Old Friends

Am I the only one who greets my flowering plants every summer like old friends: happy to enjoy their good cheer and colorful faces for another season?

Okay, maybe it's just me. But the enthusiasm of a bright yellow sunflower turning to face the sun fills me with hope for the day. And the delicate petals of the hollyhocks climbing up the tall stems seem to promise that beauty will win against all odds.

Every summer my garden looks like a Victorian lady (with the help of her gardener, no doubt) looked through her copy of Jane Loudon's "Gardening for Ladies" and chose her flowers with her future parlor bouquets in mind. As I freely admit, I'm a well-intentioned but lazy gardener who grows plants that will survive my neglect. Ironically, I love flowers and want to have armfuls of them to carry into the kitchen and arrange in huge bouquets for the table.

So - how can I make this possible?

I've found that the traditional plants have lasted so long in spite of gardeners like me - they have withstood the lack of regular fertilizing, forgetful watering schedules, free-ranging critters and an occasional frost, yet continue to grow and even flower. If you're having any trouble growing flowers, consider these traditional plants that have grown so well in my garden:

Siberian Iris

Bulbs/Rhizomes/Tubers

• Daylily 
• Daffodils
• Iris (Siberian, Bearded and Beardless)

  Annuals

• Zinnia (the traditional flower now comes in large, medium and tiny sizes)
• Sunflowers (the birds help reseed them every year)
• Alyssum (it reseeds itself under normal conditions) 
• Petunia (in a winter cold frame or greenhouse, they'll reseed)
• Poppy (Orientals, Shirleys, California)
•  Scabiosa (also called the Pincushion Flower)
  

  

  Scabiosa

Biennials

• Foxglove (there are also perennial varieties) 
•  Hollyhocks (flowering the 2nd year but reseeding easily)



Several varieties of Hollyhocks

Perennials

• Sweet Peas (I like the perennial since I don't have to re-plant every summer)
• Delphinium (the annual version is Larkspur and it reseeds very easily)
• Aster
• Lamb's Ear
• Monarda (also called Bee Balm)
• Columbine 



Coreopsis

• Cornflower or Bachelor's Button (there's also annual Bachelor Button)
•  Coreopsis (I grow the screaming yellow variety - it can be seen for blocks!)

I also love growing the flowering, traditional herbs - some in containers and some in the flower garden as ground covers.  Almost all herbs like a dry, hot soil which makes them perfect for Central Oregon. Be aware, though, that some, like Basil and Parsley, are tender and like a moist environment so they take extra care and attention. But if you grow Cilantro you get a now-and-later plant: when it goes to seed, you've got Coriander!

My garden has other plants, of course, but these are the ones I rely on every summer to fill my home and my heart with fragrant good cheer.

Lamb's Ear in bloom