Full sun, evergreen, flowering perennial

Discussion in 'Garden Design and Plant Suggestions' started by evansvillenerd, Apr 19, 2009.

  1. evansvillenerd

    evansvillenerd Member

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    Evansville, IN
    I've cleared the bed in front of my house in preparation for something else, but I don't know what to put there. I'd like to find a perennial that flowers all summer, preferrably one with evergreen foilage ... and it needs to thrive in full sun.

    I've thought about crepe myrtle, but I'd like something evergreen. I've thought about holly bushes, but there's no flowers on them.

    Does what I want even exist? I live in zone 6. Thanks!
     
  2. Ron B

    Ron B Paragon of Plants 10 Years

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    WA USA (Z8)
    The two you named are shrubs, rather than perennials. Something woody is what you are asking about?
     
  3. evansvillenerd

    evansvillenerd Member

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    I don't really care what I plant there as long as it comes back every year. I would have done evergreen azealas, but it gets too much sun and the flowers die out too early.

    I had dianthus there, but it's too wild looking. I wanted something more formal for the front of the house. I like flowers there and I'd really like something evergreen so that it doesn't look so desolate in the winter.
     
  4. kaspian

    kaspian Active Member 10 Years

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    Maine coast, USA, zone 5
    I think you've embarked on a time-honored quest that has frustrated gardeners for many centuries. We all want endless bloom and green leaves to look at in winter, and preferably something that is all but maintenance-free.

    The most satisfying solution is a mixed planting of evergreen and deciduous shrubs, perhaps a small tree or two (if space permits) with lower-growing perennials or other ground-covers to provide more flowers and textures and levels of interest. In the end, such a mixture of plants is much more pleasing than an everblooming evergreen wall (even assuming that such a thing existed). You can plan it so there's almost always something in bloom, or with colorful berries, or vivid autumn leaves, or stately winter foliage. This way, you actually notice what's happening from one week to the next. If something is in bloom all the time, or looks exactly the same year-round, you tune it out.

    There are a lot of books you can consult about this sort of landscaping challenge -- they might sell something helpful right at the local garden center or Home Depot or someplace.
     
  5. portlandrose

    portlandrose Member

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    West Linn, OR - Clackamas
    I've had great success with Daphne, Summer Ice. It really is evergreen and blooms all year round, though most prolific in the spring. It's a tidy, clean looking plant. Only downside is you don't get the wonderful scent of spring flowering Daphne. Other plant to consider is California Lilacs. They're evergreen and have a blue-purple scented bloom in late spring, and again sporadically in the summer. There are several varieties to suit your height requirements. I've also had very good luck with Blue Mist Shrub in full sun, but it's not an evergreen. As I look at my garden another full sun evergreen plant is cistus. The variety in my yard stays low, but only blooms in early summer, but provides a nice backdrop to border plants in front. Sounds like you have a fun project. Good luck.
     
  6. evansvillenerd

    evansvillenerd Member

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    Thanks for your suggestions ... I'll look into those. I'm not as much worried about year-round flowers ... I just want summer flowers on evergreen foilage. Hopefully one of your suggestions will work perfectly, my search can end, and I'll be able to plant the front bed and be done with it! Thanks again.
     

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