Rocky Mountain
Perennial Bloom Guide
* as provided in the Colorado Nursery & Greenhouse Association
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PLANT
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BLOOM TIME
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XERIC
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GROUND COVERS
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Creeping Oregon Grape Holly
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March
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Yes
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Barren Strawberry
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Apr-May
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Yes
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Sweet Violet
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Apr-May
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Creeping Phlox
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Apr-Jun
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Speedwell
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Apr-Jun
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Yes
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Sweet Woodruff
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Apr-Jun
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Mock Strawberry
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May
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Yes
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Scotch or Irish Moss
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May
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Carpet Bugle
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May-Jun
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Cranesbill
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May-Jun
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Creeping Buttercup
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May-Jun
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Dead Nettles
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May-Jun
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Kinnikinnick
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May-Jun
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Yes
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Periwinkle
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May-Jun
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Pussytoes
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May-Jun
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Yes
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Self Heal
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May-Jun
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Yes
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Snow in Summer
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May-Jun
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Yes
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Soapwort
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May-Jun
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Yellow Archangel
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May-Jun
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Yellow Iceplant
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May-Jun
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Yes
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Maiden Pinks
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May-July
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Strawberry
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May-July
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Yes
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Creeping Potentilla
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May-Aug
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Creeping Tickseed
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May-Aug
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Thyme
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May-Aug
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Yes
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Stonecrop
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May-Sep
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Yes
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Snow on the Mtn
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Jun
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Moneywort
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Jun-Jul
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Mexican Evening Primrose
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Jun-Aug
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Yes
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Prairie Winecup
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Jun-Aug
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Yes
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Woolly Yarrow
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Jul-Aug
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Yes
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Creeping St. Johnswort
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Jul-Sep
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Desert Paper Flower
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Jul-Oct
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Yes
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Himalayan Border Jewel
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Aug-Sep
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"Plumbago, Leadwort"
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Aug-Sep
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Purple Leaf Wintercreeper
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Sep-Oct
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BIENNIALS
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Sweet William
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Apr-Jul
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"Honesty, Money Plant"
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Apr-Jun
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Canterbury Bells
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May-Jun
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English Wallflower
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May-Jul
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Iceland Poppy
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May-Jul
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Yes
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Clary Sage
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Jun-Jul
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Foxglove
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Jun-Aug
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Chocolate Flower
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Jun-Sep
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Yes
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Mullein
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Jun-Oct
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Yes
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Chinese Angelica
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Jul-Sep
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Prairie Coneflower
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Jul-Oct
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Yes
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Gloriosa Daisy
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Aug-Sep
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Yes
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GRASSES
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Blue Avena or Blue Oat
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Jun-Aug
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Fescue
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Jun-Aug
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Yes
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Little Bluestem
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Jun-Aug
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Yes
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Fountain Grass
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Jul
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Switch Grass
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Jul
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Yes
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Indian Grass
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Jul-Aug
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Yes
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Moor Grass
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Jul-Aug
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Big Bluestem
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Jul-Sep
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Yes
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Feather Reed Grass
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Jul-Sep
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Northern Sea Oats
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Jul-Sep
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Maiden or Miscanthus Grass
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Aug-Sep
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Plume or Ravenna Grass
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Aug-Sep
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Yes
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Giant Reed
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Sep-Oct
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BULBS
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Common Snowdrop
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Feb-Mar
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Crocus
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Feb-Mar
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Winter Aconite
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Feb-Mar
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Netted Iris
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Feb-Apr
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Yes
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Glory of the Snow
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Mar
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Striped Squill
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Mar
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Yes
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Grape Hyacinth
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Mar-Apr
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Yes
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Spring Snowflake
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Mar-Apr
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"Daffodil, Narcissus, Jonquil"
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Mar-May
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Tulip
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Mar-Jun
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Yes
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Wind Flower
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Apr
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Dutch Hyacinth
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Apr-May
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Siberian Squill
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Apr-May
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Yes
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Star of Bethlehem
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Apr-May
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Crown Imperial
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May-Jun
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Ornamental Onion
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May-Jun
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Garden Lily
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Jun-Aug
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Italian Arum
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Aug-Feb
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"Resurrection Lily, Naked Lady"
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Aug-Sep
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Yes
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"Meadow Saffron, Autumn Crocus"
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Sep
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BORDER
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Lenten Rose
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Feb-May
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Basket of Gold
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Apr-May
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Yes
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False Forget Me Not
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Apr-May
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Spotted Bethlehem Sage
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Apr-May
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Cushion Spurge
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May
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Leopard's Bane
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May
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Bleeding Heart
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May-Jun
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Catmint
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May-Jun
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Yes
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Golden Banner
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May-Jun
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Columbine
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May-Jun
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Flax
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May-Jun
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Yes
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Hardy Gloxinia
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May-Jun
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Heart leaved Bergenia
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May-Jun
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(Border Continued)
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"Iris, Tall Bearded"
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May-Jun
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Yes
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Lady's Mantle (Alchemilla)
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May-Jun
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Oriental Poppy
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May-Jun
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Yes
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Peony
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May-Jun
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Purple Mullein
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May-Jun
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Yes
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Snowdrop Anemone
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May-Jun
