ng breeze. Plants will grow best in partial shade but will do well in full sun. Columbine will grow 6 to 24 inches tall and just as wide depending on variety. Plant Columbine in the spring in a rich soil and add a lot of peat moss, compost and animal manure. The soil that is well drained but not sandy will give you more flowers and when the seeds form on the plant prepare for more seedlings for next spring. Standing water will or heavy soil will not be tolerated. When the flowers fade cut the dead stems off to encourage a larger plant next year. I like to plant Columbine in a woodland garden, Meadow garden, rock gardens, mixed perennial borders and in a cut flower garden.
Platycodon grandiflorus - Balloon Flowers
Trying to find a low growing perennial that will bloom in the summer can be difficult unless you know about the Bellflower. I recommend that you look for the "Blue Clips" and "White Clips" hybrids at a nursery near you. The foliage is triangular like English ivy and dark green. The foliage develops in a rounded mound 3 to 4 inches tall and spreading 12 to 15 inches wide. Flower buds develop all over the plant on short 2 to 3 inch stems and burst open with a cup shaped flower up to 2 inches wide. The flowers arrive in midsummer and last until fall. Bellflowers are easy to grow and long lived in the perennial garden. Plant in the spring in a sunny location to light shade for more flowers. These plants love a rich soil that is well -drained and never standing water. If your soil is sandy and you want to plant it in full sun be sure to add bark mulch around the base of the plant to help hold water in the soil. When planting be sure to add compost, peat moss and animal manure to encourage quick rooting. If the plants stop flowering cut it back in half and the plant will quickly send out new growth and start flowering again. Deadheading is important if you want this plant to continue flowering all summer. Insect and disease are seldom a problem with this perennial and they are perfect for the new gardener. Divide in the spring by pushing a shovel thru the center of the plant.
Lysimachia punctata-Yellow Loosestrife
Have you ever wanted a perennial flowering plant that will grow and just take over, than look no further than the Yellow Loosestrife? The Yellow Loosestrife needs little to no care and in time can take over your garden. In a perennial border, set plants in a 10 inch plastic pot sunk in the ground to control runners. Now if you have large areas to fill with flowers, plantings near the street or a woodsy area this is your plant. The plant spreads like a wave coming to shore and when planted in the right spot it is wonderful. This plant loves moisture and it will thrive near streams or areas that has standing water in the spring. Partial shade is not a problem either and it will grow very well. The plant prefers a rich humus type soil. The plant will tolerate sandy or dry soil if planted in partial shade. Yellow Loosestrife will grow 18 to 36 inches tall and blooms for 4 weeks or more. The bloom is cup-or star -shaped about 1 to 2 inches wide. The flowers start almost at ground level and run to the top of the plant. When the plant is in bloom it is eye catching and beautiful. Loosestrife makes a beautiful cut flower, for bouquets during June thru August. The foliage makes a nice hedge in the back of flowerbeds, also great in mass plantings and meadow gardens. The plant fills in quickly and makes a great ground cover where nothing else will grow and thrive.
Your summer garden should be bright and colorful and there is none superior perennial than the Coreopsis Tickseed. If your garden is sunny than you need a pretty, daisy like flower that when in bloom is covered with hundreds of tiny golden yellow flowers. A new gardener can grow this perennial. The flowers are 1 inch or less in diameter, with a fuzzy center. The plant will grow 18 to 30 inches tall and just as wide. I love the Tickseed type best because when the plant goes to seed, the pods that they produced resemble insect-like seeds. If you allow this to h