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| Echibeckia 'Summerina Yellow Patio' |
In gardening, it’s the forgotten month: July. June still
encompasses much of the spring planting season and by August many gardeners
begin transitioning to fall flowers, but July stands alone, neglected.
Unfortunately, many gardeners—rightfully enjoying summer vacations or otherwise
occupied with tending to their spring gardening purchases—overlook some of the
most beautiful, carefree summer bloomers in the midst of summer. If you’re
looking for something unique and colorful for your garden in July, here are
some of my summer favorites.
First, as a gardener, I’m always excited to hear about new
developments in plant breeding. One of this year’s brand-new introductions is
the Echibeckia. A cross between Echinacea (coneflower) and Rudbeckia
(black-eyed susan), this plant holds a lot of promise.
Aside from the traditional yellow rudbeckias gardeners know
and love, many other varieties in shades of orange, copper and brown simply
won’t grow in our cooler climate—or if they do, they’re considered an annual.
The echibeckia combines the colors of these less-hardy varieties with the tough
genetics of Echinacea, resulting in a plant that will winter over in cool
climates and has excellent disease resistance.
Moreover, echibeckias have large, two- to three-inch
flowers, are self-cleaning and bloom for up to three months. Time will tell how
popular these exciting new perennials become, but as the first crop ever begins
to bloom in garden centers, check them out!
A second plant you’ll find in bloom during July is one of my
all-time favorites—crocosmia. Its foliage looks like a grass but the flower nearly
defies explanation. In July, this unassuming plant produces long, delicate
blooms comprised of neat rows of individual blossoms along each stem.
Traditionally available only in red, crocosmia is now available in shades of
orange and yellow as well.
Crocosmia loves full sun, multiplies freely (although not so
much as to take over a flowerbed) and attracts hummingbirds. If your garden
could use an easy-care perennial that blooms in mid-summer, crocosmia might be
just the fit.
Third, summer is the time for re-bloomers to show off their
stuff. Spring is the time of year when we cherish flowering plants—after all,
who doesn’t love a good pick-me-up after our dark, rainy winters? And while
spring is great for enjoying blooming shrubs, many spring-blooming shrubs are
“once and done.”
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| 'Sonic Bloom Pink' weigela |
Not so with one shrub, though. ‘Sonic Bloom’ weigela raises
the bar for spring-blooming shrubs. Unlike many weigelas that bloom just once
(or only sporadically through summer), ‘Sonic Bloom’ flowers in waves from May
until the first frost. This great shrub also blooms on both old and new wood,
so if necessary, it can be pruned immediately after the first bloom to manage
its shape and size. Available in shades of red and pink, ‘Sonic Bloom’ is sure
to add some color to your garden all summer long.
Now, many gardeners shy away from planting in summer—and if
you’re one of them, I understand your concern. Watering is a concern for
planting in summer. But rest assured that for most plants that is your only concern. Simply put, if you can
water you can plant. Far too often gardeners shy away planting during pleasant,
lazy summer weekends because they’re worried about plants dying when the only
real concern is one that can be easily remedied. For added reassurance your
summer-planted treasures will grow, soak the ground after transplant with
Vitamin B-1—available at Vander Giessen Nursery—to encourage fast
rooting and reduce transplant stress.
Summer is a great time to plant, so take advantage of
another exciting season and enjoy many of the year’s most beautiful plants.
It's blueberry season in the Pacific Northwest--but have you considered taking your love for blueberries a step further? I'm talking about doing more than buying cartons of the delicious, healthy fruit at the local berry stand--get out there and plant a couple bushes!
