High summer is upon us, and if you are like me, watering, weeding, and deadheading are chores that must be finished before lunchtime. Working outside in the cooler morning hours gives me time during the hot afternoons to evaluate which plants enhance the appearance of the garden this year and which ones show poorly or are failing.
Now that the pink and lavender blooms of spring and early summer have faded, I notice that we need some colorful, mid- to late-summer perennials that will bloom well into the fall. Bright yellow and red flowers will balance the green of hostas, astilbe, false indigo, Clethra, and cherry laurel.
The Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia fulgida “Goldsturm”), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia) and the few remaining daylilies that weren’t eaten by the deer will continue to flower for several weeks. The Joe-Pye Weed (Eutrochium purpureum) is just beginning to bloom, but we still need more color. I want to plant late-blooming pe...