Frugal Living-Denver

With their swordlike leaves and showy flowers, bearded iris are an eye-catching addition to any garden. They're easy to plant, require minimum care, and readily multiply. Dwarf varieties make attractive edging.

About This Plant
Bearded iris are available in a wide variety of flower colors, including pink, blue, red, yellow, and purple. They bloom in early summer, with some varieties reblooming later in the summer. They grow from 8 inches to 4 feet tall, depending on variety. The flowers are lovely in bouquets, and the foliage remains attractive even after flowers have faded. Unfortunately, the plants are susceptible to borers, so check the rhizomes (fleshy roots) yearly for holes, discarding any infested ones.

Special Features
Easy care/low maintenance
Multiplies readily
Fragrant
Good for cut flowers

Site Selection
Select a site with full sun and well-drained soil.

Care
Apply a thin layer of compost around the base of plants each spring, leaving the rhizome (fleshy root) exposed. As flowers fade, cut back the flower stalks to the base of the plant. To encourage a second bloom on reblooming varieties, promptly remove faded flowers and maintain consistent watering throughout the summer. In autumn, trim away dead foliage and prune back healthy leaves to a height of 4 to 5 inches. Once the soil has frozen, apply a layer of mulch to help prevent roots from heaving out of the soil during alternate freezing and thawing. If heaving occurs, don't try to force plants back into the soil. Instead, cover rhizomes and exposed roots with soil. Divide bearded iris every 4 to 5 years, preferably in late summer. Each division should have one or two leaf fans. Older rhizomes that have few white feeding roots should be discarded.

Planting Instructions
Plant bearded iris in mid summer to early fall, spacing plants 1 to 2 feet apart, depending on variety. Excellent soil drainage is a must. Prepare garden bed by using a garden fork or tiller to loosen soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost. If planting a rhizome (fleshy root), dig a shallow hole 10 inches in diameter and 4 inches deep. Make a ridge of soil down the middle and place the rhizome on the ridge, spreading roots down both sides. Fill the hole with soil, and firm it gently. In clay soil, the top of the rhizome should be exposed. In sandy soil, rhizomes can be buried with a thin layer of soil. If planting container-grown plants, set the plant so the rhizome is at the soil surface. Water thoroughly.

Coneflower is a native North American perennial sporting daisylike flowers with raised centers. The flower, plant, and root of some types are used in herbal remedies.

About This Plant
Widely renowned as a medicinal plant, coneflowers are a long-flowering perennial for borders, wildflower meadows, and prairie gardens. Blooming midsummer to fall, the plants are relatively drought-tolerant and rarely bothered by pests. The flowers are a magnet for butterflies, and the seeds in the dried flower heads attract songbirds. Flower colors include rose, purple, pink, and white, plus a new orange variety. Plants grow 2 to 4 feet tall, depending on variety.

Special Features
Easy care/low maintenance
Multiplies readily
Good for cut flowers
Attracts butterflies
Deer resistant
Tolerates dry soil

Site Selection
Select a site with full sun to light shade and well-drained soil.

Planting Instructions
Plant in spring, spacing plants 1 to 3 feet apart, depending on the variety. Prepare the garden bed by using a garden fork or tiller to loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot the plant is in. Carefully remove the plant from its container and place it in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. Carefully fill in around the root ball and firm the soil gently. Water thoroughly.

Care
Apply a thin layer of compost each spring, followed by a 2-inch layer of mulch to retain moisture and control weeds. Water plants during the summer if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week. Deadhead spent flowers to extend flower period, but leave late-season flowers on the plants to mature; the seedheads will attract birds. Divide plants every 3 to 4 years as new growth begins in the spring, lifting plants and dividing them into clumps.

Few plants are as rugged, widely adapted, or versatile as daylilies. And with more than 13,000 cultivars available, there's a size and flower color for every garden.

