A perennial favorite that I have is May Night Salvia producing deep blue spike like flowers heavily during the spring season but many don’t realize that a little regular pruning and clean up will keep this perennial blooming from nearly spring till frost. What I am referencing as regular pruning and clean up relates to removal of the old bloom spikes well before they are void of any blue color. As these spikes bloom and mature, they will have color on the very tips which is the key time to remove or prune them out keeping this cute perennial in consistent color. If you ever just wait too long and you have found your Salvia nearly totally bloomed out, just prune the entire plant down to a 4-6″ mounded shape, fertilize and soon you will be amazed at the reoccurrence of new growth and blooms. This is a perennial that you’ll never regret adding to your garden.
Here is a short list of other perennial favorites that I’d like to share:
- Moonbeam Coreopsis – awesome lemon yellow small daisy like flowers on this mounding long blooming perennial.
- Lucifer Crocosmia – Awesome red flowering spikes on this upright 3-4′ tall perennial for summer color.
- Russian Sage – Unique silvery contrasting foliage with long lasting summer to fall dusty blue flowers. Awesome perennial !!
- Garden Phlox – some great disease resistant varieties are available such as David Phlox.
- Daylilies – repeat blooming varieties such as Stella Supreme, Kokomo Sunset, Happy Returns, and many more.
- Sedums – late summer to fall blooming varieties such as Autumn Joy, Autumn Fire, Matrona, etc.
- Hardy Geraniums – many unique varieties exists but two favorites of mine are Biokovo and Ballerina.
- Coral Bells – many colorful foliaged varieties exists and these are great and very hardy in above ground pots. Colorful accent
