Canada Celebrates 150!
Table of Contents
Red and White Perennials
Enjoying your garden with family and friends is a wonderful way to spend Canada Day. Make it a summer to remember and plant a few perennials that will flourish for years of enjoyment. Florissa recommends these beautiful bold red and sparkling white combinations.
Astilbe
Astilbe enhance our shady spaces and woodland gardens. When grown in rich moist soils, these plants benefit from dappled light and can tolerate morning sun. Astilbe only ask that you water them regularly and if you do, you’ll discover how easy they are to maintain. Long lasting plumes consist of hundreds of tiny flowers which attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The plumes make wonderful cut and dried flowers, so leave them standing to create fall interest – no deadheading required! Deer resistant astilbe will keep up their appearance all summer long. Planting them in groupings where their colours can blend together and soften the landscape.
Astilbe ‘Burgundy Red’ offers a striking pop of colour. In early summer deep burgundy red plumes are carried on stiff red stems over elegant and lacy green foliage. Illuminate and provide great contrast by pairing Burgundy Red with the gleaming pure white plumes of Astilbe ‘Diamant.’ Compact and upright varieties, both grow 60 cm (24”) tall and hardy to zone 3.
Astilbe
Astilbe enhance our shady spaces and woodland gardens. When grown in rich moist soils, these plants benefit from dappled light and can tolerate morning sun. Astilbe only ask that you water them regularly and if you do, you’ll discover how easy they are to maintain. Long lasting plumes consist of hundreds of tiny flowers which attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The plumes make wonderful cut and dried flowers, so leave them standing to create fall interest – no deadheading required! Deer resistant astilbe will keep up their appearance all summer long. Planting them in groupings where their colours can blend together and soften the landscape.
Astilbe ‘Burgundy Red’ offers a striking pop of colour. In early summer deep burgundy red plumes are carried on stiff red stems over elegant and lacy green foliage. Illuminate and provide great contrast by pairing Burgundy Red with the gleaming pure white plumes of Astilbe ‘Diamant.’ Compact and upright varieties, both grow 60 cm (24”) tall and hardy to zone 3.
Hemerocallis
Daylily blooms last for a day, hence the name, but did you know that each stem carries a succession of blooms and many varieties send up 2-5 flushes of blooms from June through September? Also known as Hemerocallis – daylilies are extremely versatile plants. Easy to grow, they perform wonderfully in full sun and well-draining soils. Adaptable to many conditions, daylilies are well suited for all of the major growing regions across Canada. Weave them throughout the garden and use them as edging in mixed borders. They are a great solution on steep slopes which can be a challenge to maintain. Daylilies look superb growing in containers too.
‘Joan Senior’ is one of the most popular near white daylilies. Blooming early to midseason, she bears an abundance of creamy white flowers with softly ruffled petals and lime green throats. Each fragrant bloom, 15 cm (6”) wide, lasts more than 16 hours – an extended bloom time for daylilies. Blooms open in the morning and fade with nightfall. Pair Joan Senior with ‘Chicago Apache’ for an energizing combination. Chicago Apache’s sunfast scarlet red flowers are also slightly ruffled and defined with a fine darker red edge. A golden green throat and a white blaze down the center of each petal make this is a truly stunning daylily with 12 cm (5”) wide blooms. Both varieties grow to 70 cm (28”) tall and are hardy to zone 2.
Phlox Flame Series
What’s old is new again, as garden phlox has been popular with gardeners for a long, long time. The recent introduction of the Flame Series is capturing attention with naturally compact, bushy habits, great disease resistance, and large clusters of fragrant flowers. Growing only 45 cm (18”) tall, dwarf phlox are ideal for mixed borders, edging walkways, and containers. Easy to grow, they enjoy partial to full sun and moist, well-draining soils. Plant them and the friendly honeybees, butterflies, and hummingbirds will come by for a visit – everyone except the deer who seem to steer clear of phlox. Phlox Flame Series bloom earlier than taller garden phlox varieties. In combination, the large scarlet red flower clusters are set off by snow white blooms. Each flower of White Eye Flame has a small rose red eye which sparks off the deeper red blooms. This is a truly charming, nostalgic combination and best of all, these beauties are hardy to zone 3 which means you’ll enjoy them year after year.
Asiatic Patio Lilies
Contemporary Asiatic Patio Lilies are petite versions of taller varieties. Super cute, maxing out at 40 cm (16”) in height, they’re fabulous in containers, and easy to tuck into the front of your perennial border. Asiatic lilies are also super easy to grow, enjoying full sun and well-draining soils. Once the bulbs have been planted, just water regularly until the blooms open. Asiatic Patio Lilies ‘Tiny Hope’ and ‘Tiny Nanny’ team up to create the best maple leaf red and white sparklers when placed throughout the garden. They are hardy to zone 2, and can be left in the ground all winter, which means next year they’ll bloom right on cue.
