We perennial gardeners especially like getting a big bang for our buck so having a plant that returns year after year is very important. Let's share some of our favorite long blooming perennials which give us the constant color we crave. Which perennials are you considering adding next year? Hopefully this thread will create a list of good candidates as we peruse the gardening catalogs this winter.

Next year my plan is to create color through foliage. I would like to add
Stachys 'Helen Von Stein'
Miniture mondo grass
Japaneese Sedge

I have a bed that I want to mass a silver foliage plant (no taller than 18"-24"). The bed is half shade and half sun. Can anyone tell me if Nepeta 'Walkers Low' is a good candidate? The hummingbirds were hitting off it like crazy at the nurseries this year.

I'm not planning on adding much next year since my gardens are rather full, but I do want to give a plug for hardy geranium Tiny Monster, which blooms all summer until frost and requires very little care.

Oh, and it's not "tiny". :-)

My favorite long blooming perennial is Heliopsis 'Lorraine Sunshine'. It blooms from early summer to frost and doesn't require dead heading. Changing foliage color is an added benefit. Check out the pictures on the data base. Another favorite are Rudbeckias. They have along bloom season if dead headed. Blossoms hold up well.

Paul I thought the data base had a great pic. Really nice foliage as well.

Its October and I still have bright blue tips of Veronica Royal Candles.

I have Veronica spicata 'Ulster Blue Dwarf', tall cannas, gaillardias, daisies, 'Henry Eilers' rudbeckia, 4 o'clocks, and dahlias still going strong here in zone 7a.

I don't know how long they'll last, but I have one Pacific Giant Delphinium that has been getting bigger and healthier for three years now (counting the seedling as Year One).

I just started several vaireties of Salvia from seed, and I'll see how they come back.

I don't care whether their roots survive, or they reseed vigorously, just as long as they do come back.

I'll have to say that my Salvia `Maraschino' blooms all summer and is still in full flower. Love it. Also the Salvia greigii `Wild Thing,' which is still blooming away and which I'm collecting seeds from. Also Gaillardia `Goblin' is still going strong. The Rudbeckias don't bloom constantly but will rebloom if I'm vigilant about deadheading, although they don't come back as strong as the original blooms. My Caryopteris blooms constantly until frost, once it starts blooming, and this year it started in early July. I love it almost as much as the bees and butterflies!

Paul2032 said:My favorite long blooming perennial is Heliopsis 'Lorraine Sunshine'. It blooms from early summer to frost and doesn't require dead heading. Changing foliage color is an added benefit. Check out the pictures on the data base. Another favorite are Rudbeckias. They have along bloom season if dead headed. Blossoms hold up well.

Paul, I copy and paste your flower and nothing came up.

Susan, I found it there with the spelling 'Loraine'. (only one r)

Thank You Janice! I will check it out.

That is what I thought it was! I bought some seeds on eBay last year but never planted them. Do you think they will come true from seed??

I'd give it a try, Susan! And since you are in 7b, I'd direct sow a few of those seeds in the garden now and save some for Spring.

Sounds like a plan!! Thanks Janice.

Sharing this interesting list from Missouri Botanical Gardens , Zone 5b

http://www.missouribotanicalga...

Awesome chart! Thanks for sharing

Great list, I am printing it out so I can pick out some long blooming plants for next spring!

susan

Susan

I love this chart. I printed it and I am in the process of drawing up my own. I am hoping I find the 'holes' in my gardens' blooming period....

Thanks for sharing.
Carolyn

Thank you Thank you ,I too printed it off