Now that fall is close upon us these perennials have been given my seal of approval. I haven't planted many perennials in our garden yet because we are really still focusing our budget on the bones of the garden.
I still want to get some flagstones for paths through some of the planting beds and then I can safely say the hardscape is finished. We have most of the deciduous trees in now. I can think of two or three spots where we could plant another small tree or a large shrub so I won't say we are finished; but close. Next up is the evergreen trees and shrubs. Then it's on to the deciduous shrubs, ornamental grasses and perennials. Oh it's hard to be patient. But it's rewarding to see how far we have come (even if I have to pull up pictures from our first summer to prove it to myself).
However, I just couldn't wait that long without some color in the yard so based on our overall plan for the yard I jumped the line and got some perennials in the ground. These are three of my favorite for the year.
Agastache rupestris 'Apache Sunset'
I love the mixed color of these flowers up against the rock facing on our garage wall! Most descriptions say they are orange and pink. I think it has more of a softer coral color with a purple contrast. They make me happy every time I pull into the driveway or walk past them. I planted a one gallon container from Deseret Nursery Perennial Farm in the spring and this plant has thrived over the summer. It started blooming in July and is still going strong. I've even seen a hummingbird drinking out of the flowers, but it flew away before I could get close enough to take a picture of it. I haven't seen any butterflies on it yet, besides the common, little, white cabbage moths.
I am anxious to see if this plant comes back in the spring because while I may be able to push a zone 5, I'm not so sure if I can push a zone 6 perennial. It is growing right next to a south facing wall and is a bit protected from winds, so maybe I can help it survive with a good winter mulch once the ground has frozen. I like the color of the bloom and the size of the plant enough to hope that it will work. I don't think I'll try to add it anywhere else in the garden though because of the growing zone issue. I guess when I purchase plants outside of the valley I need to be more careful about checking the zones before I make the commitment. I am curious though to see if I can create enough of a micro-climate to keep it alive for a season or two.
Osteospermum 'Avalanche'
I purchased these last fall from Garden Gateway, which means they have survived for a full year. I wasn't sure how they would do here because I could never quite keep them alive in Illinois. Apparently, they love the climate here and the location that I have them in. They get full mid-day sun but are shaded from the hottest part of the evening by the big tooth maples growing in our gully. The only water they are getting is over-spray from the lawn sprinkler and that seems to be just enough. I planted two small pots and one has more than tripled in size over the summer. The second plant has stayed a little smaller but the blooms are just as vibrant. I've only dead-headed it once and it has still managed to keep some flowers blooming all summer. This one is a sure winner in my book and I will be looking for a few more spots to add this to around the garden.
Zauschneria garrettii 'Orange Carpet'
This perennial is also known as Hummingbird Trumpet and while I haven't actually seen any hummingbirds feeding from it they are supposed to love it. I like the way it spreads in the sun and falls over the rock. I wasn't sure if I would like the orange color, so I only purchased one earlier this spring. I'll see if it survives the winter before I commit to purchasing more. I read that I should not cut it down until early spring and cover it with a leaf mulch after the ground has frozen. So I will do that and see what happens.
I haven't used a lot of hot colors in my gardening in the past, but the intense sun that we have at this altitude seems to work well with the hot colors so, surprisingly, the orange doesn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I may plant one more nearby just so it looks more intentional and purposeful. I may also include it in the future in the east driveway bed.
