by the Editors of Consumer Guide
©2007 Publications International, Ltd.
Lavender is an aromatic herb originally
hailing from the Mediterranean.
Plant perennials that double as herbs in flower beds and borders. Some herbs masquerade as perennials (and vice versa) because they can be used for decorating, fragrance, or cuisine.
Please stay tuned for the next installment.....
Full Sun Perennial Herbs:
Propagation: By soft cuttings in spring or from seed.
Uses: Lavender is perfect as a low hedge and in clumps next to rocks. It is also suitable in front of stone walls that face away from the wind.
Related species: Lavandula stoechas is the classic lavender of Greece and Rome. It has bolder flowers of red-purple.
Scientific name: Lavandula angustifolia
©2007 Publications International, Ltd.
Some perennial flowers, like the Columbine, have a lengthy bloom,
brightening your garden year after year.
©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
The bergamot, also called bee balm or oswego-tea, is a perennial flower that
requires moist soil.
How to grow: At ease in almost any soil, bergamots prefer a slightly moist spot with full sun; they become somewhat floppy when grown in the shade. These plants are vigorous spreaders, so excess plants should be removed from time to time. Plant where air circulation is good, because mildew can be a problem.
Propagation: From seed or by division in early spring or fall.
Uses: With a long season of bloom, bee balm is used in wild gardens and in beds and borders. The flowers are beloved by hummingbirds and butterflies.
Scientific name: Monarda didyma
Many perennial salvias, or meadow sages, of varying hardiness and appearance are available to the gardener. Salvia officinalis, culinary sage, usually about two feet tall, has gray-green leaves and white or lavenderflowers. Salvia x superba (Blue Queen is good) is a sterile hybrid. It has gray-green, paired leaves covered with tiny hairs underneath on square stems growing up to three feet high. They bear dense spikes of showy, violet-purple flowers.
©2006 Publications International, Ltd.
Salvias, or meadow sages, grow
to over 24 inches high.
How to grow: Salvias need full sun and good garden soil with excellent drainage. Do not crowd the plants. After flowers have finished blooming, trim them off for neatness and a second showing.
Propagation: By division or from cuttings for named cultivars, and from cuttings or seed for culinary types and species.
Uses: Uses vary with the type of salvia, but all can be massed and used in flowerbeds and borders.
Related species: Salvia azurea, or the blue salvia, is a native American plant reaching five feet in height and bearing deep blue flowers. Grandiflora is a variety that has larger flowers. Salvia involucrata has hot cherry-red flowers. Salvia leucantha has shrubby, tall growth and multitudes of purple and white velvety flowers.
Scientific name: Salvia species
Full sun perennial flowers require at least six to eight hours of direct sunlight daily. While the flowers don't need to be planted under a spotlight, they do need bright light for most of the day. Full sun perennials require the minimum all year long -- even during the shortened days of spring and fall. If your garden doesn't receive enough light, consider planting part shade perennials or full shade perennials. Some flowers, such as the Japanese Anemone, survive in full sun and partial shade. Select these plants if you are unsure about the type of light you get.
On this page, we've included links to full sun perennials, grouped according to color and light condition. Before planting, check with your garden center to make sure that the full sun perennials you've selected will flourish in your locale.
Agapanthus, or Lily of the Nile, is a perennial flower that has gorgeous blue or white florets arranged in large globes that make this a wonderful addition to the garden. It is very popular California flower and in other places where it is fully hardy. Newer types have been bred for additional hardiness. The roots are large and fleshy, and the leaves are straplike, arising directly from the roots. Flower heads appear, one to a stalk, in clumps of two-foot stalks.
©2007 Publications International, Ltd.
Agapanthus, or Lily of the Nile, is a full sun perennial flower.
How to grow:
Full sun and well-drained, rich soil are needed for agapanthus. It can be grown in large pots and planters. Make every effort not to disturb the roots. In northern gardens, bring in the pots at the end of summer, and grow the plants in a greenhouse or bright sunroom; or trim back any stalks and foliage, and keep them indoors in a dormant state until it is time for the pots to go back outdoors in spring, after the danger of frost ends.
Propagation:
By division in spring or fall, also from seed.
Uses: Where it is hardy, agapanthus is used in borders and for ground cover. Elsewhere, it is an accent plant in containers.
Scientific name: Agapanthus africanus
©2007 Publications International, Ltd.
Alstroemeria is a multicolor perennial flower.
How to grow: Provide a sunny location in areas with cool summers, but in Florida and other hot summer regions, plant in shade. The roots must be well below the surface of the soil or the plants will not last long. Enrich soil with compost and manure. If soil is not well drained, or if you live in a cold climate where plants are not hardy, grow them in pots in well-drained soil. Store the root-filled pots indoors in a moderately cool but not freezing place for winter, and set them outside again in spring after the danger of frost passes.
Propagation:
By division and also from seed, which is very slow (1 to 12 months) to germinate.
Uses:
Excellent in garden containers and in flowerbeds and borders. They are long-lasting as cut flowers and are often seen on restaurant tables.
Scientific name:
Alstroemeria species
