Summer Perennial |

The bright colors of summer’s perennial flowers blooming everywhere are a delight to the eyes. Year after year, you’ll be surprised when all the color of your summer perennials returns. A splash of color from your summer perennials will liven up your yard as you approach your driveway.

Deep blue and lavender perennial flowers are numerous. A native to the southeast is the Hydrangea, with large deep blue blooms. Another brilliant blue or lavender flower is Phlox. Blue Salvia, Veronica spicata, Bellflowers, and a new Echinacea called the Bluebell. To add purple to your yard, there is a Salvia flower, Catmint. A few lilac Phlox will also delight the senses.

Vibrant red flowers can add spice to a dull garden. The red flowers can range from a bright orange-red to a deep burgundy color to even a hot pink-red; You can find Begonias with bright red blooms, just like the Daylily. A flower that has a deep red wine coloring is the Echinacea. Other flowers with red blooms are Coreopsis, Daisy Perennial, Geranium, Hollyhock, Monarda, Poppy, Astilbe Perennial, Tiger Lilies, and Sedum.

Add variety and intensity to your garden and add yellow or white flowers between the deeper colored flowers. Alternating the colors will help to brighten and highlight the darker, more intense colors you have chosen. Begonias also come in yellow, as does the Echinacea. Other yellow flowers you can plant in your garden include Verbascum, Aurinia montanum, Asclepias tuberosa, Coreopsis, and Black-Eyed Susan. If you prefer white flowers to accent the deeper colors, add white Daisies, Hibiscus, Columbines, Carnations, or creeping white Phlox will do the trick.

Wide varieties of perennials add an endless assortment of colors to any garden. Let your imagination go wild when you choose your flowers. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to bring color to your garden.

Pest-Resistant Perennials

Pest-resistant perennials are becoming more popular with gardeners every year. Not only do they have recurring blooms for at least two years, but they are low maintenance, and some resist herbivores as well. Planting pest-resistant perennials allow you to enjoy a colorful home landscape without having to spray for bugs. All you have to do is pick out which perennials grow best in your area according to the USDA's zones chart.

Clematis (Clematis spp.) was introduced from England in the mid-1800s. It is a vine that grows well in full sun and good in partial shade. Clematis perennials require medium-moisture soils that drain well. Clematis plants need frame support to climb and grow well when planted near walls, decks, arbors, and porches. These plants bloom from mid- through late summer and offer fresh, blue-purple flowers that are quite showy. These pest-resistant perennials do exceptionally well in USDA zones 4 through 8.

The Siberian iris (Iris spp.) is an herbaceous perennial commonly grown in zones 3 through 8. This perennial has a robust root system that enables the plant to grow in almost every kind of soil, including poor and dry soils. Their optimal growing conditions include very moist soils in fully sunny to partially shady locations. The Siberian iris works well as an accent, in rain gardens and ditches or on slopes for erosion control. This pest-resistant perennial is not as susceptible to bacteria and iris borer as its cousins and features blooms from late spring through early summer. Offering deep purple flowers, the only bug this iris will attract is butterflies.

Cheddar pink plants (Dianthus spp.) are commonly used as ground covers in zones 3 through 8. This species tolerates high humidity and heat levels but flourishes in full sun with well-drained, medium soils. Grown in rock gardens and on border edges, this perennial produces many bright magenta flowers that give off a clove-like fragrance. Expect to see blooms in late spring and sometimes again in summer if growing conditions are optimal. If the soil does not drain well, the plants may experience some rot.

With so many species of perennials to choose from, including sun perennials, shrubs, roses, and grasses, gardeners with any level of experience can have fabulous, beautiful gardens that are virtually maintenance- and pest-free all year round.