I’ve been gardening most of my adult life and have some favorite plant “vignettes.” One of my most beloved plantings for high summer includes perovskia (Russian sage), purple coneflower (Magnus) and white daisy (Becky). I call them “power” perennials for good reason. All three are easy to grow and take up a lot of space quickly, making them perfect for the beginner or someone starting a new perennial bed with a big area to fill. They are hardy, drought tolerant and pest resistant. In addition, each flower shape is different from the others – perovskia has long slender flower spikes, coneflowers have a shuttlecock shape and the daisies sport a round flat disc.
All of these plants enjoy full sun and average soil. On the tall side, they’re perfect for the back of the flower border, creating a living fence of sorts. They quickly become large clumps and bloom prodigiously for weeks. If you choose, you can extend the blooming season by dead-heading spent flowers, thus continuing the show well into fall. I give a brief description of each plant below:
PEROVSKIA ATRIPLICIFOLIA, commonly known as RUSSIAN SAGE:
Hardiness Zones 5 to 9. Low maintenance and drought tolerant member of the mint family. Deer, rabbits and insect pests tend to avoid this plant. Shrub-like in proportion, perovskia can easily reach 3 to 5 feet. The flowers are a lavender blue held on long panicles that look like exclamations points in the garden. Blooms July to October.
ECHINACEA PURPUREA, commonly known as PURPLE CONEFLOWER:
There are many purple coneflowers to choose from but I like the tall variety, “Magnus.” Hardiness Zones 3 to 8. Low maintenance and drought tolerant member of the aster family. Deer and pest tolerant. Can easily reach 3 to 4 feet tall. The flowers are a rosy purple-pink with striking center cones of golden orange-brown. Attracts butterflies and birds love the leftover seed heads. Blooms late June to October.
LEUCANTHEMUM SUPERBUM, commonly known as SHASTA DAISY:
Again, I like the tall variety, ‘Becky.’ Hardiness Zones 5 to 9. Low maintenance and drought tolerant. Formerly included in the genus chrysanthemum, now considered part of the aster family. Deer and rabbit tolerant. Can easily reach 3 to 4 feet fall. The typical daisy blooms have bright white petals with a yellow center. Attracts butterflies. Makes a long-lasting cut flower. Blooms July to September.
Once you have these plants in place as a foundation for your garden, you can easily add other low-maintenance and complementary summer perennials including black-eyed Susan and daylilies; then, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy your beautiful, easy-care garden. And, that’s what summer gardening should be all about!
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