Perennial Flowers

This species of anenome spreads by running rhizomes, making it a choice groundcover for partially shaded areas. It will grow in any type of soil, but will spread more quickly in loose, sandy loam.

This columbine has an extended bloom time, up to 12 weeks, which is much longer than the older varieties. 'Origami Mix' produces large 3 inch flowers in a variety of colors including blue, pink, red, white, and yellow. All of them start to bloom in late spring.

This is a valuable selection because of its uniform growth habit, free-flowering tendancy, and upward-held flowers. It is perfect for planting in patio pots and window boxes.

Aquilegia is especially lovely when allowed to naturalize in shady, woodland borders. They also have excellent potential as cut flowers, lasting up to 2 weeks in a vase.

Asters are excellent cut flowers and attract butterflies. They make a terrific accent to fall blooming grasses and the changing colors of the trees. They are native to North America and are generally very easy to grow.

Belamcanda blooms for weeks in late summer, and its season of interest is extended into fall with the interesting seed pods which develop. Tan, pear-shaped pods burst open to reveal clusters of black seeds resembling blackberries, hence the common name. They are persistant thru the winter and are attractive in fresh or dried flower arrangements.

A sight to behold! The leaves of 'Jack Frost' are intricately detailed with a crackle-like finish. Though the leaves are dark green, they have a heavily frosted overlay which allows only the green veining to show through. From mid to late spring, baby blue, forget-me-not type blossoms are held in clusters several inches above the shimmering foliage. The effect is breathtaking. 
 

Brunneras are classic perennials that are treasured for their shade tolerance and lovely blooms. They make a fantastic groundcover, though the variegated forms may be slower to spread than the species. Try growing them in containers too so they will be close at hand when you want to snip a few blooms for a spring bouquet.

A selection from Dr. Michael Dirr out of 'Honeycomb'. The first buddleia ever to offer two completely different colors on the same inflorescence! Fragrant, lavender and butterscotch yellow flowers blend together for a fascinating bicolor effect. Panicles grow up to 10 inches long and show up well against the clean grey-green foliage. Compact growth habit.

Butterfly Bushes have certainly earned their place in the garden over the years, and its easy to see why. Just when we need a breath of fresh air in the late summer heat, they happily burst into bloom. At a time when many other plants are already spent, buddleias are just beginning their show. Their passive coloring and texture makes a wonderful backdrop for perennials, and you'll love the butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds that flock to their honey-scented blossoms.

‘Route 66’ is a verticillata type of Coreopsis, so it has green, threadleaf foliage with branched stems and an upright habit to about two feet tall.  From midsummer into mid-fall in zone 5, this plant produces large 2in yellow flowers with a red eye.  The red pigment bleeds out onto the petals, becoming the dominant color in fall.  Each flower has a slightly different pattern of yellow and red pigments. 

Coreopsis is one of the easiest perennials to maintain and is a good choice for beginners.  It compliments nearly every other plant in the garden.  The verticillata species is particularly long-lived, has a longer flowering time, and demonstrates better drought tolerance than others in the genus.

Coreopsis is one of the easiest perennials to maintain and is a good choice for beginners. It compliments nearly every other plant in the garden. The verticillata species is particularly long-lived, has a longer flowering time, and demonstrates better drought tolerance than others in the genus.

The flowers open deep red with large white blotches in the center of each petal.  As the flowers mature, the white blotches expand and the red color lightens, leaving a wine colored ring around each petal. 

The grey-green foliage forms a grassy looking clump that is just the right size for the front of the flower border or in combination containers.

A classic charmer! One of the oldest but still irreplaceable perennials in cultivation. Old-fashioned Bleeding Hearts form large, bushy clumps of powdery-green foliage comprised of cut or lobed leaves on fleshy stems. In late spring, chains of puffy heart-shaped flowers with rose-pink petals and white tips dangle beneath the arching, leafless stems. These racemes make delightful additions to fresh bouquets, lasting about 2 weeks in a vase. In cooler climates with adequate moisture, the bloom time may be extended into early summer.

