Creating a flower bed from scratch is cost efficient & gives both the customer and client a sense of pride after watching their garden grow and seeing the completed project.
There are 2 main categories of plants, Annual & Perennial. Perennial flowers will re-bloom year to year while annual flowers will only bloom once.
Some popular Perennial flowers include:
Red Columbine
| Exposure: | Sun / light shade |
| Bloom Time: | Summer |
| Zones: | 4 to 8 |
| Height: | 15″ to 20″ |
| Width: | 10″ to 15″ |
A long time Jersey favorite, Blooms in springtime, as late as early summer. limestone rich soil that drains well.
Reaches heights of about 3 feet, grows taller rather than spreading, Due to its tendency for tall growth, works in a bed with most other flowers(provided that they don’t overshadow the Red Columbine)
Cutleaf Cone Flowers
| Exposure: | Sun / light shade |
| Bloom Time: | Summer – Fall |
| Zones: | 4 to 8 |
| Height: | 1′ to 7″ |
| Width: | 10″ to 15″ |
Chrysanthemum
| Exposure: | Full sun |
| Bloom Time: | September to frost |
| Zones: | 4 to 8 |
| Height: | 1.50 to 2.00 feet |
| Spread: | 1.00 to 1.50 feet |
Popular perennial all over the world, Chrysanthemum thrives in New Jersey gardens. Outlasting even most annuals this flower blooms in colors ranging from white, yellow to orange.
Important planting tips: These particular perennials have a wide spread, leave room for them spread out asthey can clump together if planted too closely and stunt growth.
Achillea ‘Firefly Amethyst’ (Yarrow)
| Exposure: | Full Sun |
| Bloom Time: | Summer |
| Zones: | 3 to 8 |
| Height: | 18″ to 22″ |
| Width: | 32″ to 36″ |
This new Achillea variety is one tough plant! It is drought tolerant, doesn’t like rich soil, and resists deer and rabbits. As an added bonus, it isn’t invasive like some varieties of Yarrow can be. One standout variety is ‘Firefly Amethyst’. It’s flowers start out bright pink and fade to a lighter color, giving a multi-shade of pink effect. If pink isn’t for you Achillea is also available in yellow, white and peach
Allium ‘Serendipity’ (Ornamental Onion)
‘Serendipity’ is a low-growing Allium it’s long bloom time of 4 – 6 weeks will provide your garden with color all summer long.
| Exposure: | Sun / Part Shade |
| Bloom Time: | Summer |
| Zones: | 4 to 8 |
| Height: | 15″ to 20″ |
| Width: | 10″ to 15″ |
A low-growing Allium that forms a mound of round purple blooms in the summer. This Allium attracts butterflies and resists deer and rabbits.
If you leave the flowers on the plant, it may self-seed. However, if you prefer a more orderly garden, removing the spent blooms & will prevent self-seeding.
Dicentra ‘Pink Diamonds’ (Fern-leaved Bleeding Heart)
| Exposure: | Sun / Part Sun |
| Bloom Time: | Spring, Fall |
| Zones: | 3 to 9 |
| Height: | 12″ to 16″ |
| Width: | 16″ to 18″ |
Pink flowers and leafy blue-green leaves. Grows well in sun, blooms twice yearly in the spring and fall.
While Dicentra ‘Pink Diamonds’ does have the same pink flowers and leafy blue-green leaves that Dicentra are known for, that’s where the similarities stop. It grows well in the sun and does not disappear in the summer. And to top that, it re-blooms. So you can have those pretty pink blooms in your garden in the late spring and the early fall. Just be sure to plant them in well-drained soil. It doesn’t like to keep its feet wet
Salvia ‘White Profesion’ (Perennial Salvia)
A spiky forming Perennial that re-blooms.
| Exposure: | Sun |
| Bloom Time: | Spring / Summer |
| Zones: | 3 to 8 |
| Height: | 16″ to 20″ |
| Width: | 16″ to 20″ |
You may be thinking “What’s so new about Salvia? They’re everywhere!” While this may look like your average perennial salvia, it has one distinct advantage. It’s re-blooming! Which means you can have perennial salvia adding its spiky blooms to your garden for a longer period. It’s only available in white as of now.
Echinacea ‘Orange You Awesome’ (Coneflower)
Beautiful tangerine orange flowers with dark cones that are just stunning.
| Exposure: | Sun |
| Bloom Time: | Summer – Fall |
| Zones: | 4 to 8 |
| Height: | 18″ to 22″ |
| Width: | 16″ to 20″ |
Looking for a flower that is easy to grow and will add a ton of color to your garden? Check out these new Coneflower varieties. They love sunny and hot locations which is perfect for those tough spots in your yard. Not a fan of deep orange? There’s also a yellow variety called ‘Yellow My Darling’ that you may like better.
Blanket Flower
| Exposure: | Full Sun |
| Bloom Time: | Summer – Fall |
| Zones: | 3 to 8 |
| Height: | 1′ to 2′ |
| Width: | 2′ to 3′ |
Also called Gaillardia, this perennial is a drought and heat tolerant member of the wildflower family. Blanket Flowers are an excellent choice for creating flower bed borders in poor quality soil, and they typically form 3-inch daisy-like blooms in red, gold, or brown. Despite its short lifespan, Blanket Flower is a simple seed-to-flower in a year perennial that thrives in a temperate climate.
That’s it for “2020 Best Perennials” for now. Thanks for reading & get to planting! Check back with Hidden Leaf Landscaping for more Gardening, lawn care, & landscaping help and don’t forget to contact us for your next home project or lawn care needs.