Tall Perennial Flowers
The German Iris, Batik: Flowers That Are Works of Art
Batik German iris is named after an artistic technique. How apt, since its flower could be termed a natural "work of art." Learn how to grow it here.
Lenten Rose
Of course, height is relative. Lenten roses (Helleborus orientalis) are moderately tall perennial flowers with long-lasting sepals. Its the sepals that make this plant alluring, not the actual flower, botanically speaking. The foliage is also quite nice. This is a gem of the early spring.
Oriental Poppy Flowers
These tall perennial flowers are another springtime delight with height, albeit a bit later in spring. As with Lenten rose, the leaves are nice and provide good greenery for your landscaping for long stretches of the year. The blossoms do not last that long, but the silver lining is that the seed pod of oriental poppies is rather...
Hollyhocks
Now here's one that reaches for the sky! Hollyhocks make a bold vertical statement. This makes them very useful in plantings where you really need tall perennial flowers in order for the composition to have an impact. Take along a fence, for example: hollyhocks excel in these situations, where smaller plants would be dwarfed and look quite out...
Black-Eyed Susans
Black-eyed susans (Rudbeckia) are valued as long-blooming plants, making them important tools in your horticultural arsenal if you strive for continuity in sequence of bloom. While not giants, they give you enough height certainly to occupy the middle row in a border planting, at least. These are also mighty tough hombres!
Maltese Cross
While all plants have a story behind them, some have more interesting stories than others. Maltese cross is one of these. But then, what else would expect from a plant that shares the same name as a graphic symbol? I deliver facts about the appearance and growing requirements of Maltese cross in this article.
Peonies: Tall Perennial Flowers That Rate High in Fragrance
Peonies are quite robust -- in more ways than one. These popular specimens have been grown and admired for centuries, due in part to their toughness and longevity. There are peonies growing at my childhood home that have simply "always been there," having made a home on the property even before my parents bought it. And oh, talk about fragrance!
Bearded Irises
Some types of iris are also among my favorite plants for the fragrance garden. Most irises do not have quite the height of peonies, but they do hold their own: it's hard to miss them when in bloom. And this is another tall perennial flower that can be quite prodigious in the longevity arena.
Foxglove Plants
Like hollyhock, foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) derives its height by sending up a good-sized flower stalk. As a bonus, this plant will not only take shade, but dry shade (a double-whammy!), although they will certainly perform better when supplied with water when needed. Foxglove is somewhat infamous for its toxicity.
Becky Shasta Daisy
Shasta daisies can fill the role of moderately tall perennial flower when you need to fill a dry space that gets a lot of sunshine. 'Becky' has an extended bloom time. With their white petals, these daisies go with just about anything in terms of color combinations.
Nora Leigh Garden Phlox
Garden phlox gives you an option for a tall perennial flower that will last much of the summertime. Many types are available, some of the newer cultivars having the added bonus of being mildew-resistant. What's special about 'Nora Leigh,' though, is that it flashes variegated leaves at you.
'David' Garden Phlox
'David' is another cultivar of garden phlox. It qualifies as a tall perennial flower, shooting up to a height of 3-4 feet. It bears white, fragrant flowers that occur in clusters atop the vegetation. Leaves are lance-shaped. This garden phlox has been a very good performer for me.
Lamb's Ear Perennial Plants
Lamb's ears are good perennial plants for dry, sunny areas and also deer-resistant. These features make lamb's ears excellent choices as, e.g., low-maintenance plants for rock gardens. The height here is all in the flower stalk, which we generally remove after flowering: lamb's ears qualifies as a tall perennial flower, therefore, only when in...
Volcano Ruby Garden Phlox
Ruby, part of the Volcano series, is a compact type of garden phlox, so don't look for especially impressive height here (more of an intermediate size); but I wanted to group it with the other garden phlox cultivars here for the purpose of comparison. Bloom color on this plant is strikingly rich.
Black Knight Delphiniums
Are you seeking a very tall perennial flower that comes in a dark blue color? Then you will love Delphinium 'Black Knight'. These gorgeous giants have their good and bad points, which I discuss here. But if you landscape with an eye to soothing colors and drawing wildlife, this is a plant you'll want.
Russian Sage
Although Russian sage (Perovskia) is technically a sub-shrub, most people think of it as a tall perennial flower. Russian sage bears small blooms, but it is grown just as much (or more) for its silver leaves as for its flowers. Growers also like the facts that it tolerates drought, does not require much care and blooms for a long time.