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Your best plants in your garden

Posted by marquest z5 PA (My Page) on
Sun, May 13, 12 at 14:33

I am not one that focus on Blooms I like foliage as much as a fleeting bloom but......reading alina's info about different peony bloom at different times I was wondering if there are others that people grow that would fit that process.

I use the following for my bloom fix...

Iris....
Bloom Spring with the Spring bulbs
Smaller bearded Iris, such as the Intermediate and Standard Dwarf Bearded Iris,
Late Spring
Tall Bearded Iris
Summer
Mid-Late Summer
Add Japanese Iris, Siberian Iris Louisiana
Fall
Reblooming Bearded Iris

Daylilies...........
I have daylilies that bloom from June until Frost. Some are very fragrant. This is the perfect plant in my garden because it does not have to be babied and are strong plants for my climate. A dependable plant regardless of the winter I have.

Lilies............
Asiatic
Oriental
LA
Trumpet
I can go on and on of the different Lilies, they are perfect for small gardens because you can always squeeze a bulb in almost anywhere for a flower, and great fragrance from Spring to Fall.

Clematis.........
My other favorite plant for blooms in bushes is Clematis. I have started using them to hve blooms after my Spring blooming bushes are finished blooming they creep up through the branches and the bush has a second life of blooms.

What plants do you grow that you have extended blooms?

I use to hate hostas until I found out that they were not all green and white and white and green. lol


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Your best plants in your garden

Oh no another "best plant" thread!

But I do admit I do like reading what others consider their favourites.

Let me give a few that are relatively new but performed so well for me:

- If you like clematis I highly recommend 'Blue River' (a flower machine on a compact plant...about 5 feet in height)

- 'Cosmic Eye' coreopis (a striking flower on a shorter stem with no flop; it bloomed well into fall...and it survived its first winter)

- 'Strawberry Seduction' Achillea (smore compact then some other yarrows and so was self supporting and it continued to bloom for me into November!)


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RE: Your best plants in your garden

My Phlox divaricata/woodland phlox has been blooming for several weeks as have hellebore, lungwort, clematis, Brunnera 'Jack Frost,' bleeding heart, primrose & euphorbia/cushion spourge. Gaura lindheimeri/wand flower & hardy geranium bloom from early summer right up until a killing frost. Last year my stokesia bloomed for what seemed like months. Nepeta/catmint, campanula, blanket flower, gloriosa daisy & coreopsis bloomed continuously from early summer until late September.

I love hostas and have 30+ designer varieties growing in three of my full/part shade beds. My all-time favorite blue/cream-yellow variegated is 'Dream Weaver.'


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hardy geranium that flowers for an extended period

gardenweed_z6a I see that you had mentioned that your hardy geranium bloom from early summer right up until a killing frost.
I am curious as to which variety(s) of geranium you are referring to (maybe it is Rozanne)?

Just yesterday I picked up relatively new introduction (at least into Canada/NAmerica) called 'Lakwijk Star'.

By chance has anyone had experience with this one...more likely our European friends would have seen it in action.


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RE: Your best plants in your garden

currently obsessing over Paeonia delavayii ludlowii lutea (or summat like). Waited 5 years for a flower (although the foliage has its own attractions). This year, 6 fat blooms looking like summer sun in a cup. Thrilling and a lesson in patience (always in short supply for me).


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RE: Your best plants in your garden

If I could only have one plant, it would be my salvia greggii "navajo". It blooms all summer with successive shearing, is a butterfly and hummingbird magnet, is fragrant, drought tolerant and mostly evergreen in my zone. I received this plant from a trader on the plant exchange several years ago. Since then I have rooted it successfully several times to increase its presence in my garden and to share with other gardeners.


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RE: Your best plants in your garden

I'm thrilled with whatever is growing well this year. That seems to change from one year to the next. When you say 'Favorite' that seems a little different to me than 'Best'. Only because sometimes my favorites don't grow as well as I would like and my best plants are those that do grow the best with the least amount of attention and fuss. I can't imagine narrowing it down to a single plant. I love so many, but these plants are the most dependable performers for me that I enjoy very much.

Right now, it would be Dicentra the pink, but especially the white. And I love it paired with Lunaria which blooms at the same time. Those come back every year and get bigger and better and look lovely together and NO fuss at all. Then they disappear into the background while others start blooming.

I love Japanese Painted ferns with Epimediums. Easy, dependable, lovely together and I don't seem to feel I ever can have too many. And after the Epimedium bloom, the pair looks great all the rest of the season.

Later in the summer, Perovskia, Pennisetum 'Hamelin', and Echinacea are three of my favorites that really perform again without attention and they also look good all season.


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