Audio for this article is provided by the CAST11 Prescott Podcast Network. Produced by Talking Glass Media.
This week, Mountain Gardener Ken Lane of Watters Garden Center in Prescott introduces seven perennials that will bloom all summer long for any gardener. Learn which perennials will bloom all summer long, which flowers are the easiest to care for, which flowers are best suited to pots, and which flowers love full sun.
Reader's Digest Abridged version of this article
Perennials are known for their resilience and longevity, but few bloom for the entire season. Autumn sage, catmint, coral bells heuchera, cranesbill geranium, daylily, grace n grit rose, and Russian sage bloom all summer long and enhance the beauty of your garden. Watters Flower Power Plant Food is provided twice a month to keep your flowers blooming all summer long. Free garden classes are held every Saturday in June at 9:30am at Watters Garden Center, 1815 Iron Springs Rd, Prescott. If you are planning to start gardening this summer, this article is for you. In this article, we will introduce the five most popular flowers and tips to make them bloom longer.
Here are the top 7 perennials that bloom all summer long.
Our top-ranked Autumn Sage, Salvia gregii, is the longest-flowering sage plant with crimson-colored flowers that continue to bloom well into fall, heralding spring. With knee-high blooms, it's a big hit with hummingbirds and gardeners alike, making it a great choice for a prominent spot in a hot spot in the garden.
#2 Catmint – More than just a little herb for cats to frolic around in, catmint has achieved eternal cult status with the ‘Walker’s Law’ variety being named perennial plant of the year. Beautiful gray-green leaves complement the nectar-rich purple flowers that bloom all summer long and delight bees. This plant grows to about 2 feet tall, but has a creeping habit that looks attractive when planted along the edges of walls and paths. Every garden needs at least one.
#3 Coral Bells Heuchera – This plant has hill-like shapes and kaleidoscope-like leaves. The leaves are heart-shaped or triangular, each with a slight wavy pattern. You can see them in a variety of colors throughout June, including green, purple, bronze, and red. In the spring, each one produces small white flowers with tall spikes. If you like thorny plants, you should also check out the Bird of Paradise flower.
One of the benefits of growing heucheras is that they are easy to care for. They are also drought tolerant and can tolerate a variety of soil conditions. Feed flowering plants with Watters Flower Power twice a month for colorful blooms all summer long.
#4 Cranesbill Geranium – Grows all summer long with little to no care. Geraniums are easy to grow and can thrive in both sunny and shady locations. Geraniums are one of the most popular perennials for several reasons: They are easy to care for. They have low moisture and nutrient needs and can tolerate any soil type. Plus, they are resistant to most pests and diseases.
#5 Daylilies – Stella d'Oro Daylilies have become a staple in office park landscapes, but there's much more to this ever-blooming daylily than just this popular gold variety. Though their color spectrum is limited to the warm end of the color wheel, exciting color patterns and flower shapes mean there are thousands of cultivars to choose from. They do best in full sun, although darker varieties do well in afternoon shade to prevent sunburn. No fertilization is necessary, but occasional deep watering during dry summer months will help.
#6 Grit and Grace Shrub Rose – If you've always dreamed of a romantic garden filled with colorful roses, but have struggled with diseases and hassles, this is the rose you've always dreamed of. This new rose blooms freely without any special care. Get it in full sun and feed it with Flower Power Plant Food twice a month to keep it blooming through November. You'll fall in love with this new garden-blooming rose. It's disease resistant, self-sustaining, and super easy to grow.
#7 Russian Sage – In areas with new homes, the topsoil has been stripped away and the debris left behind is barely soil at all. What to plant in such a harsh environment? Start with this extremely hardy perennial that produces sky blue flowers for three months in its first season. The only thing Russian Sage absolutely needs is full sun, which is essential for healthy blooms. As we all know, gardens in our area are given a generous helping of “full sun.”
Free Garden Classes in June @ Watters Garden Center
The free garden classes will be held every Saturday in June at 9:30 a.m. at Watters Garden Center, 1815 Iron Springs Rd. in Prescott.
June 8 – Better Berry and Grape Growing
Learn about berries, grapes, figs and pomegranates in this juicy, fast-paced class and leave with a bowl full of fruit fresh from the garden.
June 15th – Top 10 flowers that love the summer heat
June is a great month for garden perennials, with special emphasis on heirlooms and heat-loving varieties that do well in mountain gardens.
June 22nd – The best trees, full of fruit
Stay healthy by eating the vegetables you grow in your own garden. We will introduce tips, tricks and recipes for growing healthy and delicious gardens. We will be joined by fruit tree experts who are experts in fruit trees and how to grow them.
June 29th – Gardening for Beginners
New to Arizona or new to gardening? This class is an introductory gardening class for anyone looking to become a novice gardener or gardener new to the field. Learn garden zones, frost dates, best practices, and more. After taking this class, you'll be a gardening pro!
Until next week, I'll be helping local gardeners grow their summer flowers here at Watters Garden Center.
This article was written by Ken Lain, who is available throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd. in Prescott, or can be contacted through his websites, WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Plants.com.
Check out more gardening tips from Watters Garden Center in the Mountain Gardener column on Signals A Z.com.
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