Allen's Blog - P. Allen Smith Garden Home » Perennials http://www.pallensmith.com/blog P. Allen Smith is an award-winning garden expert, author, and television host. Mon, 20 May 2013 11:00:02 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 March Bloom: Daffodils http://www.pallensmith.com/blog/garden/march-bloom-daffodils http://www.pallensmith.com/blog/garden/march-bloom-daffodils#comments Mon, 25 Feb 2013 12:00:44 +0000 P. Allen Smith http://www.pallensmith.com/blog/?p=1974 We’ve planted 280,000 daffodils at the Moss Mountain Farm Garden Home. You might say I’m a little daffodil crazy, but what’s not to love about this cheery little flower? They are one of the first blooms to appear in spring, the fragrance is heavenly, and they are perennial. Plus the deer won’t eat them.

Right now the daffodils are in full bloom out at the farm and it’s a sight to behold.

 

If pictures aren’t enough for your daffodil loving heart, make a trip out to farm for one of our Daffodil Days open houses. Click here to learn more.

]]> http://www.pallensmith.com/blog/garden/march-bloom-daffodils/feed 22 Wordless Wednesday http://www.pallensmith.com/blog/garden/perennials/wordless-wednesday-9 http://www.pallensmith.com/blog/garden/perennials/wordless-wednesday-9#comments Wed, 19 Oct 2011 14:42:49 +0000 P. Allen Smith http://www.pallensmith.com/blog/?p=666

]]> http://www.pallensmith.com/blog/garden/perennials/wordless-wednesday-9/feed 3 My 10 Must-Have Summer Perennials http://www.pallensmith.com/blog/garden/my-10-must-have-summer-perennials http://www.pallensmith.com/blog/garden/my-10-must-have-summer-perennials#comments Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:30:22 +0000 P. Allen Smith http://www.pallensmith.com/blog/?p=198 I am a hopeless collector of perennials. I can always find a spot in the garden for new additions. While I love trying new plants I have a few mainstays that I rely on for gorgeous flowers and foliage year after year.

SUN

Daylily (Hemerocallis sp.)

Zones 2-10; size varies with species and variety; summer

I’m excited that I now have developed 2 new varieties this year out of my daylily breeding program. I can’t get enough of this old reliable favorite.

Hyssop Color Spires® Steel Blue (Agastache)

Zones 6-10; 18-24 inches tall, 18 inches wide; blooms summer through fall; heat and drought tolerant; attracts butterflies

I love this plant. It has been a tremendous performer in my garden. No staking needed. After the flowers fade I cut back the old bloom stalks and it keeps on trucking.

Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia)

Zones 5-9; 36 inches tall, 24 inches wide; blooms mid-summer through fall; drought tolerant; deer resistant

The wide drift at the farm is spectacular from mid May to late June. After the bloom I cut 25% off the top and it will flower again late August through September.

Mexican Sage ‘Santa Barbara’ (Salvia leucantha)

Zones 8-10; 20-36 inches tall,24-36 inches wide; blooms summer through fall; attracts butterflies; drought tolerant; deer resistant

This plant is a mainstay in the late summer garden. It always gets comments from our visitors.

Summer Phlox (Phlox paniculata)

Zones 4-8; 24-36 inches tall, 24 inches wide; blooms mid-summer into fall; attracts butterflies

We trialed this variety Flame™ Purple last summer. It proved to be an excellent re-bloomer right through the intense heat we experienced in July and August.

Lamb’s Ear ‘Helen von Stein’ (Stachy byzantine)

Zones 5-10; 12-18 inches tall, 24 inches wide; heat and humidity tolerant

‘Helen von Stein’ has grown in the garden at the Garden Home Retreat for the last 5 years. Love the giant leaves and fuzzy texture.

Artemisia ‘Powis Castle’

Zones 6-9; 24-36 inches tall, 24 inches wide; use silver-gray foliage a bridge between colors; drought tolerant

The frilly foliage looks great with Supertunia® Royal Velvet and Superbena® Royal Chambray Verbena.

Coral Bells (Heuchera sp.)

Zones 4-9; size varies with variety; blooms in summer; good for partial shade too

Heucheras are beautiful as singular sensations in containers. Plant 1 variety per pot. Many of the newer heucheras like Dolce® Key Lime Pie can take a half day of sun.

SHADE

Variegated Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’)

Zones 4-8; 24 inches tall,12 inches wide; blooms early summer; variegated foliage adds sparkle to shady spots

The arching stems are a graceful addition to a shade border. Looks great poking up through hosta and ferns. Here I’ve combined it with Spanish bluebells (Hyacinthoides hispanica).

Hosta

Zones 3-9; size varies with variety; the best foliage plant for shade

Hosta are such a versatile plant. I use them in containers on my screened porch.

Hardy Cyclamen (Cyclamen hederifolium)

Zones 5-9; 6 inches tall, 12 inches wide; blooms in autumn; interesting patterned leaves that persists through winter; C. persicum is the type sold by most florists and is not hardy

Subtle yet inspiring. I so enjoy seeing their pink blooms in autumn when the leaves begin to fall from the trees.

Chinese Ginger (Asarum splendens a.k.a. Hexastylis splendens)

Zones 5-9; 12 inches tall, 18 inches wide; blooms in spring; excellent ground cover

This is a great low growing plant for shade. So easy and beautiful – I love foliage plants and this is a good one.

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