By Abby Lapides
Of the thousands of perennials grown, some stand above the rest. These plants have pushed the boundaries with the extreme flowering of annuals, but with the low maintenance, disease and pest resistance, and drought tolerance of perennials. These fantastic plants are dreams for flower beds, edging, containers, cutting and pollinator gardens. Use them instead of annuals in mass plantings in large beds. Being long-lived and profuse blooming, they’re ideal choices for areas where you don’t want to replant year after year.
2021 Perennial Of The Year ‘Cat’s Pajamas’ Catmint, Nepeta
A purr-fect perennial, ‘Cat’s Pajamas’ Catmint brings dark flowers stems loaded with indigo blue flowers. The gorgeous flowers cover the whole stem from the soil to the tip of the stem. The long blooming flowers appear in summer and fall. After flowering another flash of color appears with the stems turning rosy purple with the dried flower parts. Sun loving perennial.
The First Two Perennials To Win The Coveted All American Selections Award
These top award winners are far superior to older varieties. The first two herbaceous perennials to win the coveted All American Selections award, these plants bring brilliant mounds of flowers for months on end.
· ‘Baja Burgundy’ Coneflower, Echinacea. Add a bold accent to your sunny gardens with this incredible award-winner. 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 Goldrush’ Black Eyed Susan, considered the best long-lived perennial Rudbeckia. A fantastic improvement over older selections, it brings brilliant mounds of golden yellow daisies with black centers to the garden from July through September, with some additional lighter blooming until frost. What really sets this delight apart is it is extremely resistant to Septoria, a leaf spot fungus that wreaks havoc on many others.
Find these and other perennials at www.sugarcreekgardens.com. Available in-house and online for curbside pickup.