Feathery plumes of pink, white, lavender, or red flowers rise in glory above mounds of equally feathery foliage to light up the shade. Astilbe varieties bloom from early to late summer. |
It's one of the longest bloomers in the garden, as long as you keep spent flowers snipped. Coreopsis sports yellow, pink, or bicolor daisylike blooms. |
Many types of salvia are annuals or tender perennials, but tough perennials such as 'East Friesland' or 'May Night' will rebloom their purple spires if kept deadheaded. |
North American natives with long bloom seasons, penstemons grow easily nearly everywhere and offer flowers in nearly every color. Provide excellent soil drainage so their roots don't drown. |
Try yarrow because it is heat- and drought-tolerant, is easy to grow, and has flat-top flowers in pink, red, white, or yellow that appear from late spring to early fall. |
Also known as speedwell, veronica is a tough performer with blue, purple, pink, red, or white flower spikes blooming from early summer through fall. |
Blanket flowers (Gaillardia) provide long-lasting color in a sunny border. Try different varieties for a blanket of bloom that lasts for weeks. |
Their tufted centers resemble old-fashioned pincushions. Pincushion flowers (Scabiosa) bloom for several weeks in lavender-blue, pink, or white. |
Sedums look good even their flower heads just forming, but they really shine in late summer and fall when they show off pink, red, or white blooms. |
Newer perennial geraniums (such as Rozanne shown here) are easy-care perennials with a super-long blooming season. |
Phlox is a lovely perennial that blooms from late summer to frost and bears fluffy heads like hydrangeas of fragrant flowers that butterflies love. |
Hyssop blooms for a long time when grown in plenty of sun and in soil with good drainage. Watch the butterflies and hummingbirds zoom in for a drink. |
