Herbaceous perennials Flashcards
Bergenia cordifolia
HP for shade and ground cover
vigorous perennial forming a spreading clump of rounded, slightly wavy leaves to 30cm long, often tinged purple in winter
erect red stems to 60cm tall carry sprays of deep pink flowers in early spring
ground cover, banks and slopes
h 0.5-1.0m, s 0.5-1.0m
moist but well-drained, humus-rich soil in sun or partial shade
Ajuga reptans ‘Burgundy Glow’
HP for shade and ground cover
creeping perennial with evergreen leaves, silvery-green suffused with wine-red
short spikes of deep blue flowers in late spring and early summer
Low maintenance, ground cover, banks and slopes, patio and containers plants
h 0.1 - 0.5m, s 0.5 - 1.0m
Will tolerate any soil so long as there is some moisture, best in partial shade to prevent foliage scorching, but can also tolerate shade
Alchemilla mollis
HP for shade and ground cover
forming a clump of softly hairy, light green leaves with scalloped and toothed edges.
Small, bright yellow flowers are borne in large sprays just above the foliage
Cottage/informal garden, gravel garden, cut flowers, garden edging
h 0.1 - 0.5m, s 0.1 - 0.5m
Will tolerate any soil so long as there is some moisture; suitable for sun or shade. Prone to self-seeding
Hosta ‘Golden Tiara’
HP for shade and ground cover
Compact clump of broadly ovate or heart-shaped leaves to 10cm in length, edged with yellow, fading to cream.
Bell-shaped deep purple flowers are carried on stems to 50cm
Patio/container garden, city/courtyard garden, cottage/informal garden
h 0.1 - 0.5m, s 0.1 - 0.5m
Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in part shade with shelter from cold, dry winds.
Pulmonaria officinalis
HP for shade and ground cover
semi-evergreen perennial to 30cm tall, with broad leaves spotted freely with greenish-white
clusters of flowers opening pink and soon changing to blue, in spring
Coastal, wildlife garden, ground cover, cottage/informal garden
h 0.1–0.5m, s 0.1–0.5m
humus-rich, fertile, moist but not waterlogged soil in full or partial shade
Aster novi-belgii ‘Violet Queen’
Suitable for herbaceous border
compact, upright herbaceous perennial to 40cm, with dark foliage and deep violet, yellow-centred daisies 5cm wide in summer to autumn
Coastal, wildlife garden, flower border
h 0.1 - 0.5 m, s 0.1 - 0.5 m
moderately fertile, well-drained soil in an open sunny position; thrives in alkaline soil
Hemerocallis fulva
(common orange daylily)
Suitable for herbaceous border
vigorous, clump-forming perennial to 1m tall with strap-shaped leaves, the outer ones arching outwards and the inner leaves upright.
Large numbers of trumpet-shaped, tawny-orange flowers 5-12cm in diameter, each tepal with a pale central line, are borne in succession on the flowering stems in summer
Flower borders and beds, coastal
h 0.5 - 1m, s 0.5 - 1m
fertile, moist but well-drained soil preferably in full sun.
Papaver orientale ‘Beauty of Livermere’
Suitable for herbaceous border
herbaceous perennial to 1m tall, with toothed and bristly lance-shaped leaves to 30cm long
single, deep scarlet flowers 20cm across in late spring and early summer, each petal with a bold black blotch at the base
Flower border, cottage/informal garden
h 0.5 - 1.0m, s 0.5 - 1.0m
well-drained soils in full sun
Sedum spectabile
Suitable for herbaceous border
herbaceous perennial to 45cm, with thick erect stems bearing shallowly scalloped, broadly elliptic, grey-green leaves
starry pink flowers in flat terminal clusters to 15cm across in late summer
Gravel garden, coastal, wildlife garden
h 0.1 - 0.5m, s 0.1 -0.5m
moderately fertile, well-drained, neutral to slightly alkaline soil in full sun. drought tolerant
Verbena bonariensis
Suitable for herbaceous border
tall perennial with erect, branching stems to 2m in height, bearing sparse, oblong leaves and numerous branched clusters of small, purple flowers from summer to autumn
Coastal, prairie planting, cottage garden
h 1.5 - 2.5m, s 0.1 - 0.5m
moist but well-drained or well-drained, moderately fertile soil in full sun
