Nancy's Picks : Summer
Nancy has agreed to give us a list of her favorite perennials, by season.
Here is her (by no means all-inclusive) Summer list:
Persicaria polymorpha
(Giant Fleeceflower)
Nancy's "Signature Plant"!
Fluffy plumes of creamy white flowers for six to eight weeks on 6' stems. A massive specimen plant for those who need impact.
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Full Sun to Partial Shade
Zones 4-9
Clematis 'Mrs. Robert Brydon'
(Bush Clematis)
This Clematis displays a different growing habit than most of its relatives. It produces long woody non-twining
stems that can grow 5'-6' in length. Provide a durable support structure or allow it to wind through adjacent plantings. Small but showy steel-blue flowers.
Full Sun to Light Shade
Zones 4-9
Aralia 'Sun King'
(Golden Spikenard)
Forms an impressive 4' tall x 3' wide clump of bright yellow foliage topped with spikes of small white flowers followed by ornamental black fruit.
A spectacular foliage plant for the large scale shade garden.
Partial Shade
Zones 4-9
\Click HERE
to read our feature on Aralia
Liatris
(Gayfeather / Blazing Star))
Liatris offers spires of lovely lavender flowers in summer.
A native prairie plant, it has a long established association with native Butterflies and is a favorite nectar source.
Full Sun to Light Shade
Zones 4-9
Note: Considered by rabbits to be a gourmet treat so will need the protection of barriers or repellents.
Gentiana 'True Blue'
(Gentian)
True blue is a difficult color to find in the plant world. Gentiana 'True Blue' is the ultimate in True Blue for the garden - so much so that it proclaims it in its name!
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Zones 3-9
Click HERE
to read our feature on this plant
Stachys 'Hummelo'
(Betony)
Dense basal rosettes of crinkled green leaves grow to 6"-8". In mid-summer rosy-lavender flower spikes are held 18"-24" above the foliage on firm straight stems.
This plant was selected as Perennial Plant of the Year in 2011 by the Wisconsin Green Industry Federation.
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Zones 4-8
Callirhoe involucrata
(Poppy Mallow / Wine Cups)
Callirhoe is a showy North American native that provides a very long season of bloom. Brilliant cerise-red upward facing 2”-3” cup-shaped flowers are borne on long trailing stems, starting in June and continuing for much of the summer.
Full Sun to Light Shade
Zones 4-8
Baptisia australis
(False Indigo)
Blue pea-like flowers followed by attractive black seed pods. It forms a large 36"-48" shrub-like specimen of glaucous green foliage.
This Midwestern Prairie Native is perfecting adapted to growing in our Wisconsin climate & soils.
Full Sun to Light Shade
Zones 3-8
Click HERE
to read our feature on this plant
Cimicifuga racemosa
(syn. Actaea racemosa)
(Fairy Candles / Bugbane)
Sweetly fragrant spires of bottlebrush white flowers in mid summer, rising on wand-like stems to 6'-8' tall.
North American woodland native.
Partial to Full Shade
Zones 3-8
Penstemon 'Dark Towers'
(Beardtongue)
Dark burgundy foliage retains its color throughout the growing season. Pale pink tubular flowers, beloved by Hummingbirds, are borne of 18"-30" stems.
Full Sun to Light Shade
Zones 3-8
Schizachyrium 'The Blues'
(Little Bluestem)
While all Little Bluestem are beautiful, 'The Blues' is Nancy's favorite because of ts outstanding rich blue foliage color, erect habit and slightly smaller stature.
Full Sun to Light Shade
Zones 3-9
Dictamnus
(Gas Plant)
A spectacular specimen plant with glossy green foliage, shrub-like habit and elegant butterfly-like flowers.
Slow to mature, but worth the wait!
Full Sun to Partial Shade
Zones 3-8
Amorpha canescens
(Leadplant)
Seldom seen in American gardens, this prairie native is ideally adapted to growing in our Wisconsin soils and climate. It develops
a strong root system, extending to 15' under the soil, that allows it to tolerate drought once established.
Leadplant grows 12"-36" and bears purple flowers in early to mid summer. Its compound leaves are covered in fine white hairs that give it a silvery grey appearance.
Full Sun to Light Shade
Zones 2-9
Echinacea 'Hot Papaya'
(Coneflower)
Echinacea has become a favorite Genus for hybridizers, with dozens of new cultivars introduced each year.
We like to have plants prove themselves as garden-worthy before promoting them. 'Hot Papaya' has proven itself to be fully winter hardy here, overwintering in our pots and performing beautifully year after year.
Full Sun to Light Shade
Zones 4-9
