Perennial flowers are among some of the favorite plants gardeners enjoy because they come back every year and put on a colorful show.
Their beauty and longevity make up for the work many of them require such as pruning, staking, deadheading and dividing. But some perennial flowers make up for the work we put into them by having extra long bloom times or having repeat flowering times all season long.
Their large blocks of color are show stoppers. So here are some perennials to consider for your garden if you enjoy perennials that flower for long periods of time:
1. Centranthus (Red Valerian)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 3 to 4 months
Good Varieties: Centranthus ruber 'Albus'
2. Coreopsis (Tickseed)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 3 or more months
Good Varieties: Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb', C.v. 'Golden Showers', C. grandiflora 'Early Sunrise'
3. Corydalis lutea (Fumewort)
USDA Zones 4 - 9
Bloom Span: 4 months
Good Varieties: C. lutea is the best one
4. Dianthus (Pinks)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 2 or more months
Good Varieties: Dianthus gratianopolitanus 'Bath's Pink', D. g. 'Cheddar Pink', D. deltoids (Maiden Pink)
5. Echinacea purpurea (Coneflower)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 2 to 3 months
Good Varieties: Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus", E.p. 'Fragrant Angel', E. "Art's Pride'
6. Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)
USDA Zones 2 - 9
Bloom Span: 3 to 4 months
Good Varieties: Gaillardia x grandiflora, Gaillardia 'Goblin' (dwarf), G. 'Burgundy', G. 'Monarch'
7. Nepeta (Catmint)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 2 to 3 months
Good Varieties: Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant', Nepeta x faassenii 'Dropmore' (Sterile and doesn't need deadheading)
8. Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan)
USDA Zones: 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 3 months
Good Varieties: Rudbeckia fulgida 'Goldsturm'
9. Scabiosa (Pin Cushion Flower)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 3 or more months
Good Varieties: Scabiosa caucasica 'Butterfly Blue', S. c. 'Pink Mist'
10. Sedum (Stonecrop)
USDA Zones 3- 9
Bloom Span: 2 to 3 months
Good Varieties: Sedum 'Autumn Joy', S. 'Bertram Anderson', S. Madrona, S. 'Brilliant'
11. Veronica spicata (Spike Speedwell)
USDA Zones 3 - 9
Bloom Span: 3 to 4 months
Good Varieties: Veronica 'Sunny Border Blue'
Thanks to Houston Plants and Garden World for this information!
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Saturday, September 18, 2010
September 2010 Yard of the Month
Congratulations to Mr. Yun-L:Chang, our September Yard of the Month Winner! His fabulous yard is at 26306 Ridgefield Park Lane. Check it out! Thanks for helping our community look great.
September 13, 2010 - General Meeting
We had a great meeting to this past Monday to start our 2010-2011 Garden Club year. Thanks to Dr. Mike Owens for his informative talk on How Much Water and When. Did you know you should only water your lawn for 6 minutes, then wait 30 minutes and water again?
Friday, September 10, 2010
September General Meeting
The first meeting of the 2010-2011 Garden Club year will be this Monday, September 13 from 7-9 at 26818 Rockwood Park Ln. Our speaker will be Mike Owens speaking on How Much Water and When. We look forward to seeing everyone at the meeting and welcoming our new friends and neighbors!
Friday, August 27, 2010
Hydrangeas: When do I prune them? Why didn't they flower?
Hydrangeas can be divided into two categories. Those that bloom on the current year’s growth, and those that bloom on old wood, (last year’s growth).
The Hydrangeas that bloom on old wood are from the macrophylla family. These include Nikko Blue, Endless Summer and many other pinks and blues. When I say they bloom on old wood I mean that they are busy right now setting flower buds for next summer. So next year when they take off growing in the spring, the flower shoots will actually emerge from the older wood, the wood that was produced this year.
