Long Blooming Perennials …

Achillea . . .

Common name: Yarrow
Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3 to 8,   Drought tolerant, Deer & rabbitt resistant… what more could you ask for in full sun!   Varieties now available in all kinds of colors, from cream to copper–red, to add some spice to your garden. New cultivars are not invasive.

No need to deadhead Yarrows with flat flower heads... you may not want to deadhead these varieties in order to maintain the flower heads for winter interest in your gardens, and cut them to the ground in the Spring.

Propagation:   Divide in spring or early fall if a clump gets too big.

Chrysanthemum frutescens . . .

Common name: Marguerites
Considered a tender perennial, unless in zone 9. Valuable for their quick growth and abundant bloom, marguerites can fill a large container in one season or add mass and color to a new garden.   One plant can make a 3 ft wide mound in a single growing season.   The smooth, bright green, coarsely toothed leaves are smothered with white, pink, or yellow daisies.   Cultivars differ in flower color, size, and form.
Grow in full sun, ordinary or poor soil and regular watering.   Tolerates heat and makes a good patio plant where it isn't hardy in the ground.   Plants are fast-growing but short lived.

Coreopsis . . .

Common name: Tickseed.
Cold-hardy in USDA zones 4-9
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 9-1
Compositae - daisy family.   Many new varieties, but one of my favorites is C.verticillata, known as threadleaf coreopsis which grows well in full sun.   It is very finely divided, almost threadlike, in various shades from yellow to pink. Shear it back for a second flush of bloom in the fall... best selections were 'Golden Showers' and 'Moon-beam' but there are some stunning new varieties too.
Deadheading: Frequent deadheading other varieties will keep them blooming almost all summer; cut the flower stems back to side branches; eventually remove all spent stems to the ground.

Propagation: Divide regularly and cultivate the plentiful self-sown seedlings.

Cosmos . . .

Common name: Cosmos
Although an annual, this old–fashioned flower has a place in a garden or fill a wildflower hill. Robust and easy to grow, and blooms abundantly for several weeks. The daisylike blossoms, up to 4 in. wide from white, pink, rose, lavender, and purple.   Cut them for bouquets, or let them go to seed and feed the goldfinches.   Useful as a quick filler or temporary screen in new gardens, or allow it to naturalize amoung perennials or shrubs.

Grow in full sun, ordinary or unimproved soil. Almost carefree but needs an occasional soaking during long dry spells. Sow seeds indoors 6 weeks before last frost, or sow directly in the garden after frost.   They will bloom until the first frost of fall.

Dicentra luxuriant . . .

Common name: Bleeding Heart, but with cherry red flowers is an attractive and long blooming variety.   Requires part shade, needs fertile well–drained woil and steady moisture. Divide older plants in spring or fall, breaking the rhizome into pieces with 3 or more buds. Plant 2 ft. apart.

There are other new hybrids available which are also long bloomers, another one worth looking for is 'Bountiful' which has a dark reddish pink flower.

Combine any bleeding–heart with other shade lovers such as Europeon gingers, ferns, and hostas, and you have a wining combination.

Echinacea . . .

Common name: Coneflower. Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9, Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 12 to 1
Compositae - daisy family. This is a medium to tall 3 feet - plant 16 inches apart. Remains one of the finest border plants. A long bloomer and most common is Echinacea purpurea. This plant produces large daisylike blossoms with dusty purple pink outer petals surrounding a dome center of deep orange-bronze. It flowers lavishly in midsummer and continues sporadically until frost. Deadheading: Keeping the flowers cut promotes more blooms and it reblooms fine even without deadheading; if you want the birds, don't deadhead unless reseeding is a problem. A native of the prairies, it likes well drained soil and full sun to part shade, tolerates poor or dry soil and heat.

Gaillardia . . .

