Platycodon always puts a smile on my face, even if its blooms are short lived for me. You can't go wrong with perennial dianthus, it will spread but is easy to contain. And its early blooms give me a pop of color in late spring when I need it most.

Lilies are my favourite- both asiatic and oriental. The asiatics spread a bit more for me, but I welcome that. When the orientals bloom, I can smell them from inside the house.

Daylilies bloom well for me in full shade all the way up to full sun.

Tracy

Iris did well for me in part shade, and the foliage holds up all summer, unlike a lot of spring bloomers. They multiply, but never crazily -- just divide them every few years and keep the best fans.

Another unlikely candidate for part sun is the peony. I had several in dappled shade that never received an unobstructed view of the sky, and they grew just fine. Maybe not as prolific a bloom as if they were situated in full sun, but they did bloom nicely. And peony is another with nice foliage after the blooms are finished.

I second the nomination for platycodon, and I'll add brunnera for the front of the border! If rabbits are an issue, note that they LOVE dianthus buds; but if they aren't troublesome in your area, that's another good plant for the front.

It is fun to plan. I second the lilies suggestion. How about something like a Knockout or Carefree Sunshine rose. They do not need spraying, stay the same size, bloom ALL season. Iris is something that increases to fill a bed but will not self seed. If you added an aster and some spring bulbs you would have season long color.

I don't remember which forum it's on, but please search for a thread on winter garden. It talks about changing the garden from high maint to low care perennials to enjoy late in life when mulching and splitting are too much for the body. Research before you plant is going to save you a LOT of headaches. I will not put in self-seeding because I know I garden on a time-available basis - I'm not going to deadhead in a timely fasion.

If you haven't already, you should consider including shrubs, both confier and decidous. They will add hight, form, and winter interest while all of the perennials are sleeping.

Low care perrenials I like: Astilbe, Liatris, Heuchera, Geranium, Hemerocallis, Lily, Dicentra, Dianthus, Hosta, Alchemilla, Tiarella, Aconitum, Grasses, Peony, sedum, iris, artemisia (silver mound not running type), fern, Eupatorium, clematis. Most of those do not need to be split regularily to perform well (except iris), do not self seed, spread in a well behaved manor and while some benefit from cutback, it is not required (grasses).

All good suggestions so far. I have to agree with peonies in partial shade. Mine have done fine this way for years now.

One little note about Asiatic lilies. I love them to death and have about 50 varieties, but they can be a bit of work every 3-4 years. Most can go that long without being divided, but after that they really should be or they will often go into decline. If you only have a few clumps - no big deal, but if you start going crazy with them digging and dividing all those plants in the fall can be a bit overwhelming at times. I try to do a few each year, so the task doesn't get the best of me. Still, I couldn't imagine a garden without them.

Kevin

Eupatorium rugosum 'Chocolate' springs to mind as a singularly well-behaved plant. It forms a neat, rounded, upright clump of attractive dark foliage, to about 4 foot high for me. No sprawling or creeping. I have two, both in part-shade positions, doing very well. I also second Astilbe, Dicentra, Heuchera and Aconitum. Ligularia dentata are well behaved too, as long as they get adequate moisture, but they can wilt alarmingly on hot days.

I agree with sjmarq's list except that I found eupatorium 'Chocolate' to be a fairly heavy seeder in zone 5. I killed it in my new garden (by accident, I swear!) - probably not enough water. Also lilies can be susceptible to lily leaf beetle, so think about avoiding these if you have LLB in the area.

Consider also

daffodils
squills
geum
echinops ritro (some GWers have mentioned that this reseeds for them, but I never saw seedlings)
siberian iris
phlox 'David'

hydrangeas - make the best cut flowers!
leptodermis oblongata - a lovely little shrub
eleutherococcus sieboldianus 'Variegatus' - a stunning shrub that takes a good bit of shade

Hi 'Adam'. Still missing your old persona....
My Eup chocolate reseeds like mad. If you'd like some seedlings, let me know! It's not as bad as monarda, but it is definitely abundant. That said, I love it with dicentra, red astilbe, and penstemon digitalis Husker's Red.
But my favorite favorites are daylilies, geraniums (rozanne and biokovo), salvia n caradonna, and...centranthus ruber (but the latter only in full sun). I am also enchanted by various tiarellas at the moment, but I've only had them for a few months, so I can't swear by them. Likewise with a gorgeous geum. Good luck with your big bed!
Your asclepias or whatever is blooming! I am hoping some butterflies will visit soon.
Best,
ML

I love my heucheras and Lady's mantle for behaving themselves. Even the dwarf goatsbeard is fine and happy where I have it (hiding the vent to the dryer). Painted ferns and brunnera are great for the shade garden as well.

