Click to see the sprouting tuber.

plant pick

Cyclamen
Cyclamen hederifolium

It’s hard to say which is more appealing about cyclamen: The perky fall flowers or the charming round to heart-shaped leaves. Colorful blooms push up through the soil first. They’re followed by foliage that sports zones of silver or patterns of lighter or darker colors on the surface with red or purple undersides.

After a few seasons, a tuber the size that you can easily hold in your hand can grow into a clump in the garden that reaches 12 in. across. So even though they’re small, plant them in early fall with plenty of elbow room — 6 to 8 in. apart — just below the soil’s surface. Cyclamen tubers can sometimes take up to two to three years to start growing. (Both roots and stems sprout from the top side of the tuber.) Buy young plants for a quicker start.

TYPE Perennial SIZE 4 to 6 in. tall and wide BLOOM Pink or white in late summer to late fall LIGHT Filtered shade SOIL Well-drained PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 5 to 8; Heat: AHS zones 8 to 1 SOURCE Digging Dog Nursery

If you want to know when this or other perennials flower, see When Perennials Bloom at right.

plant pick

‘Rubra’ astrantia
Astrantia major

Looking for some unusual flowers to spruce up your garden? Try ‘Rubra’ astrantia. The flowers last a long time in the garden and in a vase. And not only that, you can dry them to keep a reminder of summer through the winter.

Astrantia usually does best in part shade with moist, not soggy, well-drained soil. In Northern gardens, you can grow it in full sun if you keep the soil moist. A good way to do this is with a 2- to 3-in. layer of mulch that’s one part well-rotted manure mixed into four parts compost. This type of mulch will feed the soil and keep in much-needed moisture.

Deadheading keeps blooms coming for most of the summer. When flowers fade to brown, follow the stem down to where it branches and snip it off.

TYPE Perennial SIZE 18 to 24 in. tall by 12 to 18 in. wide BLOOM Rose-red in late spring to late summer LIGHT Full sun to part shade SOIL Moist, rich, well-drained PESTS None serious, occasional slugs HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 4 to 7; Heat: AHS zones 7 to 1

creative staking

Sooner or later, you’re going to have a floppy plant that needs some help standing tall. Of course, there are all kinds of plant supports available, from inexpensive bamboo stakes to the more high-end vinyl-coated Y-stakes and plant supports. But sometimes it’s fun to use something that’s a little unusual to keep your plants on the up-and-up. Here are a couple of ideas that work well and are simple to do.

LEAN ON ME — How can you throw away a trusty old rake, even if it’s losing its teeth like the one at right? Cut the handle off at an angle so it will poke into the soil easily. If your New England aster starts to lean, the rake provides a simple prop.

CLIMBER CLIPS — Small spring-hinged hair clips hold plants to bamboo stakes. Make sure the “fingers” of the clip can go around the stake, as they do in the bottom photo, without pinching the stem. The clips come in lots of colors, so choose bright ones for tiny accents, or clear or dark ones for more subtle support.

Check out lots of other creative gardening ideas in Easy Weekend Gardening, Vol. 3 at right.

plant pick

Iris
Iris hybrids

Just about everyone has grown iris at some time. But if you’ve noticed yours aren’t blooming like they used to, it may be time to divide — every three to five years is a good rule of thumb. You can move your iris any time if necessary, but dividing them in mid- to late summer is best. It gives the rhizomes enough time to establish a good root system before winter.

Start by trimming the foliage back to 10 to 12 in. to make plants easier to handle. Use a garden fork to lift the clump out of the ground. Then break or cut off the new growth, which is usually along the outside, from the center of the clump, and discard the old rhizomes. Replant the divisions right at the soil’s surface so they don’t rot.

TYPE Perennial SIZE 8 to 49 in. tall and 18 in. wide BLOOM Almost every color in spring LIGHT Full sun SOIL Well-drained PESTS Occasional iris borer HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 4 to 9; Heat: AHS zones 9 to 1

Click on illustration for plant list.

coral bells = good companions

Coral bells are versatile plants: They thrive in shade gardens and sunny spots alike. Although they’re not usually large plants, their color and texture give them real presence. With good-looking foliage that doesn’t go down with the flowers, coral bells just may be perfect companion plants. Here are a couple of ways to use these great perennials in your garden:

FLOWER POWER — Featuring two long bloomers: Coral bells and spiderwort, this planting takes part sun. The ground cover veronica blooms in spring before the other two get going but has nice-looking foliage all summer.

