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Thalictrum delayavi will carry a haze of nodding lilac flowers with yellow stamens from mid-summer. Reaching 1.2m (4ft) this late flowering thalicturm is useful for height in the border.
For sheer floriferousness, one of the most spectacular and, perhaps, unexpected flowers is the Japanese anemone, Anenome hupehensis and A. x hybrida. The tall flower heads reach up to 2.0 m (6ft 6in) in the right position. A. x hybrida 'Honorie Joubert' is a long time favourite with wonderful clear white flowers setting off yellow stamens.
There are also pale and deeper pinks and some semi-double forms. When planted in a lightly shaded position with a moist soil the Japanese anemone is more than happy and can become invasive, so be prepared to get tough with it. Alternatively, plant it in a wild corner, let it go and enjoy the profusion of flowers.
Perovskia atriplicifolia, Russian sage, will give you a haze of mauve-blue and flowers long into the autumn. Easy to grow in well-drained soils that tend to the dry side, with all the sun it can get. Growing to 1.5m (5 ft) they are large plants that can overwhelm less vigorous neighbours. Frost-hardy, you should cut them back each spring and they will come away again.
Osteospermums are long-flowering sprawling daisies that revel in full sun. There are many covetable forms available; white 'Silver Sparkler' with variegated leaves, as well as pink, lilac and deep purple forms. Protect from heavy frosts or take cuttings each autumn.
The Great Mid-Summer Cut Back
Simply deadheading plants regularly encourages a longer flowering season. The popular Hemerocallis (day lily) flowers last only a day or so, and removing the dead heads hinders seed production and encourages blooms over a longer season.
There are more perennials that respond to a mid-summer cleanup with a flourish of late summer flowers. Alchemilla mollis, lady's mantle, desperate to seed everywhere in your garden will produce a late show of yellow-lime green fluffy flower heads if cut hard after the first blooms fade.
Nepeta mussini (catmint) will fill out the front of the border with masses of lilac-blue spikes if cut hard after the early-summer blooms go over. Invaluable Geum monatum has nodding bells of yellow and G. rivale 'Leonard's Variety' faded rose pink. Geums will carry on the show if you routinely trim over the faded flowers to prevent seeding.
The culinary sages, Salvia officinalis and the purple leaved form, S. officinalis 'Purpurascens', are both great front-of-the border plants, providing low-shrubby form and generous flower spikes. Simply trim regularly to keep compact and renew from cutting in late summer.
Invaluable Salvia x sylvestris
The very desirable perennial salvia Salvia x sylvestris, with deep purple spikes of flowers, is a common border plant in early summer. It will bloom again if cutback after flowering. Penstemons and delphiniums will also produce another round of tall spires if cut back after the first flush of blooms is over. There are many others to experiment with, it's fun to find and grow them.
Spiky Blue Thistles
The sea hollies, Eryngium sp, are statuesque thistle-like plants with wonderful flower heads in silver through metallic blues that provide spiky form in the border. Another 'thistle', Echinops ritro, the globe thistle, carries spherical blue-tinged, spiky balls of flowers over its dramatic deep-cut foliage.
Bigger again, the cardoon, Cynara cardunculus, has amazing heads of deep purple-blue that attract insects. The flower heads stand above the bold, silvery foliage, but may require staking in windy weather.
Related to the cornflower, the low growing, carpeting 'thistle' Centurea montanum has fascinating whorls of blue, thistle-like flowers. Centurea dealbata is pink. Deadheaded regularly, centurea will flower well into the frosts.
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Anenome x hybrida 'Honorie Joubert'
Long flowering Osteospermum 'Sparkler'
Plants that flower twice
These plants will flower continuously if deadheaded or flower again in late summer if cut them back after the first flowers have faded.
- Alchemilla mollis, Lady's mantle
- Alstroemeria, Peruvian Lily
- Cannas
- Centurea, perennial cornflower
- Geranium sp.
- Geums
- Francoa ramosa, Bridal wreath
- Hemerocallis, day lily
- Nepeta sp., catmint
- Penstemons
- Delphiniums
- Salvia sp.
- Scabiosa, Scabious
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Achemilla mollis flowers twice
Cut back Nepeta mussini for a second display
Echinops ritro carries metallic blue balls
Cynara cardunculus, a statuesque thistle | |
