Here Comes the Sun

It's All Alright with these Sun-Loving Little Darlin's

If you haven’t been by the Nursery lately, now’s the time to come and bask in the rainbow of blooms that are coming to life in every nook and cranny, beckoning eager pollinators to partake in the abundance of delectable nectar. No need to fret if you’re behind on peeping the up-and-comers making an appearance this season: we’re here to update you with some of the brightest, sunniest blooms this side of the Delaware River.

Before we dive into perennial world, let’s talk about some native honeysuckles. Diervilla lonicera ‘Copper’ is a wonderful low mounding shrub that tolerates a menagerie of site conditions, from moist to drier soils and full sun to part shade. Small terminal clusters of pale-yellow flowers appear… well, now, and bloom sporadically throughout the summer into the early fall when the plant adopts a fashionable autumn appearance with purples, maroons, and reds adorning its foliage. Our crops of bush honeysuckle are noticeably coming into bloom, making them a great summer addition to virtually any garden or landscape where pollinator action is encouraged.

In talking about pollinator gardens, we happily introduce a brand-new coneflower addition to the Pleasant Run lineup – Echinacea purpurea ‘Cheyenne Spirit’ is the solution to areas that call for a multitude of color for a naturalized look. An explosion of bright reds, oranges, yellows, whites, pinks and creams invite bees and butterflies throughout the summer, with the subsequent seedheads providing a nutritious food source for birds such as American goldfinches. This particular selection is a winner of the 2013 All-American Selections® award, as well as Europe’s FleuroSelect Gold Medal award for its outstanding garden performance.

We can’t mention outstanding garden performance without talking about Geum flora plena ‘Blazing Sunset’, a result of the Thompson & Morgan breeding program and winner of the FleuroSelect Quality Award. This delightful little perennial boasts bright, double petaled, hot red blooms from late June to early September that are notably two-times the size of typical Geum flowers. The electric floral color stands out amongst lighter summer bloomers and contrasts beautifully with purples and blues found on perennials such as Salvia, Perovskia, Phlox, Liatris, and even Centaurea montana – including but not limited to our brand-new selection, ‘Amethyst Dream’.

It was nearly impossible to get a photograph of the spindly, unique flowers of this easy growing perennial without catching one or two pollinators busily harvesting nectar and gathering pollen on a single plant. While it is non-native to the Eastern United States, Centaurea montana ‘Amethyst Dream’ is not shy about inviting a host of bees, beetles, hoverflies, and more to enjoy its resources. We are excited to introduce this to our perennial line-up, along with its counterpart, Centaurea montana ‘Amethyst in Snow’.

If interesting flowers are what you’re after, Crocosmia ‘Lucifer’ provides bright, long-lasting color with an upright stature that gives vertical structure to the full sun garden with well-draining soils. Hummingbirds are known to visit the tubular, flame-red flowers, which make for excellent additions to freshly cut arrangements. Plant alongside Gladiolus, Hemerocallis, and Eryngium yuccifolium for a lovely vertical backdrop to the perennial border or cottage garden.

Chicago Botanic Garden. (n.d.). Diervilla lonicera “Copper.” Chicago Botanic Garden. https://www.chicagobotanic.org/plantcollections/plantfinder/diervilla_lonicera_copper--copper_bush_honeysuckle

Digging Dog Nursery. (n.d.). Diervilla Lonicera “copper” at digging dog nursery. Digging Dog Nursery. https://www.diggingdog.com/plant/S-0736

GardenersWorld.com. (2023a, January 25). Geum “Blazing sunset.” BBC Gardeners World Magazine. https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/geum-blazing-sunset/

GardenersWorld.com. (2023b, January 25). Geum “Blazing sunset.” BBC Gardeners World Magazine. https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/geum-blazing-sunset/

Minnesota Wildflowers. (n.d.). Diervilla Lonicera (bush honeysuckle). Minnesota Wildflowers. https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/shrub/bush-honeysuckle

Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.-a). Crocosmia “Lucifer.” Crocosmia “Lucifer” - plant finder. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=h680

Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.-b). Crocosmia “Lucifer.” Crocosmia “Lucifer” - plant finder. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=h680

Missouri Botanical Garden. (n.d.-c). Echinacea “Cheyenne Spirit.” Echinacea “cheyenne spirit” - plant finder. https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=293471

Monrovia. (n.d.). Amethyst Dream Bachelor’s button. Monrovia Plant. https://www.monrovia.com/amethyst-dream-bachelor-s-button.html

N.C. State Extension. (n.d.-a). Crocosmia “Lucifer.” Crocosmia “Lucifer” (Montbretia) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/crocosmia-lucifer/

N.C. State Extension. (n.d.-b). Crocosmia “Lucifer.” Crocosmia “Lucifer” (Montbretia) | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/crocosmia-lucifer/

N.C. State Extension. (n.d.-c). Echinacea purpurea “Cheyenne spirit.” Echinacea purpurea “Cheyenne Spirit” | North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/echinacea-purpurea-cheyenne-spirit/#:~:text=Echinacea%20purpurea%20%27Cheyenne%20Spirit%27%20Description%20Coneflower%20is%20an,cultivars%20are%20available%20for%20varied%20sizes%20and%20colors.

Royal Horticultural Society. (n.d.). Centaurea Montana | Perennial Cornflower: herbaceous perennial/RHS gardening. Centaurea montana &s;Amethyst Dream&s;PBR | perennial cornflower &s;Amethyst Dream&s; Herbaceous Perennial/RHS Gardening. https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/285374/centaurea-montana-amethyst-dream-pbr/details

Thompson & Morgan. (n.d.). Geum Flore-plena “Blazing Sunset.” Thompson & Morgan. https://www.thompson-morgan.com/p/geum-floreplena-blazing-sunset-seeds/2403TM

Walters Gardens Inc. (n.d.-a). Crocosmia “Lucifer”: Walters Gardens, Inc.. Crocosmia “Lucifer” | Walters Gardens, Inc. https://www.waltersgardens.com/variety.php?ID=CROLU

Walters Gardens Inc. (n.d.-b). Crocosmia “Lucifer”: Walters Gardens, Inc.. Crocosmia “Lucifer” | Walters Gardens, Inc. https://www.waltersgardens.com/variety.php?ID=CROLU

Walters Gardens Inc. (n.d.-c). Geum Flora Plena “Blazing Sunset”: Walters Gardens, Inc.. Geum flora plena “Blazing Sunset” | Walters Gardens, Inc. https://www.waltersgardens.com/variety.php?ID=GEUBS

Walters Gardens Inc. (n.d.-d). Geum Flora Plena “Blazing Sunset”: Walters Gardens, Inc.. Geum flora plena “Blazing Sunset” | Walters Gardens, Inc. https://www.waltersgardens.com/variety.php?ID=GEUBS