Tracy...
Yes, I have a platycodon..they are very sweet delicate blooms. Mine needs staking.
Lilies..I love. I have a Casa Blanca, Sadly, we have the lily leaf beetle here and I am thinking it isn't going to last long.
Daylilies...Hyperion is my only one and it is in a full sun location. Love the fragrance. Definitely carefree and tough.
Dianthus...I love Dianthus. How do you know which are annual and which are perennial?

deeje...
Someone gave me my first iris last year. The intermediate size and they are great. I am thinking of getting the variegated one. I also received a peony last year but it hasn't bloomed yet.
Haven't seen any rabbits here yet..a chipmunk or two though. Thought I heard the brunnera was a spreader?

beancounter...
Thanks..I have a red Knockout Rose and it is doing pretty well. I just googled that Carefree Sunshine. Pretty yellow. I could add Bonita to the roses that are carefree.
I want to add an aster, but having trouble choosing which one or two to try first. Don't they increase in size pretty fast and reseed?

sjmarq....
Thanks for pointing me toward that thread on creating a low maintenance garden. I found it in the FAQ of the Winter Garden Forum and have linked it below. I have been researching and being careful for the past 10 years, everytime I created a new garden bed and have had good luck with most of what I have tried. I have been tempted lately though to try other plants and am back to researching again. [g]
Yes, I have added shrubs too.
Love your list of low care perennials too. Liatris was a surprise, doesn't that reseed? Does Aconitum need staking?

Kevin....
Because of the Lily leaf beetle here in New England, I am limiting my lilies but good to know about the dividing. thanks.

Thanks ornata....had to look up ligularia. I don't have enough moisture for that one.

leslie...I had heard that eupatorium chocolate was a reseeder...thanks for reminding people about the Lily Leaf Beetle. I know everyone doesn't have that problem, but here in New England it is a BIG problem.
I'd forgotten I have an echinops. They do like sandy soil better than clay though. Mine doesn't grow much here in the clay.
Also haven't tried those Phlox paniculatas yet...I heard David and a few others are mildew resistant.
Love hydrangeas, but the only mophead that has survived and bloomed for me is the Endless Summer

Great ideas.... Liking all your lists..thanks for sharing. Keep them coming. :-)

Here is a link that might be useful: How do I create a low maintenance garden in colder zones?

mayalena...

Hello again. :-) I'm sorry, I just haven't been posting as much, but I am still here. [g] I have to laugh Mayalena, you gave me two Eupatorium Chocolate seedlings last year and they are doing very well this year. I still have them in a holding bed and still anxious about whether the reseeding will be an issue for me. I am thinking that if I just deadhead it I will be fine and that is what I am going to try this year. I LOVE the plant. A very pretty dark foliage accent plant. Thanks for telling me where you placed yours. I have an area with those plants I could add it to...if deadheading does the trick. I am pretty good at remembering to deadhead, but we will see. It is a lot easier than digging out seedlings.

I also love my hardy geraniums. Karmina and Samobor are favorites of mine. I am just trying sanguineum this year. Performing different then I expected. It is acting like a ground cover when I thought it would grow upright. Haven't decided whether I like it or not. I am thinking about trying the Rozanne.

Love the salvia caradonna and am going to try to add that too. Also notice a number of people recommending the salvia marcus that I just saw last year for the first time. That is a different salvia then I am used to. I have Blue Spires this year and that has been a heavy bloomer for me and has been blooming for a long time. I have only had it a year so still not sure how it works out for maintenance yet. I had heard it attracts hummers...but I haven't seen a hummer since I lived here. [g]

Also, I am loving a Tiarella, Phlox 'Blue Moon', Japanese Painted fern, combo planted near a variegated red twig dogwood. Really pretty light planting under the drip line of a Maple.

