Happy Friday everyone,

Hope your yard and garden are surviving the heat. I just got my first taste of 90 degrees this year and I’m going to tell you I don't like it. I arrived home this weekend from spending over a month in the mountains of Colorado and I only saw 80 degrees once, while visiting Aspen. Otherwise, it was a crisp and clean 70s or cooler every day. Jealous?

My cousin was nice enough to take care of my garden and yard, but you always feel a little nervous coming back when it’s been 90 degrees every day while you were gone. Especially since she’s relatively new to taking care of plants. Luckily, we have security cameras, so I knew she was doing a fantastic job and the plants and yard were staying beautiful. But you know what wasn’t? My poor neighbors’ yard.

They had just landscaped it, which I was excited about. For the past eight years, we had older neighbors who did no landscaping and just let it go. So I was happily surprised when the new owners hired a landscaping company to redo the entire yard.

I’m not sure exactly what happened, but this is what it looked like when I got back. One of two things happened. Either they didn't put mulch down and left it bare dirt, or they did and the mowers blew grass clippings and seed right into the beds. I felt like it had mulch, but honestly, I can't remember. The first thing I asked my wife was if they had been gone all month, like us. I didn't have anyone pulling weeds and our beds look nothing like that. It's so thick you can barely see the plants. I'm not even sure where you would start to clean that up. It's going to be an amazing amount of work.

It’s why I always tell my customers: God fills holes. If you don't cover the area with plants, mulch, or weed mat and rock, He'll fill it for you. He was working overtime this July.

Speaking of July, it's over and that means two things. One, you start thinking about dividing and buying bulbous perennials—Peony, Iris, Daylily, Hosta. We talked about it last newsletter, but I think in two weeks it will be okay to dig these up and divide or share with friends. It’s been so hot you probably could do it now in most parts of the country.

Two, keep your eyes open for bare root plants for sale. Peonies are much cheaper bare root this time of year. You can save 80 percent compared to buying them in pots in the spring.

And speaking of spring, many growers have put out their New Perennials for 2026 catalog. I've started looking them over and I’ll give you 20 of my favorite new perennials for 2026 (all photos and plants from GrowingColors.com)

Name: Yarrow ‘Milly Rock™ Trio’
Botanical Name: Achillea millefolium ‘Milly Rock™ Trio’
Height x Width: 10–12 in × 10–12 in
Flower Time: Late spring through fall
Zone: USDA 4–9
Why You Want It: They won’t tell you, but this is merely 3 plants propagated together. This sounds like something you could do, but it’s essential to find three plants that bloom at exactly the same time and have the same height and width. This is drought-tolerant, deer- and rabbit-resistant, and a favorite for pollinators. Deadheading keeps the color coming into fall. Easy to grow and low maintenance.

Name: Anemone ‘Dawn Breaker’
Botanical Name: Anemone × hybrida ‘Dawn Breaker’
Height x Width: 14–18 in × 14–18 in
Flower Time: Spring
Zone: USDA 4–8
Why You Want It: The key here is spring blooming. Finding a good rose-pink anemone that blooms early like snow drop has been hard to find. Strong grower and holds foliage during summer. Adds early-season color, deer and rabbit resistant, and works well in borders or containers.

Name: Astilbe ‘Mighty Max’
Botanical Name: Astilbe chinensis ‘Mighty Max’
Height x Width: 36–48 in × 36–48 in
Flower Time: Mid to late summer
Zone: USDA 3–8
Why You Want It: The Height. Four feet tall is not just a perennial, its like having a piece of art in the garden. Show-stopping tall plumes in pink and magenta add vertical drama in shade. Moist-soil lover, butterfly magnet, deer resistant and ideal for woodland or border shade beds.

Name: Buddleia ‘Lil Raspberry’
Botanical Name: Buddleja ‘Butterfly Candy™ Lil Raspberry’
Height x Width: 24–36 in × 24–36 in
Flower Time: Late spring through fall
Zone: USDA 5–10
Why You Want It: The color. I had to see it in person to make sure it really was this color red. It is. It really does shine and stand out. Compact butterfly bush with magenta blooms and sweet fragrance. Reblooming, heat-loving, easy care, pollinator magnet and perfect for small gardens or containers.

Name: Coreopsis ‘Solanna Glow’
Botanical Name: Coreopsis grandiflora ‘Solanna Glow’
Height x Width: 14–16 in × 14–16 in
Flower Time: Early summer through fall
Zone:
Why You Want It: Extra long bloom time and heat tolerance. There are plenty of coreopsis and a large numbers of yellows to choose from. This one gets the sturdy and blooming award. Great for borders or mass planting.

Name: Delosperma ‘Desert Dancers Purple’
Botanical Name: Delosperma ‘Desert Dancers Purple’
Height x Width: 4–6 in × 12–18 in
Flower Time: Spring to early fall
Zone: 5-9
Why You Want It: Ground cover or hanging basket even. You would grow it for its purple foliage even if it didn’t have the great flowers. . Drought tolerant and long blooming. I’m going to added it to my planter baskets to make it easier to keep watered while I’m away next year

Name: Dianthus ‘Scent First® Lemon Sparkler’
Botanical Name: Dianthus hybrida ‘Scent First® Lemon Sparkler’
Height x Width: 8–10 in × 8–10 in
Flower Time: Summer (repeat blooming)
Zone: USDA 5–9
Why You Want It: Unusual yellow for a perennial dianthus. Highly fragrant yellow flowers with pink flecks. Compact and tidy with repeat blooms through summer. Like all dianthus, deadhead and you’ll extend the bloom time by double.

