Sunny Flower Bed - What Will It Look Like?

[underthemagnolia]

I've cleared some trees from an area in my front yard, and there is a sizeable clump of iris there but not much else. I looked at a BHG Garden Plan at

https://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtmlstoryid=/templatedata/bhg/story/data/1140635234244.xml&catref=cat10004

which suggests 'Alba' rose, 'Hyperion' daylily, 'Laura' phlox, Shasta daisy
'Caesar's Brother' Siberian iris, Black-eyed Susan and Baptisia.

My only question is when, how long do these plants bloom? Am I looking at the possibility of a profusion of flowers for two weeks and then a weedy looking patch for months to follow?

I've got Irises all over my 1.5 acre property (if you want any, come on over! I've got plenty to share!) and I love them when they're in bloom, but they're not my favorite thing to look at after they've bloomed. Same thing with daffodils and day lilies. I guess I'm revealing something about my personality here. While I find the thought of a full blown cottage style garden that is wild and gorgeous appealing in theory, in practice I like something a bit neater.

Any input appreciated.

[Grey]

Well, I'm still new to the area myself (I moved up here from FL a year ago now), but I would add a few plants to that mix that I know bloom a little longer. Marigolds (to also keep certain pests away), and zinnia, maybe a few of the taller varieties of blue salvia (that's one I know blooms throughout the warmer season - mine grew about waist-high once!).

The irises should bloom first in that mix, then the others should follow, I don't think those in the BHG bunch all bloom at the same time. I'll bounce around the internet today and have a look-see, and I'll add the results of the search here.

Me, I can't have a full-sun flower garden without a few varieties of sunflower. I love those, still cannot get over the fascination of the mammoth varieties.

EDIT: I may take you up on those irises, I think your county is all of 45 minutes from me. I have a very messed-up yard here, almost a blank slate to work with but with 20 years of neglect. I was thinking irises and lilies would be nice around the mailbox.

[Grey]

Alba Rose: blooms once, mostly in July
https://www.oldheirloomroses.com/Alba.htm
(if you want advice on roses - ask Val (grandpas rose) she'll tell you of some that bloom more than that!)

Hyperion daylily - blooms midseason ( ) apparently an heirloom variety!
https://www.bloomingfieldsfarm.com/hype.html

(if you want daylilies though, my advice is to come on up hwy 27 here - there's a guy with 5 acres of daylilies of ALL kinds just south of Summerville and just north of Armuchee, all colors, so fun to walk around there in his giant flower field)

Laura Phlox: https://davesgarden.com/pf/go/51615/index.html
Blooms midsummer (so, July-ish?)

Shasta dasy blooms June-July
https://extension-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/36/36.7.html

Ceasar's Brother:
Late spring/early summer
https://davesgarden.com/pf/go/33225/index.html

Black-eyed Susan Blooms June through August
https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/20/20.2.html
(I can't see having these, and NOT having purple coneflower (echinacea purpurea) too. Those are native to this area, and due to wild harvesting of the root for medicinal purposes, are getting endangered - I plan to have a very large plot of these - best not to try by seed, purpurea is hard to start that way (and the color isn't guranteed either if memory serves..)and it takes a few years before you get a bloom, and then you must wait at least 3 years, best is 5 years, before you divide the root)

Baptisia
late spring,early summer (very pretty!)
https://davesgarden.com/pf/go/18/

Hope that helps - if you have a good garden center near you (not one of the big box places, those people don't know anything - tried to tell me pansies would die in frost - lol!) someone there should be knowledgeable and help out.

[opabinia51]

Some daylilies bloom in the spring, some in the summer and others in the fall. So, the world is your oyster with those guys. I would plant all three because then you'll have flowers for 3 out of 4 seasons.

There are a plethora of cultivars out there. My favourite is Starmans Quest.

Daylilies should be divided every two to four years.

[underthemagnolia]

Wow,

Thanks for the help. That's really more than I expected anyone to do on my behalf!

I have a Pike's nursery just a few minutes from me. Not the most consistant help, but there's a good tree guy and one really knowledgeable flower and shrub lady. I seek them out when I have questions. Anyone else is a risk. It helps that we've built a good relationship with the people there. We go in to browse at least once a week, so they know us and our daughter pretty well. The HD Landscape Supply has many of the same trees, bushes and flowers at much cheaper prices, but God love ya, you can't get any kind of advice or help from the people there.

Grey, I'll take pictures of the irises when they bloom and send them to you. I'd be glad to have you over for a glass of tea and share some clumps with you!

[Grey]

Sounds like a plan! I'll bake cookies. (they're my weakness)

Glad you have some good/knowledgeable sources near you!