Flowers With Tall Stems

• Flowers with tall stems, a pleasing splash of color hovering over green foliage Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

  Colorful or sparkling white flowers with tall stems make a choice for borders, along fences and barriers, edging water features and as a contrast to the smaller plants used for path bordering. Tall flowering plants work well for dried flower grouping and craft projects. The taller heights mimic wild meadow flowers, often giving the effect of unplanned arrangement.

Iris

• Iris (Iris germanica) blooms in pink, blue and purple on tall stalks, surrounded by rich green slender leaves or rounded foliage. The iris propagates by bulbs in drier areas and by rhizome growth in a moister climate. The tallest of the bearded iris variety grow to nearly 3 feet in height. This plant is an early spring bloomer and many of the new varieties bloom again in the summer. Iris thrives in full sun and organic well-drained soil. Regular watering promotes optimum blooms. Over or under watering reduce the frequency of blooms.

Yarrow

• Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is a perennial flowering plant with tall stalks growing up to 3 feet in height. The white, yellow and light pink flowers form a disk at the tips of each stalk, the feather-like leaves dotted along the stem. Yarrow is a hardy plant, often used to prevent the erosion of soil because of its ability to withstand droughts. This plant thrives in full sun, but requires little in maintenance. The fullest disk flowering occurs late spring to late fall. The yarrow works well for dried arrangements.

Peace Lily

• The Peace lily (Spathiphyllum wallisii) is a perennial plant, often used in more ornamental areas. It has an exotic scent and appearance with a center spike surrounded by a petal sheath. The flower sits at the top of a long succulent spike rising up from a base of slender leaves. Plant in rich well-drained soil, shaded from the highest sun of the day. The peace lily is considered hardy and resists disease. The white blossoms make it a good choice for contrast areas of a garden. Over-watering causes the root system to rot.

Cardinal Flower

• Cardinal flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) bloom in early spring, thriving in moist soil and semi-shade, making it a good choice for water feature foliage and pond or marsh gardens. The scarlet flowers blossom often growing atop tall stalks reaching heights of up to 3 feet and are a favorite for hummingbirds. The lush foliage of the cardinal plant creates a rich bed of green for the deep red blooms. Promote better flowering by deadheading faded flower spikes.