Summer Perennials – NANCY WITH THE LAUGHING FACE

August 1, 2022

Reliable Sun Perennials for Hot Dry Summers

In Northeastern Massachusetts where I live and garden, we’re sadly experiencing a severe drought this summer. On a daily basis I check the extended 10 day weather forecast, searching for any showers or thunderstorms that may be heading our way, but every time rain is predicted it often fizzles out before reaching us. This lack of adequate rainfall, coupled with searing temperatures in the 80’s and 90’s, has created a harsh environment for our flower gardens.

Since drier summers and water restrictions have become the norm in many parts of the United States, it’s a good idea for flower gardeners to familiarize themselves with drought-tolerant perennials that will grow well in their particular hardiness zone – plants that can be counted on to perform reliably when the going gets tough!

If you’re thinking about adding sun perennials to your garden, planting in autumn is a great time to do it. Roots will benefit from more regular rainfall and plants will get a good headstart on growth for the following year. In this way, they’ll be more robust and better able to withstand whatever the dog days of summer throw at them!

Here are a few remarkably heat and drought-tolerant perennials you can plant in your garden this fall:

Echinacea and Friends (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

CONEFLOWERS

Modern varieties of Echinacea, also known as coneflowers, come in a rainbow of colors and heights so it’s easy to find one to fit any flower garden. The common Echinacea purpurea is a tall pink/purple native with dark golden centers that attact butterflies, beneficial wasps and bees. The large seed heads also provide nourishing food for birds come fall, so don’t be in a hurry to deadhead these beauties! Echinacea are prolific summer bloomers with some repeat bloom into early fall.

YARROW

Lacy-foliaged Yarrow is a native wildflower here but there are many modern cultivars now available in a variety of colors. These versatile plants have a long history of medicinal applications including use in the battlefield to staunch bleeding from wounds. In addition, yarrow is beneficial in the garden as it attracts a variety of pollinators and enriches the soil with nutrients making it a great addition to the compost pile. Yarrow grows well in poor soil and shrugs off the heat with ease; it’s also tolerant of both dry and wet conditions.

Each yarrow bloom is actually made up of many tiny flowers clustered together. The color of each cluster changes through the season as older flowers fade and new ones emerge bright-colored. This creates a lovely effect of many color shades being present on one plant at the same time. Here in Zone 6, yarrow begins to bloom in June with repeat bloom throughout the summer.

SHASTA DAISY

My favorite daisy is the cultivar known as ‘Becky’ whose pure white blooms with yellow centers bring classic cottage garden looks to any flower bed. Lovely with daylilies, catmint and roses, she also combines beautifully with native wildflowers.

Becky is one robust daisy with strong stems and a long bloom period that begins here in late June. She makes an excellent cut flower and regular deadheading will promote repeat blooming.

RUDBECKIA

Black-eyed Susans are native to North America and are as common on windswept prairies as they are at the edge of woodlands. Dark centers contrast boldly with their golden yellow flower petals, so bright that the eye is instantly drawn to them! They provide a long season of bloom from summer to early fall and are beloved by pollinators and birds.

PEROVSKIA

Native to high elevations and harsh environments, rugged Russian Sage tolerates a wide range of growing conditions. Blooming in the garden at a time when many flowers are flat or disc-shaped, Perovskia sports long, graceful wands of powdery blue, adding a desirable element of airy movement while also providing cooling contrast to hot summer colors such as yellow, orange or red. If you prefer softer colors, a lovely and simple pastel vignette can be created using blue Russian Sage with pink and white Echinacea!

Perovskia atriplicifolia tends to be a large, sprawling plant that is best placed in the back of the flower garden. More compact varieties include ‘Denim n Lace’ and ‘Little Spire.’

NEPETA

Nepeta or Catmint adds a softness to the garden with its gray-green foliage and blue, pink or white wands of flowers. Taller nepetas like ‘Six Hills Giant’ are great ‘filler’ plants for any open spaces and shorter varieties like ‘Little Titch’ make a lovely edging. The foliage of catmint is aromatic when brushed up against and repels aphids and Japanese beetles, thus making it a perfect companion for roses! Although most nepetas flower heavily in June, they repeat bloom over a long season.