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Lupine
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May-Jul
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Maltese Cross
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May-Jul
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Painted Daisy
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May-Jul
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Potentilla
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May-Jul
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Yes
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"Snowy Tansy, Snow Daisy"
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May-Jul
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Yes
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Fern-leaved Bleeding Heart
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May-Aug
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Garden Carnation
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May-Aug
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Spike Speedwell
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May-Aug
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Yarrow
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May-Sep
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Yes
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Knautia
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May-Frost
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Yes
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False Indigo
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Jun
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Gasplant
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Jun
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"Giant Kale, Colewort"
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Jun
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Goat's Beard
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Jun
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"Iris, Siberian"
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Jun
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Marshall Chamomile
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Jun
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Yes
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Alumroot
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Jun-Jul
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Butterfly Weed
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Jun-Jul
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Yes
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Cranesbill
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Jun-Jul
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Cupid's Dart
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Jun-Jul
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Fireweed
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Jun-Jul
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Globeflower
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Jun-Jul
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"Italian Alkanet, Bugloss"
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Jun-Jul
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Jacob's Ladder
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Jun-Jul
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Spiderwort
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Jun-Jul
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Beard Tongue
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Jun-Aug
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Yes
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Avens
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Jun-Aug
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Balloon Flower
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Jun-Aug
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Yes
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Cornflower
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Jun-Aug
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"Double Bubble Mint, Mtn Mint"
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Jun-Aug
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Yes
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Jupiter's Beard
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Jun-Aug
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Torch Lily
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Jun-Aug
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Yes
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Bellflower
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Jun-Sep
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Blanket Flowers
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Jun-Sep
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Yes
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Coralbells
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Jun-Sep
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Yes
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Delphinium
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Jun-Sep
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Hollyhock Mallow
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Jun-Sep
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Ornamental Oregano
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Jun-Sep
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Salvia
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Jun-Sep
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Yes
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Shasta Daisy
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Jun-Sep
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Threadleaf Coreopsis
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Jun-Sep
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Tree Mallow
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Jun-Sep
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Yes
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Twinspur
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Jun-Sep
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Coreopsis
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Jun-Oct
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Ozark Sundrops
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Jun-Oct
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Yes
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Pincushion Flower
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Jun-Oct
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Rose Campion
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Jun-Oct
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Yes
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Bee Balm
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Jul-Aug
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Yes
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Daylily
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Jul-Aug
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Yes
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Dragonhead
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Jul-Aug
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False Sunflower
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Jul-Aug
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Yes
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Gayfeather
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Jul-Aug
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Globe Thistle
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Jul-Aug
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Great Lobelia
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Jul-Aug
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Hollyhock
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Jul-Aug
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Yes
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Hosta
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Jul-Aug
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Meadow Rue
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Jul-Aug
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Miniature Hollyhock
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Jul-Aug
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Plume Popply
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Jul-Aug
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Shepherd's Crook
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Jul-Aug
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Showy Fleabane
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Jul-Aug
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Yes
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Stokes Aster
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Jul-Aug
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Tall Garden Phlox
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Jul-Aug
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Yes
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Foxglove
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Jul-Aug
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Blackberry Lily
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Jul-Sep
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Coneflower
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Jul-Sep
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Yes
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Daisy Mum
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Jul-Sep
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German Saponaria
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Jul-Sep
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Goldenrod
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Jul-Sep
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Yes
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Ligularia
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Jul-Sep
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Monkshood
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Jul-Sep
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Native Four O'Clock
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Jul-Sep
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Yes
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Obedient Plant
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Jul-Sep
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Sea Lavender
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Jul-Sep
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Yes
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Whirling Butterflies
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Jul-Sep
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Yes
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"Wormwood, Mugwort, White Sage"
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Jul-Sep
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Yes
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California Fuchsia
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Jul-Oct
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Yes
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"Aster, Michaelmas Daisy"
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Jul-Frost
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Inula
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Aug
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Baby's Breath
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Aug-Sep
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Yes
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Black Snakeroot or Bugbane
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Aug-Sep
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Black-eyed Susan
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Aug-Sep
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Yes
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Boltonia
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Aug-Sep
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Common Sneezeweed
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Aug-Sep
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"Marsh Mallow, Hardy Hibiscus"
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Aug-Sep
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Russian Sage
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Aug-Sep
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Yes
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Siberian Skullcap
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Aug-Sep
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Yes
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Tall Sedum
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Aug-Sep
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Yes
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Culver's Physic
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Aug-Oct
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Garden Mum
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Aug-Oct
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New York Ironweed
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Aug-Oct
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"Windflower, Japanese Anemone"
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Aug-Oct
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General Guidelines for Growing Perennials Successfully
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Planting Tips
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- Purchase plants 3-5 days before planting and let acclimate to climate
- Water plants 4-6 hours prior to planting
- Loosen pot-bound roots
- Pinch leggy plants to promote sturdy growth
- Avoid planting in soggy soil
- Water thoroughly after planting and as needed to establish
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Soil Amendment
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- Remove weeds from planting area
- Till or spade area to loosen soil
- Add organic amendment (compost) to all soils
- Incorporate a high phosphorous fertilizer
- Native plants may need less organic matter for healthy growth
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Maintenance Tips
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- Water well in dry periods, but avoid over watering
- Avoid overhead watering to prevent disease and flower damage
- Remove spent flowers to promote rebloom and new growth
- Cut back scruffy plants to promote fresh attractive growth
- Stake tall plants early to provide needed support
- Control pests and diseases as needed
- Divide perennials when plants begin to decline from old age, overgrowth or diminished bloom
- Perennials benefit from regular fertilization
- Mulching - applying a mulch of compost in the summer will suppress weeds, maintain soil tilth and conserve moisture
- Avoid drastic removal of late season growth in the fall - this will help protect plants through the winter
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This outline was designed to help track when plants bloom to establish all season color. Further research can be obtained through the Rocky Mtn guide for color, size and planting tips. The guide also includes an extensive list of Water Plants, Rock Garden Varieties & Herbs.
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