Dynamite dwarfs
By: Garden Gate staff
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Dynamic dwarfs
Don’t miss out on all that dwarf plants have to offer!
First of all, they fit into just about any garden scheme. Since they’re smaller, you can get more plants into the same space as one or two regular-sized ones. Just think about the color impact that’ll have. And many dwarfs are especially suited for containers. They’re lower maintenance, too — you’ll never have to stake them.
Click ahead for three colorful dwarf plants and ideas on where to grow them!
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‘Bugsy’ miniature dwarf bearded iris Iris hybrid
‘Bugsy’ flowers early, often at the same time as some early to midspring-blooming bulbs. Feed it with a light application of bone meal, superphosphate or a 6-10-10 fertilizer in very early spring and again about a month after it blooms. It’s perfect in a rock garden or at the front of a border.
Type Rhizome
Blooms Bright yellow, falls (lower petals) have a burgundy thumbprint in early spring
Light Full sun
Soil Rich, well-drained
Size 6 to 9 in. tall, 5 to 8 in. wide
Cold-hardy USDA zones 3 to 8
Heat-tolerant AHS zones 8 to 1
Source Schreiner’s Iris Gardens
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‘Professor Anton Kippenberg’ aster Aster novi-belgii
Unlike a lot of asters that need staking, this one does fine even if you ignore it. And since it doesn’t get rangy, you don’t need to cut it back early in the season. Grow ‘Professor Anton Kippenberg’ at a woodland’s edge, or if it’s in a container, transplant into the garden in late fall.
Type Perennial
Blooms Pale purple flowers with bright orange centers from late summer to midfall
Light Full sun to part shade
Soil Well-drained
Size 12 to 16 in. tall, 12 to 18 in. wide
Cold-hardy USDA zones 3 to 9
Heat-tolerant AHS zones 9 to 1
Source Joy Creek Nursery
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‘Lilliput’ astilbe Astilbe x crispa
Plant ‘Lilliput’ in a woodland or shade garden, but don’t deadhead it — the seedheads add winter interest. In summer, this deer- and rabbit-resistant astilbe attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. It likes rich soil, though, so add a couple of inches of compost around the plant in fall.
Type Perennial
Blooms Plumes of salmon pink flowers from early to midsummer
Light Part sun to full shade
Soil Moist, humusy
Size 6 to 8 in. tall, 8 to 12 in. wide
Cold-hardy USDA zones 4 to 9
Heat-tolerant AHS zones 9 to 1
Source Bluestone Perennials, Inc.
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