DENVER — The time is now. If you plan to transplant or divide perennials, do it now. They'll settle in much better in cool weather.
New perennials can also be planted, as long as you expose them gradually to the sun. If they've been outdoors at the nursery, proceed.
Early blooming perennials have a strategy: they get the first bees.
Competition is fierce in summer, so the early bloomers beat the rush.
One of the early highlights in my garden is a peony called "Molly the Witch." This golden yellow beauty is native to Europe. The scientific name is "Paeonia mlokowitschii." Since nobody can pronounce the species name, "Molly the Witch" seems preferable. It's not a common plant but you may find seeds or plants online.
Other long-lived, maintenance-free early perennials include Lenten roses (hellebores), creeping phlox, and vinca.
Some people are disdainful of vinca, but it's a great groundcover. The pretty blue flowers bloom early above the evergreen leaves. The variegated forms are especially striking.
Once established, vinca is nearly indestructible. It's especially useful in shady areas. It does the job that bark mulch fails at: suppressing weeds. We've all seen bark mulch projects that fail. Dust and weed seeds blow in and, within a short time, you're back where you started. Groundcovers are a better long-term investment.
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