Hot Perennials

Gardener's Journal : Episode GDJ-421 -- More Projects »

Each petal of the Mexican sunflower (Tithonia speciosa) has many shades of gold and orange, adding to its eyecatching appeal.

Nothing says summer quite like sizzling oranges, golds, yellows and reds. But how do you design a "hot" perennial bed without overwhelming the eye? Landscape architect Ann Milovsoroff tours a richly-hued perennial border with Gardener's Journal host Kathy Renwald and offers some pointers:

Figure A

The vivid colors of 'Sunny Orange' cosmos work well because the splashes of color occur amid ferny foliage.

Consider the flower's sculptural quality. Bold colors often seem to work better in simple flowers (figure A) that offer a splash of bright color against a backdrop of foliage, rather than in a solid carpet of searing color, such as with ruffly marigolds.

A variety of hues within the same flower can be more appealing than a solid color.

Hot colors can be incorporated into any garden, but often they work best in late summer, when the golds, bronzes, and rust colors become an invitation to anticipate autumn.

To soften the effect of the hot colors and tone down the flame, add baby's breath (Gypsophila paniculata) or silver-leaved plants.

No matter what color palette you use, design your perennial border with good air circulation in mind. Plenty of air movement helps cut down on disease.

It's the size of the flower--as well as the variety of hues within each petal--that helps to make Rudbeckia hirta 'Indian Summer' a striking flower.

Try planting (Salvia greggii) 'Texas Red' with white baby's breath so that a cloud of delicate white mingles with the strong red.

Bronze and mahogany are great colors for the late summer garden.

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Gardener's Journal : Episode GDJ-421
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