April May 2018

13 colorad o nga.org LooseLeaf  April/May 2018 Perennials with Pizazz Perennial gardening is a great way to grow your garden each season, adding new colors and textures, which you can enjoy more as your plants mature year after year. Below are a few varieties which you’ll surely enjoy this season! Photos courtesy of Colorado State University Salvia ‘Spring King’ This early flowering Salvia has triple the 'flower power' than other varieties on the market, and has a nice compact growth habit. Its habit is clean and easy for growers and makes a bold color statement in the garden, creating a nice border in your perennial garden. Substitutions/Alternative Options: Agastache aurantiaca ‘Kudos Silver Blue’ – hardy, flowers all summer Lavandula x intermedia ‘Phenomenal’ – a classic for the perennial garden, offering a wonderful fragrance Gaillardia SpinTop – ‘Orange Halo’ My favorite variety in the SpinTop series is another early flowering perennial. This compact gaillardia brings a nice sunflower-like look to the garden, adding yellows, oranges and reds to your perennial mix. It’s a drought-tolerant plant that will thrive in our full sun, warm summer days and last through the fall. Substitutions/Alternative Options: Delosperma cooperi ‘Jewel of Desert’ – a great performing spreading perennial, blooming in dry sunny areas Monarda didyma ‘Balmy Purple’ – attracts hummingbirds and bees, pollinating your plants and keeping the garden blooming all season