After putting on this fantastic display, Old-Fashioned Bleeding Hearts usually go dormant until the following spring. However, if plants are kept well-watered during the spring, dormancy may be delayed until late summer or early fall. Other bushy perennials, such as Hosta, Geranium, or Sedge, should be planted nearby to fill in the resulting gaps.

A dwarf version of the well-known native purple coneflower, selected by Kim Hawks. Large, daisy-like flowers with clear pink, recurved ray petals and large, bronzy-orange central cones appear atop knee-high plants with sturdy stems. Its small stature makes this cultivar a great choice for small gardens. It tends to grow slowly, so it will not overtake neighboring plants.

Praised for their large, daisy-like flowers which appear from midsummer thru fall, after many other perennials have finished blooming, Coneflowers are a mainstay in today's garden. If deadheaded, the bloom cycle will be extended. However, some spent blooms should be left on the plants in fall because their seeds provide winter food for finches and other birds. The dried seed heads also provide architectural interest in the winter.

Looking for a perennial that will grow in that hot, sun-baked spot in your landscape? Sea Holly is just the plant! It thrives in that type of climate, and even grows in high-salt soils too (think seaside).

Sea Holly is adored by florists and gardeners alike for its unique and long lasting, blue, spiny flowers which add interesting color and texture to bouquets or the garden. They are produced on intensely silver-blue stems and stand high above the basal rosette of blue-green, deeply toothed, smooth textured leaves.

'Blue Glitter' is an improvement over older varieties because it matures quickly, produces a greater number of flowers, and has a more intense blue flower color. It does not require vernalization to bloom, which is an advantage to gardeners in southern zones.

This species of Eryngium is one of the hardiest and it has proven to be a reliable, long-lived perennial.

These perennials require little care once established. They are heat tolerant and actually prefer to be grown in poorer soils. They get their name from the manner in which they used to blanket North American prairies with their blooms. They can still be found in fields and along roadsides in the prairie region and into the Rockies.

Relatively large, light pink, double flowers appear like a pink cloud atop compact plants in early to midsummer. If deadheaded, this variety of Gypsophila is likely to rebloom in early fall.

Baby's Breath has long been valued as a filler plant in perennial border gardens and also as a long-lasting cut flower. Its broad habit makes this plant the perfect cover up for dying bulb foliage or for perennials, such as poppies or bleeding hearts, that go dormant in summer. Baby's Breath also makes an excellent dried flower.

A totally new shade of purple compared to other heucheras. This selection has blackish-purple leaves with a silvery-blue overlay and extensive black veining. The plant seems to glow with an "amethyst mist" from a distance, the characteristic for which it is named.

The new foliage is deep maroon-purple and all leaves have rich royal purple undersides. Tiny cream-colored flowers appear on 26 inch scapes, but this plant is grown mainly for its foliage.

Coral bells are easy to grow and blend easily with most other perennials in the landscape. Because of their low, mounding habit, they are often used as edging along paths or in containers. Try cutting a few of the tall flower scapes for fresh bouquets.

One of the showiest of all coral bells, 'Hollywood' PP17129 dazzles onlookers with its dense spikes of coral red flowers all spring and summer long. It is a strong rebloomer that makes a great cut flower. White-veiled, lightly ruffled, purple leaves add to the appeal. This selection will flower best in full sun to part shade.

Coral bells are easy to grow and blend easily with most other perennials in the landscape. Because of their low, mounding habit, they are often used as edging along paths or in containers. Try cutting a few of the tall flower scapes for fresh bouquets.

A "miracle" breakthrough in Heuchera breeding!  This sister seedling of 'Tiramisu' PP20429 produces pink flowers in midsummer.  This is very unusual for a H. villosa hybrid since most others have cream colored flowers.  

