so no rebloom possible. Less vigourous than others

Biedermeier: In front of the others. Stands well. The biggest contrast between the red and the yellow rings. Less vigourous than others.

Westerstede (the tallest of the 3). Very late, starts blooming in the end of August and goes well into September. The plant opens to much, but do not fall. Very wide branching.

Westerstede:

2)Goldrausch on the right (here with Flammenrad). Stands well, but top branching with only 3-4 flowers per stem.

3) Feuersiegel. Similar to Flammenrad but starts blooming when Flammenrad finishes. Stems thinner than others, opens too much. But very valuable for blooming in September.

Plants which I have thrown out or on the way to be thrown out or with a serious warning:

1) Moerheim's Beauty. Thrown out. Flowers are beautiful, but as soon as they open, the whole plant falls apart, choking the neighbors.

2) Zimbelstern. Thrown out. There was nothing special about it,the vigour was under average, there are a lot of imposters on the market. The real Zimbelstern is similar to Topaz but with a red ring around the eye when the flower is fresh.

3) Ruby Tuesday. Thrown out. Pathetic. The smallest flowers of all, dwarf habit and plant with no will to live.

4)Waltraut. What I had with this name had only 1 flower on the top. The flowers were big, but the plant lacked vigour.

5) Bruno. Thrown out. Too few flowers

6) Sahins Early Flowerer. On the way to the compost pile. It blooms early and the flowers are big, but the plant is not capable of standing itself (typical for English plants), falling apart choking everything around. Less hardy than others. While all others were blooming their hearts out, this produced a few flowers this year.

7) Luc. The biggest flowers of all, identical in colour to Sahin's. Possibly of Sahin's parentage, as the same awful habit. I will keep it in the most remote corner for cutting.

8) Double Trouble. Died over winter. Will try it again.

9) Mardi Grass. Bought this spring, but already a serious warning. The same thin flower stalks as Sahin's. Probably will not make a cut.

I hope you can find this information useful.

Double Trouble grew like a standard. It's a great bloomer. It bloomed better than Mardis Gras for me.

Do you know of an online source for them? I love them all!

The biggest choice is in this site:

http://www.zur-linden-stauden.de/

They are an older married couple who have been in business for 40 years, so they may be close to retirement. The woman probably knows English(or maybe a secretary). They specialize in Helenium and tall Phloxes(hundreds of them).

You can also check this one(just write helenium in Suchbegriff)

http://www.stauden-stade.de/

You can also check this one.

http://www.gaissmayer.de/

Paul

My second try with Double Trouble was much less of a trouble. It actually looks quite good , perhaps the place was not good for it in the first round.

Helenium is one of my favourite perennials.
I've grown numbers of Helenium cultivars.

I find Helenium is relatively high maintenance, especially for the need to break up and replanted plants (in upgraded soil), every few years. If not, the plants get shorter and, over several years, peter away.

Have had Helenium autumnale and various cultivars of the species like 'Rotgold' (Red and Gold) around for 10 to 15 years.
Have also had a very robust, very tall and very yellow one (I assume it is 'Sonnenwunder'), 'Rubinszwerg' and 'The Bishop' for years.

We've had 'Flammenspiel', 'Mardi Gras' and 'Sahin's Early Flowerer' for 4 or 5 years. I do like 'Sahin's Early Flowerer' for it's big blooms and long bloom time (and I don't mind staking).

Most recent acquisition is 'Red Jewel'. Had it two years. Very attractive and seems quite robust.

Believe heleniums have done well for me, in several gardens, because there's been sun, enriched soil, watering as required, staking if required and attention to division (pulling the plants apart) and replanting (as said).

This is Mardi Gras, planted last year. It's a blooming machine. The newer ones have not bloomed yet.

At Lowe's, got two.

I'm not sure about the Lowe's plant tags. I saw the plants at two different Lowes and the redder Helenium (versus the more yellow/orage one) seemed to be labeled differently at the two stores.