Of track a bit but how about Heliopsis 'Summer Nights'. It's got purple stems and goes three to four feet. The flowers are on long stems so it's more an airy effect. Plus, it responds well to a chop, so height wouldn't really be a problem. They bloom for a long period of time, eight weeks or more. 'Summer Sun' is about three feet but denser. Both are more a gold color rather than yellow.

Helenium normally has much shorter bloom periods and later in the season.

Boday, it's funny you mention Summer Nights. I recently posted a photo to a thread in another forum, and I couldn't remember the name of one of the plants in it. Someone suggested it was a heliopsis, and you just jogged my memory - it's Summer Nights!

This *might* work. Mine is about five feet tall, but if they can be pruned for size that could work - we could even cut back to stagger bloom time. They are indeed long-blooming as well, and the dark stems would tie into the purple accent theme.

The only thing possibly not working here is the bloom color. I really think my friend wants more of an orange, but I should probably show her this plant anyway.

Thank you for your suggestion - and jogging my memory!

Dee

Gee, I just realized I didn't give some vital info - sun exposure. Her house faces east, perhaps a tad more southeast, and only gets morning sun, and is further shaded a bit by two cherry trees.

But I have to add that everything does amazingly well in this bed. The spireas are huge, to the point where we had to shuffle things around because they got bigger than expected, and we are very happily surprised at how everything is thriving. The sun is incredibly hot; sometimes working at 8 in the morning I'm dying - I've never been in such hot morning sun and can't figure out why it is, perhaps because her yard is somewhat like a bowl??? Anyway, I wonder if the heat helps the plants grow so well??? Maybe I'm just nuts.

But, anyway, the spot gets (hot!) morning sun, till just after noon. After that, shaded by the house, but a bright shade.

Thanks!
Dee

Dee, bless you for helping a friend like that! She's very lucky and, I'm sure, very pleased with the results so far.

To answer your query--- I haven't grown Helenium but have steered clear of it for the reasons given by Boday. From what I've seen in other gardens, it's beautiful when in bloom but then browns up fairly quickly.

I do have a Heliopsis 'Prairie Sunset' which is another nice variety. It has yellow flowers with orange centers and striking purple stems. However, mine grows way over three feet--- closer to four feet --- and spreads more than Helenium, which I recall as being more upright.

Is this side area in full or part sun? The spirea has pink blooms, right? To me, the birdbath would be smashing in that spot and provide interest as the birds splash around. Could you convince her by including some low-growing perennials behind the shrubs and around the birdbath? For example, Lady's Mantle looks so charming with water droplets on its leaves.

Sorry, Dee--- you posted the sun info I wondered about probably just as I was typing away. So it turns out my idea may not work at all. Poor birdies! They'll be looking for a cool spot but will land in a heated pool!

oops, Molie, we posted at the same time. Please see above for the sun info I left out originally.

Yes, the spirea has pink blooms, which to me actually clash a bit, but luckily they are small and airy and bloom before other stuff (she really likes reds and oranges and we edge the beds with these color annuals, as well as pots on the porch, which is why we thought an orange bloomer would look good.) While I'm more of a pink/purpler person myself, the oranges do look good, IMO, with the chartreuse foliage and blue house. Not that yellow wouldn't work either, though!

Honestly, any low-growing perennials would hardly be seen behind the shrubs - although I do realize what you mean to do here, with the birdbath, and it is an option, although maybe a groundcover would be better, just to get rid of that small expanse of mulch. To see anything low you'd have to either be right up on top of the bed or inside looking out - and to be honest, I have never seen the shades open on this window! (could be to keep out that hot sun, lol!)

Thanks for your help. I'm going to go investigate Prairie Sunset.

Dee

I'm going to have to disagree about Helanium. I planted 'Mardi Gras' two years ago. Last year it started blooming around June 24 and August 24 it was still going strong.

I believe it bloomed right through September. No browning, no flopping, very little supplemental watering. I did have to do a lot of deadheading as the plant was a bloom machine.

Here's a pictures from last year, August 24:

{{gwi:250844}}

And here's a close up from this year, July 13:

{{gwi:239758}}

One of the stars of my garden, no doubt about it.

Thanks a2zmom, for your input. Mardi Gras was actually the first helenium I was thinking of, till I saw the Ring of Fire.

This plant probably won't get deadheaded as regularly as yours - my friend is not a gardener and doesn't do much out there (yet - hoping to get her more interested and she is, little by little) so I wonder if that makes a difference in the longevity of bloom....

Thank you!
Dee

I totally agree with a2zmom about Mardi Gras. Some of the others seem to lack bloom power and longevity, but MG is by far the most vigorous of the ones I've tried.

I've got one of mine on the south side and it gets sun until early/mid afternoon and it performs great. Only thing with your situation I would worry about is it being a wee bit too shady...might reduce the number of blooms to some extent.

Not sure if it is the right bloom time for you, but a Digitalis like 'Goldcrest' or D. furruginea might work. Both have a coppery orange tone to them- the first has larger flowers.
CMK

My 2 cents on Mardi Gras - ,mine is on the SW side of my house, does receive some shade from a tree, so it isn't in full sun, but boy oh boy, does it get hot there. As others have said, no crisping, a bloom machine throughout the summer and I never deadhead the thing. It kind of makes me wonder what would happen if I WOULD deadhead.

Kevin

With deadheading, mine went well past September last year. It actually might have gong all the way until the first hard frost, but I don't remember.

I find the deadheading very relaxing actually. I count off 100 deadheads and then I move onto something else.

Another vote for Mardi Gras. Mine is in its second year (I have two other varieties that are first year) and it bloomed for several weeks as a first year plant. This year it started blooming around July 1, and is still going strong despite no deadheading and really hot, humid weather. No foliage issues, either. Mine is in a mostly eastern exposure, and gets sun from around 9 AM until the house shades it around 2 PM at this time of year. It gets no supplemental water, but most years I don't need to water as we get regular rain. Here it is July 8. I went out and measured it, and it's 36" tall.

Woorf - As an impartial observer and a Heliopsis aficionado I would add my vote to the Helenium 'Mardi Gras'. Dif'rent strokes.

Wow, thanks everyone for the input. Nhbabs it sounds like your siting is the same as my friend's, so this could work there. And it sounds like Mardi Gras is the helenium of choice if I go that way.

I will present her with the option of Mardi Gras or the heliopsis - I'm more partial to Summer Nights but she might like the Prairie Sunset because of the orange center.

Thanks again for all your help!
:)
Dee