Perennials : More Than 600 Flowering and Foliage Plants, Including Ferns and Ornamental Grasses - Flexible Binding

by Ellis, Barbara W.

• ISBN13: 9780395983638
• ISBN10: 0395983630
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-02-20
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Summary

Perennials are every gardener's favorite plants. They provide colorful flowers and leafy foliage, and, best of all, their beauty returns year after year. In this fully illustrated guide, youll find- The best new cultivars of the beloved old-fashioned plants of grandmothers garden- Exciting new introductions from all over the world- Todays popular ornamental grasses, perfect for combining with other perennials in low-maintenance gardens- Ferns to grow among the flowersAnd for every plant pictured, youll find complete growing information as well as notes on how to propagate your own plants to fill your garden with "free" flowers.

Author Biography

Barbara Ellis, a former gardening editor at Rodale Press and the publications director of the American Horticultural Society, is the author of many gardening books, including THE RODALE ALL-NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ORGANIC GARDENING and THE BURPEE COMPLETE GARDENER as well as several TAYLOR'S WEEKEND GARDENING GUIDES. She resides in Alburtis, Pennsylvania.

Table of Contents

Introduction
The Perennial Garden	1	(1)
Deciding What to Grow	2	(3)
Buying Plants	5	(2)
Preparing the Soil	7	(2)
Planting Perennials	9	(1)
Care Through the Seasons	10	(5)
Foiling Insects and Other Pests	15	(4)
Propagating Perennials	19	(8)
Gallery of Plants	27	(200)
Encyclopedia of Plants	227	(239)
Hardiness Zone Map	466	(2)
Photo Credits	468	(2)
Index	470

Excerpts

 

ACANTHUS MOLLIS

Acanthus mollis

Common Bear's Breech

SIZE:2 1/2 feet to 5 feet

Full sun or light shade Evenly moist, well-drained soil Produces spiny-toothed leaves topped erect spikes of purple-and-white flowers in late summer Zones 7 to 10 P. 229

Acanthus spinosus

Spiny Bear's Breech

SIZE:2 1/2 to 5 feet

Full sun or light shade Evenly moist, wall-drained soil Handsome mounds of spiny-margined leaves topped racemes of purple-and-white flowers from late spring to midsummer Zones 5 to 10 P. 230

ACHILLEA MILLEFOLIUM

Achillea `Coronation Gold'

Yarrow

SIZE:3 to 3 1/2 feet

Full sun Average to poor well-drained soil Bears ferny leaves and 4- to 5-inch-wide mustard yellow flowers on erect stems all summer Zones 3 to 9 P. 230

Achillea millefolium `Paprika'

Yarrow

SIZE:2 feet

Full sun Average to poor well-drained soil Features ferny leaves and flat-topped orange-red flower clusters from early to late summer Zones 3 to 9 P. 231

ACHILLEA PTARMICA

Achillea ptarmica `The Pearl'

Sneezewort

SIZE:1 to 3 feet

Full sun Average to poor well-drained soil Narrow, lance-shaped leaves and loose sprays of buttonlike double white flowers from early to late summer Zones 2 to 9 P. 231

Achillea tomentosa

Woolly Yarrow

SIZE:1 foot

Full sun Very well drained, average to poor soil Low mounds of woolly gray-green leaves and clusters of yellow flowers from early summer to fall Zones 3 to 7 P. 231

ACONITUM NAPELLUS

Aconitum carmichaelii

Azure Monkshood

SIZE:3 to 5 feet

Partial or dappled shade; afternoon shade in areas with hot summers Rich, moist, well-drained soil Bears spikes of rich violet-blue blooms from late summer through fall Zones 3 to 7 P. 232

Aconitum napellus

Common Monkshood

SIZE:3 to 4 feet

Partial or dappled shade; afternoon shade in areas with hot summers Rich, moist but well-drained soil Produces showy clusters of dark blue-violet flowers in mid- to late summer Zones 3 to 8 P. 233

ACORUS CALAMUS

Acorus calamus `Variegata'

Variegated Sweet Flag

SIZE:3 to 4 feet

Full sun or partial shade Rich, constantly moist to wet soil or standing water Forms handsome clumps of strap-shaped leaves striped lengthwise with cream and white Zones 4 to 11 P. 233

