This patch of gold Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria majalis) ‘Fernwood’s Golden Slippers’ is surrounded by the more aggressive, green-leaved variety.
Shopping for Hosta? 5 Things to Know
Hosta ‘Brother Stefan’ has deeply puckered leaves. It was the American Hosta Growers Association’s 2017 Hosta of the Year.
1. Variegated Hosta do not usually develop their mature coloration until three years or older. So the leaf of a first-year Hosta may look very unlike the picture on the plant tag.
2. Solid blue or blue-variegated cultivars may develop green leaves if they’ve been in too much sun or their leaves have been consistently drenched by overhead watering. The “blue” is actually a wax that can fade away under these conditions. If this happens, don’t fret – the blue will return the next season.
3. If you see a variegated Hosta with some solid green leaves at its perimeter, choose another plant. It is trying to revert.
4. If you’re on the hunt for fragrant flowering Hosta, don’t assume the word fragrant on a plant tag means highly scented. It is best to do your own nose test. Most fragrant flowering Hosta bloom in mid- to late summer with flowers that are white or soft lavender.
5. To reduce slug and snail damage, look for Hosta with lots of “quilting” or “puckering” in their leaves. Blue-leaved Hosta are also good choices.
Hosta ‘Royal Standard’ has shimmering white flowers that are prized for their rich fragrance, especially in the evening.
Thyme thrives along this hot, stony outcrop at Coastal Maine Botanical Garden in Booth Bay, Maine.
■ Looking for drought-tolerant, xeric plants? Drought-tolerant, xeric plants are in high demand. When shopping for these, select containers with medium to dry potting soil, NOT soggy soil, which can set back or kill a plant. Inexperienced nursery staff can sometimes overwater xeric perennials, especially when these are mixed in with other inventory. Some xeric perennials include Sedum, hens and chicks (Sempervivum), most silver-foliaged plants, ice plant (Delosperma) and Thyme.
■ Save money by buying perennials sold as annuals. Perennials often used in container designs are commonly available in 4-inch pots in the annual inventory. Check for dead nettle (Lamium), creeping Sedum, coral bells (Heuchera), dwarf ornamental grasses, rush (Juncus), creeping yellow Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’) and hens and chicks (Sempervivum). There may be other great perennial buys as well. Just remember to keep your hardiness zone in mind as you scan the possible options.
Enjoy Constant Color with Early, Mid- and Late-Blooming Varieties
You can squeeze longer color from a perennial family (genus) by using early, mid- and late-blooming varieties. As one perennial cultivar finishes blooming, the next family member sweeps into action. By the time the latest bloomer crosses the finish line, you may have enjoyed eight or more weeks of constant color! Here are a few perennials that offer early, mid-and late blooming varieties:
| ALLIUM | ||
| ASTILBE | ||
| DAYLILY | ||
| IRIS | ||
Two Other Perennial Families that Go the Distance:
| PEONY: | PHLOX: | ||
| Early: | Fernleaf Peony tenuifolia ‘Early Scout’ | Early: | Phlox divaricata ‘Louisiana Blue’ |
| Mid: | Peony Itoh ‘Julia Rose’ | Mid: | ‘Fashionable Early Flamingo’ |
| Late: | Peony lactiflora ‘Esla Sass’ | Late: | ‘Robert Poore’ |
‘Snowcap’ covers its tiny frame with masses of flowers.
■ Shasta daisies from June to October. Sparkling white shasta daisies (Leucanthemum) brighten landscapes and are also great cut flowers. Unfortunately, most only bloom for four or five weeks, even with deadheading. My solution: Dish out 15 weeks or more of “shasta daisies” by using a combination of four different plants. Start with early blooming shastas like ‘Snowcap’ or ‘Snow Lady’ that start blooming around mid-June. When these start to sputter out, shasta ‘Becky’ takes the bloom baton and flowers into mid-August. Overlapping with ‘Becky’ is white coneflower ‘Fragrant Angel’ (Echinacea) that powers on for a few more weeks. The final athlete in the race is a chrysanthemum ‘Daisy White’ that crosses the finish line in late fall.
■ What about coneflowers and coral bells? I feel compelled to address these two highly popular perennials that elicit mixed reactions from home gardeners as well as green industry professionals. Many people (including
