Our August Monrovia Picks

This fast growing perennial displays charming clusters of old- fashioned double lilac colored blooms mid-summer through fall which means it will still be in bloom while many other perennials have peaked.  Native to North America, the Farmington Aster is known to attract birds and butterflies with very mildew-resistant foliage.      

Feature in mass plantings for long-lasting color or in mixed perennial borders among other long-standing favorites such as roses, peonies, coneflowers, rudbeckia and goldenrod. (Height: 18” Spread: 24”)  

Diablo Ninebark

Named for its characteristic exfoliating bark in various shades of brown, Diablo Ninebark is an extremely flexible, fast growing shrub.  Diablo Ninebark shrubs feature purplish leaves and reach 8 to 10 feet tall with a similar spread. In spring, they bear clusters of white or pinkish-white flowers. Their purplish foliage (with a touch of red here and there) often earns them the nickname, "purple ninebarks" or “purple-leafed ninebarks." Their purple leaves become even more attractive in the fall bearing an increase of red and a hint of bronze and their exfoliating bark adds interest in the winter. 

Diablo Ninebarks will flower better in full sun, but they do tolerate partial shade.  Similarly, they prefer well-drained soil, but can tolerate wet soil and even some drought.  Plant them in mass along a border to create a loose privacy hedge or plant them among other shrubs and evergreens.  Their foliage color goes well with plants that are golden or chartreuse, such as Gold Mops false cypress.