Perennials

Acanthus mollis offers unusual pink-mauve flower spikes with white interior petals and purple calyces in July, held 3' to 4' above large shiny leaves. Bear's Breeches needs a shady, moist protected spot in the landscape.

The pinkish mauve flower spikes with white interiors of Spiny Bear's Breeches look the same as those of Acanthus mollis, but the leaves look more spiny (they aren't) and the plant is more cold tolerant. This plant makes an amazing show for 2 months in the summer on the north side of our house.

Saucy Seduction™ Yarrow blooms from June to August, with rosy pink flat-topped flowers above fine fern-like leaves.  Achillea millifolium Saucy Seduction™ spreads slowly by rhizomes to form a broad patch eventually, so it works well as a groundcover for dry sites.  The blooms are held on long stems and make an attractive fresh or dried cut flower.  One of the Seduction™ Series, originating in the Netherlands and introduced by Blooms of Bressingham®.

‘Strawberry Seduction’ has bright red dome-shaped flowers starting in June. The blooms sport bright yellow eyes, and the flowers turn creamy yellow as they mature. The strong stems make them an excellent cut flower, and deadheading will result in a longer blooming season. A Blooms of Bressingham® introduction, and hybridized by Sahin in the Netherlands. All Yarrows are not only deer resistant, but also very dry site tolerant.

The bright yellow flat flowers of 'Moonshine' Yarrow appear in mid to late summer above ferny silvery gray foliage. Salt and dry site tolerant, Achillea x 'Moonshine' is a Blooms of Bressingham® selection.

The cobalt blue flowers of Azure Monkshood appear in late summer and early fall. Aconitum carmichaelii 'Arendsii' blooms for a long period, and Dr. Alan Armitage says "it's the best late flowering Monkshood in cultivation."

Dwarf Golden Sweet Flag is a wonderful plant for walkways as well as rain gardens and stream edges, because it is tolerant of foot traffic as well as significant moisture. The evergreen foliage is like tiny thick bladed grass tufts and when crushed, it releases an attractive sweet scent. The tufts slowly expand to make a short yellowish green mat. Although it looks like a grass, Acorus gramineus 'Minimus Aureus' is actually more closely related to the Iris family.

'Ogon' Sweet Flag has bright yellow stiffly upright leaves that are a vivid addition to a wet site in the shade. The clumps of Acorus 'Ogon' get larger with age. This Sweet Flag is evergreen so it provides great winter interest.  Introduced into the US by Barry Yinger.  Per Diane Guidone formerly of Rumson, NJ, Acorus withstood salt inundation in the recent hurricanes really well.

White Baneberry is also called 'Doll's Eyes' because the small white berries end in a black dot making this native (and toxic) fruit resemble the staring eyes of old fashioned dolls.  The delicate white flower spikes appear above Astilbe-like foliage in spring, followed by the striking white fruit in summer.  The berries are poisonous so animals will not eat them.  Actaea pachypoda naturalizes easily in moist but well-drained woodlands.

Branched Bugbane has fragrant white flowers in late summer, over purplish bronze foliage. By mid summer the leaves take on a green hue. Bees and butterflies love the blooms. Per noted plantsman David Culp, Actaea do very well under Black Walnuts.

‘Chocoholic’ Bugbane is shorter than other dark purple Actaeas, but what it lacks in stature it makes up for in the beauty of its foliage. The leaves emerge in the spring as a dark bronzy purple and turn more green by mid summer. The fragrant white flower spikes tower over the foliage in the late summer, attracting all manner of pollinators. This is particularly attractive when paired with shade tolerant gold foliage plants. Consistent moisture is necessary for the best performance.

'Black Adder' Anise Hyssop has prolific deep blue bottlebrush flowers from mid summer to fall. Compact habit and excellent hardiness make this a very exciting Agastache. Dry site tolerant with deliciously fragrant foliage. From Coen Jansen.

'Blue Fortune' Anise Hyssop has blue flowers mid summer to fall, and fragrant foliage. From the Trompenberg Arboretum in Holland. Agastache bloom time is prolonged by dead heading. Loved by butterflies and other insects.

Kudos™ 'Yellow' Anise Hyssop starts blooming in June and will continue to flower almost all summer.  The fragrant yellow flowers are produced in dense spikes over disease resistant fragrant green foliage.  Pollinators love these beautiful flowers, and deadheading after the original flush will keep them coming all summer.  Sharp drainage is critical to overwinter.

The smoky bluish violet racemes of 'Purple Haze' Anise Hyssop start in July and keep going until fall. Agastache x 'Purple Haze' is a real butterfly and bee magnet, from those plant gurus of North Creek Nurseries. Hybridized by Coen Jansen of the Netherlands.

'Catlin's Giant' Bugleweed has bronze leaves that are much larger than other Ajugas, sporting blue flower spikes in late spring. A rapid-spreading evergreen groundcover.

'Chocolate Chip' ('Valfredda') Bugleweed has tiny purplish chocolate foliage with violet-blue flower spikes in late spring. This Ajuga makes an excellent groundcover around stepping stones. It came to the US from Italy.

'Auslese' Lady's Mantle has subtle but showy chartreuse flowers in May and June, and fuzzy bluish green water-repellent leaves. Alchemilla mollis 'Auslese' is especially attractive after a light rain, when water beads up on the leaves.

'Thriller' Lady's Mantle blooms in May and June, producing airy delicate chartreuse yellow flowers held above fuzzy bluish green leaves.  'Thriller' has somewhat larger pleated leaves than the species, and like all Alchemilla mollis, the hairy leaves repel rain water so that the foliage has attractive silver water drops on if after a gentle rain.  'Thriller' performs best in shady, moist conditions.

'Millenium' Ornamental Onion blooms in July and August, producing lots of 2" purplish lavender round clusters of flowers like drumsticks on 15" stems. The onion scented leaves are glossy and strap-like, making a thick clump from which the long lasting blooms arise. Many insects and butterflies feed off them but deer and rabbits will not touch them. All Ornamental Onions do well under Black Walnuts. Allium 'Millenium' is the product of Mark McDonough's hard work with Ornamental Onions. 2018 Perennial Plant of the Year.

PRN Preferred:  A long blooming selection with clean foliage, simply stunning in bloom.

'Rising Star' Garden Chives combines beautiful blooms with edible grayish green foliage.  The spherical flowers are lavender purple, and bloom from late spring to early summer.  The spent flower heads are also attractive, and can be added to dried flower arrangements.  Like other edible chives, Allium 'Rising Star' will seed itself readily in not deadheaded.  This ornamental Onion is totally deer resistant, and we introduced by Intrinsic Perennials.

'Snowcap' Chives produces delicate white flowers above tubular foliage in early to mid summer.  The bloom period is prolonged if Allium 'Snowcap' is deadheaded, which also keeps it from seeding itself in flowerbeds.  The leaves are edible (this is a cultivar of edible chives), but are not touched by deer or rabbits.  Alliums are bulbs, so 'Snowcap' is easily divided when dormant.  A Mark McDonough introduction.

'In Orbit' Ornamental Onion blooms from June to September, producing large 3" globular flowers of lavender purple.  The "Drumstick" blooms are 16" tall over green, deer repellent foliage.  'In Orbit' Allium is a very attractive cut flower, and the spent flower heads make a lovely addition to dried flower arrangements.  Pollinators flock to all Alliums when they are in bloom.

Allium x cernuum, or nodding Pink Onion, is a tough deer resistant bulb plant which is crowned by multiple pink flower umbels. The blooms appear above the green strap-like leaves in July and August. These are followed by attractive tan seedheads. The clumps increase in size as time goes on and the bulbs can be divided and spread to make a lovely addition to short meadows in mid summer.  Self-seeds vigorously in the garden.  We are grateful to Mark McDonough for helping us with the confusing nomeclature.

‘Summer Beauty’ Ornamental Onion produces a quantity of flat refined strap-like leaves in spring, topped by soft pink round umbels on long stalks starting in June. Allium x lusitanicum 'Summer Beauty' continues blooming almost all summer, and the dried round seedheads add interest to the winter landscape as well. Try them spray painted cool colors (as our good friend Simple does), or added to dried arrangements. Roy Diblik of Northwind Perennial Farm loves using ‘Summer Beauty’, and told us he had first seen it thriving in someone’s driveway.

The delicate light blue flowers of Arkansas Amsonia appear in May. It also has stunning orange and yellow fall foliage. This tough multi-season plant can handle a broad range of site conditions. 2011 Perennial Plant of the Year, and Dr. J.C. Raulston's favorite perennial.

PRN Preferred:  Excellent fall foliage display, makes an impact when planted in mass.

'Storm Cloud' Blue Star is the prettiest Amsonia we have seen, with large terminal clusters of bright sky blue star shaped flowers set off by almost black stems, the stems are particularly showy as they emerge in the spring, looking like thin black Asparagus,  The narrow leaves open to an attractive dark green.  Amsonia 'Storm Cloud' was found in moist shade in Alabama by those extraordinary plantsmen, Tony Avent and Hans Hansen, and they picked a particularly apt name for this beautiful native.

