"Rich Heimlich" wrote in message
...
"Vox Humana" wrote:

I think your expectations are a bit high for a single perennial. Most
people plant their perennial borders with a wide variety of plants that
bloom at various times over the growing season. You could start with
spring

But if you want a full bed how would you pull that off? Only small pieces
would
be in color then.
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You can't, in my opinion. I suppose you might find some ground cover/shrub
roses that would bloom continually over the summer, but I don't know of any
perennials that will bloom for a prolonged time. Of course cannas are
perennials that should start blooming in late June in your area and they are
winter hearty in zone 7 and above. The would not be anything like impatient
however. I have had the small dahlia's like the Figero Mix miniature
dahlias come bake for a few year in zone 6. They would give you a low (10 -
14 inch) bed of colorful flower that bloom all summer and fall.

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As far as doing nothing, that's what's happening right now in most of
those beds
and so far, not a hint of a single plant for last year can be seen. All
the
perennials are back and well on their way including the small dianthus
which is
already in bloom. The clematis on the mailbox is already over the mailbox
and
close to blooming. The nursery said I'd never see the impatiens again and
so far
they seem to be the correct ones, sadly.

The impatiens don't come back until the weather really warms up. It is too
early. Also, if your landscaping people put down Preen to prevent weeds of
if the are is very heavily mulched they probably won't come back.