RE: Plants for the midwest

Andrea,

I would suggest anything on this site for perennial plant of the year:
http://www.perennialplant.org/ppy/ppyindexs.htm.  I think that I grow them
all. If you click on the plant they give companion selections as well.

I especially like Athyrium niponicum (Japanese painted fern) as it colonizes
quickly so it can be divided to use in other shady places. Leucanthemum
'Becky' is my all time favorite daisy. It has a long bloom season if
dead-headed. Phlox 'David' can not be beat for long bloom and all-round
flower production. All kind of grasses should do well for you. Calamagrostis
x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' (feather reed grass) is a beauty.  Rudbeckia
fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm'(black eyed susan)  and Echinacea
purpurea 'Magnus' (Purple cone flower) are standards for a sunny garden. I
like the new Salvia cultivar 'Cardonna' for long bloom. Perovskia
atriplicifolia (Russian sage) is beautiful, but give it good drainage.
Astilbe 'Sprite', or any others are nice in part sun. Veronica 'Sunny Border
Blue' with produce blooms all season long.

I also love agastache 'Blue Fortune' and A. 'Golden Jubilee' with its
chartreuse foliage. Hydrangea 'Pia' is compact with pink flowers (probably
needs some shade). There are many hosta that can tolerate sun and I wouldn't
be without them! Of course, daylilies should love your sunny garden! And, I
love lilium, but they too need drainage. Lobelia 'Ruby Slippers' is a
gorgeous ruby red.

I'm thinking that you should make some raised beds to make sure that your
plants have better drainage in the clay soil. Also, add lots of organic
matter.

I have more favorites, but I have to look up some names.

Chris Petersen   
Northport, Long Island, New York
 Zone 7a (Average min temp 50 - 00)
 
chris@widom-assoc.com
My garden: http://photos.yahoo.com/chrispnpt

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