SITKAVORES: FLOWERS

In general, a perennial is a plant living for more than two years. Perennials grow and bloom spring through fall.
Perennials usually go dormant throughout each winter.

We have acquired perennials to add to our gardens in various ways.

We have started perennials from seed indoors, usually in 4 inch pots, in March or April. Once the plants grew large and healthy in their pots, often by June 1st, we planted them outside in fertile soil.

We were given divisions from full grown perennials in springtime by generous gardeners and friends. They dug them out from their own gardens.

We have purchased perennial starter plants here in Sitka. They are available as early as March... when things start warming up. The plants are almost all grown elsewhere in a variety of sizes and then imported by local businesses. The choices and quality of plants seem to improve each year.

Here are some of the businesses in Sitka typically selling springtime plant starts, including perennials:

GARDEN VENTURES (Penny Brown's)
LAKESIDE
SEAMART
SITKA TRUE VALUE
SPENARD'S

Once I got started surrounding our vegetable gardens with beautiful and fragrant perennial flowers, I could not stop myself!
Below are names and photos of several of the perennials we have grown in our gardens. Some of these perennials survived only a few years in our climate... while others have endured for more than 25 years!

ANGEL TRUMPET
Brugmansia sanguinia
Thanks to Chris Hoffman for seeds.

ARMENIAN BASKET FLOWER
Centaurea macrocephala
Thanks to Dave Mochak for the start.

ASTILBE
Astilbe chinensis

ASTRANTIA

Astrantia 'major ruby wedding'

BEE BALM
Monarda didyma

WHITE BLEEDING HEART
Dicentra spectabilis 'alba'

CAMPANULA
Campanula glomerata
locally known as 'China Mary'
Thanks to Florence Donnelly for the start.

COLUMBINE
Aquilegia caerulea

DAMES ROCKET, PHLOX
Hesperis matronalis

DELPHINIUM
Delphinium elatum
'giant pacific' 'white swan' 'galahad'

ENGLISH DAISY
Bellis perennis

EUPHORBIA
Euphorbia griffithii 'Fireglow'

FEVERFEW
Chrysanthemum parthenium
'white wonder' 'white pompon'

GENTIAN
Gentiana septemfida
Thanks to Les Brake for the start.

WILD GERANIUM
Geranium x magnificum
Cranesbill 'Johnson's blue'
Thanks to Dena Weathers for the start.

GLOBE FLOWER
Trollius chinensis
'Golden Queen'

'Alabaster'
Thanks to Les Brake for the start.

GLOBE THISTLE
Echinops ritro

HOSTA
Hosta 'Albomarginata'

'Big Mama'
Thanks to Penny Brown for the start.

'Shade Fanfare'

'Twilight'
Thanks to Klaudia Leccese for the start.

JACOB'S LADDER
Polemonium acutiflorum, caeruleum

LEOPARD'S BANE
Doronicum cordatum

LIGULARIA
Ligularia przewalskii
'the rocket'

Ligularia dentate

LYTHRUM
Lythrum salicaria
'Morden's Gleam'
a seedless, non-intrusive variety
Thanks to Les Brake for the start.

LUPINE
Lupinus perennis

MEADOW RUE
Thalictrum delavayi
'decorum'
Thanks to Les Brake for the start.

'Hewitt's Double'

MONKSHOOD
Aconitum 'stainless steel'

OBEDIENT PLANT
Physostegia virginiana

PAINTED DAISY
Tanacetum coccineum

PEONY
Paeonia

'anemoniflora rosea'

'double pink'

'double white'

'Karl Rosenfeld'

'Mikado'

'sorbet'

'veitchii'
Thanks to Les Brake for the start.

HYBRID LUTEA TREE PEONY
'Leda'
Thanks to Judy Johnstone for the start.

PRIMROSE
Primula japonica

Primula florindae

RED HOT POKER
Kniphofia uvaria

VALERIAN
Valeriana officinalis

INTRUSIVE PERENNIAL FLOWERS!!!

When I mention intrusive plants, I am referring to plants that won't go away. They grow and spread no matter how much effort I put into getting rid of them. They intrude into the spaces occupied by other plants... and gradually choke them out! Some of these plants drop zillions of seeds.

I must admit that it was my own early ignorance of intrusive plants that resulted in this never ending gardening challenge.

Plants can be intrusive in one climate, but not in others. Below are names and photos of several plants I have found to be intrusive here in my gardens.

ASTER

Symphyotrichum oblongifolius
'Raydon's Favorite'