Kevin

This is my WS P. Husker Red (which is covered with blooms & bees at the moment)

The only penstemon I have been successful with is 'Dark Towers' which is currently blooming and gorgeous. All of the Penstemon digitalis cultivars are wonderful for this area.

I suspect many of the more flamboyantly beautiful penstemons need either a high desert climate or a moderate, ideal-for-gardening climate like much of the Pacific Northwest or UK.

For now, I will have to enjoy these beauties in photos or in other peoples' gardens while traveling.

Mostly I have penstemon strictus because they re-seed more than the others. But some other standouts are:

- P. barbatus 'Elfin Pink' and 'Bashful' for their adorable pink/coral flowers
- P. barbatus 'Navigator' - this colorful mix has short stems and plump flowers all the way around the stem. Kinda reminds me of hyacinth.
- Pineleaf penstemon, P. Pinifolia, is incredibly rugged but does not make too much of a show. Best for a rock garden or somewhere where you get up close to the garden.
- I also have Penstemon virens 'Blue Mist,' which is also diminutive and has flowers a bit like catmint.

Photos attached to this and following posts (too lazy to upload to Picasa).

This is Navigator mix.

After our own echinaceamaniac raved about "Sweet Joanne" a couple of seasons ago I bought several and last year one did flower profusely for much of the summer but the other two slowly withered away. And this season this last SJ barely made it through the winter but I shovel pruned it as it was so weak. I did like what I saw re the flowering of "Penstemon" so I planted a newer variety "Delft Blue Riding Hood". Anyone else have this in their garden this season?

I forgot to mention the other really great thing about penstemons - their extreme ease of propagation - pop a bit of stem in soil, cover with a cloche, 3 weeks later, a neat little well-rooted plant.

Karin, I think it was you (and your garden) which completely made me reassess echinaceas (not the ridiculous fussy orange and reds - just good old basic pink) - so much so that there is a tray of seedlings in my garden awaiting an autumn
planting.

Molie, Mori - thanks for the namecheck - yet more to look up and sigh over.

Some kind soul liked the buds, so they cut one off at ground level. The other is blooming it's heart out at the moment and I'm making encouraging noises at it every time I see it. It's gorgeous.

boday, any chance you could post a picture of your "blooming its heart" specimen?

I was thinking about my big echinacea brood here, and this year I am extra glad I have so many because they hold the fort in August when the garden could otherwise look ragged. This year we are on the garden tour which is in August and it's nice to know I can count on these guys to keep things looking fresh and interesting.

Back to penstemons, I have a new one from last year that is just about to burst into bloom. I'll report back if it shapes up to be a good one. It's great to learn about other types and see photos!

I have it (a small plant from a swap this year) and it is a great scarlet colour. I can't wait until it is a nice bushy plant like yours. :-)

I also got 'dark tower' and' prairie twilight'(I think--have to look at it again) at the swap....both very pretty! :-)

I've been out there, took a mess of pictures, none of them do it justice. I've got it between 'Snowcap daisy and fronting 'Walkers Low'. Sounds good in theory. Waiting for a different light.

The closest picture I found was Northcreek Nurseries

I think I also have a Red Rocks Beardtongue Penstemon?

I also have a Sunset Foxglove that I thought was Penstemon. It has already been blooming.

Aha, and you even answered for me as to the full name. The dang picture is overexposed. But the plant is a carbon copy as shown in Northcreek plants. So far it looks promising. I scalped the 'Ruby Candle' in order to propagate extras, so it's busily sulking. The cuttings are doing well so next week, it's moment of truth.