Happy to hear the Asclepias is blooming for you!

jazzmom...

I love heucheras too! I have a couple and want to add more. Palace Purple of course, Silver Scrolls, Stormy Seas. I tried the marmalade colored ones and they didn't grow for me.

Also have had some alchemilla for a long time. I keep moving it around the yard and haven't found a place I am crazy about it yet. What is a good combination of plants using alchemilla?

Iris (Sibirian, German, Ensata)
Peonies
Clump forming grasses (want sun and reasonably crappy soil)
Platycodon (mine needs more sun than it gets)
Astilbes
FERNS
Epimedium
Hostas
Chelone
Cimicifuga
Kirengeshoma palmata
Aruncus dioicus
Eupatorium (mine don't seem to reseed)

You have a huge new space! Yowza. Are you planning to integrate some shrubs into the mix, too? and when did become Prairiemoon2... I still don't connect your name with Adam. Sorry! :(

Carl Forester(SP) grass always looks great in my beds and stays in a clump. Butterfly weed is my all time favorite. It looks even more perfect with may night salvia. But you have to clip off the old blooms on the salvia. I have a yellow day lily that does not outgrow it's spot. Right now I have a tansy that looks terrific. I could not grow this plant in our old yard-must not like black walnuts.

Russian sage is a very well-behaved, almost stately plant, in my garden. Also veronica blue border stays put. Peonies, lilies and others mentioned as well. And of course hosta. And for the truly well-behaved, consider some conifers for that large border.

Personally, I adore the self seeders and the spreaders, but it's nice to have some things that just stay where I put them and return reliably year after year.

Patty

Hi Chelone... :-)

I made a screen name change back in the late fall/early winter last year, which I posted about in the New England and Winter Sowing forum. I guess I have only posted sporadically since then so it might have been hard for people to get used to the name change. So Prairiemoon2 = AdamM321. Saw you at the spring and fall swap last year and have one of your siberian iris..lol...which btw, bloomed this year, thank you very much. :-)

Yes, my space sounds so huge, but right now it doesn't seem to me to be taking very much to fill it up. It is a little raised and edged with rocks, backed up to a stockade fence with Evergreen trees on the other side of it. The middle gets about 7 hrs of sun, one end gets 5-6hrs and the other end only gets sun until about 10am. I moved plants from other areas into it.

A Penelope rose against a side fence
Lamb's Ear Helen Von Stein and Shasta Daisy in front of it
An amelanchier tree in a corner, which I keep looking at and asking, do I really want it there? [g]
A Butterfly Bush
Two Ninebark's 'Seward's Wine'
Ninebark 'Sutherland's Gold'
Oakleaf hydrangea near the tree
A Rosa glauca
Sedums...AJ, Matrona, Purple Emperor
Salvia Blue Spires
Salvia Rose Queen
Salvia Blue Hills
Morning Light grass
Pennisetums
Blue Fescue Elijah Blue
Echinaceas seedlings
Gallardia seedlings
Agastache Honey Bee Blue
Peony..maybe a pink
Some intermediate iris
One Knock Out Rose

I am adding some dianthus, Sedum Vera Jameson, and another variegated sedum along the rock edge. I am adding a Frosty Morn Sedum.

Those are my basic plants, off the top of my head. The shrubs are all small at this point. I winter sowed last winter and had some seedlings to add, but, I am starting to just put seedlings in anywhere they fit and not liking the way it is looking. I tried some annual poppies there and had never grown poppies before, but I don't like the effect and don't think I will try those again, once I collect the seed, they are out of there. I put in daffodils that looked great in the spring, but the leaves are just hanging and hanging on, driving me crazy. I haven't figured out what to grow where they are to disguise the dying foliage. I am not a daylily fan.

I did add some asclepias seedlings behind and around the butterfly bush, as I would really like to attract butterflies, but I have had that in another location and I know it does reseed. I wanted to add Joe Pye Weed and I have the seedlings but I just haven't put them in yet because I am a little worried about the reseeding.

The other plants I am thinking of adding are asters, which again I keep dragging my feet, because I don't want to regret it, and verbena bonariensis, which I thought I might like but know that reseeds too and Hibiscus Sweet Caroline, which I think might be too large and the full sun area is getting pretty full already.

