Why not plant some colorful summer blooming perennials to put on a show for you, this year and for years to come?! Here are some favorites you’ll find in the Evergreen of Johnson City greenhouses right now. (When you plant, add some Fertilome Rooting & Blooming formula to aid in root growth and a light layer of mulch to protect against any late frosts we experience!
Here are just a few ideas to get you started thinking about summer perennials. Your options are in the hundreds and a trip to the EJC greenhouses will give you a good idea of what’s available. Best of all, you don’t have to worry if a particular flower that you see here will grow well in our area. If it does not thrive in East Tn or SW VA, then you will not find it in our greenhouses!
- Peonies are a big bush plant with gorgeous colorful blooms, that will grow for decades with very little care! Highly fragrant, they come in a big variety of colors and types. These are referred to as Garden Peonies. We also offer 2 different varieties called Itoh and Tree Peonies. Itoh peonies have erect bloom stalks, foliage that stays green all summer and unbelievable colors! Tree Peonies are actually grafted giving them the look of a small tree, again with tremendous colors. Whichever variety you choose, they’ll be a gorgeous focal point in any landscape or garden!
- Iris are a southern staple that come in an amazing array of colors and styles. The classic German Bearded Iris (the Tennessee State flower, by the way) is just one of many to choose from and the color choices are wonderful. Plus they are SO easy to grow! We also have Dwarf Varieties of Iris that grow 6-8″ tall! Can buy plants now or roots (actually rhizomes) in August.
- Black-Eyed Susans are a terrific flower to grow for cut flower arrangements and bouquets. But many love them best growing wild in their natural, bushy “nests”. Butterflies love them too!
- Coreopsis will grow all through summer, straight into fall with very little input from you! The sweet daisy-like blooms come in pink, golden yellow, bi-color and pale yellow and only need occasional dead-heading to encourage more blooms.
- Creeping Phlox – Native to our area, Creeping Phlox creates a lovely carpet of pastel colors. It makes a cool groundcover that is practically care free, draping itself over banks and rocks with a graceful flourish!
- Dianthus are a local favorite with multiple layers of colorful flowers that grow amid a soft grassy foliage. They work great as borders and come in a variety of colors and types – two of our favorites are Firewitch and Bath’s Pink!
- Lenten Rose is a beautiful addition to a shady corner of your landscape. In addition to the early spring blooms, it makes a perfect border or ground cover in your landscape.