Snowdrop Anemone or Windflower blooms in April, with single white flowers on delicate stems above the dissected green foliage.  The single flowers have showy yellow anthers in the cupped center and are lightly fragrant.  Anemone sylvestris spreads by rhizomes to make an attractive underplanting groundcover, and is an excellent naturalizer in woodland settings.  The lovely flower display is followed by interesting wooly seedheads.

Anemone x 'Honorine Jobert' is a Japanese Anemone with tall single white flowers, fall blooming. It prefers moist, humus-rich sites, and will make a large clump in time.  2016 Perennial Plant of the Year.

The semi-double pinkish lavender flowers of 'Pamina' Japanese Anemone appear on compact plants. Fall blooming and showy.

'September Charm' Japanese Anemone has a silvery cast to its tall pinkish rose single flowers. One of the hardiest of the Anemones, it expands gradually to make an impressive group. Fall blooming.

'Cinderella' Windflower is another compact beauty from the Pretty Lady™ series of Anemones.  The flowers appear in August and September, with thick textured single soft pink petals.  Anemone 'Cinderella'  has thick short flower stems so the blooms do not flop.  Blooming for an extended time in mid summer to early fall, this introduction from Plants Nouveau also produces interesting fluffy white seedheads after flowering.

'Pocahontas' Windflower is a lovely compact introduction from the Pretty Lady™ Series of Anemones.  The large double flowers are a bright bubblegum pink, making quite a show in July, August and September.  The blooms are followed by cottony white seedheads in the fall.  Anemone 'Pocahontas' is a heavy bloomer, so it is showy in the front of a mixed boarder and in late summer containers.  The strong stems make 'Pocahontas' a useful cut flower, as well as resistant to flopping.

'Red Riding Hood' Windflower is an addition to the Fantasy™ series of Anemones, developed by Yoshihiro Kanazawa of Japan.  The rose red single flowers cover the compact plants starting in late July and continuing into October with the prolonged bloom period and the strong compact habit, Anemone x Fantasy™ 'Red Riding Hood' makes and excellent late summer to fall container plant.

'Lucky Charm' Windflower blooms in September and October, with dark pink single flowers held on dark purple stems.  The foliage is a dark green, often with purple and plum undersides to the leaves.  Native pollinators and honeybees love the pollen which provides much needed sustenance in fall.  Each plant of Anemone x 'Lucky Charm' will slowly spread to make a compact mounded clump eventually, making it a great candidate for naturalizing in moist shady sites.

PRN Preferred:  A more compact mound with tons of flowers.  We love that the undersides of the foliage has a purple cast.

Aquilegia canadensis 'Little Lanterns' is a dwarf selection of our native Columbine that has a lot of flower power. 'Little Lanterns' Columbine has downward facing flowers of red and yellow in April and May, a favorite for hummingbirds.

'Sun King' Golden Aralia is a very large showy perennial, producing chartreuse yellow compound leaves which hold their striking color all summer. The 2' tall white flower spikes appear in late summer, and are followed by purplish black berries. Barry Yinger found this Aralia in Japan (in a department store's garden section!) and brought it to the US. This is a great plant to light up the back of shady perennial beds.

'Silver Mound' Artemisia is one of the most striking examples of silver leaved perennials.  The fine, feathery foliage makes a tight cushiony mound in dry sites, and retains the attractive habit throughout the summer if periodically given a light trim.  Artemisia 'Silver Mound' does bloom periodically, but the flowers are insignificant and should be removed to maintain the silver cushion look.  The low compact size of 'Silver Mound' makes it a good candidate for rock gardens and summer containers.

Miniature Goat's Beard has delicate Astilbe-like spikes of creamy white above deeply cut green foliage, blooming in June. Dr. Alan Armitage feels that Aruncus aesthusifolius is more heat tolerant than the bigger Aruncus, and he's right, from our experience here in New Jersey.  Miniature Goat's Beard often produces attractive fall foliage in shades of bronze and purple.

Goat's Beard has large white Astilbe-like flowers in June, held well above the plant. It prefers moist, shady locations and is particularly gorgeous planted in masses.

'Chantilly Lace' hybrid Goatsbeard blooms in late spring and early summer, producing masses of airy creamy white sprays above the attractive green foliage.  Aruncus 'Chantilly Lace' is an excellent addition to shade gardens, with strong vigor and increasing clump size over many years.  This showy native is part of the Proven Winners® perennial program, from Walters Gardens.

The soft green leaves of Canadian Ginger appear in pairs in spring and are followed closely by weird, hairy, burgundy brown 3-lobed flowers. Asarum canadense spreads rapidly in forest understory sites. Deciduous.

The lustrous green leaves of European Wild Ginger are evergreen and leathery in texture. The flowers are small, inconspicuous 3 lobed burgundy brown hairy oddities. Spreads well in shady moist sites.

The large shiny dark green leaves of Chinese Ginger have heavy silver mottling. The interesting burgundy brown flowers are found beneath the leaves. It is semi-evergreen and slow growing. Prefers a dry site.

'Ice Ballet' Swamp Milkweed produces fragrant bright white milkweed flowers in flat clumps (umbels) in July and August.  An important native host for Monarch butterfly larvae, Asclepias 'Ice Ballet' is an excellent addition to rain gardens, bioswales and moist meadows.  The white latex is repellent to deer and rabbits, so the clumps get larger and showier with time.  The blooms are followed by the classic milkweed pods which release silky white seeds when ripe.

'Wood's Pink' Fall Aster has dark pink flowers over disease resistant foliage. It blooms August to September and forms a large mat eventually. One of the Wood's series, and an Aster which will eventually spread to make a large patch.

'Wood's Purple' Fall Aster has magenta purple flowers, disease resistant foliage, and blooms August to September. Forms a large mat eventually. One of the Wood's hybrids.

'Eastern Star' White Wood Aster is shorter than the species and has dark burgundy stems to set off the white daisy-like flowers better. 'Eastern Star' blooms in September and October, and tolerates poor soils. An introduction from Canyon Creek Nursery from a plant from coastal Rhode Island (New name is Eurybia divaricata).

PRN Preferred:  More compact than the species, flowers even in dry shade.

'Bluebird' Smooth Aster has lots of showy bluish violet flowers in late summer and early fall over clean foliage. 'Bluebird' is a great introduction from the Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware. Ranked as the #1 Aster in an evaluation study at Mt. Cuba Center. Strong stems do not need staking if cutback somewhat in June. (New name is Symphyotricum laeve)

PRN Preferred:  Tons of flowers with no staking required.

'Lady in Black' Calico Aster is an unusual native Aster because the foliage is just as showy as the flower display.  The narrow leaves start the summer as a deep plum or purple, gradually changing to bronze when 'Lady in Black' blooms in late summer and early fall.  It becomes covered with delicate white daisies with rosy pink centers, complimenting the dark foliage and attracting all types of butterflies and other pollinators.  The open habit can be impproved by cutting plants back to 6" in June.  This native selection was found in Holland. (New name is Smyphyotrichum lateriflorum.)

'October Skies' Aromatic Aster has medium blue flowers in September and October. 'October Skies' is tolerant of dry, poor soil sites. A Primrose Path introduction (New name is Symphyotricum oblongifolium).

PRN Preferred:  Shorter height and denser growth than the species. Long bloom time.

Masses of delicate clear blue flowers appear on 'Raydon's Favorite' Aromatic Aster in September and October. 'Raydon's Favorite' is tolerant of dry, rocky sites which makes sense because it was found in San Antonio, Texas by Raydon Alexander. One of famed plantsman, Rick Darke's favorites (New name is Symphyotricum oblongifolium).

PRN Preferred:  A consistantly excellent performer.

Aster tataricus 'Jin-dai' is a Tatarian Daisy with bluish lavender flowers which bloom from September through November. A. 'Jin-dai' sports large tropical leaves all summer. Found in Japan by Rick Darke and Skip March. An exceptional long-blooming, dramatic perennial, with a spreading habit.

Dwarf Chinese Astilbe has pinkish lavender flowers in July, and blooms later than most Astilbes. Makes a large mat eventually, and tolerates drier sites than many Astilbes.

'Visions' Chinese Astilbe has vivid pink flowers in July, over attractive lustrous foliage, late blooming.

PRN Preferred:  Better drought tolerance than most other Astilbes, perfect choice for dry shade.  Compact variety.

‘Visions in Pink’ Chinese Astilbe has upright soft pink flower spikes in June and July. Because of the density of the blooms, the flower display is very impressive. Astilbe chinensis cultivars have lustrous dark green foliage, and are more dry site tolerant than earlier flowering Astilbes. The excellent deer resistance makes this a wonderful addition to the woodland garden.

'Visions in Red' Chinese Astilbe has reddish pink blooms in July held up by reddish stems and bronzy green foliage. Later blooming than most Astilbes.

'Visions in White' Chinese Astilbe blooms in June and July, producing dense creamy white spikes over glossy green foliage.  'Visions in White' is exciting because of its good tolerance for drier conditions.  Like other Astilbe chinensis cultivars, 'Visions in White' extends the bloom time for Astilbes into early summer.  Excellent for shade gardens and woodland edges.

The tall purple flowers of 'Purple Candles' Chinese Astilbe appear in June. Late blooming and relatively dry site tolerant.

PRN Preferred:  Very tall flower spikes, more drought tolerant.