On the other end where I just get the morning sun, I am putting in Cammassia and Primrose in front of Lunaria [maybe with Campanula americana mixed in] and hope that won't get away from me. The seedlings of Campanula americana which is a native I have been holding back on putting them in too because I'm not sure they are going to be a problem once they are established.

I guess I am trying to have my cake and eat it too. I want to use natives, I want a prairie, I want to attract butterflies, but I also want low maintenance. It is the most sun in the yard, so I keep adding anything that is for full sun that I can't put somewhere else. Maybe I just can't have it all. But I keep trying..lol.

I am not as worried about reseeding, because I do plant really close together and I always have a heavy layer of mulch under everything. I have had reseeders before that haven't really been a big problem..like cosmos, coreopsis lancelota. I don't mind where cosmos come up, they are always welcome and I rarely move them. So I thought the only way to find out if these plants will reseed in a way I can live with is to try them I guess.

I think I would like to add a small evergreen shrub or two, but again, full sun and running out of room.

Other than all that..lol...the other problem I am having with the border, is that since there is different sun exposure along the length of it, I am having a hard time using any repeating plants for cohesion.

So that is my loooonnnnng story. Maybe that you would recognize more as an Adam post. [g]

I'm so "bad" with names! and suspect you were one of the people at the swap who I was unable to persuade into taking the Panicum, "Prairie Sky"... hehehe. But you WERE one of the people who saved me the effort of hurling the Sibirian iris out the car window as I motored north on I95... ;) (want some more?!)

Are you using groundcovers? I'm really warming up to them, personally. I have just started breaking up a vigorous clump of Epimedium and starting new colonies to anchor the edge of beds, ditto Asarum europaeum. I'm really developing a great respect for these wonderful garden "mules". They work tirelessly, all season long, and rarely get the acclaim they deserve.

Yes, you did try to get me to take that Panicum home with no luck. [g] I put the Siberian iris in a shady area that gets some morning sun and it is doing fine and growing. I think I will have my own to bring to the swap before you know it. [g]

I am a big Epimedium fan, too. I just LOVE them. They are so easy, they grow in the dark shade and the part shade. They increase gradually, they tolerate a LOT of drought and still look good. I had one bunch in the same location for 7 years and never had to touch it. NOt watering, or dividing or fertilizing, nothing. I actually am going to order a few different varieties in the fall.

Also have the European Ginger with Solomon's Seal in the shade mixed with the Epimediums. Really easy care. I want to add something to that area that will have a good bloom season. The epimedium has such delicate pretty flowers, but very short lived. I am trying some violas which I love so much, they can reseed over 1/2 of my yard and I will still love them. I am still trying to think of something else too though.

What are you growing with your Epimediums?

Astilbe. No slug damage, deers hate them, and in our northeastern places they will tolerate a lot of conditions.

Any member of the Lynchnis perennial family. Again, a no pest plant and a bonus plant in attracting hummingbirds and butterflies. Mine had 2 hummers fighting this am, and then a Swallowtail and a Monarch moved in.

You might consider herbs as well. I have a stand or Oregano which is amazing. Again, a no pest plant, and when it blooms in a couple of weeks, the butterflies will be at it.

Veronicastrum Virginicum. Takes a while to establish (winter sown) but in it's fourth year now, I'm glad I didn't give up!!

Any perennial geranium.

Chocolate Euparorium is also nice as someone previously stated.

Phlox Paniculatas are my favourites, but if you have deers, forget it. The deers have discovered mine this year and I am in mourning... The mutilation has been excessive. But if you don't have the beasts, by all means get Phlox.

Sorry, but unlike others, I cannot recommend Asiatic or Oriental Lilies due to the Lily Beetle infestations we get. Mine have all been removed from the gardens, and now I stick to the daylilies. To me, a plant which behaves well is also one which does not attract such a pest.

I have Astrantia near my Epimedium. Both grow in the shadow of a Rhodo. and an "Annabelle" Hydrangea. They prosper in the strong, early spring sun, and benefit from the increasing shade as the the canopy of surrounding trees fills in and Annabelle leafs out.

Your garden will be sorely lacking that Panicum come late July/early August...

