Date: Fri 26-Jul-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: CAROLK

Illustration: C

Location: A11

Quick Words:

Bleach-Gardener-perennials

Full Text:

(Suburban Gardener on easily-grown perennials, 7/26/96)

Suburban Gardener-

Perennially Easy Perennials For The Green Thumb

By Anthony C. Bleach

In late June, Allan Armitage was sitting in a bus touring English and Welsh

gardens with 35 gardeners from around the States. It was raining, delaying the

tennis at Wimbledon and the next garden visit.

To pass the time, he asked his fellow travelers to think of their favorite

perennials that were easy to grow. The names kept pouring forth. From this

informal poll, Mr Armitage compiled a list of twenty that, if put in the

ground and given minimal care, are guaranteed to reward even novices. They

would, of course, perform even better if given proper care.

Achillea ("Coronation Gold") : This was introduced in England in 1953 to

commemorate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth. It is still the queen of tough

and colorful flowers.

Yellow flowers in late spring/summer. Grows to about three feet. It can

withstand drought once established. Plant in full sun. Propagate by division

or cuttings.

Amsonia tabernaemontana (Blue Star Flower) : Criminally neglected. Blue

flowers on three- to four-foot stems in early to mid spring. Golden fall

color. Full sun to partial shade. Propagate by seed, cuttings or division.

Anenome tomentosa "Robustissima" (Grape Leaf Anenome) : Heavenly pink flowers

in late summer on three foot long stems. Best in partial shade. A lovely plant

you will never want to be without again. Propagate by root cuttings.

Baptisia australis : Native to the eastern United States, it was once

subsidized by the British for the colonists of South Carolina and Georgia as a

substitute for indigo dye. Masses of blue pea-like flowers in spring/early

summer.

Once established, will survive a bomb attack. Full sun. Propagate by seed or

division; seeds require four weeks of shilling for uniform germination.

Boltonia ("Snowbank") : White daisy-like flowers in late summer/early fall.

Delightful with the early morning dew on it. Can reach five feet. Full sun.

Propagate by division or cuttings.

Corydalis lutea : I always feel blessed to have met Lincoln Foster. A small

party from the college visited "Millstream," his garden in Falls Village - a

garden known all over the world. I expressed delight at finding a plant that

grew all around my home in England and he immediately presented me with one.

Now it grows all around my home in Watertown. Best on the cool north side

though.

It is as persistent as an affectionate kitten. Comes back from its seed every

year with golden flowers on ferny nine-inch bunches. Flourishes in odd

corners.

Dianthus ("Bath's Pink") : Pink flowers over gray foliage in spring. Foliage

still attractive over winter. About eight inches high. Discovered in a garden

in Stone Mountain, GA. Full sun. Propagated by cuttings.

Echinacea purpurea (Purple Cone Flower) : Many cultivars available. Big white

or purple flowers in late spring/summer that last until frost. The flower's

central cone lasts through winter to feed goldfinches. Stems three to five

feet. Full sun. Propagate by seed or division.

Erysimum "Bowles Mauve" (Purple Wallflower) : Purple flowers in spring.

Gray-green foliage; grows to three feet. Short lived but long flowering. They

benefit from a sprinkle of lime. Full sun. Propagate by seed and division.

Helianthus angustifolius (Swamp Sunflower) : Spreads rapidly. Bright flowers

in late summer/fall. Stems can grow six to eight feet tall; pinching early in

spring encourages more compact growth. Prefers moist soil. Full sun.

Helleborus orientalis : Purple or white flowers in early spring like wild

roses. Grows to about one foot tall. A beauty in the shade. Propagate with

fresh seed.

Hemerocallis ("Stella D'Oro") : The best known of all the long flowering day

lilies. Bright yellow flowers can grow two feet high, form late June to mid

summer. Perhaps the best day lily of all time. Full sun.

Hesperis matronalis (Sweet Rocket) : Biennial with fragrant mauve or white

flowers, to three feet in the spring. An old favorite; Gertrude Jekyll loved

it, for example. Self-sows like crazy.

Iris pseudacorus (Yellow Flag) : Tolerates normal garden soil or will grow in

ponds or shallow water. Vibrant yellow flowers, from four to seven feet high,

in spring to early summer. Emblem of France and Quebec. Full sun. Propagate by

seed or division.

Kalimeris pinnatifida (Asteromoea) : Very popular in the southern United

States; gaining fans throughout the country. White double flowers in late

spring persist through summer. Grows to three feet; full sun.

Miscanthus sinensis "Strictus" (Porcupine Grass) : Many grasses are easy to

grow. This one has yellow and gold horizontal bars on its leaves. Silvery

plumes in fall, ornamental through winter; grows up to eight feet tall.

Rudbeckia "Goldstrum" : Showy yellow flowers with bronze centers in late

summer and fall. Perhaps the easiest to grow of all the perennials on this

list. Full sun. Easy to propagate by division or cuttings.

Sedum "Autumn Joy" : As indispensable as bread. Pink flowers in summer change

with majestic slowness from rosy pink to salmon to copper. Pure joy! The

flower heads become ornamental clusters of purple seed in winter. Full sun.

Propagate by cuttings.

Verbena ("Homestead Purple") : Very early, deep purple flowers on three-inch

plants. Terrific in the sun. Found on an old homestead in Georgia. Easily

available. Propagate by cuttings.

Veronica ("Goodness" grows 1 foot; Sunny Border," 1« feet high) : Persistent

deep blue flowers in late spring and summer. "Sunny Border" was hybridized at

the Sunny Border Nursery at Kensington, CT.

Allan Armitage is professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia. His

Herbaceous Perennial Plants is a standard text.

Anthony Bleach is coordinator of the horticulture program at Naugatuck Valley

Community-Technical College. He will be teaching landscape maintenance in the

fall, and can be contacted at 596-8633.