Favourite & tough perennials?

[Pannacotta]

We need to fill some gaps in our borders (which also contain newly planted trees and shrubs), so we need tough plants which can cope with comepetition.

I'd like some summer flowers. At the moment I have shrubs then hellebores, foxgloves, penstemon, aquilgegia, lots of geranium phaeum and tellima. Bit dull I think.

I'll be planting some bulbs too but some summer colour would be nice...

Any ideas/recommendations?
Thanks

Verbina bonariensis is lovely and airy, gives good height too.

Do you really want tough ones? Because I've got a new theory of local toughness, which is that the thing to do is to go to the local WI / church / village plant sale, and buy stuff there.

So true GM! Mind you the vicar and I nearly came to blows over a plant once.

Try japanese anemones - tough as old boots. Flower July/August.

Daylilies are quite nice, very tough and you can divide them once they are established.

I really like ladies mantle. No 'colour' as such but a lovely limey green and beautiful foliage.

Verbena are good too.

Why not put a couple of strategic box topiary amongst the perennials for a lovely bit of structure.

Thanks all, the suggestions were just the sorts of plants I was thinking of, so good to hear that you agree...

Would love to buy plants for village/church sale but we live near town and I dont hear of many such events, but will keep my eyes open, good tip...

Just beware of men/women of the cloth coveting plants.

at local plant sales

I had a tussle with a local centre of influence over the last penstemon at the WI country market last year. Of course I let her have it. I wait for the payback......

No good for this year, but I love biennials. Maybe some sweet william, anchusa, iceland poppies, hollyhocks? Most of them come again the next year, in fact my anchusa I've had 3 years of flowers from so far. They all do well in mixed beds for me. Do you have allium? I am trying eremerus for the first time this year.