;)

Did I miss hellebores? If you have some nice shady places they are long-blooming and well-behaved, they also don't need frequent division, are deer/rabbit resistant, and have nice foliage. There are some gorgeous, but expensive, double varieties out there now. My favorite of the ones I own is a pink seedling with freckles I got at a sale.

tootswisc...

Wow, that Carl Forester is a large grass, no? What plants did you pair it with? Yes, I like Butterfly weed too, but that orange is so hard to fit in with the other colors in my borders. I love orange/purple color themes, but I don't have a place to use one right now. I have butterfly weed in a 'no color' rules bed right now. Not planned that way..lol. How do you keep it from clashing with pinks?

Isn't tansy really aggressive and deep rooted?

Patty....

I forgot that I also have Perovskia..the russian sage. I LOVE that plant. Now that one may be the easiest plant I have in the yard. It requires nothing from me at all, except to cut back the branches to a few buds in the spring. It always looks pristine. Never has a brown leaf, or droops. Goes with so many plants. Long lasting bloom.

Hhmmmm-maybe tansy might turn into something agressive as it looks just wonderful in it's 2nd year.-I better keep an eye on things or it will be yet another love hate relationship

I have Carl forester in several places. At my business I have it as a foundation plant-is that the right word? I am trying to make things easier. I have 2 clumps with purple fountain grass in front of it. I like it with other grasses but in my garden it stands alone blowing in the wind. I also have some next to a couple of pine trees. The contrast looks quite nice. But as the pine trees grow, it has shaded the grass more and it does not look as nice this year. A kindof mistake is in the front of my house. I have a couple of clumps behind a lovely bed of a bunch of lower growing plants. I should say behind as you go out my breezeway door so that means it is front of lower plants from a street view. I was pleasing myself as I walked out the door. It's my bed afterall so shouldn't I make it to please me.

So now I have to plant things on the other side so it will end up in the middle.

http://www.perennialplant.org/ppy/01ppy.html

I really like this site-I am a snob at times and just have to have the perenials of the year!

Reviewing this thread...

Tracy, on the platycodon, that comes in pink/blue/white right? If I remember right, that plant had no pests for me, and stayed in one place for quite awhile, not needing to be divided. The staking was the only drawback and if I remember right, didn't someone tell me there is a dwarf version, that doesn't need staking? I did want to mention that it is the campanula family and if you have trouble with groundhogs, woodchucks, these are one of their favorite foods.

All of you in areas that don't have the Lily Leaf Beetle are SO lucky. I would grow a whole yard of them if I didn't have them.

With peonies in part sun, I am so surprised they bloom there. Wondered if anyone wanted to recommend particular varieties that are their favorites? Also, do I remember right, that Tree Peonies take more shade than herbaceous? I would think a peony is very well behaved. Hardly ever needs dividing, pest free right? Does it need fertilizing? Again, it needs staking right? I put a tomato cage around the only one I have, but it was too small to need it this year.

I've had that Silver Mound Artemesia at the edge of a bed and it was very well behaved, didn't reseed or travel, increased slowly. Nice silver accent and very neat.

A number of people have recommended grasses. I love grasses, but early on discovered two issues to be careful with. Some grasses are very big reseeders, especially in the warmer zones. Some are runners which would scare me to death in my yard. So I chose to add a clump grass..pennisetum, not known to reseed here in my zone. I have had one in the same location for 7 years that has not reseeded even one little seedling, has been carefree, about 1.5ft high x 2 ft wide. Has been slow to develop that 'dead in the middle' problem. I really enjoy that grass. The only drawback to remember with even the clump grasses, is they are hard to move, so be sure you really like it where you put it. [g] We attempted to dig it up to divide it about 4 years ago, and gave up. I think we will need an ax to get it out of there. Luckily it is in a place that I can keep it for life..lol.

Lychnis...tiffy, were you talking about coronaria? I have that plant in a front yard bed and it has been a heavy reseeder for me. Not sure if it is staying. I didn't know it was a butterfly or hummingbird attractor. I will have to keep a look out for them.

Oregano...is that a perennial plant or an annual? I have seen some amazing oregano that are very decorative. I do use herbs in pots in the veggie garden area. Which type do you have tiffy?

