Summer Perennials

I call them the fabulous five. Colourful flowering perennials that deliver impressive blooms all summer long.  All are showpieces in the garden.  All are tallish, growing to about 2 feet.  All attract butterflies.  All are easy to grow and easy to transplant.  All make great cut flowers. 

Top of the list is Black-eyed-Susan, botanically known as Rudbeckia.  The dependable plant is characterized by bright daisy-like petals with a dark brown or nearly black centre.  Several varieties are available, with my favorite being ‘Goldsturm’ which received Perennial of the Year status in 1999.

Rudbeckia likes to grow in full sun, although can tolerate partial shade.  Plant in groups of 5 or more at 2 ft spacing and in a few years it will form drifts of bright yellow.  Several varieties of Rudbeckia have joined the horticultural world in recent years, most with multi-coloured blooms in shades of orange, yellow to bronze.  Rudbeckias are rabbit resistant. 

Coneflower (Echinacea) is a popular choice in the summer garden.  Flowers are like Rudbeckia, but with petals hanging slightly downward from the centre.  The most popular variety is ‘Purpurea’ with deep rose, almost purple petals.  Echinacea makes wonderful cut-flowers.  Look for Echinaceas in red, white, orange and pink. 

Echinacea plants are magnets for birds and butterflies.  At the end of the season, rather than clean up the perennial garden, leave the spent flowers for small birds like sparrows and finch to eat the seeds in the flowers’ centre. 

Summer Phlox or Garden Phlox are a diverse group of plants offering plenty of colour.  Blooms are highly scented, growing 2 to 5 feet tall.  Phlox likes rich soil and are not fond of wet feet.  The leaves of Phlox always look healthy in spring, but by summertime may dry up and fall off, not affecting the colourful blooms.   Good idea to plant Hostas or similar short plants in front of Garden Phlox. 

Shasta Daisy (leucanthemum)  is a lovely perennial that will surely brighten the day.  This classic and perhaps old-fashioned  perennial has pure white blooms with yellow centres.  Shasta Daisy is easy to grow and does not want rich soil. 

Other summer flowering perennials with showy long-lasting blooms include: Sage, Lavender, Astilbe, Geranium, Blanket Flower, Bea Balm, Delphinium and Yarrow.