Gardening with Allen: Some perennials bloom nonstop

I have planted perennial flowers to replace some of my annual flowers so I do not have to replant every year. Most of my perennials have very short bloom periods. Are there perennial varieties with longer bloom periods like annuals?

Yes, there are several perennials which bloom non-stop like annuals. Three of my favorites start blooming in June and continue nonstop until October. They are also self-cleaning. The dead flowers dry up and drop off without the need to remove them to improve plant appearance. All three need at least a half day of direct sun. Their plants quickly grow to 3 feet in diameter.

Moonbeam threadleaf Coreopsis produces masses of small yellow daisy flowers, It grows about 16 to 18 inches tall and stands up very well against the wind. There are several other varieties of threadleaf Coreopsis with long bloom periods. Most of them are taller than moonbeam and do not stand up against the wind as well as moonbeam.

Rozanne Geranium has sky blue flowers on 18-inch plants. The flowers are smaller than annual Geraniums but more numerous. I have both moonbeam and Rozanne in my garden. Their colors and heights are very compatible.

Alstroemeria, or Peruvian lily, is widely used as a taller plant for cut flowers. A number of new dwarf varieties in a wide range of colors have been developed. They grow 8 to 10 inches high. Some of them have leaves edged in white, which is very attractive. Colors range from crimson and scarlet red to lavender, yellow, pink and white with some bicolors.

Lamium

My next favorite is Lamium, a ground cover which grows only 3 to 4 inches tall. It starts blooming in April and blooms continuously until October. Lamium comes in several colors including white, pink, lavender and crimson. Lamium has also become a favorite in mixed pots and hanging baskets because it trails over the edge of containers. As a ground cover, Lamium fills in nicely but is not overly aggressive and can easily be contained in the area where you want it.

Next are two flowers that are shade tolerant but will also tolerate sun. Fern leaf bleeding heart flowers are red or shades of pink. They are shorter and much longer blooming than regular bleeding heart. Fern leaf bleeding heart grows 6 to 8 inches tall and blooms almost continually from April until October.

Last but not least is Heuchera, which has colorful leaves instead of flowers. Flowers are white and not showy. A number of new colors have been developed in recent years. They range from midnight purple to shades of cherry and coral and pastel green. Bicolors with dark veins are also available. Another nice characteristic of Heuchera is that plants keep most of their leaves through the winter.

All of these flowers require minimum care to keep them looking nice and are almost pest free in our Northwest climate.

Lamium

Support local journalism

Related Stories