Veronicastrum...is Culver's Root, right? Does that stay in place and/or reseed? How tall does it get and what do you plant it with?

Hellebores...jennie...I just added two plants last year and they have been very welcome. Very easy so far, and long bloom time in the spring.

Tootswisc....thanks for that link to the Perennial Plant of the Year site. I will have to go back and check it out more. I added the Carl Forester Grass as a link below.

:-)

Here is a link that might be useful: Carl Forester Grass..Perennial Plant of Year

Hey Adam! Are you the same Adam who was having trouble keeping catmint because of all the neighbourhood cats last year? LOL. I'm still having luck with my nepeta mussolini, my three cats don't seem to care about it - maybe because I have a large planting of nepeta cataria at the back of my garden where no-one goes, except for the 3 addicts.

Sounds like you got some great suggestions above for your new bed. I see you already have japanese painted fern - i was going to suggest that. I love mine and after 4 years they're producing side shoots which are so easy to dig out and plant elsewhere. I've managed to make 4 more plants this year from it, and even without doing that, it wasn't taking over the bed.

Re. peonies -- rather than staking, because of their bushiness, use a peony ring. It's a circle of wire with 3 legs but put it in the ground before the plant gets too bushy and it won't even be visible by the time the flowers bloom. Mine do very well in part sun/shade.

Hi Pam :-) Yes, that was me! Was that last year? It seems like a lot longer than that. [g] I have since bought a Nepeta Walker's LOw and keep it in the backyard rather than the front now and I am not having a problem. Of course, I have a feeling there are no more cats in my neighborhood. It is very strange, but I can't remember the last time I saw one. Not even at the feeders where there are tons of birds, I haven't seen a cat. I wonder if people are just keeping their cats indoors more now, or if the coyotes got them. We had gotten warnings from the town that we have them in our area, although I haven't seen any sign of one.

We put the Japanese ferns in last year and I am just loving them. I wondered how they would do under silver maples that are notorious for the dryness of the soil under them, but they seem to be doing fine. I am glad to hear that they will produce the side shoots, because I would love to have more of them.

Thanks for the tip on the peony ring. I am sure it will be much prettier than the tomato cage..lol.

Thanks Pam for saying hello.. :-)

I have been really pleased with my Echinops ritro, a thistle relative withflowers that look like blue balls, it's been reliable and tolerates dry. Also looks good in cut flower arrangements and dries so easily. German statices and sea statice (limonium, I think) have come back year after year. They aren't very tall, about 12-18 inches. Also, there is a kind of dianthus (centroides?) that forms a neat greenish, bluish, grayish mat of foliage and is covered with tiny single blooms. One cultivar was called "Zing Rose" and has a profusion of tiny purplish- red flowers, another cultivar is called Arctic something or other, and the flowers are white with pink centers. Very attractive on the edge of your border. For tall late bloomers, I like Helenium autumnale. I like that it doesn't flop too much, nowhere as bad as my Alma Potsche (sp?) asters. I just don't get around to staking my plants.

PrairieMoon aka Adam, The Nepeta Walker's Low does not attract cats. Might smell similar to us but the felines don't feel the same way. I "tested" mine on my cat, and she acted as if I was trying to poison her. I have lots of neighborhood cats too and they are uninterested in that one. I wanted to make sure before I planted it: I didn't want to attract them as my cat would be threatened by such activity on her turf.

I was going to suggest daylilies for all your space, because there are so many great new varieties; but then I re-read your posting and saw you did not like them! (Why, just out of curiousity? I find that most people who dislike them do so because they don't like the foliage.)

Hi Marie,

I love Echinops too. They are so different. I started out 7 years ago with 3 plants in a full sun area of unamended clay soil. They just petered out. Then I was left with just one plant that might produce 3 stems with thistles on the top all season and that was it. I have heard others report how it grows like a weed for them. Those who did, had sandy soil. So I assume it is my clay soil.

I have never tried any dried flower plants like the statice or strawflower. I keep meaning to. The statice sounds like a good mid/front border plant. I love those mat forming dianthus. I have one called 'Tiny Rubies'. It is sweet, but the flowers are really tiny..lol. I haven't found the right place for it yet. Easy care and well behaved for sure. I think you are referring to 'Artic Fire', which is a white with a small red center. Doesn't it look all white from a distance? Love those. I hope to start a lot of dianthus from seed next year. I never used to grow them as they don't like clay soil either, but since having raised beds, the Tiny Rubies does great and have come back every year for me so far. I've added a few more this year and will see if they come back next spring.