During the cooler weather of spring and fall, the foliage is a fantastic shade of brick red with bright chartreuse to gold edges and silvered undersides.  During the warmer months of summer, the red pigments lighten and the leaves turn green.  'Miracle' was hybridized by Thierry Delabroye of France.

This plant is a Heuchera villosa hybrid. The villosa species is a large, late blooming type that exhibits an increased tolerance of high heat and humidity over other species. Most produce cream flowers in midsummer, though they are grown more for their fantastic foliage. H. villosa is native to the southeastern United States.

Coral bells are easy to grow and blend easily with most other perennials in the landscape. Because of their low, mounding habit, they are often used as edging along paths or in containers.

The original purple coral bells, 'Palace Purple' is perhaps the most well-recognized and widely planted variety of all heucheras. It was the 1991 Perennial Plant Association Plant of the Year.

This selection has very large, shiny, and star-shaped leaves compared to most other heucheras, ranging in color from deep olive green to purplish-bronze. Their undersides, which are quite visible in the loosely formed clumps, are a striking metallic amethyst purple. The 20 inch tall, leafed flower scapes bear an abundance of tiny cream flowers.

Coral bells are easy to grow and blend easily with most other perennials in the landscape. Because of their low, mounding habit, they are often used as edging along paths or in containers.

Gigantic flowers up to 12" wide sit atop compact, mounded, shrub-like plants from mid to late summer. Each successive spring will bring larger flowers. The blossoms are flaming red and have overlapping petals.

The maple-like green leaves are flushed with purple and the sturdy stems display red veining. It's hard to believe this tropical-looking beauty is hardy to zone 4!

• Deep purple self; yellow and white blaze with black veining
   
• One of the oldest and but still one of the best Siberians on the market
   
• Blooms profusely in early summer
   
• Tall foliage remains beautiful until frost

Siberian irises are haled for their elegant, delicate flowers and disease resistance. They perform admirably in the sunny to partially shady garden, but need plenty of water throughout the season to continue looking their best. In naturalized settings, they are particularly effective around water features. They can also be grown under Black Walnut trees since they are not effected by juglone. Siberian Irises bloom before Japanese Irises but after Tall Bearded Irises.

An exquisite blend of chartreuse, silver, medium-green, and mint green embellishes the foliage of L. 'Anne Greenaway'. With such fantastic coloring, this groundcover is breathtaking even when not in bloom. Mauve flowers add to the ornamental value from late spring into early summer.

This lamium spreads by underground stolons, rooting where stem nodes touch the ground. It was discovered by English plantsman, Bob Brown of Cotswold Gardens.

Lamium makes an excellent, weed-smothering groundcover and is also a good mask for dying bulb foliage.

Tall, thick flower spikes come in a broad range of solid colors and bicolors including some color combinations never seen before.  Colors include: rose, red, orange, yellow, cream, light green, blue, and purple.  All flower the first year from seed.

Lupines really come into their own during warm, sunny days and cool nights and look especially lovely when grown in masses with similar varieties. A memorable sight for any garden lover, these beautiful plants grow into well-established clumps, with several stems rising up out of a single base. A bouquet of Lupines has no equal!

Vibrant scarlet red flowers top the stout, square stems of this monarda from midsummer to early fall. It has demonstrated a high resistance to mildew. 'Gardenview Scarlet' was selected from the Chicago Botanic Garden's Plant Evaluation Program as an outstanding perennial for Midwest gardens.

Monarda is native to eastern North America, so it is easy to grow and it multiplies quickly. The flowers' sweet nectar attracts scores of hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees to the garden. The aromatic foliage smells like mint when crushed and is often used to flavor teas.

Fragrant, milky white, globe-shaped blossoms with green carpels and a yellow center glow are produced profusely in late spring. This double variety has particularly attractive foliage and strong stems.