Click on illustration for plant list.

FUN WITH FOLIAGE — This coral bells combination features plants that will even take full shade. You may not get many blooms from your coral bells there, but its burgundy foliage echoes the burgundy veining in the Japanese painted fern. And the texture contrasts make for a beautiful partnership.

tips for growing lavender

Harvesting fragrant stems of English lavender is a pleasurable garden task. Even the bees are slower and linger quietly on this glorious plant. Although it’s easy to grow English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) in dry climates, it’s a challenge in much of North America — the crowns tend to rot in the winter. Here’s a planting method that’s sure to give you success.

BRIGHT LIGHT, DRY FEET — To start, choose a spot in full sun and dig your planting hole about 8 in. deeper and 12 in. wider than the pot you’re planting. To make the soil a bit alkaline and encourage good drainage, place a layer of limestone gravel in the bottom of the planting hole. Then layer soil and turkey grit. Plant the rootball so the plant’s crown sticks up about an inch above the rest of the soil.

MULCH AND GIVE PLANTS SOME ROOM — After your plant is set, mulch with 2 in. of large granite turkey grit or white landscape stone. If you live near a farm supply store, look for turkey grit there. Otherwise, buy white landscaping stone at a garden center. The light-colored stone reflects the sun under the plant and allows stems to dry out quickly after rain or watering, which prevents rot. And stone, rather than organic mulch, promotes that all-important good drainage, also to prevent root rot. Another thing that can cause fungal problems is poor air circulation. Space plants 24 in. apart to prevent this.

ROOT WATCH — Young lavender plants are usually slow to take off, so it’s best to buy plants that have some root growth. When looking at plants in the nursery, carefully turn the pot over and gently tap it, allowing the plant to slip out of the container. If you can see a few roots poking out of the soil, you know the lavender is established and ready to jump up and grow.

WARM SOIL START — Wait to plant until late spring or early summer when soil temperatures are warm. It’s hard to be patient, but young plants are more likely to rot during a cold, wet spring. If you’ve been frustrated with this charming plant, give this method a try. You’ll soon be harvesting fragrant wands a few times each summer!

When you shop for perennials, how do you know which plant is the best value? Our video tells you what to look for on your next trip to the garden center.

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plant pick

Fernleaf bleeding heart
Dicentra hybrids

From midspring to fall, fernleaf bleeding heart’s arching flower stems dangle delicate blooms above bunches of lacy foliage. Most flowers have shades of red or pink, like ‘Luxuriant’, at left, but it’s possible to find white bloomers, like ‘Snowdrift’.

Bleeding heart is easy to care for. Deadheading? Optional. Dividing in spring? Optional. Staking? Unnecessary. In fact, with just a 3-in. layer of compost placed over the roots in spring, and a consistent watering schedule, this hardy plant will be happy! However, it does reseed readily, so if you don’t want a large stand of bleeding heart, pull seedlings in spring. If you plan on letting this perennial set seed, keep in mind that it can hybridize easily. Plant more than one cultivar in your garden, and you may get a surprise mix of flower colors next year.

TYPE Perennial SIZE 1 to 2 ft. tall and 18 in. wide BLOOM Red, pink or white blooms from spring to fall LIGHT Part to full shade SOIL Moist, well-drained PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 3 to 8; Heat: AHS zones 8 to 1

Learn about other great perennials in Great Plant Combos Made Easy at right!

PHOTO: © Neil Soderstrom

problem solver

Anthracnose

IDENTIFICATION — When anthracnose strikes after a cool, wet spring, you’ll find irregular dark blotches on leaves. Sometimes buds or small twigs will also be infected — symptoms vary with the host plant. Infected parts, especially leaves, eventually drop off.

DAMAGE — Anthracnose, caused by several types of fungi, attacks mainly shade trees, such as sycamore, ash and maple; also some small ornamental trees, like the dogwood in this photo. Spores overwinter on twigs, move through the air and begin to grow in cool, wet weather. Anthracnose rarely kills the tree, but repeated defoliation weakens the plant and makes it unsightly.

PREVENTION — Plant trees in sites with good air circulation and prune dense growth to improve air movement. Keep trees fertilized and vigorous so they can grow new foliage quickly. When choosing a new tree, read tags or ask for resistant cultivars.