About This Plant
Plant breeders continue to expand the color palette available in daylilies, which now includes yellow, orange, red, white, and purple flowers. Varieties with muliticolored blooms, often with a contrasting "eye," or center, are increasingly popular. Most daylilies have a distinct, three- to four-week bloom period in early to late summer, although some varieties continue to bloom sporadically all season long. Individual flowers last just one day but new ones open daily for the duration of the bloom time. Foliage height ranges from 1 to 4 feet, depending on variety. Flower stalks on the tallest varieties can reach 6 feet. Flowers are edible.

Special Features
Easy care/low maintenance
Multiplies readily
Tolerates dry soil

Site Selection
Select a site with full sun to light shade and well-drained soil. In areas with hot summers, light afternoon shade will keep brightly colored flowers from fading.

Planting Instructions
Plant in spring, spacing plants 1 to 3 feet apart, depending on the variety. Prepare the garden bed by using a garden fork or tiller to loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot the plant is in. Carefully remove the plant from its container and place it in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. Carefully fill in around the root ball and firm the soil gently. Water thoroughly.

Care
Apply a thin layer of compost each spring, followed by a 2-inch layer of mulch to retain moisture and control weeds. Avoid excessive fertilizing as this will inhibit flower production. Water plants during the summer if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week. Remove individual spent flowers daily and cut back flower stalks once all flowers have gone by. Divide plants every three to four years as new growth begins in the spring, lifting plants and dividing them into clumps.

Sporting huge, cup-shaped blooms in early summer, the Oriental poppy is the most striking of the perennial poppies, and the delicate, papery flowers belie the plant's hardiness and durability.

About This Plant
A favorite subject for artists, Oriental poppy flowers are the focal point in the garden when they are in full bloom in late spring to early summer. The plant's huge flowers may be up to 6 inches across on stems up to 4 feet tall. Colors include red, salmon, orange, crimson, and white. Oriental poppies perform poorly in regions with hot summers, and the flowers may need staking to keep from flopping over when in full bloom. The plants go dormant after blooming.

Special Features
Easy care/low maintenance
Deer resistant

Planting Instructions
Plant in spring, spacing plants 2 to 3 feet apart, depending on the variety. Prepare the garden bed by using a garden fork or tiller to loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot the plant is in. Carefully remove the plant from its container and place it in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. Carefully fill in around the root ball and firm the soil gently. Water thoroughly.

Care
Apply a thin layer of compost each spring, followed by a 2-inch layer of mulch to retain moisture and control weeds. During the summer months, when plants are dormant, watering is needed only during periods of drought. In autumn, poppies will resume foliage growth until frost, and these green leaves will remain over winter. After soil has frozen, apply a 4- to 6-inch layer of protective mulch to prevent heaving during periods of temperature fluctuation. When the weather warms up in spring, gradually remove the winter mulch. Plants can be divided in early spring or summer.

Shasta daisies, with their white petals surrounding yellow centers, are similar to the familiar meadow daisy, but have larger and more abundant blooms.

About This Plant
Shasta daisies bloom over a long period, from early summer until fall, forming tidy clumps from 2 to 3 feet tall and up to 2 feet across. The bright flowers contrast nicely with the glossy, dark green foliage, livening up any garden bed. The flowers are also suitable for cutting.

Special Features
Easy care/low maintenance
Good for cut flowers
Attracts butterflies

Site Selection
Select a site with full sun and well-drained soil.

Planting Instructions
Plant in spring, spacing plants 1 to 2 feet apart, depending on the variety. Prepare the garden bed by using a garden fork or tiller to loosen the soil to a depth of 12 to 15 inches, then mix in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost. Dig a hole twice the diameter of the pot the plant is in. Carefully remove the plant from its container and place it in the hole so the top of the root ball is level with the soil surface. Carefully fill in around the root ball and firm the soil gently. Water thoroughly.

Care
Apply a thin layer of compost each spring, followed by a 2-inch layer of mulch to retain moisture and control weeds. Water plants during the summer if rainfall is less than 1 inch per week. Stake tall varieties to keep them upright. After the first killing frost, cut stems back to an inch or two above soil line. Divide plants every 3 to 4 years as new growth begins in the spring, lifting plants and dividing them into clumps.