You know, color is very important to the look and enjoyment of our gardens. As the gardening season approaches, I want you to consider these spectacular colors for your perennial beds – Purple, Orange and Red. These primary colors standout in our bright intense sunlight of summer, where as yellows, pastels and whites fade.
So here are some choices for you to consider. For purple - Walker’s Low Catmint is a hybrid cross that blooms with purple flowers from late spring through autumn. Walker's Low Catmint (Nepeta faassinii x ‘Walker’s Low’) was the Perennial Plant Association Plant of the Year for 2007
and is no stranger to Wyoming conditions. It has compact mounding gray green
leaves topped by lavender blue flowers recurring from late spring through
autumn. This 10-14 inch tall sterile hybrid won’t reseed around the garden and it is deer resistant. It is Zone 3 and likes full sun to partial sun.
For orange, consider Orange Carpet Hummingbird Vine. This a small vining plant that will exhibit spectacular orange trumpet flowers from midsummer through autumn. Orange Carpet Hummingbird Vine (Zauschneria garretti ‘Orange Carpet’) was a Plant Select 2001 and is a real eye-catcher. It's vivid green foliage is topped with glowing orange-scarlet flowers from july to frost. Hummingbirds will be drawn to tubular flowers. It stands 4 to 6 inches high and is cascading in its growth habit. It spreads 18 to 24 inches wide, so place it in the front of the garden bed and watch the show. A bit of afternoon shade makes this plant thrive and bloom the most. It is native to the west side of Wyoming. It is Zone 4 and wants full sun to partial sun.
And for red, consider Bridges penstemon, which is a standout red flowering penstemon that takes off in the heat of summer and blooms through Autumn as well. Bridges pestemon (Penstemon rostriflorus) was a Plant Select 2006 selection. During later summer it produces a continuous succession of small scarlet red tubular flowers
in elongate panicles. It has top slender stems with dark green narrow leaved foliage
that forms a basal rosette and climb upward. It is long lived if not pampered. It reaches a height of 1 to 2 feet.