‘Bridal Veil’ Hybrid Astilbe blooms throughout May, with lots of gracefully arching white plumes held above light green foliage. Astilbe 'Bridal Veil’ is a good addition to a small shade garden, or is lovely in masses in woodland landscapes.

PRN Preferred:  Flower spikes are very large and full.

'Cappuccino' Hybrid Astilbe produces dark bronze lustrous foliage in early spring, topped by airy white flower spikes in May and June.  The combination is remarkable, and would be showy in mixed spring containers.  After the flowers have faded, the leaves take on green hues for the rest of the summer.  This exciting new color breakthrough would be an excellent addition to shade gardens.

'Deutschland' Hybrid Astilbe has lots of white flowers in May and June above light green leaves. A vigorous selection for shady spots, with a strong delightful fragrance.

Blue False Indigo, also known as Redneck Lupine, has blue pea-like flowers in May and June, A long-lived perennial. 2010 Perennial Plant of the Year. All Baptisias are very roadside salt tolerant and dry site tolerant.

PRN Preferred:  Easy to grow and does not grow too big.

'Indigo Spires' False Indigo flowers in May and June, producing 12-15" showy spikes of deep violet pea-shaped blooms.  The green stems are very sturdy so the flowers are held upright above the clumps.  Baptisias have deep taproots and become almost shrub-like in size as they mature.  Baptisia 'Indigo Spires' is very tolerant of both dry sites and road salt.  A Walters Gardens introduction. 

'Blue Towers' False Indigo is an exciting introduction from Plant Delights Nursery, resulting from their cross of Baptisia australis x Baptisia alba.  The tall showy spikes are covered with bluish purple pea-shaped flowers in May and June.  The habit is upright with 20" long flower spikes.  Baptisias are very hardy, long lived perennials with the added advantage of being both native and deer resistant.

'Carolina Moonlight' False Indigo has buttery yellow pea-shaped flowers in June over clean, bluish green foliage. A great long lived hybrid from Rob Gardner of the NC Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill.

Decedence® 'Lemon Meringue' is a new introduction from Hans Hansen's extensive breeding program.  The lemon yellow pea-shaped flowers are held on tall charcoal colored stems above bluish green foliage.  A tough, long lived native perennial, Baptisia 'Lemon Meringue' is a colorful addition to the back of perennial borders as well as an excellent candidate for prairie gardens and dry meadows.  Decadence® Lemon Meringue is drought tolerant, deer resistant and long blooming.   

Decadence® 'Vanilla Cream' False Indigo has 10" spikes of vanilla pea-shaped flowers in May and June.  The petioles are dark gray, making an attractive contrast to the opening flowers.  The clean disease free foliage matures to grayish green in summer, making a wide clump topped by dark charcoal round seedheads.  Baptisias are very long lived perennials and are useful in the back of mixed borders as well as in meadows.  From Hans Hansen's Decadence® series.

Midnight Prairieblues™ False Indigo has very long spike of deep bluish violet pea-shaped flowers on large, vase-shaped plants. The blooming period covers 3 to 4 weeks because of the secondary flowers which follow the long primary blooming stems. Baptisia Midnight Prairieblues™ is another extremely hardy beauty from the extensive work of Dr.Jim Ault and Chicagoland Grows®. The drought tolerance and long life of Baptisias are hard to beat in the perennial world.

'Purple Smoke' False Indigo has bluish purple flowers in May and June. A long lived perennial, selected as a chance seedling by Bob Gardner of the NC Botanical Garden. We love the subtlety of the flower color, as well as the clean, shorter foliage.  One of the native plants chosen by Piet Oudolf for the newly planted meadow garden at Delaware Botanic Gardens.

PRN Preferred:  A slightly shorter variety.  Very drought tolerant once established, subdued bluish flowers work well in a perennial garden.

'Spring Fling' Pigsqueak is a very floriferous addition to the spring flowering perennial world.  The heavy clumps of shocking pink flowers are held on upright branched stems over lustrous evergreen foliage clumps.  The bloom period is in April, and is followed by other seasons of beauty in fall and winter, when the leaves take on shades of burgundy and purple.  Bergenia x smithii 'Spring Fling' thrives in well drained sun and shade, and has the added advantage of deer resistance.  Introduced by Terra Nova.

Hardy Orchid has rosy purple flowers in May, like miniature Cattleyas. The clump will grow steadily larger, and Bletilla is dry site tolerant when established.  Best planted in spring or early summer.

Variegated Hardy Orchid blooms in May, producing rosy purple flowers that look like small delicate cattleyas.  The flowers persist for several weeks, and Bletilla striata 'Variegata' continues to add interest to the garden because of the thin white stripes on the broad tropical looking leaves.  Hardy Orchids grow to make good sized clumps in shady location.  They remind us of Prom corsages for pixies.

Heartleaf Brunnera has blue flowers in mid April to June over green foliage. Must have a moist spot. A slow spreader.

'Sea Heart' Heartlef Brunnera has green foliage which is largely overlaid with beautiful silver netting, leaving only green veins for contrast.  The flowers are held above the leaves in April and May.  They open lavender pink and mature to clear blue, looking just like Forget-Me-Nots.  The extra advantage of this new Brunnera from Holland is that its foliage is significantly sturdier than other silver varieties, enabling 'Sea Heart' to stand up to Eastern heat and humidity better.  Bred by Spitzbergen Willemsen and introduced into the US by Plants Nouveau.

'Silver Heart' Heartleaf Brunnera blooms in April and May, with cobalt blue flowers held over stunning silver and green heart-shaped leaves.  The leaves are similar to the other new silver-laced cultivars but Brunnera 'Silver Heart' has thicker, more pubescent foliage, so it tolerates our hot East Coast summers better.  All Brunneras perform best with moderate but consistent moisture, and the effect of the large blue flowers over the silver foliage is spectacular in the spring.

PRN Preferred:  Better, more heat resistant foliage for our East Coast summer conditions.

'Freya' Clustered Bellflower is covered with purplish lilac star-shaped flowers in May and June. The foliage is green and somewhat pubescent, and is almost completely covered by the flower display for almost 4 weeks. An introduction from Arie Blom of the Netherlands.

'Kent Belle' Canterbury Bells is a long blooming beautiful perennial which produces 2" violet blue hanging bells from June through August. The flowers are produced in quantity, bending the stems over with their weight at times. Campanula x 'Kent Belle' spreads slowly to make a good sized clump, and is very attractive in both sunny and shady mixed perennial beds. The long stems make lovely cut flowers. An introduction from England.

Ceratostigma plumbaginoides is a Leadwort or Plumbago with cobalt blue flowers in late summer. The green foliage turns a reddish purple in the fall. The new foliage appears late in the spring.

Our native Turtlehead is a wonderful plant for wet sites and rain gardens. In late summer Chelone glabra produces tall spikes of white flowers which are thought to look like the heads of turtles (use your imagination). The green foliage is clean and disease-resistant. Butterflies love its flowers, especially the Baltimore Checkerspot Butterfly.

'Hot Lips' Turtlehead has clear pink flowers in July, shiny green foliage, and is wet site tolerant. It spreads slowly to make a large patch eventually, so it can be used as a tall groundcover. This is a wonderful introduction selected by Native Plant guru Dale Hendricks, which he named after a co-worker as a nickname.

'Tiny Toruga' ('Armtipp02') Turtlehead is a compact descendant of 'Hot Lips', with the same deep pink flowers which resemble Snapdragon buds.  The leaves emerge in the spring in shades of bronze and turn to deep green as the flowers emerge in July and August.  Chelone 'Tiny Tortuga' colonizes slowly and loves moist to wet areas.  If you studied Spanish in school, you'll recognize 'Tortuga' as 'Turtle', and get the name pun.

PRN Preferred:  All the great attributes of "Hot Lips" but a more compact form.

'Hillside Sheffield Pink' Hardy Mum has shell pink flowers for a long time in late summer and early fall. This tough perennial has been re-introduced by Fred McGourty of Hillside Gardens. The clumps will get bigger every year and works as an effective groundcover and weed suppressor.

PRN Preferred:  Tons of blooms on a very late blooming perennial. 

'Matchsticks' Hardy Mum blooms in July, with showy yellow quill petals that open to scarlet-red.  There is often fall rebloom in September, especially if the plant is deadheaded after the initial bloom.  The foliage is a clean disease free green, and the flowers are an explosion of color and form above the mat.  Chrysanthemum 'Matchsticks' will make an excellent fall container plant, like fireworks in a pot.

'Rustic Glow' Hardy Mum is one of the Global Warning Mum™ introductions.  Like the other excellent Sinclair Adam Jr hybrid Chrysanthemums, it blooms in mid to late fall, adding not only vivid color to the garden, but also much needed food for pollinators.  The daisy-like flowers are bright orange yellow, with multiple blooms per stem.  The foliage is a clean green all summer, and the patch grows wider over time.  We were introduced to this delicate beauty by our friend Nora Sirbaugh, a great and passionate NJ gardener.

Golden Star is an attractive low growing groundcover.  The bright yellow five petaled flowers appear amongst the slightly fuzzy green leaves in mid to late spring.  Chrysogonum virginianum likes consistently moist conditions and will often rebloom sporadically after the initial flower display.  This native groundcover is deer resistant and works well around moist woodland gardens.

