PERENNIAL LIST

I like plants that are tough and long flowering and put on a show. I know that in Toronto, muted colours and ornamental grasses are the rage but, in Thunder Bay, I get enough muted colour all winter In summer, I want glow and show.

Day lilies – Catherine Woodbury is my fav. But there are hundreds of lovely varieties.

Arabis – the best edging IMO. Brilliant white flowers cover spreading green leaves in the spring. Lamium makes a good edging in the shade.

Asiatic lilies Hundreds of varieties, many colours, a rainbow of choice. Note: Orential lilies are not reliably hardy here.

Peonies, bombe type such as Festiva Maxima , carmine flecks on white blooms or the mouthwatering pink of Sarah Benrhardt.

Siberian iris – these almost grow much too well and always seem to be ready to divide, not an easy task. I have ‘butter and sugar,” “Casear’s brother,” “sparkling rose” and many others. I like Siberian iris better than bearded iris – longer bloom times.

Sedums of various types especially Autumn Joy for the fall

Delphinium – I grow the Pacific Giants, the very tall ones that need aggressive staking but the shorter varieties such as”blue fountain” and “bluebird” are nice too

Aruncus or goat’s beard for the semi shade

Monarda or bee balm. Daisy-like bright magenta flowers.

Sweet William. I think this spreads itself by seed. But even so, it has a lovely spicy scent and lovely variegated pink flower heads.

Hostas. I love big dramatic hostas with wide leaves. The small hostas are hardly worth the effort. I like lime coloured leaves or the varieties with cream centres or cream edging.

Columbine (Aquilegia). For shade

Bleeding Heart , pink. For shade.

Monkshood (Aconitum napellus)

True geraniums such as Johnson’s Blue

Sea Lavender. A soft cloud like baby breath. Blooms in August.

Shasta daisies (Chrysanthemun maximum) Is there anything as lovely as a clump of big daisies? I even welcome the wild daisies that sometimes appear in the garden.

Phlox If I had more room I’d have more. I have white, lilac and magenta. Tall and tough with a scent like mown hay. They hit the garden in August and carry it to the frost. Absolutely necessary.

Allium gigantium. The bulbs, which are expensive, have to be planted in the fall. In late May, a tall stalk emerges to produce a perfectly round purple ball of flowerets. Starts the spring with a bang.

Meadowrue (Thalictrum acquilegifolium) Lovely ferny leaves and fuzzy fairy flowers. It spreads by seed but can be managed.


What I would not plant again
Lily of the valley – a root spreader
Astilbe – I do not have much luck with this plant – it lives but does not thrive
Species clematis – also spreads by roots. Just too vigourous.
Japanese peony – pretty but blooms for such a short time
Primrose – may emerge in spring, may not – too too fussy, my dear!
Day lily Stella d’oro – This is a short tough yellow day lily that is not showy enough for me.
Dropmore scarlet honeysuckle, a climber and oh so slow, years of inching along.
Lamb’s ears – kids like the fuzzy soft leaves but the plants do not add much to the garden, IMO.
Lupins – tried and failed.
Perennial asters – no luck with these either
Daffodils - nada
Jackman’s clematis – needs a warm spot near the house wall. I didn’t give it the right location.
Veronica – so-so stuff.
Huchera – I like it but it does not winter for me.
Violas – sold as perennials, but they don’t work for me.
Dahlias – my basement is too warm to over-winter the bulbs but I love them indeed, especially the dwarf patio dahlias.