By Abby Lapides
From the thousands of perennials grown, some stand above the rest. Returning year after year, these top perennials have the powerhouse blooming ability of annuals, but don’t have to be replanted every spring. Use them in flower beds, as edgers, in containers, and cutting and pollinator gardens. They work fantastic as mass plantings and for replacing annuals in large beds. They have proven themselves in the landscape and in test gardens across the county, earning top awards. Read on to see exceptional plants for 2020.
‘Baja Burgundy’ Coneflower. Add a bold accent to your sunny gardens with the award winning ‘Baja Burgundy’ Coneflower. With its unrivaled blossom color of deep reddish-violet, it demands all eyes. Besides its exquisite beauty, the winning attributes the judges noted include its incredible prolific blooming, sturdy branching and its handsome habit. A member of the exceptional Sombrero series of Coneflowers that were bred to be compact plants with turbocharged blooming power.
‘American Gold Rush’ Black Eyed Susan. A fantastic improvement over older selections, American Gold Rush Black Eyed Susan brings brilliant mounds of golden yellow daisies with black centers to the the garden July through September, with some additional lighter blooming until frost. What really sets this delight apart is its extreme resistance to the leaf spot disease, a fungus that wrecks havoc on many others. A trial judge reported “I believe this is one of the very best Rudbeckias I’ve trialed and one of the very best perennials, too.”
For months on end ‘Caramia’ Meadow Sage brings striking dark stems with violet-purple flowers. Its erect flower stalks stand tall, never flopping like other varieties. From late spring through summer its waves of beautiful flowers keep coming. A long lived perennial that is easy to grow and drought tolerant, shining even in the hottest summers. Deer and rabbit resistant. To see more super bloomers visit www.sugarcreekgardens.com
Sugar Creek Gardens
1011 N. Woodlawn
Kirkwood, MO 63122
314-965-3070