Soaker hoses are a gardener’s best friend. Just set them in your flower garden once in spring and don’t move them again until you put them away in fall.

These porous, capped hoses, available from garden centers and hardware stores, lie on the ground and “sweat” when hooked up to water. The water soaks into the soil and nothing is lost to evaporation or overspray. In flower beds use long hoses. For young trees, you can also find soaker rings, like the one below right.

Here are some tips for working with soakers:

● Find a length that works best with your bed. In a flower bed, there’s nowhere to go with extra hose, and hooking too many together may compromise your water pressure.

● Before you put one in the garden, lay it in the sun so it’s flexible.

● Use ground staples to pin the hose in place around tight turns.

● Mulch over your hoses to hide them.

● If your soaker springs a leak, duct tape it — or don’t. This is one time a leaky hose doesn’t matter!

Black is an intriguing color, especially when you talk about flowers. Though these flowers are really deep shades of purple and burgundy, they’re the closest thing you’ll find to black.

butterfly container garden

Want to bring in the butterflies? Create a garden using plants they love. The butterflies will flock to the “buffet” selection of flowers. And you’ll like the fact that many of the plants are easy-care, long-blooming perennials. Most any yard has a spot where you can tuck in a butterfly bed. If yours doesn’t, or you already have a big butterfly garden, but you’d like to draw a few winged visitors closer to the deck or patio, containers are the solution. That way you’ll be able to watch them up close and personal.

While butterflies will visit almost any flower looking for food, they are more attracted to some plants. Those are the ones to use in a container. You’ll want to choose flowers that have lots of nectar, a butterfly’s favorite food. That’s why we’ve included aster, lantana, purple coneflower and black-eyed Susan. Add a canna in the center for some height and bold texture. This guarantees your container will look good to both you and hungry butterflies!

Check out the plant list and planting plan for this container in our Web extra!

problem solver

Sulfur cinquefoil
Potentilla recta

IDENTIFICATION — This 2-ft.-tall perennial weed blooms with sulfur-yellow flowers from late spring to late summer. The plant has stout, hairy stems and leaves with five to seven deep lobes. It spreads by seeds and also by root pieces that are left in the soil.

FAVORITE CONDITIONS — Sulfur cinquefoil needs a place in full sun and is usually found in dry, alkaline soil in rarely cultivated areas.

CONTROL — Hand pull or hoe, making sure to remove all parts of the root. Broadleaf herbicides containing 2,4-D are also effective.

PHOTO: Courtesy of Walter Gardens, Inc.

plant pick: new for 2009

‘Golden Sunrise’ Lenten rose
Helleborus hybrid

After a long winter, Lenten rose is a welcome sight, sometimes blooming even through snow. ‘Golden Sunrise’ is the first in the Winter Jewels™ series, which has large flowers in true color strains. That means all the flowers will be the same color, instead of a mix, like many other Lenten rose hybrids.

‘Golden Sunrise’ has 2- to 3-in., downward-facing yellow flowers. Each has red in the center. Some have a blush, some are solid and others are spotted like the one at left. All have red veining on the petal backs so you get a colorful view from above, too.

TYPE Perennial SIZE 18 to 22 in. tall and 24 in. wide BLOOM Yellow in late winter to early spring LIGHT Part shade SOIL Moist, well-drained PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 4 to 9; Heat: Not available

Meet more great new plants for your garden in the latest issue of Garden Gate magazine. Check out the Web extras for this story and more! Click here for all.

plant pick

Penstemon
Penstemon hybrids

Need a plant for that hot, dry spot? Also want hummingbirds? Choose a penstemon! Although these plants have a reputation for being finicky, all they really need to thrive is well-drained soil. (Although some, like Red Rocks™ (USDA zones 5 to 9), at left, tolerate a little more moisture and humidity than others.)

To give them the sharp drainage they love, plant penstemons in rock gardens or raised beds, or work some gravel or coarse sand into their planting area. You’ll know the texture is right when you squeeze a handful of damp soil and it doesn’t stick together. They do like a little extra moisture in spring and as new plants just getting established. Water them deeply and infrequently to encourage the roots to grow deep. Fertilize sparingly or not at all, as too much fertilizer will make the stems weak and floppy. Follow these simple rules, and your penstemons will attract hummingbirds for months!