Acorus gramineus `Oborozuki'

Grassy-leaved Sweet Flag

SIZE:12 inches Full sun or partial shade Rich, constantly moist to wet soil or standing water Cultivar of an evergreen to semievergreen species with clumps of glossy, grasslike leaves Zones 5 to 11 P. 233

ACTAEA ALBA

Actaea RUBRA

Doll's Eyes, White Baneberry

SIZE:2 to 4 feet

Partial shade Average to rich, evenly moist soil Native wildflower with fluffy racemes of white flowers in late spring and early summer followed clusters of white berries Zones 3 to 7 P. 234

Actaea rubra

Red Baneberry, Snakeberry

SIZE:2 to 4 feet

Partial shade Average to rich, evenly moist soil Native wildflower with fluffy dusters of flowers in late spring and early summer followed showy clusters of round red berries Zones 3 to 7 P. 234

ADENOPHORA CONFUSA

Adenophora confusa

Common Ladybells

SIZE:2 to 2 1/2 feet

Full sun to partial shade Rich, moist, well-drained soil Bears loose panicles of bell-shaped purple-blue flowers for 3 to 4 weeks in early summer Zones 3 to 8 P. 235

Adiantum pedatum

Northern Maidenhair Fern

SIZE:1 to 1 1/2 feet

Partial shade Moist, well-drained, slightly acid soil Produces clumps of lacy, branched fronds with shiny black stems Zones 2 to 8 P. 235

AGASTACHE CANA

Aegopodium podagraria `Variegata'

Bishop's Weed

SIZE:1 to 2 feet

Partial to full shade Thrives in any soil, but poor, dry soil is best Vigorous to invasive foliage plant grown for its three-part leaves with irregular creamy white margins Zones 4 to 9 P. 236

Agastache cana

Wild Hyssop, Hummingbird Mint

SIZE:2 to 3 feet

Full sun or very light shade Rich, well-drained soil Bears aromatic leaves and loose 1-foot-long spikes of pink or rose-purple flowers from late summer to fall Zones 5 to 10 P. 237

AGASTACHE FOENICULUM

Agastache foeniculum

Anise Hyssop

SIZE:3 to 5 feet

Full sun or very light shade Rich, well-drained soil Bears anise-scented leaves and spikes of blue flowers with violet bracts from midsummer to fall Zones 6 to 10 P. 237

Ajania pacifica

Gold-and-silver Chrysanthemum

SIZE:1 foot

Full sun Poor to average, well-drained soil Mounding perennial with handsome silver-edged leaves and clusters of golden button-like flowerheads in fall Zones 5 to 9 P. 237

AJUGA PYRAMIDALIS

Ajuga genevensis `Pink Beauty'

Geneva Bugleweed

SIZE:6 to 12 inches

Light to partial shade; tolerates full sun to full shade Well-drained, moist, average to rich soil Moderately spreading species with dense spikes of pink flowers in spring Zones 4 to 8 P. 238

Ajuga pyramidalis `Metallica Crispa'

Pyramid Bugleweed, Upright Bugleweed

SIZE:4 to 6 inches

Light to partial shade; tolerates sun or shade Average to rich, moist, well-drained soil Moderate spreader with crinkled dark green or metallic bronze-purple leaves and short spikes of purple-blue flowers Zones 3 to 8 P. 239

AJUGA REPTANS

Ajuga reptans `Catlin's Giant'

Common Bugleweed, Carpet Bugleweed

SIZE:4 to 6 inches

Light to partial shade; tolerates sun or shade Average to rich, well-drained, moist soil Fast-spreading species with large spoon-shaped leaves and spikes of violet-blue flowers in late spring Zones 3 to 9 P. 239

Alchemilla alpina

Alpine Lady's Mantle

SIZE:6 to 8 inches

Partial shade; partial to full shade in areas where summers are hot Rich, moist, well-drained soil Mounding species with deeply lobed leaves edged with silver hairs and loose sprays of yellow-green flowers in summer Zones 3 to 7 P. 240

Excerpted from Taylor's Guide to Perennials by Barbara W. Ellis Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company
Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.