'Superstar' Golden Star makes a lovely delicate green carpet in shady and sunny locations. The slightly fuzzy green foliage is studded with lots of bright yellow simple flowers in mid to late spring, with some reblooming when moisture is adequate. Originally named after the American Rock Garden Society's Norman Singer, this native groundcover is both deer resistant and very easy to grow. 'Superstar' was renamed to reflect the fact that the foliage is significantly cleaner and more vigorous, remaining attractive long after the vivid flower display finishes. James Brown, the Carex King of New Moon Nursery, says it's his favorite Chrysogonum.

'Moonbeam' Threadleaf Tickseed has pale yellow flowers and is an excellent repeat bloomer. For best performance, deadhead after first flush of blooms. 1992 Perennial Plant of the Year.

'Zagreb' Threadleaf Tickseed has gold flowers, an upright habit, and forms a large vigorous mat eventually. Blooms June to August, especially if deadheaded.

PRN Preferred:  Very disease resistant foliage, does not flop.

‘Mercury Rising’ Tickseed is another exciting result of hybridizer Darrell Probst’s work, with wine red daisy like flowers on a cold-hardy plant. A cross between C. grandiflora and C. verticillata, ‘Mercury Rising’ blooms throughout the summer on a broad mounding habit. The yellow centers are particularly striking in the surrounding velvety petals. Deadheading after the first flush of flowers makes the rebloom showier.

Cooper Hardy Ice Plant has magenta flowers over silvery evergreen succulent foliage. Delosperma cooperi needs full sun and a dry site. We are impresses with its cold hardiness in our display beds, and it blooms throughout the summer starting in late June into fall.

Fire Spinner™ Ice Plant has truly amazing flowers, with multiple flat petals that start orange at the outer edges and end up magenta at the base.  Starting in early June, Fire Spinner™ blooms for a month on every sunny day over the attractive fleshy green succulent foliage.  Found at high altitudes in southern South Africa, Delosperma dyeri Fire Spinner™ was brought to the US by Panayoti Kelaidis of the Denver Botanic Garden.  Rock gardens and green roofs are great places to use this eye opener.

'Firewitch' ('Feuerhexe') Cheddar Pinks has shocking pink fragrant flowers, low growing blue foliage, and is an excellent repeat bloomer. The fragrance is wonderful, like so many of the Carnation family. 2006 Perennial Plant of the Year.

The pink and white flowers of Bleeding Heart have a long bloom period in late spring. Foliage fades away by late summer. This is the classic Bleeding Heart we all remember from our childhoods.  New name is Lamprocapnos spectabilis.

White Bleeding Heart has white flowers for a long bloom period in late spring. The large pendant flowering stems light up shade gardens beautifully. Foliage fades away by late summer.  New name is Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Alba'.

'Gold Heart' Bleeding Heart has the classic pink and white heart-shaped pendant flowers, but they hang from pink stems which rise from electric yellow foliage in the spring. The leaves light up the shade garden beautifully. By mid summer the foliage matures to chartreuse green. Introduced by Nori Pope of England.

'King of Hearts' Fringed Bleeding Heart has red flowers in May over attractive bluish green foliage. It blooms for a long period, and has a neat compact habit. Prefers a well-drained site.

‘Pow WowWhite’ Coneflower is a compact, heavily flowering selection with flat white petals surrounding the round orange cones. Since the ‘PowWow’ series does not require vernalization, ‘PowWow White’ and ‘PowWow Wildberry’ start blooming early in summer and keep going well into August. The compact habit and sturdy stems makes this Coneflower an excellent choice for the front of perennial beds and rock gardens. Insects and song birds use Echinacea significantly as a food source.

‘PowWow Wildberry’ Coneflower blooms for a very long period starting in June and continuing into August. The vivid rose pink flowers have flat petals surrounding the orange cone and are held up on thick sturdy stems. The ‘PowWow’ series of Echinaceas are from seed, but their compact habit and clear colors are consistent, unlike many seed strains. Introduced by PanAm seeds, and reliably hardy in sunny dry sites in the Northeast.

PRN Preferred:  Compact habit, overwinters very well.

'Rocky Top' Tennessee Coneflower is a nursery-grown selection of the rare native which is on the Endangered Species list for wild plants.  Echinacea 'Rocky Top' was selected from a seed grown population because of its greater vigor and larger pink coneflowers.  The blooms appear above the long narrow leaves in June and July.  It grows best in sunny, well-drained sites.  This rare Southeastern native is a good source of food for both Goldfinches (seed) and butterflies (nectar).

The flowers of 'Solar Flare' Coneflower are large and red, set off by contrasting dark cones and long dark stems. The effect is striking in the garden or as a cut flower. ‘Solar Flare’ blooms for an extended time from early to late summer, especially if deadheaded occasionally. Butterflies are attracted to the vivid flowers, and the dried seedheads are an important fall food source for finches.

'Leilani' Coneflower starts blooming in July, and produces tall bright yellow non-fading flowers with many horizontal petals surrounding the orange prickly cones.  The flowers appear in great numbers for a long time throughout the summer.  The seedheads in the fall are an important food source for songbirds, and butterflies flock to the fragrant blooms in summer.  Echinacea 'Leilani' is an excellent addition to the back of a perennial border, and is great as a cut flower because of its long sturdy stems.

PRN Preferred:  Dark yellow flowers, overwinters very well. We have trialed this plant successfully for numerous years and have been very impressed.

'Tiki Torch' Coneflower has the darkest orange flowers we've seen so far, with 4" blooms that have large horizontal petals and dark orange cones. A Terra Nova introduction, 'Tiki Torch' is fragrant and a good cut flower.  This cultivar placed the highest in the Mt. Cuba Echinacea trials for orange flowers.

'Tomato Soup' Coneflower flowers in early to late summer, producing tall sturdy flowers with tomato red slightly pendant petals on strong stems.  Echinacea paradoxa is one of the original parents in the complex crosses producing Echinacea x 'Tomato Soup', which explains the petal droop.  Like the other Echinaceas,  'Tomato Soup' thrives in well drained sunny sites, and looks stunning in masses.  A good choice to use in prairie and meadow settings.  Introduced by Terra Nova Nurseries, as one of the Prairie Star™ series.

The beautiful violet flowers of 'Lilafee' Barrenwort are large in size, over neat, delicate foliage in April. Epimediums thrive in dry shade and 'Lilafee' is semi-evergreen. An interesting fact about Epimediums is that they are in the Barberry family (hence deer resistant).

PRN Preferred:  Heavy bloomer, flower color stands out in spring gardens.

'Purple Pixie' Barrenwort was found by Dr Richard Lighty in his own garden, as a surprising sport of Epimedium grandiflorum 'Alba'.  The delicate flowers are a deep violet purple with extended white spurs, and they hover over the fine green foliage in April.  'Purple Pixie' makes an excellent semi-evergreen clump in shady dry locations, and the refined, heart-shaped leaves emerge in the spring in shades of burgundy and purple.  'Purple Pixie' performed very well in the Chicago Botanic Garden's Epimedium trials.

PRN Preferred:  Showy spring foliage topped by purple flowers, received very high ratings in the Chicago Botanic Garden's trials.

Epimedium grandiflorum 'Rose Queen' has rosy pink flowers of large size in April, making it a very showy Barrenwort. It thrives in dry shade and is semi-evergreen. The flowers look like miniature Columbines hovering above the leaves.

'Domino' Barrenwort comes from the prolific hybridizing work of Darrell Probost, the 'Epimedium King'.  Epimedium x 'Domino' is a very heavy bloomer in April and May, producing a multitude of airy flowers displayed on burgundy stems.  The blooms have long white spurs which end in rose purple cupped centers.  The spikes emerge from toothed evergreen leaves which are mottled with large burgundy spots.  This is one of Tony Avent's favorite 'Fairy Wings' because of its heavy reliable flower production.

'Mandarin Star' Barrenwort is a new introduction from China with unusual floral coloration.  The tepals ("spurs") are long and white, and the petals are yellow.  The delicate blooms float above the heart-shaped leaves in April.  Epimedium x 'Mandarin Star' delicate beauty is making this Barrenwort increasingly in demand.  The foliage is semi-evergreen and attractively dentate, with bronze new growth emerging with the flowers in April.

'Pink Champagne' Barrenwort blooms heavily in April, producing many long graceful panicles covered with delicate hovering blooms.  The spurs are long and white, surrounding deep pink cups.  The molted evergreen foliage continues the show after the bloom period with dark purple splotches decorating the fine green leaves.  Another striking contribution from the prolific breeding work of Darrell Probost.  Like all Epimediums, this makes an excellent long lived groundcover for dry shade.

'Pink Elf' Barrenwort blooms in April, with lots of delicate pink flowers hovering over the fine evergreen foliage.  The spurs are pale pink and the cups are a darker bronzy pink.  The leaves are heart shaped, and new growth in the spring starts out with attractive pinkish flecks.  This interspecies hybrid comes from Robin White and makes an excellent compact groundcover for shady areas.

'Frohnleiten' Barrenwort has butter yellow flowers with good strong color in April and May. It does well in dry shade and is semi-evergreen. The new leaves have red veining in spring, which shows up again in the fall.

'Galadriel' Barrenwort provides showy red blooms with white spurs and centers in April.  The flowers hover over the emerging red tinged leaves.  Epimediums make excellent slowy spreading groundcovers for shady areas, and Epimediums x 'Galadriel' also adds an attractive fall element with bronzy semi-evergreen leaves.

