After a busy summer vacation, barbecue and garden maintenance, it's fun to focus on planting. Fall is the perfect time to plant perennials, and many garden centers are busy stocking up on perennials. Consider including one or more of these winners when choosing perennials this fall.
Hostas are a great choice for shady locations, but with so many varieties, the selection process can be overwhelming. The American Host Growers Association (AHGA) has decided to help growers and gardeners through the selection process by presenting the AHGA Host of the Year.
Every year since 1996, AHGA members have elected and presented a banner year. The winning hosta must grow well in all parts of the country, be widely distributed, and sell for around $15 a year to choose from.
Island Breeze is this year's winner. Sturdy, vigorous growth, thicker leaves, and wide margins of green leaves with bright yellow centers make it a winner in zones three through nine. The center of the leaves turn bright yellow, then pale yellow in summer when grown in full shade, and pale yellow in sunny conditions.
Red spots run through the stems, petals and leaves, giving it decorative appeal. Dark lavender flowers appear on red stems in midsummer and attract hummingbirds to the garden.
You can also consider a small-stemmed annual (Schizachyrium scoparium) and varieties for sunny spots in the landscape. Ogni anno, i member of the Perennial Plant Association (PPA) selezionano un vincitore in base alla capacità della pianta di crescere in un'ampia varietà di condizioni di crescita, all'interesse multistagionale, alla buona resistenza agli insetti e alle malattie e alla facilità di maintenance.
This year, the selection of a local stem and its cultivars gave perennial specialists the opportunity to promote the species or cultivars best suited to their region.
The small native shrub is hardy in zones 3 to 10 and grows 2 to 4 feet tall. The blue-green leaves turn bronze-red in fall and are covered in fluffy white seeds that persist through winter. This grass prefers full sun with clay or sandy soil and tends to rot or break down in heavy clay soils and wet areas.
APP Board members have helped gardeners across the country and across Canada by sharing the short-stemmed varieties that perform best in their regions.
A relatively new record, Jazz has been a favorite in the Mid and Mid-Atlantic regions. This short variety is 24 to 30 inches tall and 18 inches wide, with thick stems and silvery blue leaves.
Carousel is another dwarf variety that reaches 30 inches tall and wide and was recommended by a member of the Great Lakes PPA Council. Its cassava habit, upright flower stalks, and kaleidoscope of copper, pink, brown, and dark orange-red fall colors make it a delightful addition to the garden.
Applause is a favorite place for members of the PPA Regional Councils of Canada, West and Mid-Atlantic. Spiny blue-green stems with tight upright growth create a vertical accent in the edges of perennials. The bright oranges, reds and yellows of fall complete the season with a splash of color.
Western and Mid-Atlantic PPA board members added The Blues to their list of favorite little Bluestem strains. It has dark blue leaves that turn dark purple and dark red in the fall. This variety is typically a foot taller than Jazz, up to four feet tall and two feet wide.
These are just a few of the many beautiful perennials suitable for home gardens. Check out past winners and make room for new plants you absolutely won't be able to resist.
Melinda Myers has written over 20 gardening books, including The Midwest Gardening Guide, 2nd Edition, and Small Space Gardening. Myers is a columnist and editorial contributor to Birds & Blooms and her website is melindamyers.com.
