Perennials

'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.

‘Salsa’ Sneezeweed is a lovely compact plant with deep orange-red flowers from July to September. The blooms cover the tips of the stems for an excellent show. A great late summer addition from Arie Blom.

‘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.

‘Burning Hearts’ Smooth Oxeye or False Sunflower blooms throughout the summer, producing showy yellow daisy-like with brownish red petal bases and cones. The foliage is also ornamental, in shades of reddish purple. Heliopsis ‘Burning Hearts’ is a seed selection from Jelitto Perennial Seeds, so there will be some variation in flowers and foliage. Since this is a 4’ sturdy perennial, it belongs in the back of mixed perennial beds, and is a great addition to sunny meadows. Finches depend on the dry seedheads for fall and winter food.

‘Jacob’ Christmas Rose is a lovely new release from those prolific hybridizers Heuger-Blumen of Germany the upright white blossoms appear in mid-winter, above glossy green foliage. Like other Helleborus, Helleborus niger HGC® ‘Jacob’ retains its flowers for a long time as they mature from bright white to soft light green. ‘Jacob’ blooms even earlier than other H. niger cultivators.

Frostkiss® Glenda's Gloss® ('RD25') Lenten Rose blooms from January through March producing large white blooms with broad purple margins.  The foliage is also attractive, with silver mottling overlaying the lustrous deep green evergreen leaves.  The flowers are held well above the foliage, and slowly take on shades of green as they age.  These are one of the Frostkiss® series hybridized by Rodney Davey of England.

'Anna's Red' Lenten Rose produces dark red flower buds on red stems in March.  The blooms open over time to dark pink petals (sepals) surrounding chartreuse nectaries and creamy anthers.  As the blooms age, they take on shades of darker red and then bronzy green.  The marbled evergreen foliage is lustrous for most of the year, but is best removed in late winter in order to display the flowers better.  Hybridized in England by R. Davey and L. Windsor, and named after the English garden writer, Anna Pavord.

PRN Preferred: The dark red flowers are beautifully displayed overthe ivory veined green leaves.  

Frostkiss® 'Molly's White' Lenten 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.

‘New York Night’ Lenten Rose is a Hans Hansen introduction from Walters Gardens Honeymoon™ Series. The 3” single flowers are shades of deep purple, grayish black and blackish purple, surrounding soft yellow stamens. Helleborus ‘New York Night’ is a heavy bloomer with lustrous green evergreen foliage.

‘Rome in Red’ Lenten Rose comes from Hans Hansen’s Honeymoon™ Series breeding program. The single burgundy red blossoms are very large (3”) and showy for a long period in late winter and early spring. They are displayed prominently over the green evergreen foliage. Like other Lenten Roses, Helleborus ‘Rome in Red’ is a very long lived perennial, making an increasing large clump each year.

‘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.

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.

‘Dark and Handsome‘ Lenten Rose comes from Hans Hansen’s amazing work at Walters Gardens. The dark green evergreen foliage is topped with lots of dark purple large double flowers starting in February. Helleborus ‘Dark and Handsome’ is one of the Wedding Party® Series, and the deep color is a striking addition to any winter shade garden. The flowers persist until April, unbothered by winter pests. Try this double beauty in winter containers.

‘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.

'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.

‘Champion’ (‘COSEH 730’) Lenten Rose starts blooming in late January, producing lots of soft pink buds which open to lovely white flowers. The blooms are accented by strong upright pink stems and lustrous dark green leaves. Helleborus ‘Champion’ flowers age to a soft green and remain an attractive element well into April. ‘Champion’ Lenten Rose is also marketed as Helleborus ‘Winter’s Bliss’, and is a cross between H. niger and H. smithii, produced by Heuger Blumen of Germany.

Ice N’ Roses® ‘Red’ has dark green evergreen foliage which makes a great setting for the winter display of lovely rosy red flowers, emerging in late January. Yet another beauty coming from the Hellebore Gold Collection® from Heuger Blumen’s work in Germany, this selection has a particularly intense color that makes it a great cut flower as well as a good winter container choice. Ice N’ Roses® ‘Red’ is a cross between H. niger and H. orientalis.