Sulfur Barrenwort has yellow flowers in April over large green leaves. It is a vigorous shade groundcover that is semi-evergreen and covers an area more rapidly than most Barrenworts.

PRN Preferred:  Excellent vigorous choice for a groundcover perennial.

'Orange Queen' ('Orangekoningin') Barrenwort has pale orange flowers that float above the red-tinged newly emerging leaves. The foliage matures to green in the summer, with reddish tones in the fall. Semi-evergreen and dry site tolerant.  The species name warleyense indicates that this lovely Barrenwort's parents originated in the English garden Warley Place, belonging to Miss Ellen Willmott, but the actual cross was the work of the German plantsman Ernst Pagels.

‘Big Blue’ Sea Holly is an amazingly different color addition to the well-drained garden. It has silvery green thistle-like foliage which is topped by glowing blue stems and flowers. The blooms in June look like tiny blue artichokes, and are held well above the leaves. Thriving in dry sandy sites, Eryngium ‘Big Blue’ is also deer resistant.

'Blue Cap' ('Blaukappe') Sea Holly blooms in July and August, producing silvery blue spiky flowers in abundance.  The unusual cone-shaped blooms are held on thistle-like silvery foliage and are attractive to butterflies and other pollinators.  Eryngium 'Blue Cap' performs well in hot dry areas and is salt tolerant, so seashore locations are a perfect place for this unusual perennial.

Rattlesnake Master is an interesting oddity for unusual perennials borders, with grayish green spiny leaves from which spring its very tall flower spikes in July and August. The blooms are a pale silvery blue and look somewhat like round thistles. Tolerant of both dry and moist conditions, this dramatic looking native got its name from the formerly held theory that its sap cured rattle snake bites. As Dr. Alan Armitage says so succinctly, "Fat chance". Butterflies love it.

Eupatorium 'Baby Joe' is the shortest of the Joe Pye Weeds we've seen so far and the beautiful, profuse clusters of mauve pink flowers show that it has not sacrificed flower-power for reduced height. It performs well in both wet and regular sites, and blooms from July through August. Introduced by Future Plants. Eupatorium dubium has now been renamed 'Eutrochium' by botanists.

The mauve pink flower clusters of 'Little Joe' Joe Pye Weed appear in July and August. Selected by Steve Lighty and introduced by Conard-Pyle Company of Pennsylvania. It is also wet site tolerant, and a great butterfly attractant.  (New genus name is Entrochium)

Hyssop-leaved Thoroughwort first came to our attention on visiting the High Line Park in NYC in August where its clouds of delicate flat-topped white flowers were truly amazing amongst the fall grasses and other blooms. Most effective when used in masses, it tolerates dry and sandy conditions well. Seeds vigorously.  (New genus name is Entrochium)

'Phantom' Joe Pye Weed was hybridized by Herbert Oudshoorn of Holland to produce a compact but heavily flowering Eupatorium.  The flower clumps emerge wine red in July, and mature to a strong pink.  The shorter size produces stronger stems supporting the showy compound flowers, which are an attractive addition to a cut flower arrangement.  This tough native is a great butterfly attractant in mid to late summer, and it also is deer resistant. (New genus name is Entrochium)

PRN Preferred:  All the great attributes of a Joe Pye Weed but a more compact form.

The bright pink, Astilbe-like flowers of Queen of the Prairie bloom on tall stems in June and July. Filipendula ‘Venusta’ loves wet spots and will colonize a large area slowly.

'Siskiyou Pink' Wandflower has rose-pink delicate flowers that are suspended over the bronzy-green foliage, June through October. This may not be the longest-lived perennial, but the flower output makes it well worth planting. An introduction from Siskiyou Nursery in Washington State. Cut back when planting to rosette for winter survival.  Needs good drainage to overwinter.

'Whirling Butterflies' Wandflower has delicate white flowers that hover over the green foliage all summer, from June to October. Cut back when planting to rosette for winter survival.  Needs good drainage to over-winter, and prefers alkaline soils.

Spotted Cranesbill has deeply incised green leaves in a mounding habit.  The flowers are produced in quantity from late April into June, in shades varying from pale pink to bright lavender-purple.  As a native species of Geranium, it naturalizes well from seed in moist locations in both sun and shade.  It is particularly effective as a loose woodland groundcover, especially when partnered with early spring bulbs, Ferns and Carex.  This is one of Landscape Architect Larry Weaner's staples for his extensive work with natural meadows and woodlands.

PRN Preferred:  A "must have" for a woodland garden, spreads moderately by seed.

'Espresso' Spotted Cranesbill has lavender-pink flowers over beautiful red-brown foliage that ages to bronze-green by late summer. A North Creek Nurseries introduction, found in Landenberg, PA.

'Max Frei' Bloody Cranesbill has pinkish purple flowers in May and June, followed by good reddish fall color. Semi-evergreen, and a good low-growing groundcover.

PRN Preferred:  Dense foliage makes this a good low groundcover.

'Rozanne' ('Gerwat') Cranesbill has large blue-purple flowers with pale blue centers. It has a somewhat sprawling habit. This Geranium blooms all summer! A Blooms of Bressingham® selection found in England. 2008 Perennial Plant of the Year.

PRN Preferred:  Tremendously long bloom period, great choice for scrambling up and throught other plants.

'Biokovo' Cambridge Geranium is a charming semi-evergreen groundcover which thrives in well drained sunny locations.  The white blooms are tinged with pink at the base of the petals and are enhanced by red calyces.  The flowers are produced in June and July, and hover gracefully over the low green foliage.  The fall and winter color is also attractive, turning shades of bronze and red.  Geranium 'Biokovo' was a natural hybrid found in the Biokovo Mountains of Croatia, so its cold tolerance is excellent.  2015 Perennial Plant of the Year.

'Pink Profusion' Bowman's Root has lovely ethereal pinkish-white flowers that look like butterflies above the foliage. The new growth is bronze in the spring and often exhibits reddish-maroon tones in fall. The native plant gurus of North Creek Nurseries brought this new selection of Gillenia to our attention. Introduced by Mt. Cuba Center in Delaware.

'Fuego' Sneezeweed is an attractive compact late summer bloomer from the Mariachi™ series hybridized by Arie Blom of the Netherlands.  'Fuego' is covered with vivid orange to yellow daisy-like flowers set off by interesting brown center cones, from July to September.  The compact plants flower heavily, attracting butterflies and other pollinators to the showy display.  A tough, maintenance-free perennial that is very cold tolerant.

‘Siesta’ Sneezeweed is another compact introduction from Arie Blom, with bronze cones surrounded by burnt red petals throughout mid-to-late summer. The flower production is excellent especially for its shorter habit.

'Sombrero' Sneezeweed is another lovely compact Helenium from Arie Blom's Mariachi™ series.  Blooming profusely in mid to late summer, 'Sombrero' is topped with bright yellow daisy-like flowers with darker yellow domed centers.  The upright compact habit and prolonged bloom period make Helenium 'Sombrero' an excellent choice for mixed sun containers.  It is also a great pollinator attractant in mixed perennial borders.

'First Light' Swamp Sunflower has a solid mass of bright yellow daisy-like flowers in September, which make an amazing fall show. This selection comes by way of New Zealand via Blooms of Bressingham®. Joe Marano of Marano's Garden Center in Fort Washington, PA first showed us this plant.

PRN Preferred:  Has a compact habit and blooms very late in the summer.

Ox Eye False Sunflower produces masses of 2” bright yellow daisy-like flowers through a good portion of the summer. This prairie native tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, from moist clay to drier meadows and edges of woods. The flowers provide excellent food for finches following the bloom period. Since Heliopsis seeds itself readily in a variety of soils, it is an excellent plant for naturalizing.

Frostkiss® 'Molly's White' Lentown Rose has lots of lime to white sterile flowers starting in February.  A product of Hellebore breeder Rodney Davey's work, Frostkiss® 'Molly's White' has evergreen foliage with an attractive overlay of silver netting on the green leaves.  This Hellebore starts in winter and continues until April, when the flowers take on shades of green.  Deer resistant and long lived, Hellebore 'Molly's White' is a great addition to shade gardens as well as woodland sites.

'Penny's Pink' ('ABCRD01') Lenten Rose is one of Rodney Davey's Frostkiss® series, with large mauve pink sterile flowers above the evergreen foliage from February to April.  The leaves are marbled with silver netting and are attractive all year.  'Penny's Pink' was named after the famous English plantswoman Penelope Hobhouse.  The purple flower buds on purple stems open to shades of pink and transition to green as the spring progresses adding interest and change to shade gardens.

Frostkiss® Pippa's Purple® ('RD9') Lenten Rose is crowned with merlot flowers in February to April.  The large blooms have deep purple speckling and the evergreen foliage is a deep green overlaid with silver mottling.  Another beauty from the work of English Hellebore hybridizer, Rodney Davey.

‘Spanish Flare’ Lenten Rose comes from the Honeymoon™ Series of Hellebores. The large yellow flowers appear in late winter and early spring, and are made even more striking by the vivid maroon centers around the nectaries. All Hellebore flowers persist for a very long time, changing to greenish hues as they age. Evergreen and dry site tolerant, Helleborus x ‘Spanish Flare’ is a lovely addition to the shade garden. Hybridized by Hans Hansen.

