13,520 Garden Web Discussions | Perennials

I would recommend David if your site gets plenty of sun. I have on in a mostly sunny location, it started bloominbg in Mid June (Zone 5a, IL) and still goes strong now at end of July. But I have two more in a morning shade and afternoon sun location, one developed serious mildew last year and 2nd one started mildew this year. It still flowers, but leaves are very bad so I pulled them out.

Another reliable and long blooming option is Shasta daisies. I have the Alaska (up to 2-3 tall) and Snow Lady (~ 12-18 in), both of them bloom from Mid June to early August.

Phlox David has proved to be a very aggressive plant with me, devouring everything in its path. And it does get mildew. I would suggest Veronicastrum virginicum album, which is a polite plant(not the whole summer though). Also Thalictrum polygamum(creamish white)

It's useful to hear of everyone's different experiences, especially from those in the colder zones. Since it seems positive overall, I will give it a try and wait the recommended time. Hopefully we will have rain sometime soon to aid application, it's terribly dry here now.

The devour the same plants that Regina mentions, and leave most of the rest alone.

Hollyhocks MUST go, they are the honeymoon hotel for JBs and can never look good.

I've never used milky spore and I rarely see a Japanese beetle in my garden. This year...none. Maybe it's because I don't grow their favorite plants, whatever those are.

Sure is pretty though :o/

I have mixed feelings about this plant, because it is native and the birds LOVE the berries. It attracts all sorts of interesting birds, such as Bluebirds, Cedar Waxwings, Thrashers, Catbirds, Cardinals, Robins.

On the other hand, when I had Norway Maples removed, zillions of Pokeweeds sprouted under one of them. A few would be delightful, a thousand is not so delightful. I'm still trying to get them under control. They're better than Oriental bittersweet though.

I had never heard of nepeta until last year.
A person on cottage gardening plants it with their roses.
I have now plant some.

See the first pic. in the link.

Here is a link that might be useful: nepeta and roses

Looks like a catmint to me :0)

I've not had mine spread rambunctiously but the plant itself does tend to sprawl outward - easily remedied by whacking back with the added bonus of whacking being another round of bloom. Of course it increases in size each year, but again very easily remedied by dividing - after which it doesn't miss a beat so go ahead and whack and divide all you want, this plant couldn't care less.

I get a whiff of something when I disturb the foliage - not minty to my nose, though. Whatever it is, I don't particularly care for it but it's not off-putting per se.

I had it in zone 7. It died second winter.

I had it, but it was unforgivably floppy (even when sheared back after first bloom), and had to go.

Cannas are actually perennial tubers. If it has established there, it should be fine how it's been the past few years. Unless you have disturbed the soil level or significantly increased or decreased the amount of shade/sun exposure there.

When I was a kid, in south TX, that canna was referred to a Panamanian.
If I remember correctly it sets seed.

Kathy

It is not good for the roots of Delphiniums to stay too long in pots, especially being exposed to high temperatures.

I find fall planting to be ideal, but I do plant midsummer and then keep an eye on watering and provide some shade from a tomato cage covered with light fabric clothes-pinned on, a yard chair placed to give it south and west shade or anything else that will give it a bit of shelter while it settles in. Plants I have in pots at this time of year I try to place so that the pot is in shade in the hot parts of the day and I check their watering often.

The nice thing about fall planting is that the air is cooler, but the soil is still warm, which is good for root growth and lower stress on the plant. I mulch after planting to help keep moisture levels even and the soil warm as well as to help prevent frost heaving when there isn't snow.

A hollyhock grew in my garden this year that I never planted. I assume a bird brought it to me. I'd love to propogate it into more plants. From what I'm reading, I don't have to do much but scatter the seeds. Will I really get different colors from this one creamy white plant?
Jm

I have also wondered that... I always here that each year your Hollyhocks will multiply and turn into tons of different colors.

Yes, daylilies would suit your purpose. If they get weed-wacked a bit or even mowed once in a while, they will be fine. You could throw columbine seeds out there for earlier blooms. Zinnia seeds might be desirable. One or more milkweeds might do well for you. Heavy seeders are ones I would go for.

Whatever you consider, investigate its' tolerance to salt since this ditch probably gets salted from the street run-off - if your road gets plowed/salted.

I don't think scabiosa and sidalcea would like to have 'wet feet'

Around here they bloom until frost. Another long blooming (until frost) geranium is Dilys--this vines out like Rozeanne, but is very dense and really acts as a groundcover. Like Rozeanne, the stems do not root on the ground.

Would this be a good plant to trail down a small retaining wall in full sun? Its a long retaining wall so if something else would be better I'd appreciate your input. Can I split this after a season or two?

Full sun watered daily, M'gro potting soil, 10 x 10 x 4" rarely, if ever, dries out much. wood is western red cedar.

Let it get more dry between watering. Verbena doesn't like to be wet all the time.