Topic: Idea's anyone? What's your favourite?

[jo9919]

I have a flower border which I usually plant up with bedding plants, but although it's not a huge area, it's quite large to fill with just bedding plants.

I've decided to add a few perennials so that I can just 'fill' the odd area here and there with bedding plants to cover the bare area's.

I am after some idea's of perennials to plant. I love vibrant colours, I think this is why I like bedding plants so much. I'm after something that doesn't grow too large and 'take over' the area, ideally doesn't grow above a couple of foot and not alot of spread.

I was thinking about a hardy Geranium and possibly a Bleeding Heart.

Does anyone have any other suggestions. What perennials do you have in your garden which you just love?

Jo.

[emmy1978]

Campanula, primula, agapanthus, crocosmia, gaillardia, astilbe, pelargonium, verbena, salvia.
 This is my current wish list of perennials!
 I'm currently in process of making flower bed round the side of my flat. Will have to guard it from evil gardeners but these are the sort of things I've been thinking of. I have a dicentra already, i'm putting some fuschias in that the girls bought me and loads of bulbs and also forget-me-not. Also poppies, osteospermum  and eryngium. I've also seen a red hot poker with yellow spikes that i really want.  ;D

[manicscousers]

new one for me, potentilla..monarch's velvet..it has leaves like a strawberry plant, grows 2' high and has beautiful little red, velvety flowers with a black centre..at least, the plants are 6" tall at the mo..I've got to see what happens now  ;D
heuchera, small, compact plant, with long stems with red flowers on the top
clematis 'cos of the height   :)

[norfolklass]

two of my favourites are in flower in my garden at the moment:

Cistus or rock rose – mine's a pink one about 2' x 2' but may get bigger
http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Cistaceae/Cistus_purpureus.jpg

and perennial wallflower 'Bowles' Mauve' – about 18" x 18", kept flowering right through winter!
http://www.perennials.com/graphics/flowers/1-206-070.jpg

these are both about 2 years old so may grow a bit more yet.

[Trixiebelle]

Sedum is lovely in the Autumn

[jo9919]

Thanks for your replies.

Going to have a look at your suggestions. I do love Red Hot Pokers, but I think they'll be a little too big for the patch that I have.

The flower bed is against a fence and I do have a Clematis and a Honeysuckle growing up it already, but need some other perennials to fill it out a bit.

Jo.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Traditional RHP's are pretty big, but you can get smaller ones now. I think they only grow about a foot high, but I haven't tried them.

[Rohaise]

 Lobelia cardinalis.....deep red leaves and bright scarlet flower spires . Love it !    :)

[emmy1978]

Sedum is lovely in the Autumn

Autumn Joy is a particularly nice one and I used to have Sedum Acre in between lumps of rock in the old garden. you just push it into a crack and it roots there quite happily. Sorry about the red hot poker thing - just me getting over excited.  ;D

[Slug_killer]

Have a nose over the fence and see what the neighbours are growing. If you like it and its doing well next door, then it'll do jusr fine in your garden.

There are so many hardy/herbaceous perennials out there that a list would be endless.
If you have difficulty in choosing think of a flower colour, or of a flower type (spikey - salvia, lupin, flat - achellia, daisy like - asters, osteospermum),or a leaf type/colour.

[jo9919]

Thanks for your replies.

I didn't know that I could get smaller Red Hot Poker's. I love them so much that this has been my first purchase. I've been and bought a 'Little Maid' today. I'd also like to get a 'Flamenco'.

I've been looking through my books and like the look of Campanula, Agapanthus, Crocosmia, Pelargonium, Verbena, Osteopermum, Potentilla, and Lobelia, so I've got lots of things to source now.

Thanks for all your help,
Jo.