After our exceptionally long and cold winter, spring has proven delightful with sunny, breezy days that are warm enough to spend outdoors, yet still cool enough for a light jacket. Daffodils were glorious and the cheerful tulips were delightful; now the azaleas are putting on a glorious show.
The only problem with springtime is that the flowers last such a short time. The early spring ephemerals are gone before we can appreciate their true beauty. The early bulbs decorate our beds and borders, and the ornamental trees like dogwood and redbud leaf out almost before we can capture their blossoms in photos.
In a few weeks, another long, hot, humid summer will arrive, and we can work outside only in the mornings and late afternoons, if the no-see-ums will leave us alone to do some weeding.
Summer on the Middle Peninsula is the time of year when we need long-lasting garden perennials that can withstand the heat and humidity and return to bloom year after year with a minimum of effort on our...