Perennials just don't bloom that long. Annuals do though but you would have to plant every year.

I have 'Stella d'Oro' daylilies around my mailbox and they come close to being the longest blooming perennials in my garden. They are the right size and sun requirement for you.

Yucca 'Color Guard' around the base. Try some red annual Geraniums around it or maybe some Verbena 'Homestead Purple.' That Yucca never needs to be watered and looks great all Seasons.

with your gorgeous farm house.. dont you think a pic.. might get you better ideas ???

but as noted.. nothing really blooms all summer .... you will have to mix a few things.. if you want a constant show ..

ken

How about sedum? Drought tolerant, often foliage changes color with season, flowers late summer and if left standing adds winter interest.

Some shorter more compact sedum that you might consider are Sedum sieboldii, Dazzleberry, Vera Jameson or Carl.

hth,
Deb

As Ken suggests, here is a picture showing the pole and the not so pretty concrete steps I need to get a jackhammer to fix.

I am liking the Stellas and maybe something else as they would add a good bit of bright color to the area. The sedums are a great choice to add where I already have some stonecrop sedums. Verbena looks nice and will fill a space in yet another area.

Now I need to find them at the stores ....

vince

A clematis at the base and trained up the pole would probably be predictable, but if you get a two-season flowering variety you would get Spring and Fall color there.

Annuals will give you constant color as mentioned. Just do what suits you and if you don't like it, try something else.

whats the tree off to the right ... the tri color ...

5 years into the future... the stark light.. in contrast to the decorative tree ... might be pleasing ... though you do need to do something about the grass at the base.. it looks messy ... compared to the house ...[ which again.. is grand..i just wanted to see it again .. lol ....]

until then .. well.. i dont know.. i am surprised they havent take the light away ... wait.. is it gas??? .. or switched electric???

see link ... you might want to upgrade the lamp .. and forget about plants ... perhaps you are trying to improve a modern lamp.. in front of an historic house.. and no plant is going to do that.. eh??? .. think outside your box ...

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

I knew he would ask....

The tree on the right is a Ginkgo, one of a pair I found languishing in the back lot of a local nursery a couple of years ago on discount. They are flanking the walkway as shown in the attached picture. The two bare spots on the lawn are pink peonies.

The gravel is the parking area beside the roadway, and the roadway is in sorry shape because they have been replacing the sewers across the street. Next year the road gets repaved.

As for the light, the pole is set in concrete and nice and straight, but maybe 6' to the very tip of the spire. My plan is to raise it so the light is about 8' off, build a special mount, and replace it with the two pictured in the next post once I refinish them. They match the lights already on the house, but are a bit fancier, which I think will fit the house better. Eh?

Thanks!

vince

The lights