'Ivory Prince' ('Walhelivor') Hellebore produces burgundy-pink buds in March which quickly mature to creamy white open flowers.  The blooms last until May, changing to pink and green tones as they age.  The evergreen leathery leaves have silver veins, but should be removed when flowering is well underway as the new growth looks much more attractive by that time of year.  Helleborus x 'Ivory Prince' is a complex hybrid bred in England.

The white, pink, rose and burgundy flowers of Royal Heritage™ 'Strain' Lenten Rose bloom in winter, from early March to April. An evergreen perennial from the great plantsman John Elsley, formally of Wayside Gardens. Does well in dry sites.

PRN Preferred:  Very reliable bloomer with excellent foliage.

‘Bushing Bridesmaid’ Lenten Rose is part of the Wedding Party™ Series, bred by Hans Hansen. The blooms resulting from this series are all double. ‘Blushing Bridesmaid’ produces double white flowers veined with fine raspberry stripes and edged with dark raspberry picotees. The blooms are large and displayed above clean evergreen foliage.

‘Confetti Cake’ Lenten Rose is another Wedding Party™ Series contribution from Hans Hansen and Walters Gardens. The 2 ½” blooms are white with an abundance of burgundy speckles surrounding the center of the double flowers. The evergreen foliage makes for an excellent green setting for the floral display.

'Camelot' ('Coseh 940') Gold Collection® Ballard Hellebore is a great winter and spring blooming perennial, producing dusty pink buds which open to cream flowers on short strong stems.  The glossy foliage is evergreen and deep green in color, making an attractive, long lived addition to shade gardens throughout the year.  All the HGC Hellebores come from Heuger breeding program in Germany.

'Cinnamon Snow' ('Coseh 700') Gold Collection® Ballard Hellebore blooms from December to March.  The buds start pink and open to shades of cream, rose and cinnamon.  As the flowers age, they take on tons of pinkish green.  The dark green evergreen leaves are attractive throughout the year, especially since they are held up on reddish stems.  Hellebores make an excellent long lasting addition to shade and woodland gardens.

'Mahogany Snow' ('Coseh 930') Gold Collection® Ballard Hellebore starts blooming in January and continues into March.  The outward-facing white flowers have strong pink backsides to the petals, and are displayed above lustrous dark green leaves.  The stems of the flowers and foliage are reddish and sturdy.  As the blooms age into spring they take on subtle hues of pink and green, delivering a long stretch of beauty in the perennial shade garden.

'Merlin' ('Coseh 810') Gold Collection® Ballard Hellebore adds a colorful element to the winter landscape, bearing soft pink flowers which face upward, displayed on wine-red stems.  As the blooms age over several months they become a deep cranberry color, followed by pinkish-green at the end of the season.  The deer resistant evergreen foliage is a dark glossy green.  Prefers moist but well drained shady locations.

'Pink Frost' ('Coseh 710') Hybrid Lenton Rose is part of the HGC® (Hellebore Gold Collection®) series, with a multitude of pink flowers in March.  They are displayed above green evergreen leaves which are accentuated by a silver netting, and as they age, their blooms age to a deep rose color.  The flowers last for a very long period, and the sturdy clumps grow larger every year.  An introduction from Heuger Nursery in Germany.

'Spring Party' ('Coseh 720') Gold Collection® Ballard Hellebore is one of the taller Heuger hybrids, with 3" outfacing creamy white blooms set off by dark green leaves.  The foliage is evergreen and lightly veined with silver.  The blooming starts in March, and the long lasting flowers slowly age to an attractive light green.  Helleborus 'Spring Party' is a cross between H. niger and H. lividus, which explains the bright white flowers.

'Shooting Star' ('Coseh 790') Gold Collection® Hellebore produces dusty rose flower buds in March which open to lovely large white open faced blooms.  In April and May, the sepals age attractively to shades of sage green.  The evergreen foliage adds to year round interest, as the deep green leaves have prominent lighter silvery veins, displayed on dark red stems.

'Love Bug' Gold Collection® is a compact evergreen Hellebore from Heuger's exciting breeding program.  The abundant pink buds appear in late winter, opening to white with a blush of soft pink.  The lustrous dark green leaves have silver veining and wine red stems.  Helleborus 'Love Bug' is similar to H. 'Pink Frost', but the form is more compact and floriferous.  The compact habit and long blooming time make 'Love Bug' an excellent candidate for winter containers.

Ice N' Roses® 'White' Gold Collection® Snow Rose is one of the exciting new glandorfensis hybrid series of Hellebores from Heuger in Germany.  The series range from white to dark red, and this selection was chosen for its large number of white outfacing flowers starting in December.  The lustrous evergreen foliage is dark green and looks beautiful in winter containers as well as is shade gardens.

'Autumn Minaret' is a very unusual Daylily because of its late bloom time (August and September) and its extreme flower height.  The yellow to orange delicate scapes are somehow old fashioned looking, but they tower above the short green strap-like foliage.  This unsual Daylily blooms for an extended period and actually looks much more like a native wildflower than you expect a Hemmerocallis to look. 

PRN Prefered:  The natural and late flowering blooms make this one of our favorite daylilies.

'Bogeyman' Daylily blooms in June, producing large double flowers which are dark purple bordering on black.  The intense color is set off by a hint of a chartreuse eye.  Hemerocallis 'Bogeyman' is considered to be an "early to mid season" bloomer.

'Bold Tiger' Daylily has bright orange recurved petals that have a large red eye. Hemerocallis 'Bold Tiger' is a mid season bloomer with some fragrance.

'Buttered Popcorn' Daylily has huge butter-yellow flowers, and is a very reliable rebloomer. The flowers are large and of thick substance.

PRN Preferred:  A huge and plentiful flower display, really makes an impact.  Reblooms in fall.

'Garden Show' Daylily produces 6" lavender mauve flowers mid season, followed by a late summer rebloom.  The fragrant flowers display large lemon green eye zones, and attract butterflies and other pollinators.  Hybridized by Carpenter, and an excellent plant to withstand urban conditions.

'Jen Melon' Daylily has large golden yellow flowers appearing mid to late season in summer.  The 7" flowers are ruffled and attractively recurved, making a wonderful show in the mid summer landscape.  The fragrant blooms attract butterflies and other pollinators.  In the morning as the diploid flowers are opening, they have deeper tones reminiscent of cantaloupe (hence the name 'Jen Melon').  A very showy addition to urban gardens, where its tolerance for poor soils and pollution is very useful.  Hybridized by Oakes.

'Jungle Beauty' Daylily has huge black-red diploid flowers with yellow-green throats. It is a Dr. Darrel Apps introduction that keeps its deep color well in the full sun.

PRN Preferred:  Velvety burgundy flowers seem to absorb light.

We saw this lovely yellow Daylily at Chanticleer Gardens in Wayne, PA (if you haven't visited this wonderful public garden yet, make it a priority). The fragrant simple yellow flowers are very late bloomers and are held on very long stems so they seem to float above the foliage.  Graceful and striking, especially in late afternoon light.  (Formerly listed as 'Voyle's Unnamed Hybrid', for its hybridizer, David Voyles of Ohio).

PRN Preferred:  Blooms very late when other daylilies have already finished. Very tall stems display the fragrant flowers.

'Green Spice' Alum Root has an attractive overlay of silver on its green leaves. Since the veining is purple-red, the effect is eye-catching. Heuchera americana's tolerance of a wide variety of site conditions makes it a very useful addition to shade gardens and the tall, delicate, ivory-green flower spikes add to the visual interest throughout May and into June.

'Autumn Bride' Alum Root has chartreuse to ivory flowers in fall, over large fuzzy green leaves. Very showy in a mass planting, as can be seen at Chanticleer Gardens in Wayne, PA. Introduced by Bluemount Nurseries of Maryland.

PRN Preferred:  A large and vigorous grower, produces lots of flowers in the early fall, very reliable shade perennial.

'Caramel' is an exciting H. villosa cross that has striking apricot leaves with reddish undersides, turning to salmon-red in fall. Creamy white flowers appear in late summer.  From Thierry Delabroye of France.

The beautiful wine-red leaves of Heuchera x 'Fire Chief' become darker as they age, making a vivid contrast between newer and older leaves. Flowers are pink and white on red stems, and appear throughout spring and summer.  Heuchera x 'Fire Cheif' is one of the Front & Center™ series of Coral Bells.

‘Frosted Violet’ Coral Bells is a resilient Heuchera which has been around for a while and still justifies its use in the garden. The leaves are violet-burgundy, with darker veins and a delicate silver overlay. The spring flower spikes are white and subtle. Heuchera ‘Frosted Violet’ was hybridized by Charles Oliver of The Primrose Path.

The large rosy red flowers of 'Paris' Coral Bells appear throughout the summer, floating over silver-green foliage. This Heuchera really reblooms.

PRN Preferred:  Huge, eye-catching flowers held high above the foliage when in bloom.

