Reliable, must-have perennial plants every gardener should try I
Hydrangea.
Peony. 24 • 2021
By Dorothy Dobbie
t is a challenge to choose plants for a new garden. They are all so enticing, and each of us has our own vision of beauty and wonder. But some plants are more reliable than others are and really do a solid, dependable job in any garden. While new gardeners are often thrilled by the big, blowsy blossoms of more tender plants, the long-time gardener will appreciate these but understand that they are often ephemeral, need fussing and many are fair weather friends. Literally. Instead, experienced gardeners choose the hardy imports and native plants as the real workhorses of a perennial garden. Many of the natives are very showy. Then there are the exotics, those plants that have adapted well to our climate including shrubby plants such as hydrangeas, peonies and roses, and true herbaceous flowers including delphiniums and phlox. All these plants have been bred to be extremely hardy in Canada. The hardy imports Hydrangeas. Hydrangeas will take partial shade, getting by, if planted with a southern exposure, on as little as three hours of sun a day. The heritage varieties, Hydrangea arborescens and H. paniculata, both bigleafed hydrangeas that need medium to moist soil, are hardy to Zone 3. They are tremendous performers in the right spot. Especially lovely is H. arborescens ‘Annabelle’, a plant that has been gracing Canadian gardens for decades. She produces big white puffballs from June or July to August and up to early September depending on where you live. The flowers are beautiful cut for a bowl or dried for winter enjoyment. Today, there are cultivars that cover the rainbow of colours in the whites, pinks and even and blue, but these are fussier and may pose a challenge for a new gardener. Issue 2
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