‘Montrose White’ is a stunning summer blooming variety that will provide dainty sprays of cool white blooms through fall. An added bonus is that this catmint attracts honey bees and other pollinators like nothing else in the garden!

Of course, this is but a short plant list for there are many other heat and drought-tolerant perennials out there. Choose varieties and colors that appeal to you and fit into your garden space and look forward to enjoying their care-free beauty for many summers to come!

May 1, 2020

Getting to Know Veronica

Veronica, also known as Speedwell, is a old-fashioned plant that deserves a place in everyone’s garden. Originating from Northern Europe, they tend to be vigorous, carefree and long-lived perennials that attract butterflies, bees and hummingbirds as well as admiring gazes from humans.

Veronica ‘Red Fox’ (Image courtesy of American Meadows)

Veronicas have an interesting history. According to the Missouri Botanical Garden website, “the genus name honors Saint Veronica who reportedly gave a handkerchief to Jesus so he could wipe the sweat from his face on the way to Calvary, with some genus plants having markings that resemble the markings on the sacred handkerchief.” In addition, parts of the plant were once commonly used in herbal medicine; hence, the common name of Speedwell may refer to its ability to speed healing and feeling well.

Veronica Longifolia (Image by Mabel Amber from Pixabay)

When I first started gardening, I came across a pot of Veronica longifolia at a local nursery. The long, soft blue flower spikes caught my eye and soon it was keeping company with my pink June roses. What surprised me was not only how tall this plant grew in one summer but also how willing it was to keep flowering when I deadheaded the spent blooms; and it’s this ability to repeat bloom over a long season that makes Veronicas with flower spikes such valuable garden plants!

Veronica ‘Icicle’ (Image by Kerstin Riemer from Pixabay)

Not all Veronicas are in the big and tall department, however. Some varieties can be grown as groundcovers or used to soften a garden’s edge while others remain a tame 12″ to 20″ in height. In fact, the array of Veronicas available to gardeners today is quite impressive and that makes them easy to fit into any garden space, design or patio planter.

Veronica ‘Sunshine’ (Photo courtesy of ToGoGarden)

Veronicas are extremely robust and grow best in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8. They generally have a long bloom season from spring to fall, especially when you remove the spent flowers which will encourage repeat performances. Colors tend towards blues, purples, pinks and white but the foliage can sometimes be silvery or golden, especially in the ground-hugging varieties. Perfectly suited to cottage gardens, companions include Foxglove, Daylilies, Roses, Daisies, Yarrow and Lady’s Mantle as well as late blooming spring bulbs. Although they prefer full sun, Veronicas will tolerate afternoon shade in areas with hot summers. Best of all, Veronicas are deer and rabbit resistant!

Veronica ‘Waterperry Blue’ (Photo courtesy of StoneHouseNursery)

Some popular Veronica varieties:

SUNSHINE – Small yellow leaves cover a low 1 to 2″ tall ground-hugging plant. Blooming briefly with tiny white flowers in spring, this Veronica is grown primarily for its bright foliage. Great in rock gardens, combined with succulents or tucked between stepping stones.

WATERPERRY BLUE – A creeping groundcover growing 4 to 6″ tall and spreading about 12″ wide. This cottage garden classic blooms repeatedly in soft blue flushes from spring to fall when the foliage takes on an autumnal burgundy hue.

GOODNESS GROWS – Medium sized at 12 to 15″ tall with a slightly wider spread. Striking violet blue flower spikes are produced all season. The compact size makes it a perfect “thriller” for pots and planters.

RED FOX – Another medium sized Veronica but with dazzling rosy-pink flower spikes from mid-spring to late summer. Red Fox is salt resistant and grows well in seaside gardens.

ICICLE – Sparkling white 6″ flower spikes adorn this beauty which grows to about 30″ tall. Excellent for cut flowers and a perfect addition to white or moon gardens.

BLUE GIANTESS – A soft lavender blue, this robust Veronica longifolia grows to 48″ tall with a spread of 1 to 2 feet. Plant with tall roses for a sensational early summer display!

