Please remember that all information provided here, unless otherwise stated, is from personal experience! All photographs are owned by the authors.
PHLOX - Perennial
Phlox Douglasii
Ground Phlox - Perennial
Ground Cover Creeping Phlox:
Phlox are absolutely beautiful in the flower garden. They are
one of the first perennials to come out in the Spring. As with
most perennials, though, the flowers do not last long. What you are left with is a low ground cover of spikey little leaves.
It looks nice enough... for a while. It's not too long before
the center begins to die out, turning tan color and dry. It's a
good idea to thin them out every other year or so in early Spring
or late Fall to keep them looking healthy. They transplant happily though the task is not too easy. The roots are very
strong and stubborn. Get out your shovel!
Tall, Garden Variety Phlox
Phlox Paniculata
This type of Phlox produces flowers in late summer and then blossoms intermittently until late Fall. Pinching off dead flowers will encourage new growth. They are stunning and are
excellent in cut flower arrangements.
Sundrop - Perennial
Tetragona (Pictured)
The Sundrop is an early riser in the Spring. A Perennial, it starts off as a red bud and then blooms to this beautiful four broad-petalled yellow flower. It is often confused with the Evening Primrose because it is a member of the Primrose family, but the Sundrop opens in the morning and closes in the evening. The Sundrop flowers for approximately two to three weeks and then is done. This flower can deal with draught when in bloom and needs no cutting back but it is wise to divide them every other year.
Pansy - Annual & Perennial
Viola
Pansies and Violas come in both Annual and Perennial varieties and are a particular favorite because of their hardiness. A Pansy's petal seems to be made of velvet and they seem to have faces. Violas don't have the "faces" but come in beautiful muted shades. They seem fragile but they are very hardy and, when well watered and the dead flowers pinched off, they last all summer, having bloomed in early Spring.
Sunflower - Annual
Helianthus
Sunflowers need their own little (BIG!) place in any garden. They can grow to over seven feet tall, depending on what is around them. Knowing this, we have been planting them around the perimeter of the gardens. Debbie was worried that they would fall all over the place because of their height, but the stem is thick and strong enough to hold it upright. When the seeds begin to ripen, the head of the flower becomes heavy and they begin to droop forward. Some of the seeds will stay in the ground until the next Spring, but we have found that those seeds bear rather small sunflowers. It is best to either plant the seeds in Spring or start them in the house.
Snapdragon - Annual
Antirrhinum majus
Snapdragons come in three varieties: dwarf, medium and tall. They are extremely popular because of the multitude of colors they come in and their popularity in cut arrangements. Snapdragons love to be cut. It keeps them healthy and producing through to Fall. These Snapdragons pictured appeared this Spring from seeminly nowhere in Debbie's flower garden. Ten years ago they were a feature of the property's Perennial gardens and here, ten years later, they appeared again in a determined little pack by the wall. It was a pleasant surprise!
Blanket Flower - Perennial
Gaillardia
This flower resembles the daisy, but with the difference of most strains being two and three different colors on one flower. This flower is perennial so you only need to put it in once and watch them spread! They like heat and can deal with drought. They are excellent in cut arrangements too! Cut them right back in early September to force new leaf growth and to stop them blooming themselves to death.
