Month-by-Month Perennials.......

[SusieG]

Can anyone advise if there is somewhere I can find a 'list' of perennials and which month they flower in......??

My plan is to plant many perennials in my back garden borders, so that I can have some colour from one or two plants each month of the year....

I would like some large growing (height) varieties for back of borders, interspersed with some smaller ones toward the front ......I also would like to fill in with some annuals for summer/autumn colour

And, was thinking of mulching any bare ground with bark chips....

Have looked through flower catalogues, but find them a bit bewildering. I ordered some seeds last month, which I have started off a few (others recommend to start October time) with poor germination success ....

[Scarlet]

What have you started off?

[Nicos]

Here ya go...

https://landscapeontario.com/perenni...month-by-month

[Nicos]

This covers the full year...

http://portlandnursery.com/docs/pere...omCalendar.pdf

[veggiechicken]

Bulbs, plant lots of bulbs. especially for the early months of the year. As they die back (April/May) the perennials will be putting up new shoots to cover the dying leaves.

[SusieG]

What have you started off?

I've started in GH in modules:

Echinacea purpurea X 21 ~ two have germinated and are about 2mm
Oenothera lemon sunset X 24 ~ one germinated but now looks dead....
Chrysanthemum X 40 ~ two germinated
Aquilegia royal purple X 21 ~ zero germinated
Hollyhock Chater's double icicle X 24 ~ four germinated and have been potted on of which I think 3 might 'make it'

All sowed on 5/7/16

[SusieG]

Bulbs, plant lots of bulbs. especially for the early months of the year. As they die back (April/May) the perennials will be putting up new shoots to cover the dying leaves.

Is it better to go to GC or buy from 'seed and flower catalogues' for the spring bulbs ...? And is it the right time of year to buy now .......?

[Scarlet]

I won't show you my echinacea seedlings then ...I would start in a propagator or put the pots in some clear plastic bags, wrap over with cling film. It will stop the pots from drying out and will keep them warmer.

[SusieG]

Scarlet - is it too late to cover over the ones I've sown ........ think nothing will come of them now...?

Actually, I'd love to see your echinacea seedlings...!!!

[mothhawk]

Is it better to go to GC or buy from 'seed and flower catalogues' for the spring bulbs ...? And is it the right time of year to buy now .......?

I guess it depends what you want. Catalogues will give you a much wider choice of each type of bulb, a lot of which you won't see in garden centres. If you are happy with common varieties then GC is the way to go.

But if you just want a job lot and are not too fussy about variety, then wait till late autumn/early winter, when all the GC's will have reduced their left-over bulbs to 50p per pack or so. For instance, I got lots of crocus, mostly species type, plus bright yellow to plant in grass, plus some cream tulips, scillas, chiandoxa, and some other little bulbs at 80% off in January last year. They flowered a bit late this spring, but they'll be good next year.

[Scarlet]

Is it better to go to GC or buy from 'seed and flower catalogues' for the spring bulbs ...? And is it the right time of year to buy now .......?

I bought loads from @sda last autumn. ...got some lovely ones too along with the usual, tulip, daffs, they had some lovely varieties...

[SusieG]

Soz to be a pain - this flower growing game is totally new to me .......

Do all flower seeds need to be started in a propagator - as I was really surprised by my lack of success .....???

I'm sure veg are much easier......!!!!!!

Any tips for success ie compost, pot size or ANYTHING that seems to you to be trivial - most welcome

[Scarlet]

I would start them some where warm yes, especially at night. Minimum temp really would be 18-20. My prop is around 23. They took about a week? You can still cover them over. They won't be a lost cause yet.
One pack of double decker...I can't rember how many were in a pack?


Sprinkled in two pots, normal cheapo compost, watered in and placed pots inside ziplock food bags and set out in the prop with no lid.

[veggiechicken]

Do you want flowers for cutting or to look at in the garden?
I love hardy fuchsias - they seem to flower nearly all year round. Great for adding height and structure to a border and easypeasy to grow.

[Scarlet]

I'm a penstemon fan. They start off easily by cuttings...look in friends gardens and they flower all summer well into autumn.