Katie’s Top 10 Picks - Perennials

Perennials are a ‘must have’ plant in any garden. They provide colour combined with reliability and east of care. Perennials are frost hardy so can be planted out as soon as you can work the soil in the spring, usually around the middle of April. They have various bloom times, some only short periods of a couple of weeks and some blooming spring through fall. At the end of the year, around late October, most perennials should be cut down to 6” above the base of the plant and they will grow back again the following spring.

Choose a Range of Bloom Times

One of the great things about perennials is that they will increase width ways every year, so what started off as a small stem can often spread and become a large clump within 3 or 4 years. The trick with planting perennials is to choose a range of bloom times that spreads the colour through the year. As a general rule of thumb, I like to have a spring bloomer, summer bloomer, fall bloomer and a foliage plant or all season long bloomer in a certain area. Another trick with perennials is where possible to try and plant in groupings of at least 3 plants per variety. This will give your garden a feeling of greater maturity and togetherness and less as if there is no plan with a little of everything.

Plant for Zone 5

In this area, always grow perennials that are designated a zone 5 or less. This is the hardiness zone – the lower the number, the hardier the plant in the winter. The choice of perennials can certainly be overwhelming, but I hope that my no fail Top 10 Picks will give you a place to start! These are my top 10 all time favourite perennials and are chosen for ease of care as well as outstanding performance. Select from this list and you won’t be disappointed!

Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s Mantle)

Low, well behaved mounds of soft scallop shaped leaves grow in the spring to be about a foot in height. In late spring, tiny green yellow flowers are held in billowing sprays on stems above the foliage, creating a bright and airy appearance. Flowers persist into late summer when they will dry out and darken. If the summer is dry, the seed heads can provide interest right into the fall and there is no need to dead head. I like planting Lady’s Mantle at the front of beds, usually in small or medium size groupings. They look great lining a pathway as the flowers will cascade over the path. After a rain, leaves are left sprinkled with beautiful water droplets. Lady’s Mantle is reliable, easy to grow and reasonably drought tolerant – just plant in full sun and enjoy for many years! *Photo courtesy of Walters Gardens Inc.

Rudbeckia Goldsturm (Black Eyed Susan)

This hardy perennial adds a bright burst of colour to the garden in late summer and fall. Cheery daisy flowers are golden yellow in colour with a distinct dark brown central cone. Blooms come at a very welcome time for most gardens, as often other plants can look heat stressed or a little tired at this point in the year. Plants grow about 24” tall and provide abundant bright, fun colour from mid summer until October. Goldsturm has a sturdy, upright habit and spreads to form a large patch fairly quickly. They love full sun and are fairly drought tolerant. All in all, a must for every garden!

Brunnera Jack Frost (Variegated Siberian Bugloss)

This is a fairly uncommon perennial and deserves to be planted a lot more often! Stunning, heart shaped foliage is variegated green and silver, forming a low clump about a foot high. Airy sprays of true blue forget-me-not type flowers are held upright above the foliage. One of the great features of Brunnera is that it will grow in a variety of conditions, from full shade, part shade or full sun, although I find it does better in a little shade. It flowers from May to July, although the foliage mounds look great all year. Ensure you plant them at the front of the bed where they will easily be seen. *Photo courtesy of Walters Gardens Inc.

Astilbe chinensis Pumila

This fabulous Astilbe variety is a definite ‘must have’! Long lasting, upright, fluffy lilac pink flowers are very striking and last for 6 to 8 weeks in July, August and September. When the flowers are finished, the glossy foliage remains fresh and full and the seed heads are interesting into the fall. Pumila will grow better in some shade, but unlike most other Astilbes can also withstand some drought and tolerate sun. It grows 15 - 20" tall and is absolutely stunning planted in large groups.

Astilbe chinensis Pumila

Coreopsis Moonbeam (Tickseed)

This perennial is a real gem! It is long blooming and brings brightness and cheer to the garden. Small, needle shaped foliage creates an airy and delicate effect while star shaped lemon yellow flowers cover the plant all season long from June to October. Coreopsis loves full sun and handles drought well. It is easy to care for, requiring no deadheading or other special treatments. Moonbeam grows to about a foot in height so ensure you plant it at the front of the bed.

Geranium Rozanne

Geraniums are such beautiful perennials, but their flowering period is usually only a couple of months. Geranium Rozanne, however is far from the norm, flowering non stop from May to October. It is an amazing plant and I love it! Saucer shaped blooms are 2.5" wide, iridescent violet-blue with dark veins and white centres. No dead heading is required. Foliage is ‘well behaved’, staying low and not becoming out of control. Rozanne looks fantastic planted in large groups and thrives best in full sun. Geranium Rozanne was named Perennial Plant of the Year 2008. Previous winners are listed on the Perennial Plant Association’s website at www.perennialplant.org and are worth checking out too. *Photo courtesy of Walters Gardens Inc.

Calamagrostis Karl Foerster (Feather Reed Grass)

I am a huge fan of ornamental grasses. Not only do they provide interesting structure and texture in the garden, but they are easy to grow, drought tolerant and low maintenance. Calamagrostis Karl Foerster was named Perennial Plant of the Year 2001 and is an amazing find. It grows in sun or shade and has an upright habit, reaching 4-5 feet by the end of the summer. Golden flowers appear in August and remain attractive well into winter. Roots do not spread underground like some invasive grasses, instead the plant grows slowly outward to create an easily controlled clump. The only maintenance required is to cut down dead stems in the spring. Karl Foerster looks fantastic in groups of 3 or massed in larger groups and makes a stunning show against a house wall or nestled into a corner.

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)

This woody perennial can be slow to come to life in the spring but is definitely worth the wait! Foliage is finely divided and has a beautiful silver - grey colouring and distinct sage type scent. Throughout the season, the plant grows tall and bushy, often up to 3 feet in height and spread. In the late summer and fall, small azure blue flowers cover the foliage and last well into November. Russian Sage definitely has a ‘wild’ quality to it that brings an informal quality to the garden. It looks excellent massed but also fabulous spread singly throughout the garden.

Russian Sage

Hemerocallis Bela Lugosi (Daylily)

Daylilies are one of the hardiest and most reliable perennials around. They are extremely easy to grow and impossible to kill! They are available in numerous colour shades of yellow, orange, pink, white and red. Bela Lugosi, however is my favourite! The colour of this daylily is outstanding. Large 6” flowers are dark wine red in colour and are produced in abundance. Foliage is upright and thick. Bela Lugosi blooms mid summer, is happy in full sun and is extremely drought tolerant. Cut off the dead flower stalks after flowering is done and watch your patch expand each year!

Ligularia Desdemona

The beautiful large dark green - purple foliage of Ligularia Desdemona creates a dramatic tropical effect in the garden. The yellow Daisy flowers rise above the foliage, blooming late summer and fall, offering excellent colour at a time of year that often needs a colour lift. Ligularia Desdemona is very easy to grow, reaching a height of about 3 feet and forming a large bushy clump of about 2 – 3 feet width over a few years. It thrives in full to part shade but will also do fine in full sun if given enough moisture. When it is ‘happy’ it will seed freely and you will have some babies to replant or leave to fill out the patch. Don’t worry, it will not become invasive!! Beautiful planted singly as a specimen, but better in a group of 3 or more…