The hydrangeas that bloom on new wood are typically the white hydrangeas like Annabelle and Paniculata Grandiflora (PG). They put on new growth in the spring and then later in the summer the flower buds are actually produced right at the end of that new growth. That’s why the Annabelle and PG are such prolific bloomers. They set flower buds and almost immediately those buds produce big, beautiful, abundant flowers. Almost nothing can go wrong with their blooming sequence.
But with the Blue and Pink Hydrangeas (macrophyllas) all kinds of things can go wrong with the flower buds. Since the flower buds are produced in August and September they have to make it through the harsh winter before they can bloom. The flower buds can be damaged by extreme cold.
Pruning? You should prune macrophylla hydrangeas right after they bloom, before they have a chance to start making new flower buds. Annabelle and PG hydrangea and other hydrangeas that flower on new wood can be pruned during the late fall, winter or early spring. Once they start growing in the spring, do not do any pruning until after they bloom.
One of the most popular new varieties on the market is “Endless Summer Hydrangea” and it is known to bloom more than once in a season. It’s in the macrophylla family and sets flower buds on old wood, but it is also known to set more buds and produce flowers during the growing season. It should still be treated as a hydrangea that blooms on old wood.
So . . . with all of that said, if your hydrangea did not bloom then the flower buds might have gotten pruned off, or more likely the flower buds were damaged over the winter.
Hydrangeas like more water than most plants, and at least a smidgen of shade helps them stay healthy and happy.
I hope this helps you understand the world of Hydrangeas. For even more information on hydrangeas and how to care for these beautiful plants, go to http://freeplants.com/hydrangeas.htm
The Hydrangeas that bloom on old wood are from the macrophylla family. These include Nikko Blue, Endless Summer and many other pinks and blues. When I say they bloom on old wood I mean that they are busy right now setting flower buds for next summer. So next year when they take off growing in the spring, the flower shoots will actually emerge from the older wood, the wood that was produced this year.
The hydrangeas that bloom on new wood are typically the white hydrangeas like Annabelle and Paniculata Grandiflora (PG). They put on new growth in the spring and then later in the summer the flower buds are actually produced right at the end of that new growth. That’s why the Annabelle and PG are such prolific bloomers. They set flower buds and almost immediately those buds produce big, beautiful, abundant flowers. Almost nothing can go wrong with their blooming sequence.
But with the Blue and Pink Hydrangeas (macrophyllas) all kinds of things can go wrong with the flower buds. Since the flower buds are produced in August and September they have to make it through the harsh winter before they can bloom. The flower buds can be damaged by extreme cold.
Pruning? You should prune macrophylla hydrangeas right after they bloom, before they have a chance to start making new flower buds. Annabelle and PG hydrangea and other hydrangeas that flower on new wood can be pruned during the late fall, winter or early spring. Once they start growing in the spring, do not do any pruning until after they bloom.
One of the most popular new varieties on the market is “Endless Summer Hydrangea” and it is known to bloom more than once in a season. It’s in the macrophylla family and sets flower buds on old wood, but it is also known to set more buds and produce flowers during the growing season. It should still be treated as a hydrangea that blooms on old wood.
So . . . with all of that said, if your hydrangea did not bloom then the flower buds might have gotten pruned off, or more likely the flower buds were damaged over the winter.
Hydrangeas like more water than most plants, and at least a smidgen of shade helps them stay healthy and happy.
I hope this helps you understand the world of Hydrangeas. For even more information on hydrangeas and how to care for these beautiful plants, go to http://freeplants.com/hydrangeas.htm
Saturday, August 14, 2010
We're almost ready!!
Keep the date open! Our first meeting of the 2010-2011 year will be Monday, September 13, 7-9pm. Check back for more information! We look forward to seeing everyone there!
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Planning Committee for 2010-2011 CCLGC Year
The planning for the upcoming Cypress Creek Lake Garden Club is under way! We held a planning meeting on Tuesday, August 3. Debbie Haluch, Patti Foucha, Helen Lombardo, Billie Fontana, Cathy Oland and Jennifer Buchert are hard at work getting plans ready for our next year. We look forward to seeing everyone in September. Keep watching the blog and our Facebook page for more information on the September meeting!
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