Friday, August 20, 2010

2fer Perennials - Easy Care AND Late Summer Color



Easy Perennials for Late Season

August 'dog-days' don't have to be.  I usually equate August with back to school, Labor Day, and the end of summer.  But as I was roaming my garden with my camera, I realized that a lot is going on and I didn't have too much to do with it.  These easy care perennials are putting on quite a show!


'Knockout Rose' double red

Buddlea - butterfly Bush
Veronica

I took clippers to these about six weeks ago and cut off about half of the plant.  Nice new flush of blue.



Hardy Begonia - blooms in my garden around Labor Day. I really like the red underside all season long. I've divided it many times to various spots in my garden. Some are in full shade, some in dry, part shade. They all do quite well. 


"Moonbeam' - Coreopsis

Light and airy, these little guys just do their own thing - no problem.


Echinacea purpurea, Zone 3-8

Purple coneflower, whether 'Double Decker', White, or Magnus, are the late summer work horses for color.  Maintenance is minimal.  I let the seed heads remain for the Yellow Finches that balance on them and chow down.




Pink Japanese Anenome glow. We have a stand of white Grape Leaf Anenomes too.  They haven't bloomed yet but I've had them in bloom through Holloween.  Sweet!



Chelone - Hot Lips

I pair this with Sedum, Autumn Joy.  The burgundy and pinks look great together!




Ornamental Grasses come in lots of heights, colors, and textures. They offer movement, shadows, and sounds. 



Plumbago - true blue ground cover




Ajuga still looks fresh.




Pumonaria- Lungwort, 'Majesty'



The foliage on these Pulmonaria give the late summer garden a refreshing texture. Even thought these bloomed in April, this perennial has more than justified its place in my garden.

The summer has really been hot, and I don't do 'heat' that well.  So even though I've been an absentee landlord for the last few weeks,  my garden is looking great.  I cut back the veronica, catmint, spiderwort,  yarrow, and cranesbill (hardy geranium) in mid July, and all have rewarded me with fresh foliage and blossoms. 

The forecast is for some rain and cooler temperatures starting Saturday. Maybe August isn't so bad after all.
Thanks for visiting with me today.