Perennials Part Two

 In addition to perennials given to me are the ones that I have chosen to add to the beds. As I start to think through what inhabits my gardens, I am amazed that the wide variety present.  One wonderful characteristic of perennials is that they spread their roots and fill in the empty spaces providing a cozy neighborhood for new residents.  In the back garden, a profusion of deep orange tiger lilies stand high above the gentle swoops of the garden borders. Diminutive Asiatic lilies in delicate pinks peek between the deep green background of the tiger lilies' foliage.  A dramatic Star Gazer lily demands the viewer's gaze, and a pure white Easter lily demurely nods in recognition. In the front yard, lilies of  deep mauve, peach and light pink sparkle in bright star bursts of color in multiple spots.  Quirky blossoms of deep red bee balm provide exclamation points of color throughout to attract butterflies and bees. Though the name is not attractive, dead nettle's silvery leaves and pink or purple blooms spread throughout filling every empty space and the illusion of light in the shade of the large trees. Another shade lover, lily of the valley, tucks its blossoms shyly amid the emerald green wide-leafed foliage. Bleeding hearts' sweetheart flowers drip from their arching stems.  A small astilbe courageously determines to establish itself among all the other plants in the shady space of the back yard along with several hostas.The showiest blossoms of all belong to the hydrangeas.  Several different years my co-workers have given me a beautiful deep pink hydrangea from the florist for my birthday.  These have grown into sturdy  bushes heavy with large colorful clusters of flowers.  Fascinated with these blooms, I also picked up a slightly sad looking blue hydrangea on sale late in the season last year.  To my delight this spring its striking pale blue flowers add a refreshing touch of cool color.

Years ago to deal with the dry grass bordering our sloping sidewalk-less front lawn, we joined with our neighbors to make berm along the front or our property and theirs.  The berm mounds up between the street and the undulating border of the lawn. We choose to plant all perennials, ranging in varying shades of purple, pink and blue. Pincushion plants' bluish-green feather-like foliage provides a mound to support the delicate blossoms on spindly stems some pink, some purple.  Lavender asters sings the early song in spring while the orchid colored chrysanthemums carry the tune into the fall.  Fuchsia ice plant spreads a radiant carpet of vivid blossoms.  Purple cone flowers boldly claim territory in multiple locations with hardy greenery and long-lasting petals around a prickly rust center.  Soothing lavender plants provide stems of purple blossoms for fragrant potpourri to tuck into drawers later in the fall.  The Jupiter's Beard sends fireworks of red blossoms at the tops of the flowers. Fascinated with Russian Sage, we planted several and quickly realized their aggressive habit which leads to sprouts all over the place.  Russian sage bushes hum with bees happily indulging in a feeding frenzy and waft their  pungent fragrance along the berm. Phlox add their fragrant columns of rich purple blossoms to the mix.   Delicate blue delphiniums add a distinctive color contrast to all of the purple blossoms around.  The succulent sedum's deep burgundy blossoms is the final fall entry.  Two deep green low spreading junipers anchor each side of the berm accented with a dwarf burning bush and a delicate white potentialla bush. 

These hardy perennials keep the garden beautiful with little effort beyond the original planting.  As they spread and fill in the empty spaces, I have the joy of sharing plants with friends and family so they can enjoy the beauty of God's wonderful creations as well.