4/00-15 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information contact: Christine Kelleher, 800-232-9557, Ext. 512 or Gary Doerr, 916-716-1889

After a long plant-deprived winter, it's not too surprising that most of us grab one of every flower in bloom the first time we visit a garden center in spring. Consequently, many of our gardens shine in May and June but then develop a serious case of the blahs by midsummer.

There's no excuse for the summer doldrums when, with a minimum amount of planning, we can have flowers in bloom the entire growing season. This year, instead of indiscriminately loading up on spring performers, check out the ignored pots at the back of the bench. Many of these are only rosettes of foliage this early in the season, but they promise wonderful things to come in only a few months' time.

To make room for summer flowers, take a few minutes to evaluate your beds this spring. With a hard heart, eliminate each and every slacker. You never liked that odd color? Out it goes. Be brutal. Get rid of the perpetually bug- and disease-ridden, the wimps and the over represented.

Now head back to the garden center with a sense of purpose. For midseason color, nothing beats Daylilies. While July is their prime time, you can keep those Daylilies coming through the end of August by choosing a few late and repeat blooming varieties, such as 'Lady Florence,' 'Lady Jackie,' 'Miss Tinkerbell' and 'Miss Victoria,' which has the added benefit of fragrant blooms.

But Daylilies shouldn't have to do all of the work. Give those in the yellow, orange and red spectrum bold companions. For stark white contrast nothing beats single, yellow-centered Shasta Daisies. At 15" tall, Leucanthemum 'Snowcap' is a good choice for the front of the bed. Other sun and heat loving daisies include Helen's flower (Helenium). Helenium 'Coppelia' has warm, coppery-orange flowers in late summer and strong sturdy stems, which don't require support. Heliopsis 'Loraine Sunshine' sports cheerful yellow daisies with a bonus of white and green variegated foliage.

To further enhance this hot color theme, add a couple of spiky Kniphofias. 'Bressingham Comet' glows like orange embers. 'Shining Sceptre' is golden frosted with orange sherbet. A good counterpoint to the Daylily's trumpet flower form is the Yarrow 'Parker's Variety', which appears to be balancing golden saucers on the end of tall stems.

For a softer look, pair pink, purple and burgundy Daylilies with pastel companions. Achillea 'Anthea' (Yarrow) is the delicate yellow shade of freshly churned butter that is always perfect with pink. Any of the pink or lavender hybrid Yarrows would also be pretty in this blend, as would purple Coneflowers, a first-rate daisy that blooms from July through September.

Both hot and pastel beds benefit from strong color accents to keep things from becoming insipid. Purple spikes of Gayfeathers or violet blue Sage, such as Salvia 'May Night,' will do the job nicely. Baby's breath and Goldenrod make flattering fillers. This year, think July in spring and you'll reap the rewards all summer long.