I do. I cut the columbine stems back to the foliage after the blooms start to look bad, or if the aphids smother them (like they are right now). I'll probably cut mine off this weekend. They often reblooom in the fall, though not as superfluously.

The penstemons I cut, but only when I'm certain that no more blooms are coming from the tips. It often blooms again, when new stalks grow.

I deadhead once the plants start looking a bit ratty, but I keep hoping that maybe they might reseed, too, so I am not fanatical about removing the spent blooms.

According to this listing, Deadheading Your Perennials, neither the penstemon nor the columbine will rebloom, but deadheading will prolong the bloom time of the blooms that remain.

Holly

I have never noticed my penstemons re-blooming. I always WANT to let them go to seed, but, as one member over on the native plants forum said, they are kind of like a big, ugly "carcass" once they have gone to seed, so I always cut them before that happens. My eatonii is now in it's "carcass" stage right now, and will probably get chopped this weekend.

I let them set seed, at least some of them. I always have new ones replacing old ones down here but maybe they are longer lived perennials in Colorado? Here in Oklahoma three years seems to be the longest a plant lasts. Sand Penstemon (P. ambiguus) is a whole different deal. It starts blooming later in spring and keeps it up all season. Its a low bush type. Palmer's Penstemon wins the prize when it comes to carcasses but those huge blooms are something else and so is the size.

I would swear that the penstemons rebloom in the fall, but admittedly I could be mixing up my plants. Right now I only have the Husker's Red and some purple charity that looks like a hybrid.

I definitely get reblooms on my columbine. It's an eastern red, which is forest wildflower I am familiar with from growing up in Michigan. Like this (not my photo, but nicer looking than mine)

And here is mine, today, crusted with aphids. Ew.

My columbines are trashed right now too. Aphids have gotten ahold of them as well and the fluffy seeds from the nearby narrowleaf cottonwoods sticks to them like they are made of glue, making them look even worse. They are species A. caerulea, and they make no bones about how much they dislike our low elevation, hot, dry summers. Last year they were great, since it was wetter and colder and they were underneath a tree that has since been removed. But I love them so, and I don't have the heart to rip our state flower out quite yet...maybe on Sunday.... I wish I had a moist, cool spot for them. I do in the backyard but I have critters that rip up anything I try to plant back there.

My dad has what looks like the hybrid Remembrance (swan violet and white) columbine at his house in Ft. Morgan which is much more hot and humid, and they do great. But, I am a sucker for the species...

You may be right, Mathew about penstemons reblooming. Just because I haven't seen it doesn't mean it doesn't happen in someone else's yard.

Awesome! Thanks guys. I'll double check the varieties that I have. The columbines came with the house, but I procured all the penstemon late last summer. I haven't seen any aphids at all in the perennial bed. Maybe the garden gods are cutting me some slack for the flea beetle infestation in the veggie bed...

Zach, after seeing the photographs of your penstemons with the hummingbird, I think the purple one is what I've got. I'll see if I can get it to rebloom this fall. it will be an experiment!

Inbetweendays, I have been hit hard with the flea beetles this year as well. Mostly on tomatoes and tomatillos, which I grew from seed, and are still pretty small.

Aphids and flea beetles are certainly getting fat and happy this spring, aren't they?

I am going to have to pay more attention to my penstemons to see if they do indeed rebloom. I would love to have them bloom 3 times a season like yours, gardenchloe! And I haven't seen any reseeding from my plants, either; these are short-lived plants so I would love it if they would reseed. They seem to thrive for a few years and then die out, leaving no progeny; I must be doing something wrong!

Holly

gardenchloe what zone are you? Wondering if that makes a difference with reblooms.

I am in zone five. The penstemons definitely bloom three times a year for me. They grow so fast that I have to give ton is of them away every spring and fall.