For impact, I would say nothing beats alliums. You have a choice from the large globemaster type to smaller, colorful varieties.

You're in a slightly warmer zone than me, so I'll go with what's *about* to bloom here that you might like: Coreopsis lanceolata (lance-leaved coreopsis). I *love* it... mine are just about to bust into bloom, and they will bloom continuously until hard frost. The bright yellow color would work with your 'hot colors' bed too! and it is definitely not picky about conditions. :)

I have listed for the end of April:
sweet peas
bells of ireland
columbine
foxglove
dianthus
lavender in bud
peony in bud
nasturtium

5/14:
huechera
geranium
corydalis
primrose
clematis
lobelia
verbascum violette
snapdragon
wallflower
limonium
iceland poppies
johnny jump ups
forget me nots
dianthus
foxglove
nicotiana
brodiaea
laevnder
echinacea
geum
astilbe budded

I left out shrubs and things too tender for your zone. I am not sure if this is later stuff than you want, but it was what was going on during peony time.

By the way, do you need more seeds for your wedding? I let all my foxglove go to seed in case you needed some.

Debbie

HI Tracy!

You and I are about the same zone..! I have the same problem- BUT- I can tell you that what you have- i dont.. and what I have, you don't!!!

Here's what I have that is either STILL blooming now or just about to open-

hot colors:

orange & red asiatic lillies..( when they open- i'll post)
Monarda- red
columbine- still going like mad!
stella d'oro daylily just opened. I htink you have this.

Pinks/purples
salvia ( garden sage jsut starting to fade and salvia ( may nigh tor somethign similar) is just coming into full glory
pink monarda
dianthus juuuustt starting to open
lavendar ( two pathetic blooms on a pathetic plant- but time wise this should be perfect)
Sea Thrift- pink
Garlic chives/onion chives. ( mine havent' bloomed yet but some of the neighbors are in bloom now!)

blue spider wort... easy to grow,spreads a bunch, critter resistant and actually is BLUE! looks great with orange! Mine is JUSSST about to open.. it may even have one flower open today. it can do a wide variety of sun & shade.. but it does need some shade.. not full sun

white-
in my rock garden i have a TON of daisies that spread like wildfire
astible is also about to pop..

and as for May- you GOTTA get some daffodils.. I JUST planted soo many this winter- we had a warm front and someone gave me them so i hurried to dig them in in February!!! and I had over 200 daffodils in April through end of may!

ps- I also plan on getting alium for sure- but that not a late spring bloomer for us... it would be fading now I beleive.My sis's is fading for sometime now.

same problem here too. i know some people consider this an invasive, but i planted Dames Rocket. i now have a riot of lavender purple every may.

Thanks for all of the wonderful suggestions.

mprats: I hadn't thought of decorative allium, I'll have to add that to the list. I have garlic chives, but those won't bloom for a while yet.

party: My coreopsis is just about to bloom as well. I was hoping for something a little earlier though. I have "Creme Brule."

Debbie: Thank you for the extensive list! I planted sweat peas and have some foliage but no blooms. I winter sowed columbine and foxglove, so I should have those for next year. Many of the things you listed like snaps, poppies, nicotiana, etc. are annuals here and unless I start them in doors quite early, they won't bloom until late June. Thank you for the seed offer- I'll have to check my stash and let you know!

Friend: Yes, I have asiatics in a few places and they're wonderful. Mine are just starting to open now. Perhaps I need more of these beauties. I have monarda, although it isn't performing well at the moment. Columbine was winter sown, so I'm hoping for blooms next year. I actually DON'T have Stell d'Oro, but am putting her on my list. Salvia, dianthus, spiderwort and lavender just started blooming for me.

I guess I want something that blooms after the daffs but before the asiatics. Or perhaps I just need some late-blooming daffs?

Thanks for all of the wonderful suggestions everyone. I'm adding these to the list.

Tracy

As far as the alliums go, I put in some little bulblets of mountain bells last year. They are in flower right now, and with nice cheeerful bright colors, pink and yellow; still waiting on the white. They seem to hold well in boquets too.

As for the rocket, I LOVE that stuff! The ditches and fields are a mass of purple right now and they smell heavenly.

Roses, irises, and columbines are all after the daffs and before the asiatics :)

and i plan to do more forget me nots- they last soooo long.

Tracy,

Have you thought about adding brightly colored foliage plants to that area, such as croton, coleus, sweet potato vines, caladiums etc. You wouldn't have to worry about bloom times either as you would have continous color for that area.

I just read a great article in our local newspaper promoting the planting of colorful foliage, especially for hot climates. The article pointed out that when our flowers go dormant during the heat, that the bright foliage plants would pick up the slack and provide color. Makes sense to me, and I'm trying it out this year.

Marilyn

Marilyn: What a great idea! I have cannas in front of the house, and since our growing season is so short I figured they would serve as more foliage than flower. I had a nice selection of coleus last year but for some reason didn't get any this year. Guess they go back on the list!

Thanks!

Tracy