2017-10-01 Birds & Bloom

OCTOBER (^) I NOVEMBER 2017 birdsandblooms.com 15
4 Lemon Queen sunf lower
HELIANTHUS ‘LEMON QUEEN,’ ZONES 4 TO 9
Save a spot in the back of the garden for this royal
sunflower. Creamy yellow flowers top 6-foot-tall plants
from late summer through fall. The upright, bushy
plant provides a nice backdrop for neighboring flowers.
Pinch the stems back throughout June if you want to
keep your plant shorter.
Why we love it: It’s great as a cut flower. Plus,
hummingbirds and butterflies take advantage of
the bright blooms.
3
2 Mammoth
garden mum
CHRYSANTHEMUM
MORIFOLIUM ‘MAMMOTH,’
ZONES 3 TO 9
Bred by the University
of Minnesota, this hardy
mum is right at home
in both the north and
south. Grow it in full
sun in the garden or a
container. This heav y
bloomer produces plenty
of flowers, so share
fresh-from-the-garden
bouquets with friends.
Why we love it: It’s a
large mum that needs
no early season pinching
to stand upright in your
autumn garden.
2
1 Alma
Potschke aster
SYMPHYOTRICHUM NOVAE-
ANGLIAE ‘ANDENKEN AN ALMA
POTSCHKE,’ ZONES 4 TO 8
Vivid rose-pink blooms
on this New England
aster grab the attention
of passersby. Pinch the
stems back to 6 inches
throughout June to
encourage compact
growth, sturdier stems
and more flowers. Or let
it grow (it’ll reach about
4 feet) and surround it
with sturdy neighbors.
Why we love it: Birds
and butterflies visit this
beauty, which adds motion
and life to your yard.
4
BREAKOUT STARS Popular since the ‘90s, the Mammoth mum series offers plants that
produce thousands of flowers and reach 4 feet across by the second season. Consider
these Mammoth giants: Yellow Quill, White Daisy or Lavender Daisy (shown above).
1: RICHARD DAY/DAYBREAK IMAGERY; 2: DOREENWYNJA.COM; 3, 4: 2017 NORTH CREEK NURSERIES, INC.
3 Fireworks goldenrod
SOLIDAGO RUGOSA ‘FIREWORKS,’ ZONES 4 TO 9
An explosion of bright yellow flowers tops this 3-foot
plant. Grow low-maintenance Fireworks in full sun
or light shade. Contrary to popular belief, this is not
the hay fever culprit. Ragweed, which is often found
growing next to goldenrod, causes the sniffles.
Why we love it: Goldenrods are a great nectar and
pollen source for fall’s flying pollinators and other
beneficial insects.