Some of my favorites that are not in the orange catagory are Nepeta 'Walkers Low', Lysimachia p. 'Alexander' and Salvia v. 'Purple Rain'. All seem to bloom forever! BTW, thanks for the earlier complement on my garden :D

You are welcome,

I'll check those out. I do not have them.

Frikart aster. I sometimes have a problem with it not coming back in spring, but otherwise really great. Young plants may look sparse and floppy, but given time to develop you get a mound of lavender or blue for months.

I have Aster frikartii 'Monch' you are right, it blooms for months.

I've had it for years, divided it and have quite a few. Forgot to mention it as it is in a different bed.

Two perennials that are known for having a very long flower season (and tend to be rather short-lived as a result) are Erysimum 'Bowle's Mauve' and most tree mallows, lavatera. A number of hardy geraniums, notably 'Rozanne' and 'Katherine Adele', also bloom pretty much non-stop through summer. And although a bit late to come on, I'd include hardy fuchsias in that long blooming category as well.

I have over a dozen hardy fuchsias and half a dozen different hardy geraniums. You are right, they are long blooming.

I didn't mean the plants had to bloom like annuals though. Just looking for some new to me perennials that bloom longer than most or for example, bloom longer than bearded iris or peonies. Which are both done if you blink.

A lot of the trendy or hyped perennials haven't performed for me. Except Huecheras, I have a couple dozen. I've tossed or lost Coreopsis 'Moonbeam', 'Moonshine' yarrow, Scabiosa 'Butterfly Blue' I've tried Corydalis a dozen times. :( LOVE THEM but they won't grow for me. I'm not sure how many others that have been popular haven't really worked for me.

If you like bearded iris there are cultivars that bloom twice a year. The few I have grown seem to have a tendency to keep their leaves intact between spring and fall flowering periods, too, an additional improvement in garden value over natural pattern of flowering in spring and then starting to deteriorate afterward (wild ones Asian desert flowers, like tulips).

Thomas, PERENNIAL GARDEN PLANTS (Sagapress/Timber Press) has this list under 'The Non-stop Border' on page 402:

Acanthus spinosus
Aster x frikartii 'Flora's Delight'
Aster x frikartii 'Monch'
Aster thomsonii 'Nanus'
Fuchsia, all
Geranium 'Russell Prichard'
Geranium wallichianum 'Buxton's Variety'
Indigofera gerardiana, pruned as recommended
Lavateria olbia varieties

The Seattle arboretum had a patch of G. 'Russell Prichard' across Arboretum Drive from the visitor center but it eventually disappeared, probably taken out by the 1990 winter. Its strong coloring made it impressive in flower. G. wallichianum is one of the parents of 'Rozannie', which to a large extent amounts to an enlarged version of 'Buxton's Variety'.

Hmmm. Don't know why Acanthus spinosus is on the non-stop list. Possibly for a dramatic large-leaved presence but certainly not for bloom.

Beyond that, know that acanthus will try to take over a well-amended bed, this even with a reasonably low-water regimen.

I've been trying to get rid of my Acanthus spinosus spinosissimus for 4 years. The acanthus is winning.

The problem is that the thick ropey roots go wide and deep. Sever one and it regrows. Break another and it regrows.

I generally aim for a succession of bloom, starting with Pulmonaria, Hellebores, and bulbs like Muscari, Daffodils, and species tulips in early spring. Then I move on to irises, peonies, lilies, roses, clematis, daylilies, hardy geraniums, hostas, hydrangeas, and eventually dahlias, fuchsias, and asters. Daphne x caucasius Summer Ice has some flowers most of the summer but they are small. Of all of them, some roses probably have the longest bloom. Zepherine Drouhin is seldom without bloom for me, and Marie Pavie does well.

I want 'Summer Ice' but can't find it priced reasonably. I cannot afford $50 shrubs. I have three other Daphnes.