Ice N’ Roses® ‘Rose’ Lenten Rose is one of the earlier bloomers in the HGC® series. The flowers emerge in December, with lots of pink buds and strong upright stems. The petals are pink on the backs and have pink edges which transition to white at the centers. The bloom period is very long (as it is with all Hellebores), and the evergreen foliage is attractive throughout the winter. A hybrid H. argutifolius and H. lividus.

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 in shade gardens.

PRN Preferred: The contrast between the large white flowers and the very dark green leaves is amazing.

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

'Daring Deception' Daylily has striking cream-pink flowers with purple and green eyezones and ruffled purple picotee edges.  The blooms are 5" across and tetraploid, so the petals are thick and overlapping.  'Daring Deception' reblooms, especially if the old scapes are removed.  A Salter introduction, with good tolerance to winter salt and Juglone (Black Walnuts).

‘Desert Flame’ Daylily produces 5½” vivid reddish orange ruffled flowers in mid summer. Then it reblooms in early fall, which makes Hemerocallis ‘Desert Flame’ a welcome addition to the late summer perennial border. With clean green foliage, this is a good candidate for containers as well. The great flower size results from its tetraploid genetics. Hybridized by Santa Lucia and introduced in 1996.

'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.

‘Ruby Spider’ Daylily has extremely large (9”) flat faced flowers. The deep red long petals surround a bright lemon golden throat, and the ‘spider’ part of the name is because the petals are separated from each other. Hemerocallis ‘Ruby Spider’ can be showcased towards the backs of perennial beds because the flower scapes are tall, or it can be used for a wonderful mass display. Daylilies handle urban conditions well. From Walters Gardens.

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.

The large soft white ruffled flowers of 'Sunday Gloves' Daylily have a yellow-green eye. It is a fragrant rebloomer.

Citron Daylily is one of the favorite perennials of David Rubin, the principal of Land Collective in Philadelphia. The 5” lemon yellow blooms are produced in big numbers on tall scapes in June and July over fountain-like green foliage. The refined flowers look more wild than most Daylilies, making this a good choice for more natural looking landscapes. The vigor of the clumps enables Hemerocallis citrina to function as a tall ground cover when planted in mass. And most exciting of all, Citron Daylily is a night bloomer, opening its fragrant showy blooms near sunset.

'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 from Dr Stout 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.  Tall scapes and long blooming make it a winner in the garden.

'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.

PRN Preferred: The foliage is both showy and resiliant, surviving well in shade gardens.

'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.

PRN Preferred:  Smaller and neater than 'Southern Comfort', with the same showy color combination.

'Citronelle' is another wonderful H. villosa cross with vivid chartreuse foliage and small white flowers. A sport of 'Caramel', it has all the endurance qualities of its villosa parentage. Another great introduction from French breeder Thierry Delabroye.

PRN Preferred: Tolerates our hot summers without burning, adding very bright color in shady gardens.

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.

‘Peach Flambé’ Coral Bells has both beautiful foliage and flowers. The leaves are a peachy orange throughout the summer, turning to deep reddish plum shades in the fall and early winter. The airy white panicles of delicate white bells appear above the leaves of Heuchera x ‘Peach Flambé’ in late spring and early summer. This bright, ruffly clump is a great color addition to semi shade and shade gardens. From Terra Nova® in Washington State.

'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. 

‘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.

'Fire Alarm' Coral Bells is a villosa-macrantha cross, so it copes well with our East Coast summer conditions.  The leaves are a vivid red in the spring and fall, with more brownish red tones in the heat of summer.  The flowers are delicate and ivory white, held above the remarkable foliage in late spring.  Heuchera 'Fire Alarm' is a stand out in both woodland gardens and shade containers.  Semi-evergreen.

'Brass Lantern' Foamy Bells adds a new color range to this lovely tough hybrid of Heuchera and Tiarella. The maple-like leaves are amber and dark orange in the spring and summer, topped by long-flowering delicate white flower spikes. The foliage is semi-evergreen, and darkens to shades of bronzy-brown in the winter. Excellent in mass in woodsy settings, or in a mixed container. Since both parent plants are natives, we think of xHeucherella as quasi-natives.

PRN Preferred: Leaf color change from spring to fall, and are showy throughout the seasons.

