Perennials for Beginning Gardeners
Perennials for Beginning Gardeners Do you long stems over dense clumps of gray robust plant growing 4-5’ for
flower -green,
beds
fern-like
filled deadheaded,
with lush, blooming perennials bloom
foliage.
this
from
but don ’ t know where to start? September.
If Dark mauve flowers appear in
yarrow
June
tall.
will August and September at a time
through when the garden is longing for
It is also drought color.
Joe Pye weed prefers
Are you a beginning gardener and deer resistant.
moist soil, but is adaptable to
who is intimidated by all the
many growing conditions.
choices at your local garden Blue
false
indigo
( B aptisia
australis ) blooms in May and Geranium
center?
June with striking indigo blue, 2 0 0 8 There
are
many
‘ Rozanne ’ Perennial
is the Plant
perennials pea-like flowers. Even when this Association ’ s Perennial of the
perfect for beginning gardeners plant is not flowering, it plays a Year for good reason. Growing or for forming the foundation of a valuable role in the garden. The 18-20 ” tall and spreading 2-3 ’ flower garden.
The Planter ’ s blue-green foliage on this 3-4 ’ wide, it blooms with violet-blue
Palette has introduced a group of shrub-like plant remains attractive flowers from June until we get a plants,
called
Performers, ’
‘ R e l i a b l e all season long. Blue false indigo hard frost in fall.
Its foliage
that have been puts down deep roots and is extends its impact even longer
carefully
chosen
hardiness
in
gardens,
their
for
their drought resistant.
northern
with its burgundy fall color.
Illinois
resistance
to
disease, their beautiful flowers or foliage; and the minimal amount of
maintenance
You
won ’ t
they
require.
find
new
introductions in this list; only the best of the tried and true have earned a spot on the Reliable Performers team. Here are perennials
Geranium ‘ Rozanne ’
a few of the 75 des ignate d
Reliable Performers.
as
‘ P urple Smoke ’ is a cultivar of Baptisia australis.
Red pasque flower
( Pulsatilla
vulgaris
prefers a
‘ Rubra ’ )
well-drained site. Fuzzy fern-like leaves emerge in late winter;
Perennials for Sunny Sites
G at e w ay
Joe
Achillea ‘ Coronation Gold’ is a ( E upatorium wonderful yarrow.
Py e
w e ed reddish-violet flowers bloom in
‘ G ateway’ )
is mid-April to early May; and soon
The golden another perennial deserving a after flowering, a feathering seed
flowers are held on strong, 2-3 ’ place in every garden.
It is a head appears.
Autumn Joy Sedum has been a Hot Lips Turtlehead popular choice for fall color for glabra many years.
It blooms from dark
‘ Hot pink,
( C helone few inches to about 3’
Lips ’ )
boasts Hosta
tall.
‘ J une ’ is a gorgeous
snapdragon-like hosta with striking variegation.
August to October with flower flowers in August and September This heads that begin pink and then on sturdy, upright stems.
hosta
has
thick,
slug
It resistant gold leaves with blue
turn russet in late fall. This plant grows 2-3 ’ tall and is a favorite margins. It grows about 12 ” tall forms an attractive mound of of butterflies.
and 36 ” wide.
fleshy leaves and stems 18-24 ” tall and wide.
Queen
of
( F ilipendula Perennials for a Shady Site Alchemilla
mollis,
called
Lady ’ s
sprays
of
small,
the rubra
P r a i r i e Start with these or any other ‘ V enusta perennials
Magnifica ’ ) sports fluffy heads Performers
on
the
team
Reliable
and
you ’ l l
commonly of tiny pink flowers atop tall, have a garden full of dependable,
Mantle,
has sturdy stems. Perfectly suited for easy-care plants that perform like
chartreuse the back of the border, Queen of stars
without
making
the
flowers in early to mid summer. the Prairie grows about 6 ’ tall.
demands of a primadonna.
The
they ask is that you amend your
flowers
are
held
above
All
velvety gray-green foliage that If you want color year-round in soil with organic matter when you holds glistening raindrops after a the
garden,
soft rain. Lady ’ s Mantle is an coral bells
choose
Obsidian plant them and provide at least
( Heuchera ) .
Its 1 ” of water each week their first
excellent choice for edging the sultry, deep purple, scalloped season to help them establish. front of a shady border.
leaves
create
drama
in
the
garden with foliage instead of For a complete list of Reliable flowers. The foliage even keeps Performers, its color throughout the winter!