Peonies are classic garden plants that add a bit of nostalgia and charm to the garden. Their fragrant blooms and lush foliage have made them popular for years, and with the recent resurgence in breeding, they will continue to improve. Peonies are simple to grow and can be utilized in many ways, including mass plantings, specimens, or hedges. By choosing a mixture of early, midseason, and late blooming varieties, you can have blooms for up to 6 weeks.

Gigantic, double, apple blossom pink flowers are an old fashioned favorite. This variety blooms in early to midsummer. 'Sarah Bernhardt' was selected as the 2004 Dried Cut Flower of the Year by the Assoc. of Specialty Cut Flower Growers.

Peonies are classic garden plants that add a bit of nostalgia and charm to the garden. Their fragrant blooms and lush foliage have made them popular for years, and with the recent resurgence in breeding, they will continue to improve. Peonies are simple to grow and can be utilized in many ways, including mass plantings, specimens, or hedges. By choosing a mixture of early, midseason, and late blooming varieties, you can have blooms for up to 6 weeks.

Apricot-pink petals with a soft pink edge make up the semi-double blooms of this variety. Peonies are classic garden plants that add a bit of nostalgia and charm to the garden.

Tree peonies differ from garden peonies in that they have woody stems like a shrub. The branches do not die back to the ground in winter as do the herbaceous varieties. Exotic, uniquely colored, and often fragrant blooms are produced in late spring, about two or three weeks before the garden varieties.

Bright, salmon-pink blooms with smooth, rounded petals are borne on wiry, pubescent stems from late spring thru early summer. The petals have a crepe-like appearance and a satiny texture. Each flower can measure 4 to 5 inches across.

In the center of a poppy's flower rests a very large, velvety-black seed capsule surrounded by prominent, dark purple stamens. Altogether, these flowers absolutely steal the show when they are in bloom. After the bloom cycle is completed however, these perennials will go dormant, so plan on planting other plants nearby to fill in the gaps.

1996 Perennial Plant Association Plant of the Year!
Striking, maroon-red foliage with a dark green underlay distinguishes this Penstemon from the other cultivars. White flowers with a tinge of light pink are borne on strong, upright stems in early summer.

Penstemons are very drought tolerant perennials that are easy to grow and are rarely bothered by insects or diseases. Plant them in full sun and watch as hummingbirds feast on their delicious nectar.

Creeping phlox is a low-growing species which forms a carpet-like mat no taller than 6 inches. This popular little perennial is best utilized in rocky areas, on slopes, and in flower borders.

Black Eyed Susans are one of the most popular perennials available today, having earned the prestigious Perennial Plant of the Year Award in 1999.

Plants have a long season of bloom and a sturdy, upright habit. The gold daisy-like flowers have a distinct dark brown central cone and are held on branching stems. Do not deadhead these cones if you want winter interest since the black seed heads remain attractive throughout the winter and the seeds provide a source of food for small birds.

A classic garden combination includes upright Sedum 'Autumn Joy' and Perovskia atriplicifolia. It is an excellent perennial for providing color in late summer and is especially showy in mass plantings.

Reminiscent of the Blue Danube River, this selection produces large lavender-blue flowers measuring 4-5 inches across. They are wonderful in fresh bouquets. The deep green foliage is neatly mounding.

Stokesia is a native North American wildflower. It has been grown for many years for its beautiful flowers and ease of culture. Because of its heat tolerance, it is widely grown in the south. Blooming from midsummer to early fall (if deadheaded), it is a tremendous accent to yellow, pink, or white mums and other late bloomers.

The extra tall, dense flower spikes of this species of veronica make it ideal for use in cut flower arrangements. They are a dramatic deep purplish-red and appear for an exceptionally long time beginning in midsummer. In the cool weather of fall, the foliage takes on deep purplish-red hues.

Plants are strongest when grown in average, not rich, soil and full sun. An attractive vertical accent for the middle or back of the border.