Absolutely stunning AND my all-time most favorite colors. I winter sowed white baptisia this year along with one named Screamin' Yellow. Both sprouted but it'll be a few years before they bloom and now I know they'll get planted next to each other.

I love Baptisias! They make the best cut flowers too. I'm finding that they look better every single year. I think the plain variety is the prettiest though. The color is so intense but the blooms are spaced further apart.

Amsonia 'Blue Ice' should have been perennial plant of the year instead of that other Amsonia last year. LOL.

I'm in zone 7 too, but with me the Amsonias are still buried in the soil. Here were are talking about daffodils, primulas,anemones, early tulips, helleborus and pulmonarias.

echinaceamaniac the quality of those pictures is outstanding. What camera are you using?

I just used my iPhone 4. Thanks!

That's amazing. It'll be June before any of those are out here. Our springs go on for about 3 months. I think we're a bit ahead of wieslaw59 though - it's myosotis, tulips, bleeding hearts and apple blossom time here.

Gorgeous! Especially like the delosperma - what a bright, exciting color! :0)

They are amazing plants. I'm using them in these big urns around Yucca 'Color Guard' for a drought proof perennial replacement for petunias and other annuals.

mmmm, and phlox, auriculas, saxifrages and tiny little buds on some of the roses.
Lovely little penstemon and baptisia (not seen that often in the UK and generally only the blue B.australis).

Do people in the UK grow Amsonia 'Blue Ice'? I was curious. It's such a nice blue flower which isn't common here.

I bought Amsonia Blue Ice from Belgium last spring, but it did not bloom. In fact it did not do that much at all. I have propagated Amsonia tabernamontana salicifolia, Amsonia illustris and Amsonia hubrichtii from seed. I have kept several plants of A.illustris, the best of the lot for my garden. Amsonia tabernamontana salicifolia is a rampant grower covering a lot of space in no time and in my opinion it is a plant for a park or a very large garden. The foliage is just extremely lush, trying to choke the neighbors. A.illustris has a better ratio of flowers vs. foliage in my garden. Amsonia hubrichtii is too floppy for my taste.

Awesome I have never heard of Amsonia (I guess I'm not keeping up with Plants of the Year hehe), and that blue ice is a lovely blue!

If I can find it, I will be planting it!

echinaceamaniac, thank you for the great idea of replacing petunias with perennial delosperma! I'm on it TOMORROW, first thing. You are wonderful!

By the way, cannot wait to see all your echinaceas this summer.
pat

VERY pretty combination! I've been considering trying Amsonia. Nice to see it used so well.

...great idea of replacing petunias with perennial delosperma!

But do delosperma blossom all summer and into the fall as do a good quality petunia?

Delosperma cooperi bloomed all summer through frost. No deadheading or watering required. No asking anyone to water while on vacation! And...I bought one plant three years ago and have rooted cuttings for so many friends! They started blooming in April this year and should keep going all summer through frost. It looks awesome trailing down the side of a container too. Petunias are so much trouble. I hate pulling those sticky dead blooms off all the time. I just planted several new varieties of Delosperma. I started cuttings in my outdoor planters in March. They are already hanging down the sides with blooms. Also..they stay green all winter. Now I have containers that look good year round.

Love, love your combos. Wish that Delosperma would survive my winters. I have tried them in sandy soil zone 5 Michigan, and then in a less sandy soil in zone 5 PA. My experience has been that they are just not zone 5 plants. This year, I am willing to try some of the newer Delosperma that are reported to be more winter hardy. Can't beat the profuse and colorful bloom.

You should try Delosperma 'Carmen Lucia.' I heard it is very hardy and blooms better than most others. Sorry to hear cooperi isn't hardy there. You could always keep a start as houseplants over the winter. It will grow in a bright location. I had a few blooms this winter too.

This year, I am willing to try some of the newer Delosperma that are reported to be more winter hardy.

I have bought several of the (over)hyped "Fire Spinner but which others are you referring to?

There is a series of about half a dozen hybrids from
Japan. 'Carmen Lucia', 'Rise and Shine', 'Pink Ribbon', 'Perfect Orange', 'White Pearl', etc. That may be the ones. I did hear they were hardier. I guess we'll hear soon enough.

echinaceamaniac wrote:

I can't wait to see Delosperma 'Fire Spinner' bloom!

Any update re your first year 'Fire Spinners'?

I planted 6 small ones over 3 weeks ago and I have seen no growth, no nothing :(.

They are starting to get buds. They are good growers so far but seem to bloom later. They love a hot, sunny spot. The variety that blooms the most here is cooperi. I have one called 'Lavender Ice' that is starting to bloom. I gave my Fire Spinners some Miracle Grow and they started growing like crazy! Your zone is colder than mine so your plants will be a little later on blooming. I have been rooting cuttings of them all so that probably delayed the bloom too. I can't get enough of these!

Of course you will post pictures when you get your first blooms.

I hope so. I'm getting impatient. They need to hurry. LOL.