'Raspberry Regal' Coral Bells has large raspberry pink flower spikes which are held upright on strong stems in June and July.  The leaves are dark green overlaid with attractive silver mottling.  Heuchera x 'Raspberry Regal' tolerates sunny locations better than most Coral Bells, as long as the soil moisture is good.  The unusually full flower spikes make excellent cut flowers, and 'Raspberry Regal' reblooms well if deadheaded after the first flush of blooms.  Introduced by Busse Gardens of Minnesota.

'Rave On' Coral Bells has a great production of deep pink flowers in spring, over purple and green leaves with a beautiful silver overlay.  Heuchera x 'Rave On' produces showy flowers over a long period of time, and is one of the Front & Center™ series of Coral Bells.  

PRN Preferred:  Produces showy flowers for a very long period of time.

'Southern Comfort' Alum Root is a lovely H. villosa hybrid with large peachy-amber leaves, topped by ivory flowers in late summer. The foliage picks up copper-orange hues in the late summer and fall, and is semi-evergreen.  This is a large Heuchera.

PRN Preferred:  A large and vigorous grower, unique foliage color, very reliable and can handle some sun.

‘Stainless Steel’ Coral Bells comes from the excellent breeding work of the Olivers of the Primrose Path, so it copes very well with East Coast conditions. The large leaves are a steely silver with dark veins and stems. The undersides of the leaves are a beautiful deep purple, adding to the appeal of ‘Stainless Steel' when blown by breezes.  The attractive white flowers hover above the foliage in late spring and early summer.

'Plum Cascade' Foamy Bells is one of the Cascade™ Series from Terra Nova Nurseries.  Its purple and silver leaves are a color breakthrough, as is its prolonged blooming time of spring and late summer.  The flowers are delicate light pink spikes above the foliage, and the habit is trailing, so Heucherella 'Plum Cascade' can be used as a shady site groundcover.

'Tapestry' Foamy Bells has deeply lobed green leaves with a dramatic burgundy overlay in the center. Flower spikes are dusty pink in spring. A vigorous cross between Heuchera and Tiarella which resembles its Tiarella parentage most clearly.

Swamp Hibiscus has deep red flowers with separated petals in July, over light green dissected foliage. It loves wet sites. It is the most wild or native looking of the Mallows we grow.

PRN Preferred:  Flowers look more natural and 'wild' than most Hibiscus.

White Swamp Hibiscus is similar to the Hibiscus coccineus in flower and foliage but the large summer flowers are pure white.  Hibiscus coccineus 'Alba' flourishes in moist to wet sites, so it is an excellent addition to sunny rain gardens and bioswales.  Since the petals are separated rather than overlapping, the white Swamp Mallow is more wild or natural looking than the hybrid Hibiscus.

Luna™ 'Rose' Common Mallow produces quantities of 8" rose pink flowers on sturdy compact plants.  The foliage is green making a good setting for the vividly colored blooms in July and August.  Hibiscus are great mid to late summer food sources for Hummingbirds and pollinators.  Luna™ 'Rose' is a good choice for wet sites such as bioswales, rain gardens and wet meadows.  A Kieft Seed introduction.

Luna™ 'White' Common Mallow produces very large white flowers with bright red centers in July and August. The habit is compact, with clean green foliage on sturdy stems. Hummingbirds and butterflies love the flowers. Luna™ 'White' Hibiscus thrives in wet locations, but will also do well in somewhat dryer sites.

'Mars Madness' Common Mallow has large maple shaped foliage that emerges in shades of bronzy purple and matures to olive green.  This showy Hibiscus is 4' tall, and it produces 8" flowers all along the stems in mid to late summer, resulting in a quantity of magenta red blooms.  Although Common Mallows are originally a native wetland plant, Hibiscus 'Mars Madness' also thrives in average soil as well as wet sites.  Deer resistant, cold tolerant and long flowering; this Walters introduction is a winner.

'Midnight Marvel' Common Mallow is a beautiful combination of huge deep red flowers and deep burgundy foliage.  The large wine colored leaves are maple shaped, held on sturdy stems.  'Midnight Marvel' blooms for a prolonged period in July, attracting native insects to its pollen supply.  Like other common Mallows, Hibiscus 'Midnight Marvel' is highly wet site tolerant.

'Summer in Paradise' Rose Mallow starts blooming in July and produces enormous deep pink flowers through the rest of the summer.  The blooms appear all over the green stems rather than just at the tips, making an impressive show.  The centers of the cerise pink flowers are set off by deep red eyezones.  'Summer in Paradise' flourishes in wet sites, and adds a striking tropical note to bog gardens, bioswales and pond edges.  From Walters Gardens.

Summerific® 'Ballet Slippers' Rose Mallow has 7" ruffled white flowers edged with soft pink and accented by a deep red eye.  The green maple-like foliage is clean and disease free.  Flowers are produced along the branches rather than just at the tips, making a showy tropical effect.  'Ballet Slippers' comes from Walters Gardens prolific breeding program, and is a wonderful addition to wet sites and large scale perennial gardens.

Summerific® 'Holy Grail' Common Mallow starts blooming in July and produces a large quantity of deep red 8" flowers through early fall.  The flowers are set off by the purple to black maple-shaped leaves, making for a vividly showy tall perennial in the garden.  Hibiscus 'Holy Grail' is highly tolerant of wet sites, so it is a great addition to ponds, bioswales and sunny rain gardens.  Another amazing beauty for Hans Hansen of Walters Gardens.

'Perfect Storm' Common Mallow is another beautiful Hibiscus coming from Walters Gardens of Michigan.  The maple leaf shaped leaves emerge in late spring in stunning shades of purple and mahogany.  The enormous white and pink flowers appear in August, made more showy by their large burgundy eyes.  Hibiscus 'Perfect Storm' blooms well into fall, finally quitting when we get our first frost.  With its shorter stature than H. 'Kopper King', 'Perfect Storm' can be used is smaller spaces.

Hosta 'Blue Angel' has large, blue-green foliage, and white bell-like flowers in mid-summer. A Paul Aden introduction, this cultivar is very resistant to Hosta Virus X.

A lovely sport of 'Halcyon', but with showy white margins setting off the glaucous blue leaves. The flowers are lavender and appear in mid summer. We first saw this beauty at Meadowbrook Farms in Pennsylvania when it first came out, and bought every one for our own garden.

PRN Preferred:  The contrast between the ivory margins and blue centers is beautiful.

'Empress Wu' Plantain Lily is considered the largest Hosta available.  The enormous green leaves are corrugated and have a faint blue coating in spring.  Lavender flowers appear above the foliage in July and August, often attracting Hummingbirds.  Hosta 'Empress Wu' is a seedling of Hosta 'Big John', which was bred by Brian and Virginia Skaags.  Be patient, as it takes several years for 'Empress Wu' to reach its final amazing size.  Named after the only female empress of China (624 AD to 705 AD).

The vivid yellow textured leaves of Hosta 'Fire Island' have red petioles, especially showy in spring and early summer. Leaf color changes to a chartreuse-green as summer progresses, topped by lavender flowers in July.

PRN Preferred:  We love the combination between the yellow leaves and red stems.  A great "pop" of color in spring.

The blue-green leaves of Hosta 'First Frost' have creamy-yellow margins which turn to white by mid summer. It has pale lavender flowers, and is a sport of 'Halcyon'. 2010 Hosta of the Year.

Hosta 'Frances Williams' has medium-sized yellow, blue and green foliage and white flowers in June. A mutation of H. sieboldiana 'Elegans', this cultivar is very resistant to Hosta Virus X.

The thick silvery blue-green leaves of Hosta 'Halcyon' are more slug resistant than most Hostas. Flowers are pale lavender-blue in mid summer.

PRN Preferred:  The thicker, upstanding leaves hold up well.

The medium green foliage of Hosta 'Royal Standard' is topped by fragrant white lily-like flowers in July and August. Makes a great cut flower.

PRN Preferred:  We love the contrast of dark green leaves and showy fragrant white flowers.  Customers are often surprised when they discover how fragrant this variety is in the garden.

Hosta 'So Sweet' has fragrant white flowers in August above green and yellow foliage. A Paul Aden introduction and 1996 Hosta of the Year.

Hosta 'Stained Glass' was an introduction by the great Hosta breeder, Hans Hansen.  Found as a mutation of H. 'Guacamole', the large glossy leaves are a striking yellow-gold set off by a wide deep green margin.  The prominent veining is evidently what triggered the name 'Stained Glass'. This very showy large Hosta produces very fragrant pale lavender flowers in August and September.  Our Lisa Strovinsky first sang its praises and started us growing this beauty.

PRN Preferred:  Very showy patterns of yellow and green on textured leaves.

Hosta 'Sum and Substance' has very large, chartreuse foliage and very tall (5') lavender bell-like flowers in midsummer. A Paul Aden introduction, and 2004 Hosta of the Year, and Lisa Strovinsky's son Ben's favorite Hosta (since he's a great plantsman, we take this seriously!)

August Lily has huge white fragrant flowers, held above large, green foliage, hard to find! The flowers look like small white lilies, lighting up the shade garden in August. They perfume the evening air near them.

Huge, blue-gray corrugated leaves followed by tall white flowers in July. One of the best-beloved large blue Hostas, and one which has proved to be very resistant to Hosta Virus X.

'Snowflake' Candytuft is a neat little evergreen perennial which is excellent for rock gardens and walkways.  The small lustrous green leaves and stems are topped by showy flat white flower clumps in April and May.  Iberis sempervirens 'Snowflake' has a cascading habit, so it is a good choice for mixed containers or short walls.