Throughout my yard I do have Pulmonaria, Hellebores, Muscari, Squill, other minor bulbs, Daffodils (early, middle and late), species tulips, Hybrid Tulips, a few bearded Iris, Asiatic and Oriental Lilies, 7 different Roses, 44 different Clematis, 6 hardy Geraniums, 8 hostas, 2 hydrangeas, a dozen hardy fuchsias and Aster frikartii 'Monch' :)

I also have 3 different Caryopteris, 2 different Russian sages, many ornamental grasss, many Dicentras and many Huecheras/Tiarellas, Brunneras 'Jack Frost' 'Hadspen Cream' and the plain green one, Bergenias, dozen different Heaths and Heathers, dozen different dwarf Rhodies, dozen different Azaleas.

I don't have any dahlias or peonies. I just bought my first Veronica it is a low pink one Giles something and I just bought Kim's Knee High Echinacea. I'm heavy to fall bloomers and spring bloomers and awfully green in June and July.

I built a patio on the side of the house where nothing would grow because of shade and neighbor's arborvitae roots and up next to the house I built a raised bed that is 30' long and 7' wide and my DH built two huge free standing trellises for 6 Viticella Clematis which bloom late and I wanted to plant late or long blooming perennials in the bed around them and wanted to try some different plants than I already have. We won't be using the patio until it stops raining so that is why no spring bloomers there. We have a covered patio for rainy times and this bed cannot be seen from inside the house so it doesn't have to look good during winter.

I get Daphnes at Collector's Nursery in Vancouver,
http://www.collectorsnursery.com

I just looked at their online catalog and they only had 3 now and Summer Ice is sold out. They are $10. Perhaps they can be grown from cuttings, I can't find out if they are patented or not, but they were apparently developed in 1992 by the North Willamette Experimental Station in Canby. D. Carol Mackie may be closely related. I googled Summer Ice and Dave's garden lists a couple of sources. Tiny Treasures Nursery lists them for $14.99, but I didn't check on their shipping.

On the north side of my house I have a small bed with sharp drainage held up with railroad ties. A Daphne odora does very well there and also Campanula poscharskyana, which has heart-shaped leaves and blue flowers. It trails, and is just finishing blooming.

If the bed were sunny, I would suggest daylilies as they bloom during June and July. One year I dug my dahlia bulb then started it very early in a pot. It starting blooming very early compared to one left in the ground. How much sun does the bed get?

Look as well to interesting foliage to extend the season of interest on your perennials - many euphorbias will look great all season as well as offer a long bloom period, heucheras, ornamental grasses/New Zealand flax, variegated figwort (Scrophularia), Lysimachia 'Alexander' and 'Golden Alexander' and hebes can all accomplish this. And add Cape fuchsia (phygelius) to the mix - semi-evergreen, very long bloom season, good color choices with many of the newer cultivars and hummingbird attracting.

Osteospermum. Great plant for this area.

Iberis. Evergreen, tough as nails, early bloomer.

Lewisia and heathers are nice too, also evergreen. You can get a nice succession of heathers as different varieties bloom at different seasons. And most are small plants.

reg-pnw7, I have a over dozen different heathers in other beds. I have three Lewisa and several Iberis too. Thanks.

Gardengal48, thanks, I have over a dozen different ornamental grass varieties scattered throughout my garden. Over a dozen Huecheras too, plus Tiarellas. For some reason I am not a fan of Euphorbias. They just don't do anything for me. Not sure why. Maybe because they look tropical to me and my overall garden theme is more Japanese in some areas and cottage in others. I have tropical plants on my deck surrounding my hot tub but that is all. Not out in the flowerbeds.

hemnancy, The patio area is shaded, the bed that flanks it that I am looking for new perennials for is in half a days sun but I already have daylilies in it. Thanks for the info on the daphnes. I have D. odora next to the front door and it is doing very well. It is South exposure but shaded by a Japanese Maple. I have rock dapne and another one whose name escapes me. The only 'Summer Ice' I've seen were in 5 gallon pots and around fifty bucks at both Joy Creek and Portland Nurseries. I have not done much mail order but I'll have to consider it.