Name: Echinacea ‘SunSeekers Golden Sun’
Botanical Name: Echinacea ‘SunSeekers Golden Sun’
Height x Width: 18–24 in × 16 in
Flower Time: Summer into autumn
Zone: 4-9
Why You Want It: Blooms its heart out and looks like a straw flower but it’s a perennial. Semi-double golden yellow blooms with fringed petals. Compact, drought tolerant, and great for pollinators.

Name: Heliopsis ‘Orange Marble’
Botanical Name: Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Orange Marble’
Height x Width: 24–32 in × 24–32 in
Flower Time: Summer through fall
Zone: 4-9
Why You Want It: I would grow an entire bed of this if I could. I have always had a little trouble at the Illinois house growing variegated heliopsis. Its good for a few years and peters out. I’ve heard its gotten stronger so it’s time to try again. I loved the yellow but I’m drooling for the orange

Name: Helleborus x hybridus ‘Tutu’
Botanical Name: Helleborus x hybridus ‘Tutu’
Height x Width: 16” X 18”
Flower Time: Late Winter/Early Spring
Zone: 4-8
Why You Want It: Love the two toned green and pink with the speckles. Put them up against a little snow and it’s like a painting

Name: Hemerocallis ‘Bogeyman’
Botanical Name: Hemerocallis ‘Bogeyman’
Height x Width: 20” X 24”
Flower Time: Early Summer
Zone: 3-9
Why You Want It: Look at the color. Everyone is trying for black black flowers but this one getting close. More of a super dark maroon. Would look great in a bouquet. 6” flower

Name: Hemerocallis ‘See You Tomorrow’
Botanical Name: Hemerocallis ‘See You Tomorrow’
Height x Width: 18” X 24”
Flower Time: Entire Summer
Zone: 3-9
Why You Want It: They call them Day Lilies because the flowers last a day. But what if they lasted 7 days? Here you go. The first daylily where the flowers last a full week and still keep coming. The open lemon green and move to butter yellow.

Name: Heuchera ‘Eternal Flame’
Botanical Name: Heuchera ‘Eternal Flame’
Height x Width: 10” X 16”
Flower Time: Summer
Zone: 4-9
Why You Want It: Looks like coleus. Against a dark mulch you can see it from across the yard. Take a good deal of sun, may actually prefer it. Like many heuchera, a great addition to a pot

Name: Hosta ‘Fireworks’
Botanical Name: Hosta ‘Fireworks’
Height x Width: 8” X 6”
Flower Time: Summer
Zone: 3-9
Why You Want It: I’m a sucker for hostas with a lot of white. This delivers. White also means it can take more sun that other hostas. More sun actually makes it turn more white. Downside is its tiny. Wish it were a bit bigger

Name: Iris ensata ‘Dinner Plate™ Blueberry Pie’
Botanical Name: Iris ensata ‘Dinner Plate™ Blueberry Pie’
Height x Width: 32” X 28”
Flower Time: Spring
Zone: 4-9
Why You Want It: I mean really, look at that color. I don’t need to say much more. Flower a giant for an Iris, thus the name dinner plate

Name: Iris ensata ‘Dinner Plate™ Carrot Cake’
Botanical Name: Iris ensata ‘Dinner Plate™ Carrot Cake’
Height x Width: 32” X 28”
Flower Time: Spring 
Zone: 4-9
Why You Want It: Ditto to the above. These two are definite buys for me for next year

Name: Lilium ‘Roselily™ Nowa’
Botanical Name: Lilium Oriental Double ‘Roselily™ Nowa’
Height x Width: 22” X 18”
Flower Time: Spring 
Zone: 4-9
Why You Want It: I’m a sucker for double Lilium. This one has 3 flowers per stem and the flowers are massive. Keep the rabbits away early and you’ll have some of the most fragrant beautiful plants in the neighborhood

Name: Primula acaulis ‘Zebra Blue’
Botanical Name: Primula acaulis ‘Zebra Blue’
Height x Width: 8” X 10”
Flower Time: Early Spring and Fall
Zone: 4-8
Why You Want It: I normally don’t like primula. Flowers are too small and blooms too early for me to even see. The bonus here is these bloom again in fall. The color is so unique I have to add

Name: Sempervivum ‘Colorockz® Arctic White’
Botanical Name: Sempervivum ‘Colorockz® Arctic White’
Height x Width: 4-6” X 10” 
Flower Time: Summer 
Zone: 3-9
Why You Want It: Great texture and color. Basically can’t kill. Not sure I’ve seen this all white color before. I am going to mix this and the one below in some shallow pots

Name: Sempervivum ‘Colorockz® Coral Red’
Botanical Name: Sempervivum ‘Colorockz® Coral Red’
Height x Width: 4-6” X 10” 
Flower Time: Summer
Zone: 3-9
Why You Want It: Like above, the color and the hardiness. Brilliant colors

A Picture is Worth a Hundred Words

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Try a bottle or two…….

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