'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™ ‘Red’ Common Hibiscus is a really compact Mallow with enormous burgundy red flowers in July and August. The large leaves are green, making a good background for the red blooms. Like all the common Mallows, Hibiscus x Luna™ ‘Red’ thrives in wet sites as well as average moisture, so it is an excellent choice for sunny rain gardens, ponds, and bioswales.

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.

PRN Preferred: Huge pink and white flowers are produced for a long time throughout the summer.

‘Berry Awesome’ Rose Mallow is one of the beautiful Summerific® series from Walters Gardens. The 8” wide lavender pink flowers have dark red eye zones. They are displayed over greenish burgundy maple shaped leaves along tall strong stems (as opposed to only at the top). Hibiscus x Summerific® ‘Berry Awesome’ blooms all summer and into early fall because of this “indeterminate” characteristic. Another Hans Hansen contribution to horticulture.

‘Cherry Choco Latte’ Common Mallow produces stunning 8” flowers of white with dark pink veins and red center eyes. Hibiscus x ‘Cherry Choco Latte’ is a new addition to Walters Gardens' showy Summerific® line of Mallows. The foliage is olive green with bronzy tones, and the habit is somewhat compact. ‘Cherry Choco Latte’ starts blooming in early August and continues for an extended period. A very showy addition to wet and sunny gardens.

‘Cranberry Crush’ Rose Mallow produces large (8”) “dinner plate” red flowers from mid summer to fall. The long bloom period is because the Summerific® line of Hibiscus are “indeterminate” bloomers, which means flowers are produced along the stem rather than just at the top. The foliage is green and looks like large maple leaves. Hibiscus x Summerific® ‘Cranberry Crush’ will emerge from the soil in late spring (as do all Hibiscus), but becomes very large and showy all summer. Walters Gardens and Hans Hansen yet again!

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.

PRN Preferred: The combination of huge deep red flowers and dark purple leaves is amazing.

'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.

‘Brother Stefan’ Plantain Lily is named after the brother of Hosta hybridizer Olga Petryszyn. This spectacular large Hosta has corrugated blue green leaves that have deep yellow irregular centers. The flowers are shades of white and crown the showy foliage in early summer. Hosta ‘Brother Stefan’ has thick leaf cuticles, which increases its tolerance of slugs and hot temperatures. This plant really lights up shady gardens. Named ‘Hosta of the year’ in 2017.

'Captain Kirk' Hosta is a beautiful sport of H. Gold Standard', with dark green leaf margins that surround the large bright gold centers. The leaves are large and wide, with a seersucker texture. Pale lavender flowers appear on tall stems in July. Introduced by Kirk Brill of Des Moines, Iowa.

PRN Preferred: The showt color combination holds up well all summer long.

‘Cathedral Windows’ Plantain Lily is an improved variant of the beautiful Hosta ‘Stained Glass’. The large rounded leaves have bright gold centers surrounded by wide dark green margins. The foliage is showy and sturdy, and the tall flower scapes produce large fragrant white flowers in late summer. Another substantial and beautiful introduction from the prolific Hans Hansen.

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.

'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.

PRN Preferred: The combination of blue and cream is showy all summer.

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.

‘Island Breeze’ Plaintain Lily is a hybrid from Hosta ‘Fire Island’. It has the striking red petioles of its parent, but the leaves have bright gold centers bordered by broad green margins. The lavender flowers are held above the foliage on reddish scapes in mid summer. The reddish hues are most showy in spring and early summer, and Hosta ‘Island Breeze’ becomes more chartreuse as summer progresses. Another beauty from Hans Hansen and Walters Gardens.

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 '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.

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!)

‘Touch of Class’ Plantain Lily is a sport of Hosta ‘June’ with wide intense blue leaf margins surrounding bright chartreuse to yellow centers. The flowers are lavender and are 22”, appearing above the lovely foliage in mid summer. Hummingbirds love the large blooms for their nectar. Hosta ‘Touch of Class’ comes from the creative breeding work of Hans Hansen while at Shady Oaks Nursery.

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.

Double August Lily produces the beautiful white fragrant flowers of regular Hosta plantaginea, but Hosta plantaginea var. grandiflora has double flowers instead of single. The tall scapes and large blossoms appear above the large dark green leaves in August. Hosta plantaginea var. grandiflora makes a great cut flower because of both its large size and good fragrance.

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.