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| Top Perennials for North San Luis Obsipo County |
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CALYLOPHUS drummondii (Texas primrose) Low and spreading, this plant blooms from late spring through fall. Calylophus becomes a 3 foot mat of papery bright yellow flowers. It likes lots of sunshine and demands little water. It's one plant we always attempt to have on hand in the nursery. It's become one of our very best sellers! |
ACHILLEA (Yarrow) Green or gray ferny foliage and lots of colors to choose from! White ('Calistoga'), Yellow ('Sunbeam' or 'Moonshine') Crimson Red ('Red Beauty') Orange Red ('Faust'). They all endure the hot summers and cold winters. Water needs are low and bloom time long. |
PEROVSKIA
(Russian Sage) Lavender flowers grace tall stems, up to 5 feet with delicate gray-green foliage. Perovskia blooms in early summer till fall. It needs very little water and will spread by undergound rhizomes but can easily be controlled. The overall appearance is graceful and delicate. |
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SALVIA MICROPHYLLA 'HOT LIPS' An interesting aspect to this salvia is the changing flower color. The flowers are considered "bi-color" but in coolest months the red dominates; as the weather warms, the body changes to white with red "lips." This salvia grows to about 3 feet tall and blooms throughout the summer with minimal water. It looks best when pruned quite severly in late fall or early spring. |
PENSTEMON
So many colors and sizes! Among the favorites are 'Firebird' red, 'Midnight' purple 'Garnet' fuchsia pink, 'Thorn' white with a pink blush, 'Apple Blossom' pink, 'Bev Jensen' magenta and 'Raven' darkest purple. A very floriferous variety and smaller plant is 'Pike's Peak Purple.' All these varieties take heat and cold. They do best in full sun with average water. The plants live for many years and gradually increase in size. |
SCABIOSA
The two newer and most popular varieties are 'Butterfly Blue' and 'Pink Mist'. This perennial is possibly the longest blooming of all. The plants return year after year - deadheading (which can be quite a job since they bloom so much!) helps keep the plant looking its best. Height is about 1 feet and the spread approximately 18 -24" It's not considered a very thirsty plant. |
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KNIPHOFIA (Red Hot Poker) This plant is often seen at houses dating back to the thirties and forties. It's extemely drought tolerant and very showy. Many varieties are now offered in nurseries. We planted a rather spectaular one called 'Alcazar' in front of the nursery and according to sales, it should be showing up in many local gardens. Colors available are orange, yellow and cream. The leaves are strap-like. The flowering stems height can vary from 18" to 5'. |
HEMEROCALLIS (Day Lily) A couple of our favorites are 'Stella D'Oro' which is a dwarf golden yellow with a longer bloom period than most. Day lillies typically bloom in early and mid-summer. Another great variety is 'Bitsy.' This also repeat blooms - the flowers are bright yellow on tall, dark stems about 18" tall. Many colors are available including cream, orange, red, raspberry and many bicolors |
HEUCHERA
(Coral Bells) This genus has seen incredible additions in the last few years. The variation in leaf color donimates the latest varieties. Examples are 'Snow Angel', light green leaves dusted with white, 'Caramel' the name says it all and 'Crimson Curls' curly dark crimson leaves. The picture above is 'Wendy' a durable hybrid with green leaves and pink bells on 1 foot stems. Heucheras do best with afternoon shade. |
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Shasta daisy and Dianthus |
Many great perennials have been left out - here's just a few more to consider: Shasta daisy - tall, dwarf, single and multi-petalled. Salvia 'Mystic Spires', a variation of 'Indigo Spires' only shorter and more cold hardy. The low growing Verbenas are extremely popular - the larger leaved varieties seem to be the hardiest, especially the original 'Homestead Purple.' There are colors and varieties too numerous to mention
Ajuga and Bergenia are handsome additions to the shade garden. Both Ajuga 'Katlin's Giant' and Bergenia contribute bold leaf shapes in a shady area.
Two good choices for the front of the border and rock gardens are Armeria and Dianthus. Armeria martima has low, grassy foliage and shades of pink and white tufted flowers.the 'Joystick series' has taller, larger flowers and larger leaves. Many of the perennial dianthus have gray green leaves; the flowers are very fragrant and vary in color from pink, red and white.
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Invasive plants or plants for the lazy gardener
 
Geranium incanum with Santa Barbara daisy and Salvia darcyi
It all depends on your point of view! All these perennials are hardy and colorful. Some of them are prolific reseeders: pictured is Geranium incanum and Erigeron karvinskianus (Santa Barbara daisy) Both bloom all summer with very little care: you have to decide if you want them everywhere or if it's worth it to pull out the little seedlings. The same can be said for Gaura and Euphorbia wulfenii.
Another category consists of the species that spread by rhyzomes. A prime example is Oenethera speciosa (Mexican primrose) The delightful single pink flowers abound spring into summer, but with a little water and nourishment they will overtake your tender neighbors. And then there's Origanum "Hopley's purple." Like many other ornamental oreganos it sports lovely mauve-purple flowers in profusion - it just doesn't know where to stop! Salvia Darcyi is spectacular with it's bright display of red flowers all summer - fortunately the runners that appear are usually welcome or if not, quite easy to remove
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Hard to find perennials you shouldn't live without
Lantana 'Miss Huff' is the ONLY lantana hardy to 10 degrees. Although it dies back in the winter it returns with a vengeance in early summer and blooms till frost. This plant can reach 6 to 7 feet in one season. It is very bright - yellow, orange and pink flowers light up the garden for the entire summer. Deer don't care for it and water needs are minimal. Scratch the ONLY; the newest hardy lantana is "Chapel Hill." This hardy lantana is soft yellow in color and more of a mounding plant, growing to about 18" in height.
Next on the list is Fuschia magellanica. A winter hardy fuchsia that may or may not die to the ground depending upon the severity of the winter. Lovely small fuchsia flowers in magenta and purple cover the plant in a shady area of the garden. It needs surprisingly little water when established.
Hymenoxys is a yellow flowering daisy that blooms at great length. Another drought tolerant selection that stays low, under one foot. It's easy to find a spot in almost any garden for this charming perennial.
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For more complete information on perennials, 'Western Garden Book' published by Sunset is an indispensable guide. Our copy at the nursery is used on a daily basis! |
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Bay Laurel Garden Center - Perennials