45 Minutes

Ask a Question about or notify us of an error on this page with: Summer Perennials

Advice from expert gardeners on planting, soil, propagating, climate, Latin names and more.

Four gardening professionals show and tell all there is to know about perennial plants:

Michael Bates:

Michael grew up in the West Country of England in a family of dedicated gardeners. He now designs and consults extensively throughout the West Coast. His own Sonoma Mountain garden is a wonderful California hybrid of the traditional English style, including mass plantings of shrub roses, perennials, and a wildflower meadow.

Sarah Hammond:

Sarah is a lifelong gardener. With frequent trips to England, over a 15 year span, Sarah has introduced many unusual perennials to the U.S. She established the original Smith &Hawken nursery in Mill Valley and still consults for them, and others. Her coastal garden and retail nursery is an hour north of San Francisco.

Daria &Bruce Shanks:

Both Bruce and Daria got their horticultural start in the retail nursery business. In Daria's case, starting at age 13. Later, Bruce focused on landscape design, and installation. They now own and operate Cottage Garden Growers of Petaluma, a 2 acre nursery specializing in perennial plants.