Selecting New Perennial for Organic Gardens

 When adding a new perennial to your gardens, do your research. do you know all aspects of what the plant will provide & achieve? There's much publicizing from native plant activists. They're up there with militant vegans. They'll shame you into getting rid of your lawns, and threaten to draw & quarter your limbs if you grow non-native flowers saying they disrupt the ecosystem. Don't listen to other people. Take everything into consideration. Because you might know more info, understand that there are over 4000 native bees, and that the Europeans first brought them to the colonies. There's nothing wrong with growing non natives to attract these transplanted naturalized native bees. There are invasive plants that do take over reducing biodiversity, competing with native & non native organisms for limited resources, and altering habitats. This can result in huge economic impacts and fundamental disruptions. We all know too well about phragmites, English Ivy, Asiatic bittersweet, kudzu, etc.

On March 1, 2023, I ordered many seeds from a catalogue called Tradewinds.  The seeds were reasonable in price.  One of the seed varieties appealed to me in many ways. 

Balloon Flower - Platycodon grandiflorus, a perennial, is not a native blue flower, yet its hardy, disease-resistant nature and vibrant perennial blossoms, does well in most climates, from zones 3 through 9. It flowers best in full sun, but will also thrive in morning sun and afternoon shade (and may actually do better there in warmer areas). New plants need regular water while getting established, but then are pretty drought-tolerant. Yes I want drought loving low growing blue flowers. Birds, bees, and butterflies love them. They start flowering in mid to late summer, and will continue throughout the season with regular dead-heading. That’s pretty much all the maintenance they’ll need, though. P. grandiflorus may be propagated from seed, by stem cuttings, or from nursery starts in the spring.

The edible roots have long been pickled and preserved, and used in herbal remedies and dietary supplements, to provide anti-inflammatory, antitussive, and digestive benefits. For thousands of years this perennial herb has been used to treat hypotension, lipid reduction, atherosclerosis, inflammation, relieving cough and phlegm, promoting cholic acid secretion, and as an antioxidant. Companions that play well with P. grandiflorus include bee balm, black-eyed Susan, blazing star, daylily, and lily turf. Perfect for my butterfly and rain garden.