Perennial flower list for zone 7 (new Jersey) from early spring through Late fall.?

Hi:

I live in Northern New Jersey (Zone 7) and I recently moved into a new home and I would like to start planning my gardens. I have all types of light conditions: full sun, partial shade, heavy shade and I even have some areas that are in a meadow that stays very damp after a heavy rain. I just ordered 85 10 foot tall Green Giant Arbivaitae to put along the property line to create a natural fence. Some of these Arbivitae will be planted in heavy shade provided by pin oaks.

I was would like to plant a schedule of flowers that will bloom in succession, early spring through late fall. The beds will be planted with the arbavitae as a backdrop in some areas. Could you provide me with a list of flowers and the schedule in which they bloom so that I can plan out the gardens accordingly?

Perennial flower list for zone 7 (new Jersey) from early spring through Late fall.?
- balloon flower (blooming July - Sep)

- snapdragon (blooming July - Sep)

- monkshood (blooming Sep - Oct)

- rosemary (July - Aug)

- scarlet sage (July - Sep)
Reply:Lenten roses will bloom in January in your zone, so start with those. Then your spring bulbs - narcissus and daffodils, tulips, hyacinth, anemones, scilla, allium - followed by German and Louisiana irises. Next your spring flowers - poppies, roses (lots of those - carpet, knock out, hybrid teas, grandiflora, etc), shasta and English daisies, James Kelway painted daisies, raja, false indigo, lavender, and clematis and wisteria for climbers. In shade, do lots of hostas, bleeding hearts, epimedium, elephant ears, monarda.



In summer, cannas, coneflowers, daylilies, zinnia and dahlia, rudbeckia, butterfly bush, foxglove, cleome, a great variety of sedum and lots of hydrangea, including oak leaf and endless summer varieties.



For fall, fall blooming anemonies, candy lily, toad lily - you will really appreciate your dahlias at this season -- blooming until frost.



I wish I could come and help -- it sounds like a big undertaking but it will be gorgeous!
Reply:Here are a few free garden plans. Hopefully, they will get you started.

http://www.gardendesigner.com/exp-pla.ht...



Springhill Nursery offers lots of garden plans which include the actual plants. I've ordered from them and been very happy with their products, plus you get the planting guide.

http://springhillnursery.com/product.asp...



Good luck with your project!
Reply:Do you have deer in your area? This will determine what type of plantings to use.
Reply:First off, you live in an area with an excellent climate for perennials. There is a vast variety to choose from and your choices will strongly depend on your likes and dislikes. You need to go to your local library and get some books on garden design with perennials.



Perennials that I love and that do really well in the North East are:

Bulbs early (daffodils, tulips, crocus etc)

Azaleas and other flowering shrubs in April/May

Dicentras, astilbes, peonies, clematis, roses in May/June

Daisy type flowers in the summer and fall (coneflowers, rudbeckia, gallardia, asters, chrysanthemums) Other plants like hostas do well in shade.



That is just a few suggestions. Another good way to get ideas for your area is to visit some local gardens, look over a lot of fences, talk to neighbors, join a garden club. You will probably find people who love to talk about their gardens and even give you cuttings of plants that do well in your neighborhood.





I must say that I don't like your choice of border planting. Arborvitae may grow tall and fast and create a good barrier, but they end up looking like an ugly prison wall that casts too much shade, from my perspective. In addition they throw off needles that are poisonous to many plants -- you don't see much growing under or near arborvitae.

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