Perennials fill gap between spring bulbs, summer annuals

For gardeners, nothing tops the wonderful spring season.

Billowing waves of blooming trees line the streets, bulbs push their way out of the soil and into our hearts, and wondrous mosaics of perennials adorn our gardens. While some have already come and gone, many more will share their seasonal beauty.

If the perennial bug has not yet bitten you, watch out. A couple of decades ago, a well-stocked perennial nursery in Utah might have carried 50 different kinds of plants. Now some local nurseries might have more than a thousand different kinds. While the list is not endless, there are choices to please any gardener.

Perennials and a few biennials that bloom a little later in the season are important because they fill the transition between when bulbs and fall-planted annuals and biennials fade and the summer annuals fill in.

Since most of us are unwilling to wait for a month or more to have the annuals show their display, these plants are good choices to dress the late-spring garden.

Here, then, is a list of a few of my favorites. The list is not all-inclusive, nor is it meant to exclude plants that might grow well in our area. These are all good performers in our area and some are excellent, water-wise choices.

Bleeding hearts are an extraordinary perennial. They start with a few leaves poking through the soil in the spring and then erupt into a massive display of bright-green foliage. The namesake-shaped flowers appear quickly and cover the plant with shades of pink, reds and whites.

After the blooms fade, the foliage eventually withers away and the plant disappears until the following spring.

Because of their showy blooms and massive size, these are great choices for the transition garden. They thrive in most soils and will live for many years. They do best with some protection from the sun and wind.

Iris thrive in our high-mountain desert. These elegant flowers have long been a favorite of local gardeners. They survive with little water and mix well with many types of flowers. With hundreds of varieties available ranging in size from miniatures to tall, they fit in any garden. For further versatility, look for early, mid-season and late bloomers.

Corydalis is another good transition plant. In fact, they are one of the few perennials that bloom reliably for most of the growing season. From early spring to frost, the small mounding plants are adorned with interesting blossoms. When they are not in bloom, the foliage, resembling maidenhair fern, still provides interest.