Balloon Flower

The inflated buds of balloon flowers are fun to pop. And they make great cut flowers. Cut them in the bud stage, and sear the base of the stems to prevent the milky sap from seeping out and fouling the water. Most commonly available in blue-violet, balloon flowers also come in pink and white, as well as shorter forms that are better suited for rock gardens and containers. In fall, the foliage of balloon flower turns clear gold, so don’t cut the plant down too early — enjoy the show! They tolerate light shade, but not wet feet or drought.

Varieties of Balloon Flower

‘Astra Blue’ Balloon Flower

Platycodon grandiflorus ‘Astra Blue’ bears large blue flowers on compact plants in late summer. It grows 8 inches tall and wide. Plant in zones 4-9.

Double Balloon Flower

Platycodon grandiflorus ‘Hakone Blue’ offers dazzling double blue flowers in summer. It grows 24 inches tall and 18 inches wide. Plant in zones 4-8.

‘Sentimental Blue’ Balloon Flower

Platycodon grandiflorus ‘Sentimental Blue’ bears purple-blue flowers in late summer on a compact plant. It grows 12 inches tall and 18 inches wide. Plant in zones 4-9.

Balloon Flower Companion Plants

Sedum

Varieties of sedum are practically perfect plants. They look good from the moment their flowers emerge from the soil in spring and continue to look fresh and fabulous all growing season long. Many are attractive even in winter when their foliage dies and it’s left standing. They’re also drought-tolerant and need very little, if any, care. They’re favorites of butterflies and valuable bees. The tall types are outstanding for cutting and drying.

There are many different types of this beautiful plant, from tall ones that top 2 feet to low-growing groundcovers that form mats. All thrive in full sun with good drainage. Ground cover types suppress weeds but don’t tolerate foot traffic. Some smaller ones are best grown in pots or treated as houseplants.

Helenium

Long-blooming helenium lights up the late-season garden with showy daisy flowers in brilliant yellows, browns, and mahogany, centered with prominent yellow or brown discs. Many of the best cultivars are hybrids. All are excellent for cutting. Deadhead to extend bloom time and divide the clumps every couple of years to ensure vigor.

Daylily

Daylilies are so easy to grow you’ll often find them growing in ditches and fields, escapees from gardens. And yet they look so delicate, producing glorious trumpet-shaped blooms in myriad colors. There are some 50,000 named hybrid cultivars in various flower sizes (the minis are very popular), forms, and plant heights. Some are fragrant. The flowers bloom on leafless stems. Although each bloom lasts only a single day, superior cultivars carry numerous buds on each scape, so bloom time is long, especially if you deadhead daily. The strappy foliage may be evergreen or deciduous.

Shown above: ‘Little Grapette’ daylily

Coreopsis

One of the longest bloomers in the garden, coreopsis produces (usually) sunny yellow daisylike flowers that attract butterflies. But, depending on the variety, Coreopsis bears golden-yellow, pale yellow, pink, or bicolor flowers. It will bloom from early to midsummer or longer if it’s deadheaded.