Thanks :-)

Hi Linnea...

Thanks for letting me know about the Walker's Low. Isn't that funny that it has such a different effect. I had another nepeta in my front yard a few years ago, and the cat's would roll on it so much that it killed the plant.

Yes, you are right, it is the foliage on the daylilies that gives me a problem. I don't find the foliage unattractive, I just prefer grasses if I am looking for that effect, plus I only would want a little of that foliage and not a lot, and I just haven't found it fitting into my border in a way that I find pleasing. I guess I am not a big fan of a flower that lasts for a day either, or the scapes that will have stubs of old blooms with the fresh bloom. I WISH I loved daylilies..lol. So many colors, such an easy plant, long bloom season, covers the daffodil foliage pretty well. I had three of them and gave them all away last year. If I had a larger lot I am sure I would find a place for them.

I see you are a Heuchera fan. I am planning on getting a new one or two. Raspberry Ice is on the top of my wish list right now. Have any favorite varieties? I tried the Amber Waves and it wouldn't grow at all.

Linnea, aren't you the gardener who coordinates the color of her car with her house/garden colors? [g]

For well behaved, I like sempervivums at the front of the border. I planted about a 40' strip with almost as many varieties about 5 years back, and most have now completely filled in the 12 X 12 or 12 X 18 inch space that I allotted for each. A few filled in by 2 years, and a few are now still showing some soil between each plant. I found that the journey was half the fun, and I'm a little bored with that part of the yard now that I don't have to divide and plant chicks to fill in the space. If I had to do it over again, I'd choose fewer varieties so to get a better mass effect of each, and to have more time to be working with them. Now I find that I've got more of some varieties than I know what to do with and they need to be thinned. They've done well for me in various lighting conditions, all except the one spot with morning sun only. Even there I found a few varieties that performed at least acceptably with a little trial and error.

Oohhhh Patrick, that sounds so nice. That is a long strip of them. It reminds me of the cover of a gardening magazine I saw once with a long rock wall, planted with sempervivum and sedums all planted along the top. All different colors and varieties, it was gorgeous! They are a very well behaved plant for sure. Thanks for the idea. :-)

Sedum "Autumn Joy:" Have gotten a few seedlings, which are welcome, but clumps just gradually increase in size and look better all the time. The blue-green leaves are beautiful in their own right and the flower heads, which start to develop early, are pretty even well before they color up.

Salvia "May Night:" first bloom in late May is the heaviest, but it reliably blooms all summer if deadheaded, and stays neat. Blends beautifully, too.

Feverfew (?): Honestly, I'm not sure what plant I really have. I bought a plant that was marked as feverfew, but it's double and the flower looks just like the photo of kalimeris pinnatifida hortensis in Bluestone Perennials' catalog. I can't see the leaves for sure in their photo, but they look like a match too. The leaves are chrysathemum-like and have a pungent herbal smell when crushed. However, Missouri Botanical Gardens' site has a photo of kalimeris p. h. which looks the same as to flowers, but not as to foliage. My plant's leaves are not like what they show. Bluestone's description of the plant's behavior matches my experience with it: "Clouds of white button flowers with a soft yellow eye bloom over a long period. Light green, upright foliage has an airy texture." I would add that the flowers are a true snowy white, wonderful blenders, and the plant truly does bloom all summer with no deadheading. Seedlings will appear, but are welcome in my garden and easy to pull out. The root is fibrous and not a thug. Great to fill empty spots...I've often dug them, not too carefully, and plopped them into a bare spot, even when over a foot tall in leaf, and they transplant fine with minimal care. I just love this plant!

All three of these have been growing in my garden for over 10 years. When I first started out, you could have made pots out of the soil (in fact, one of the previous owners was a potter, and I said only half-jokingly that I knew where she got her clay!) Many of the other plants mentioned are great too, but I mention these because of long experience with them under less than ideal circumstances.

Finally, don't overlook the humble little Johnny Jump-Up. It too blooms all summer, takes abuse, and is a great filler.