July 13, 2019January 23, 2020

Divine Daylilies

There is no other flower that says “July” like the daylily. The botanical name Hemerocallis comes from the Greek words (hēmera) “day” and (kalos) “beautiful,” and daylilies are so named because each individual flower lasts for only one day, opening in the morning and closing at night. Daylily plants actually bloom over several weeks since each stem or flower scape holds several buds which open in succession. Although there are many varieties of daylilies with bloom times ranging from spring to fall, July is the month of daylily abundance!

The common “Tawny Daylily” has a quiet beauty (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

Almost every garden has at least one daylily, the most common being the “tawny daylily” which blooms here in early July, just in time for Independence Day. Also known as “ditch daylily,” “orange daylily,” “tiger daylily,” and “Eve’s thread,” hemerocallis fulva was supposedly brought to this country by sailors who procured them in the Orient during the 1800’s. Because of its long history and tough constitution, it’s the most widely grown of all daylilies in this country. Here in New England, the stately orange flowers can be found blooming everywhere this month!

“Lady Elizabeth” (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

Gardeners often call the daylily the “perfect perennial” and there are many reasons for its popularity. Daylilies boast an array of colors including many varied shades of yellow, orange, red, pink, white and even purple. Some varieties are bi-colored, prettily ruffled, or sport an iridescent shimmer. Depending on the type, they have a look that can range from demure to brazen! Taller varieties, some with flower stems that can grow to six feet, are perfect for the back of the border while shorter ones form a softly mounding garden edge. They are extremely versatile in garden design, complementing cottage style as well as formal borders. Absolutely stunning when planted en masse with one color, their vigorous growth also makes them an excellent groundcover to crowd out weeds.

“Hyperion” lights up partially shaded gardens (Photo courtesy White Flower Farm)

Daylilies are known for their ease of culture. In fact, the name “ditch daylily” comes from the habit of people actually throwing unfortunate daylilies along the side of the road or in ditches where they would take root and thrive in spite of the total lack of care. Wherever planted, they last for many years, slowly spreading into large clumps via tuberous fleshy roots and rhizomes which spread horizontally underground. Daylilies are also remarkably hardy, can tolerate full sun to partial shade, and thrive in U.S hardiness zones from 3 to 9. Although these plants will survive just fine on their own and are truly care-free, I like to add some compost around them in late fall or early spring to promote vigor and abundant flower buds come summer.

Hemerocallis “Indian Giver” (Photo courtesy White Flower Farm)

I have many different daylily varieties but three of my favorites happen to be yellow. The vintage lemon daylily, also known as “Flava,” is a medium-sized May bloomer with fine strappy foliage and star-like bright blooms. It’s the very first daylily to bloom in my gardens every year! “Happy Returns” is another medium-sized daylily with golden yellow blooms from late June into July; after resting, it puts on another show in late summer to early fall. My tallest daylily, “Hyperion,” dates back to the 1920’s and is a robust grower with fragrant canary yellow flowers that light up my partly shaded garden in July.

“Pink Lavender Appeal” (Photo by Nancy Marie Allen)

Some of my other July into August bloomers include “Pink Lavender Appeal” and “Catherine Woodbury” whose pastel pinky-purple flowers look lovely next to the soft blues of Ladybells or Peachleaf bellflower. Hemerocallis “Pizza Crust” is iridescent golden-pink with a brownish crust-colored ruffle which blends well with Rudbeckia “Goldsturm” and hardy geranium “Rozanne.” “Lady Elizabeth” is a pure white shimmering beauty which also reblooms later in the season and is stunning next to echinacea “Magnus.” “Indian Giver” is a rare rich purple that shines when planted next to pink companions.

Daylily “Pizza Crust” (Photo courtesy Hallson Gardens)

If you’re new to gardening, I hope you’ll give care-free daylilies a try. If you’d like to add more of these gorgeous summer flowers to your garden, the varieties I’ve mentioned above will not disappoint, so go ahead and take a chance on growing divine daylilies!

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