3 Essential Perennials for Summer

3 Essential perennials for summer is a collection of three plants of floriferous perennials that quickly establish a long-lasting, very colourful display for several weeks in summer. They have been chosen for the beautiful harmony of their colours, the complementarity of their habit, and the duration of their flowering. They need to be planted in the sun in a well-drained soil that retains a little coolness in summer. It is a display that will be very rewarding as from the first season.

The collection is made up of 3 young plants:

• 1 x Geum 'Totally Tangerine'. This avens bears, from May to July, and even into August, semi-double flowers of an apricot orange, veined with tangerine. Its habit is supple but sturdy, with ramified stems that hold well without staking. It is the warm note of the display.

• 1 x Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna'. The flowering of this sage begins early, from May, then continues into summer with a repeat flowering at the end of the season if the faded spikes are cut. Its dark violet flowers are borne on very dark purplish-brown, almost black stems.

• 1 x Nepeta faassenii 'Walker’s Low'. This nepeta develops a wide and supple clump; it flowers for a long time, from May to October, in lavender blue. Its green-grey to silvery, aromatic foliage forms an elegant small cushion. More spreading and lighter than the sage, it provides cohesion between the other plants and softens the whole.

Plant this collection at the beginning of spring or in autumn. It is suited to a cottage garden border, a sunny border, a free-flowing flower bed, or a mixed border. Prepare a well-drained soil, enriched with compost if needed. Place the avens ‘Totally Tangerine’ in the middle or slightly in the background, as it is the tallest. Position the sage ‘Caradonna’ beside it to punctuate with dark verticals. Install the Nepeta ‘Walker’s Low’ in front of its companions. You can also place them in a triangle. Leave about 40 cm between each of the three perennials to achieve a balanced set and allow each plant to establish well. This corresponds to 5 to 6 plants per m².