Perennial Flowers That Bloom for a Long Time
Perennials deliver colorful flowers and eye-catching foliage that reappears year after year. Available in a never-ending assortment of colors, shapes and textures, these hardy plants often multiply, and, in time, spread across the yard. Although many perennials only bloom for two to three weeks out of the year, some bloom for six, eight or even 12 weeks. By using an assortment of these long-bloomers, you can create a flower-filled landscape that stays in bloom for the entire growing season. Does this Spark an idea?
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Six to Eight Weeks
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To create a flower bed that changes from month to month, use an assortment of early- and late-blooming flowers. Early bloomers, such as hardy columbine and Lenten rose, bloom in late winter and early spring, filling flower beds with color for up to eight weeks. These spring flowers remain attractive into early summer but tend to wither in the heat. As the spring flowers start to fade, replace them by incorporating masses of summer-blooming perennials, such as Carpathian bellflower and mountain blue; their blossoms first appear from June into July, but they bloom for months if deadheaded. To add a fresh splash of color to the garden in the fall, and to ensure an ongoing succession of fresh flowers, include some late bloomers, such as fall asters and bugbanes.
10 Weeks
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To decorate the garden from late spring until late summer, plant long-blooming perennials such as bleeding heart, Russian sage, garden phlox and balloon flower. These hardy plants fill the landscape with bright, showy blooms for most of the growing season, adding color and texture to mixed hedges, informal arrangements, cottage gardens and naturalistic settings. In flower beds, these plants combine well with daylilies, lilies, Japanese anemones, low ferns or hostas.
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12 Weeks or More
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Annuals are valuable because they bloom all summer; however, they have to be replanted each spring, and once established, they tend to be high-maintenance plants that require an ongoing investment of time and energy. To create a no-fuss landscape filled with flowering plants that reappear each spring all on their own, choose hardy perennials that are known for their extra-long bloom time. Low-maintenance plants, such as common yarrow, asters, coreopsis, hybrid chrysanthemums, Brazilian verbena and speedwell, require little to no upkeep and remain in bloom for up to three months at a time. The combination of long-lasting blossoms and fine-textured foliage makes these plants a sure bet for any perennial garden.
Deadheading
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After perennial plants begin to bloom, inspect them daily, gently pulling any spent blossoms from the stalks. The process of removing of removing faded flowers is known as deadheading. Removing the spent flowers encourages the development of new ones; for example, pinching off the flowers of coreopsis plants as they fade allows the plant to produce a new blossom on the same stem, lengthening the amount of time the plant spends in bloom.
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References
- Iowa State University Extension News; It's Not a Dream! Summer is on the Way; Cindy Haynes; March 2008
- Ohio State University Extension; Long-Blooming Perennials; Denise Ellsworth
- University of Minnesota Extension Service; Perennials for Season-Long Bloom; Deborah Brown; March 2000
- "New Complete Guide to Gardening"; Susan A. Roth; 1997
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