Common name: Blanket flower. Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-8
Heat-tolerant in AHS zones 8-1
Compositae - daisy family. There are many cultivars with varying heights, such as the dwarf 'Goblin' and 'Baby Cole', and the tall 'Burgundy' and 'Dazzler'.   It tolerates dry coastal soils, is naturalized on coastal dunes, but does fairly well in heavy soils too.   Snip off individual flowers a few inches below the seed head to prolong bloom; later cut stems to within 6 in. of the ground; stop deadheading in August.
Comments:   Use in beds and borders, meadow gardens, good cut flowers. Excellent mixed with black-eyed susans and perennial sunflowers.
Propagation:   Division or root cuttings for named cultivars.

Geranium . . .

Common name: Cranesbill or Hardy Geranium.
Cold-hardy in USDA zones 3-8
Mounded in form, Cranesbill is a favorite for its excellent habit, and late spring to summer blooming period. Hard to deadhead individual flowers, as the flowers remain nestled among the leaves.
Deadheading: Can be cut back hard after the first main bloom to promote more summer blooming and again in the early fall, so cut tall cultivars to 2 or 3 in. after most of the flowers have finished; cut low spreaders back to 4 to 6 inches; some species rebloom.
A Strong performer for zones 3-8 is Geranium sanguineum var. striatum.   It's pale pink flowers are veined with deeper pink and sit atop mounds of finely divided dark green leaves.

Lancaster geranium sends out a flush of blossoms in late spring to early summer, then continues flowering less lavishly until summer's end.   Another long-flowered geranium is Geranium endressii 'Wavegrave Pink', which has salmon-pink flowers above a light green foliage.   Best in zones 4-7.   Give your hardy geraniums full sun to partial shade   (afternoon shade in the south), will-drained, humusy soil.

Propagation:   Division, stem cuttings.

Hemerocallis . . .

Common name: Daylily.
Cold-hardy in USDA zones 2-10
Hybrids: 'Stella' & 'Happy Returns' are 2 of the long bloomers. The botanical name for daylily means in Greek 'beautiful for a day'. Each flower only opens for one day. After it is spent, it is succeeded by the next day's blossom. Established clumps bloom vigorously for weeks and weeks.
Photo from Ellen, a member of the gardenclub.net
Comments: There are now thousands of hybrid daylilies… 40,000 plus cultivars, so I would recommend a color or type you like! Most all daylilies do best in full sun, but tolerate partial shade. Some of the paler cultivars may not flower unless they get long periods of direct sun. Some of the dark purple and red cultivars do better in partial shade, especially in subtropical climates. The soil should not be allowed to dry out completely during the growing season.
Deadheading: Snap off spent flowers as they will keep the later flowers as large as possible; once a stem is finished, cut it to the ground; some cultivars rebloom, others do not.

Propagation: Propagate daylily hybrids by dividing the fibrous, somewhat tuberous root clumps in early spring. Divide the cold hardy cultivars in spring or autumn, and the evergreen ones only in spring. Occasionally a small plantlet, called a "proliferation" will develop on the scape. This can be rooted to produce another plant.

Rudbeckia . . .

Common name: Black–Eyed Susans
Zones 3-9 Wonderful to see this erect clump of robust branching stems swaying in the breeze. The composite blossoms have dark gold rays around a dome–shaped, dark brown center. Makes a big splash of color from summer into fall. The fresh flowers are good for cutting.

It´s needs are simple, full sun, orginary soil, water during hot weather, deadhead to prolong the bloom.   Easy to grow and trouble-free.   Divide older plants in early spring or fall.

Scabiosa . . .

Common name: Pincushion Flower
A desirable and long–lasting cut flower, also showy in a summer border.   Forms a basal clump of gray–green foliage. The round, flattened flower heads, 2–3 in. wide, are held on long slender stalks. The stamens stick out like pins on a cusion… hence the name. There are several cultivars; colors include pale and deep blue, lilac, lavender pinkish purple, and white.
Needs full sun, well–drained, fertile, neutral or alkaline soil.   If your soil is acidic, add lime. Water regularly. Space about 12 in. apart and plant in small groups to make a show. Divide every other year.