Ahhhh, euphorbias!! One of my favorite groups of perennials :-) I admit that it took me time before I developed a fondness for these plants - there was something about those rather in-you-face flowerheads in that screaming acid yellow-chartreuse coloring that put me off but I came around eventually. I'll grant you that some are pretty tropical looking in appearance but there are a good many that will incorporate with ease into a mixed perennial border or a cottage style planting (less easy to justify in an Asian themed setting, tho). Look at some of the newer, more compact hybrids on the market - 'Rudolph', 'Red Martin', 'Enfanthia', 'Helena' - all will stay quite small and rely more on year round foliage attraction than that seasonal gush of flowering. Or look at a couple of the newer polychroma intros for a low edging plants - 'Bonfire', 'Lacy' or 'First Blush'.

At a time in my personal gardening life when I am focusing on editing my garden for lower maintenance and leaning more heavily towards trees and shrubs and subshrubs rather than fussier, fluffier, higher maintenance perennials, euphorbs continue to remain an integral part of my plantings - I wouldn't be without them.

OK, I'll give them additional thought. :) the screaming acid chartreuse doesn't bother me. It is the alien form. I have seen them in California gardens looking wonderful but not here. I grew up in Arizona and now that I am in Portland, I like my garden to look like Portland if that makes sense? I LOVE Arizona and would move back in a heartbeat if DH would go but he won't. I LOVE the desert. LOVE tropical/arid plants but think they look funny here out in the landscape for the most part. I think Euphorbias and most succulents look better in gardens South or at least with houses whose architecture is better suited. I've seen some gorgeous stucco cottages with tons of tropical/succulent plants in the PNW that are awesome but my house just doesn't.

I did get a small greenhouse for my birthday and am going to fill it with tropical plants so I can go out and putter or sit when it rains here.

I'm totally full up on trees, I actually have too many but can't bear to edit, yet. I've got a Prunus x bleiriana that has been nothing but diseased and infested and ice damaged since day one. It was a present from my DH the first birthday after we bought this house (which had no trees at all, or shrubs other than Laurel for that matter) and the first tree we planted.

I'm darn near full up on shrubs and subshrubs too. I've ripped out several this year to make way for new favorites. :) I can always squeeze in one more dwarf conifer or Rhodie...or heather or Daphne....:)

I always get some good ideas going to the Portland Nursery on Stark Street and browsing their street strip of plants for what is blooming. They have a really wide variety. Or walking around some of the old Portland neighborhoods to see what is blooming. Have you ever tried 4 O'clocks? I've grown them from seed before, and they will bloom a long time, on a nice round attractive bush. They make a tuberous root, and if they are dug in the fall can be stored overwinter like a dahlia tuber and planted out the next year. There are solid colors and also broken colors that are very nice. It might be too late now to start them and still get any blooms for this year. I also have good success with various pinks. One, I think it's called Alpine Pink, has the blue-green foliage and can bloom a long time. Some of my Sweet Williams bloom a long time too and are perennial here. I have a really dark one from the Thompson and Morgan catalog called Sooty that is a black red. The ordinary pinks they sell as bedding plants are perennial for me too, some are a really bright red and the foliage is attractive.

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi, Kinnickinnick, and Wintergreen are what I consider really choice plants and they do have some bloom and then red berries. I think there is a Kinnickinnick that has a pink flower that is a little showier.

Yes, their street strip is really nice. I pass it at least weekly and often stop.

Lady's mantle is a great edger and has beautiful foliage and flowers all season and recquires little care.

I was looking at what's blooming in my yard, some of my lavenders look nice at this time and are purple, and my Crocosmia Lucifer looks great but probably not in your color scheme. I have seen really big blooming clumps of Dierama, Angel's Fishing Wand? Pole? But I got a little plant and it is still a little plant. I think it is in the purple and pink range.

My Lady's Mantle spreads by self-seeding, not always where I would want it to be.

Yea, I've got Lady's Mantle all over the place...I am putting some in the new bed.

I've got three Lavenders in the sun/dry bed. These new beds are going to get too much water for Lavender to be happy.

Linaria purpurea! My current favorite perennial. I don't water at ALL though- I don't know what it would do with regular watering.

Linaria purpurea is a nuisance plant, seeding into paving and other plants and being not all that easy to get out.