Flowers of this native woodland plant, Dwarf Crested Iris, are a soft delicate blue in May. They are displayed above the flat green leaves, and have a showy yellow crest. Iris cristata foliage almost disappears by mid summer.

'Cry of Rejoice' Japanese Iris has showy large flowers in June, in attractive shades of magenta red with yellow signals.  The green leaves are sword-like and remain upright through the summer.  All Iris ensatas tolerate average to dry soils, but really flourish is wet sites.

'Crystal Halo' Japanese Iris has large dark purple flat flowers with white edges, blooming in June. All Iris ensata varieties are wet site tolerant.  They were formerly named Iris kaempferi.

'Happy Awakening' Japanese Iris blooms in June, with flat magenta-pink flowers that have dark veins and contrasting yellow centers.  The excellent wet site tolerance and the deer resistance make this a great garden or bog plant.

'Loyalty' Japanese Iris has large double flowers on long stems in June.  The petals are a showy deep purple with yellow stripes on the purple crests.  Excellent for use in wet site, along streams and around ponds.

'Moonlight Waves' Japanese Iris blooms in June producing large flat white flowers with lime and yellow centers ('signals').  The strap-like green leaves are clean and dramatic all summer.  When in bloom, Iris 'Moonlight Waves' looks like floating handkerchiefs above sword-like foliage.  This is a favored plant in the famous "White Garden" of Sissinghurst in England.

'Best Bet' German Bearded Iris produces tall spikes of large flowers with blue standards and purple falls.  The two toned effect is very showy, blooming first in May and June, and then reblooming in September and October.  The sword-like green foliage emerges before the flower spikes, and fades by late summer.  Good drainage is a must for Iris germanica cultivars.

'Superstition' Bearded Iris has such a dark purple flower that it almost looks black.  The blooms are fragrant and large, making a striking addition to cut flower arrangements (even though the individual flowers each last only a day).  The flowers spikes bloom above the wide straplike leaves in May and June.  All German Irises perform best in dry or well drained sites.  Iris germanica 'Superstition' is the darkest flowering germanica.   

'War Chief' German Bearded Iris blooms in May and June, producing lots of large velvety dark red flowers.  They are held above wide straplike green foliage, and are a good addition in the back of well drained perennial beds.  Iris germanica 'War Chief' is a useful and fragrant cut flower, since the stems have multiple buds that open in succession.

'Butter and Sugar' Siberian Iris blooms in May, and is a striking bi-color combination of white and soft yellow.  The green sword-like leaves are clean and disease resistant.  All the Siberian Irises thrive in very wet sites as well as average soils.  Try it beside streams, ponds and bog gardens.  The long stems make 'Butter and Sugar' an excellent cut flower.

'Contrast in Styles' Siberian Iris has ruffled bi-colored petals, with white and yellow veined signals surrounded by large deep purple margins and styles.  Iris siberica 'Contrast in Styles' starts blooming in late May following German Irises and preceding Japanese Irises.  Siberian Irises are very tolerant of a number of soil conditions, and are particularly attractive in rain gardens and around ponds.

The purple-blue flowers of 'Caesar's Brother' Siberian Iris appear in May. It is wet and dry site tolerant, and is the mainstay of so many perennial gardens.

PRN Preferred:  This is the classic indistructable blue Iris which never needs "babysitting".

Slippery Slope™ Chinese Roof Iris was found in Sichuan by Darrell Probst (of Coreopsis and Epimedium fame). He introduced it because of its size and vigor, as well as the  beauty of its blue purple veined flowers.  The centers (signals) of the largest petals are white with dark purple veining.  The green leaf blades stay clean and attractive all summer, and Iris tectorum Slippery Slope™ expands to making  low growing attractive groundcover.  This  is an Iris that works well as a green roof plant.

'Wolong' China Roof Iris has light lavender flowers flecked with purple spots above fans of wide green strap-like leaves. The foliage is somewhat floppy but lasts all summer, unlike its North American relative Iris cristata. The flowering period is late April to June. It comes from Sichuan, China from a collection made by Jim Waddick.  'Wolong' Roof Iris won the 2010 American Iris Society's Award of Merit. Try it as a slow spreading groundcover or on a green roof that gets adequate moisture.

White Japanese Roof Iris gets its name from its presence on thatched roofs in Japan.  Iris tectorum var. album has large white flowers with yellow throats, appearing in late April to early June.  All the Japanese Roof Irises spread to make wide patches eventually, and do best with adequate moisture but good drainage.  It is the Asian equivalent of Iris cristata 'Alba', but much bigger and not ephemeral.  A hard-to-find Iris.

'Blue Star' Japanese Aster has pale blue Aster-like flowers held above deep green foliage, blooming from June to fall. Kalimeris incisa 'Blue Star' is a deservedly popular perennial in Europe. The habit is neat and compact, and it never flags in hot weather.

PRN Preferred:  Blooms for a very long time, carefree compact plant.

The interesting thick-petaled yellow bell-like flowers of Kirengeshoma palmata appear on blackish stems in August and September, followed by weird three horned seed capsules (Dr. Alan Armitage calls them "Stephen King ... Fruit"). Slow to get established, Yellow Waxbells needs a moist woodland. Kirengeshoma comes from Japan, where it is considered highly endangered in the wild.

‘Phenomenal’ Lavender ('Niko') is a sport of L. ‘Grosso’, displaying greater disease resistance, vigor and winter hardiness. It was found and introduced by Peace Tree Farms of Pennsylvania, and has shown excellent flower production and survival in commercial Lavender farms. The flowers are tall and fragrant, set off by clear silver foliage. Blooms appear in mid summer and last a long time, making an excellent cut flower. Excellent drainage helps survival.  Semi-evergreen.

PRN Preferred:  Proven to be the most hardy and reliable Lavender we have ever grown.  Great success in containers and in the landscape.

'Snowcap' Shasta Daisy is a compact Leucanthemum which is covered with large bright white daisy flowers for an extended period in June and July.  The dark green foliage is attractive and disease free, making 'Snowcap' an excellent candidate for boarders or mass planting.  Deadheading spent flowers improves reblooming in Shasta Daisies.  Like L. 'Becky', 'Snowcap' is salt tolerant.

Dwarf Blazing Star is a lovely native plant with delicate strap-like foliage topped by magenta-purple flower spikes in August and September. The shiny green leaves have an almost grass-like appearance. Butterflies and insects love the late season flowers, which also make good short cut flowers. Liatris microcephala tolerates dry sites well, so it would be a good choice for green roofs.

PRN Preferred:  Tons of flowers on a compact plant.  When blooming it is covered with pollinators.

The lavender-blue flowers of 'Big Blue' Lily-turf appear in late summer. Liriope tolerates dry and difficult sites, and is an evergreen spreader. The flower spikes make good short cut flowers.

'Royal Purple' Lily-turf produces purple flower spikes in August and September, held above dark green strap-like foliage.  Liriope 'Royal Purple' makes a tough, neat groundcover, slowly spreading to make wide, weed repelling patches.  The flower spikes make attractive long lasting cut flowers, and the evergreen leaves are a consistent source of winter color.  In the fall, Liriope 'Royal Purple' produces black shiny berries on the spent flower spikes.

Lavender-blue flowers in late summer appear over cream and green striped foliage. Variegated Lily-turf tolerates dry sites and is a showy evergreen clump.  Can be used in a mass planting or as a single perennial specimen.

The scarlet flowers of Cardinal flower appear in August and September. Lobelia cardinalis is wet site loving and attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.  Cardinal Flower seeds itself beautifully in wetlands.

'Black Truffle' Cardinal flower has leaves which are purple to black, especially in spring and early summer.  Lobelia cardinalis 'Black Truffle' produces 4' spikes of vivid red flowers from July to September, attracting hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators like mad.  This very showy native is an introduction by Peter Heus of West Virginia, and is being marketed by Plants Nouveau and North Creek's American Beauties Program.

'New Moon Maroon' Cardinal flower comes from the sharp eye of James Brown, the native plant king of New Moon Nursery.  The deep maroon foliage is more consistently showy than Lobelia 'Fried Green Tomatoes'.  It makes a gorgeous setting for the tall scarlet spikes of flowers which appear in August and September.  Lobelia cardinalis is an essential ingredient for wildlife attraction in rain gardens, bioswales and wet areas.  Hummingbirds and sphinx moths go crazy over their blooms.

PRN Preferred:  The contrast between the burgundy foliage and red flowers is amazing.

Virginia Bluebells are pink in bud and the nodding bells turn a bright lavender-blue as they open above blue-green foliage. The leaves usually turn yellow and disappear by mid summer, so it is best to use these with other, later, shade perennials. In a moist setting they will slowly colonize a large area.

Eastern Bee Balm produces pinkish-lavender flowers in early summer. The form is like a little lavender crown on the ends of the light purple stems. Butterflies and insects rely on this native member of the Mint family for food, so you get more than just flowers when Monarda bradburiana is in your garden. Dry site tolerant and fragrant foliage.  This is Stephanie Cohen's favorite Monarda particularly for meadow applications.  One of the native plants chosen by Piet Oudolf for the newly planted meadow garden at Delaware Botanic Gardens.