3 reliable perennials
By: Garden Gate staff
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Tough perennials for tough spots
There are lots of reasons a plant can grow poorly or fail altogether. Sometimes you can remedy the problem with a little extra effort, such as working compost or fertilizer into the soil, but plants that can thrive in tough spots are still a must.
If you struggle with salty soil or air, extreme cold or too much moisture, click ahead to find 3 plants you can rely on.
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Allium Allium hybrids
Alliums of all types tolerate salty conditions. As a bonus, they’re also super drought-tolerant and low-maintenance, and you can cut flowers to bring inside while they’re in bloom or after stems have dried.
Most have globe-shaped flowers, but there is a wide variety of sizes and habits. ‘Summer Beauty’, left, forms a tidy clump and has loads of 2-in. mauve-pink flowers. And this cultivar doesn’t reseed, as some alliums do.
Type Perennial
Blooms Purple, blue, pink, white or yellow from spring to summer
Light Full sun
Soil Well-drained
Size 6 to 60 in. tall, 6 to 24 in. wide
Cold-hardy USDA zones 3 to 9
Heat-tolerant AHS zones 9 to 1
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Balloon flower Platycodon grandiflorus
Able to survive temps ranging from -25 to -40 degrees F, balloon flower, such as ‘Astra Pink’ at left, doesn’t need a lot of maintenance and isn’t bothered by pests or disease.
Plants are slow to emerge in spring, so be patient. Leave stems through winter or mark the spot they’re growing so you don’t accidentally dig them up in spring while planting something else.
Type Perennial
Blooms Pink, white, blue or purple in summer
Light Full sun
Soil Well-drained
Size 6 to 36 in. tall, 6 to 18 in. wide
Cold-hardy USDA zones 3 to 9
Heat-tolerant AHS zones 9 to 1
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Leatherleaf sedge Carex buchananii
Do you have a place in the yard that stays soggy longer than other areas? That would be a problem for many perennials but not leatherleaf sedge.
Use it to soften harsh edges or angles by letting foliage cascade over a wall or follow steps down a slope, as they do at left. The good drainage found here helps keep the crown from rotting — while leatherleaf sedge likes consistent moisture, it won’t do well in standing water.
In areas where leatherleaf sedge is hardy, the foliage stays evergreen so there’s no need to cut it back. Trim any tattered foliage back by a third in early spring.
Type Perennial
Blooms Inconspicuous brown in early summer
Light Full sun to part shade
Soil Moist, well-drained
Size 1 to 2 ft. tall and wide
Cold-hardy USDA zones 7 to 10
Heat-tolerant AHS zones 10 to 1
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