Planter ’ s
stop Palette
630-293-1040 x 2. Most hostas are carefree. Their foliage may be green, blue, gray or variegated. They are available Alchemilla molllis
in a wide range of sizes – from a
by
The
or
call
flower -green,
beds
fern-like
filled deadheaded,
with lush, blooming perennials bloom
foliage.
this
from
but don ’ t know where to start? September.
If Dark mauve flowers appear in
yarrow
June
tall.
will August and September at a time
through when the garden is longing for
It is also drought color.
Joe Pye weed prefers
Are you a beginning gardener and deer resistant.
moist soil, but is adaptable to
who is intimidated by all the
many growing conditions.
choices at your local garden Blue
false
indigo
( B aptisia
australis ) blooms in May and Geranium
center?
June with striking indigo blue, 2 0 0 8 There
are
many
‘ Rozanne ’ Perennial
is the Plant
perennials pea-like flowers. Even when this Association ’ s Perennial of the
perfect for beginning gardeners plant is not flowering, it plays a Year for good reason. Growing or for forming the foundation of a valuable role in the garden. The 18-20 ” tall and spreading 2-3 ’ flower garden.
The Planter ’ s blue-green foliage on this 3-4 ’ wide, it blooms with violet-blue
Palette has introduced a group of shrub-like plant remains attractive flowers from June until we get a plants,
called
Performers, ’
‘ R e l i a b l e all season long. Blue false indigo hard frost in fall.
Its foliage
that have been puts down deep roots and is extends its impact even longer
carefully
chosen
hardiness
in
gardens,
their
for
their drought resistant.
northern
with its burgundy fall color.
Illinois
resistance
to
disease, their beautiful flowers or foliage; and the minimal amount of
maintenance
You
won ’ t
they
require.
find
new
introductions in this list; only the best of the tried and true have earned a spot on the Reliable Performers team. Here are perennials
Geranium ‘ Rozanne ’
a few of the 75 des ignate d
Reliable Performers.
as
‘ P urple Smoke ’ is a cultivar of Baptisia australis.
Red pasque flower
( Pulsatilla
vulgaris
prefers a
‘ Rubra ’ )
well-drained site. Fuzzy fern-like leaves emerge in late winter;
Perennials for Sunny Sites
G at e w ay
Joe
Achillea ‘ Coronation Gold’ is a ( E upatorium wonderful yarrow.
Py e
w e ed reddish-violet flowers bloom in
‘ G ateway’ )
is mid-April to early May; and soon
The golden another perennial deserving a after flowering, a feathering seed
flowers are held on strong, 2-3 ’ place in every garden.
It is a head appears.
Autumn Joy Sedum has been a Hot Lips Turtlehead popular choice for fall color for glabra many years.
It blooms from dark
‘ Hot pink,
( C helone few inches to about 3’
Lips ’ )
boasts Hosta
tall.
‘ J une ’ is a gorgeous
snapdragon-like hosta with striking variegation.
August to October with flower flowers in August and September This heads that begin pink and then on sturdy, upright stems.
hosta
has
thick,
slug
It resistant gold leaves with blue
turn russet in late fall. This plant grows 2-3 ’ tall and is a favorite margins. It grows about 12 ” tall forms an attractive mound of of butterflies.
and 36 ” wide.
fleshy leaves and stems 18-24 ” tall and wide.
Queen
of
( F ilipendula Perennials for a Shady Site Alchemilla
mollis,
called
Lady ’ s
sprays
of
small,
the rubra
P r a i r i e Start with these or any other ‘ V enusta perennials
Magnifica ’ ) sports fluffy heads Performers
on
the
team
Reliable
and
you ’ l l
commonly of tiny pink flowers atop tall, have a garden full of dependable,
Mantle,
has sturdy stems. Perfectly suited for easy-care plants that perform like
chartreuse the back of the border, Queen of stars
without
making
the
flowers in early to mid summer. the Prairie grows about 6 ’ tall.
demands of a primadonna.
The
they ask is that you amend your
flowers
are
held
above
All
velvety gray-green foliage that If you want color year-round in soil with organic matter when you holds glistening raindrops after a the
garden,
soft rain. Lady ’ s Mantle is an coral bells
choose
Obsidian plant them and provide at least
( Heuchera ) .
Its 1 ” of water each week their first
excellent choice for edging the sultry, deep purple, scalloped season to help them establish. front of a shady border.
leaves
create
drama
in
the
garden with foliage instead of For a complete list of Reliable flowers. The foliage even keeps Performers, its color throughout the winter!
Planter ’ s
stop Palette
630-293-1040 x 2. Most hostas are carefree. Their foliage may be green, blue, gray or variegated. They are available Alchemilla molllis
in a wide range of sizes – from a
by
The
or
call