TYPE Perennial SIZE 4 to 72 in. tall and 10 to 36 in. wide BLOOM Red, pink, purple, yellow or orange flowers early to late summer LIGHT Full sun SOIL Moist, well-drained PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 3 to 10; Heat: AHS zones 10 to 1

Meet more than 150 other great plants for your garden in our new softcover book, Ultimate Flowers for Sun and Shade. Find out how at right!

plant pick

Double Knock Out^® rose
Rosa ‘RADtko’

Double Knock Out could be the perfect landscape rose. These 3 1/2-in., double fluorescent cherry-red flowers bloom from late spring to frost and never need deadheading. And like its cousin, the original Knock Out, this rose is drought-tolerant, self-cleaning and won’t succumb to blackspot.

With its hint of spicy scent, Double Knock Out is about as maintenance-free as it could be. It’s almost constantly covered in blooms — about five flowers in a cluster and 25 clusters on each branch. In fall the foliage turns rich purple with subtle maroon undertones.

TYPE Perennial SIZE 36 in. tall and wide BLOOM Cherry-red from late spring to frost LIGHT Full sun SOIL Moist, well-drained PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 4 to 9; Heat: AHS zones 9 to 1

problem solver

Aster yellows on coneflower

IDENTIFICATION — One disease that can infect purple coneflower is aster yellows. It’s caused by a phytoplasma, a disease-causing organism smaller than bacteria but larger than a virus.

DAMAGE — Leafhoppers carry the disease by piercing leaves to feed on plant juices. Infected plants produce underdeveloped and deformed flowers, as shown in the photo.

CONTROL — There’s no cure, but you can stop the spread of the disease by pulling up all infected plants and destroying them. The phytoplasma needs a living host, so skip a season after the cleanup before planting more coneflowers.

create a private getaway

What’s the secret to creating privacy in a small back yard? It starts with getting in shape. And this has nothing to do with early morning workouts (unless you mean edging and deadheading!).

One of the most effective ways to create privacy is with large, sweeping beds. It may seem counterintuitive, but notice how breaking up the space with lots of curving gardens actually makes this back yard seem larger. Click on the photo to see how effective this is.

Curving lines, as well as raised beds and tall plants, partially obscure the view of the rest of the garden. You can’t see the whole thing from any one vantage point. This creates mystery and piques people’s curiosity about what lies around the bend.

red barrenwort
epimedium xrubrum

If you have shade, you know how hard it is to find plants that will thrive there. Barrenwort is one such plant. Don’t be fooled by its delicate-looking foliage and flowers. This tough plant can handle dry shade and looks good doing it. This slow-spreading perennial ground cover makes a striking scene in spring with sprays of dainty red flowers. Click the photo to see a flower closeup.

As the nights cool down in autumn, the leaves often change to rust orange. And the leaves are nearly evergreen, lasting until heavy snow knocks them to the ground. When the new leaves just start to sprout in spring, cut off the old ones.

TYPE Perennial SIZE 6 to 12 in. tall, spreading BLOOM Red with cream centers in early spring LIGHT Part shade to shade SOIL Moist, humus-rich, well-drained PESTS None serious HARDINESS Cold: USDA zones 5 to 9; Heat: AHS zones 9 to 1 SOURCE www.deerresistantplants.com

How much mulch do you need to put around your plants? Since the idea is to create a blanket, use the soil as a gauge — if you can see soil, you need more mulch. For most plants, a layer of 2 to 4 in. is deep enough.

MULCHING AROUND PERENNIALS — Spread mulch completely around a plant so all the roots can benefit. Just be sure to keep it at least an inch away from the stem and leaves. Mulch placed too closely to a plant will limit air circulation and create an environment where insects and diseases can flourish.

For plants that have a low-growing or mounding habit, like the coral bells you see above right, you can mulch around the outermost leaves. These act as a self-mulch, keeping the soil cool under the plant and helping to conserve moisture.

MULCHING AROUND TREES — Mulch helps trees most if it extends to the dripline. You can find the dripline by drawing an imaginary line from the outermost leaves on the tree to the ground. That’s a gauge of how far the roots extend on the plant. Be sure to keep mulch at least an inch away from the trunk, as well. Newly planted trees benefit the most from mulch because their roots haven’t grown enough to get water and nutrients from deep in the soil.