Released August 6, 2009
LOGAN, Utah -- Many yards that have brightly blooming perennials in the spring seem to lack the same pizzazz during the summer and fall, according to Taun Beddes, Utah State University Extension horticulture agent.
“In a city I where I formerly lived, there was a beautifully landscaped home,” he said. “It had lots of trees and secluded areas where a child could get lost in play for hours. Rustic statues and rock walls strategically divided areas, reminiscent of the English countryside. The yard was especially beautiful in the spring, due to amazing ornamental landscape beds full of wonderful spring perennials. However, this same yard seemed to lack pizzazz during the summer and fall months.”
The reason for the lack of summer and fall color was that the homeowners likely purchased the perennial plants in the spring, Beddes said. Perennials available for spring purchase generally only bloom in the spring and early summer. Conversely, perennials available in the summer and fall more commonly bloom during those times. To have perennial flower color throughout the growing season likely will require trips to the garden center during summer and fall.
“A trip to the garden center after the spring season can be a good thing,” he said. “In the spring, most gardeners want to purchase plants to spruce up the yard and get it all done at once, but this is also the time when gardeners will likely get less help from garden center employees due to the large volume of customers. Later in the year, garden centers are less busy and many still have a wonderful selection of plants.”
Beddes said specific plants with excellent summer or fall flowers include various cone flowers, black eyed Susans, hyssops or hummingbird mints, fall blooming anemones, asters, chrysanthemums, clematis, gaura, many upright sedums, various coreopsis, pincushion flowers and rose of Sharon shrub. Alternatively, many grasses and woody plants offer summer and fall interest and should not be ignored in favor of flowering plants. Some worth considering include perennial fountain grasses, miscanthus varieties, Shenandoah switchgrass and various varieties of feather reed grass. Woody plants that deserve consideration include golden rain tree, American and European smoketrees, sumac, various serviceberries, barberries and cotoneasters.
Many inexpensive books on adding color to the landscape are available, Beddes said. USU Extension is also an excellent resource. A fact sheet entitled Seasonal Splendor (planting for color) can be accessed at http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/Horticulture_Home_2008-01pr.pdf. It features many plants that will add interest to the landscape through the growing season. Any USU Extension agriculture or horticulture agent is also happy to answer planting questions.
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http://extension.usu.edu/htm/news/articleID=5208
Source: Taun Beddes, 435-752-6263; tuan.beddes@usu.edu
Writer: Julene Reese, 435-797-0810; julene.reese@usu.edu
