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Tango tangerine and other hot perennials


By Angie Mennen, Pathways to Perennials I


f Tangerine Tango is the “it” colour for 2012, then use it to your advan- tage! Incorporate it in your every day


living, adding accent pillows on your out- door furniture, or enjoy this burst of colour throughout the seasons by planting it in your gardens. With a vibrant colour like this you’ll be sure to attract both butterflies and hummingbirds into the garden. Butterfly weed


Asclepias tuberosa is one of my favourite


but one of the most underused perennials! A vibrant orange that blooms late sum- mer right into the fall, it will help extend your flowering season. Plant Asclepias and I promise you won’t regret it. Be sure to place a plant tag with it as it is very late to wake up in the season. Many people assume it is a weed when it finally starts to show its first signs of life in July and they pull it out be- cause it doesn’t look like much coming up. When it’s in bloom, though, it’s not only lovely, but it is a butterfly magnet. Mon- archs lay their eggs here. If you are trying to encourage a healthy biodiversity in your garden, you need to be sure you not only provide food for them in the spring and summer months but also into the fall when they are migrating back south.


Asclepias tuberosa. ‘Secret Desire’.


‘Delta Dawn’.


perennials coming out, and this season is no different. Introducing Echinacea ‘Piccolino’, with its bright pink, compact, dwarf double flower. ‘Piccolino’ only grows eight to 12 inches tall and is described as “reblooming”, an added bonus. Its light fragrance and striking colour not only attracts us into the garden, but it, too, attracts butterflies. Sister to ‘Piccolino’, Echinacea ‘Secret


Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’.


Adult monarchs sup nectar from flowers such as asters, thistles, Joe Pye weed, dame’s rocket, lilac and red clover to name just a few of the plants they prefer. Echinaceas The Echinacea family always has hot new


www.localgardener.net


Desire’ is another enticement into the gar- den. Only time will tell if it is as hardy as the ‘Piccolino’, however its large multi- coloured flowers of pink and orange make it well worth the test. ‘Sweet Desire’ grows slightly taller than ‘Piccolino’ and would make an excellent pairing with Geranium (cranesbill) ‘Rozanne’, which, although not new to 2012 (it was the 2008 Peren- nial Plant of the year), is equally gorgeous in the garden. ‘Rozanne’ is a billowing purple border plant that blooms from early sum- mer right up until frost. Try adding Shasta Daisy, the traditional white, long blooming and easy-to-grow perennial, to the group. As if the Echinacea family wasn’t big enough, plant breeders have also recently introduced ‘Solar Flare’. It is a vigorous, deciduous pe- rennial with bright orange-red petaled flow- ers. Noted for its compact growth, ‘Solar Flare’ makes an exceptional cut flower. Heuchera, also known as coral cells, has


‘Berry Smoothie’.


also seen introductions of countless new varieties that are tolerant to both sun and shade. Easy to grow, Heuchera’s strikingly coloured foliage capture our attention out in the garden. ‘Berry Smoothie’, ‘Delta Dawn’, and ‘Autumn Leaves’ are just a few varieties to make note of. Their vibrant foli- age can light up a dark corner or make an excellent border perennial. In case you have a grass-cutting fanatic in the house, plant them as your border to not only make an at- tractive combination but to help hold up any of your floppy perennials (such as daylilies) that might fall victim to the lawn mower. 2012 Perennial Plant of the Year Although not in line with the Pantone


Colour of the Year, the long time favourite, Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’ was named 2012 Pe- rennial Plant of the Year and for great rea- son. Mainly acknowledged for its foliage, this part-sun to full-shade perennial forms a clump of heart-shaped silvery leaves deli- cately veined with mint green. In mid to late spring, bright blue forget-me-not-type flow- ers appear elegantly above the silver leaves. Not just a pretty face, ’Jack Frost’ is both drought tolerant and easy to grow. Angie Mennnen is the garden center man- ager for Pathways to Perennials. For more in- formation on new and hot perennials please visit www.pathwaystoperennials.com.


Early Spring 2012 • 19


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