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Choice
woodland plant with large 7" scalloped blue-green leaves and 2" white
flowers. The leaves embrace the flower stem as they emerge. A welcome sight
when you're looking for spring. Dry soil will make the plant go dormant
early.
Widely
grown in Europe, the ornamental Burnets or Bottlebrushes are just
starting to make the gardening scene although this species was
introduced in 1860! Nodding pink bottlebrush spikes on arching,
wiry stems over lacy foliage mid-June through Fall if deadheaded. This
one has glaucous grey green foliage - the best of the Genus - wonderful
foliage! Beautiful, tough and dependable.
Showy
masses of bright carmine pink 1" blooms literally cover the plant for a
long period in midsummer. Handsome, oval, blue green foliage on a
refined, compact plant. Try planting it in front of a Caryopteris or
Veronica Sunny Border Blue. WELL-BEHAVED, Excellent soapwort.
A
much branched, delicate variety If not sheared, it will self-seed.
Extremely cold hardy BUT that does depend on well-drained soil.
It's
called Bouncing Bet, because it does bounce around via self seeding and
underground runners but gosh it's so pretty and looks so-o-o-o great
with other plants, that you should make some room for it if you have a
place that it can SAFELY roam about! This is
really a beautiful, long blooming plant! 
This
plant can be weedy or invasive according some sources in certain parts of
the country. It has never left the bed it was planted in here BUT it's
your responsibility to check and see whether it's okay in your location. 
One
of the best introductions to come out of China in years. This rare
Aristolochia family member is clothed w/ 5" wide fuzzy, light green,
heart-shaped leaves. From early spring through late summer, it's topped
with 3/4" buttery yellow flowers. You will see a few self-sown seedlings
after the 2nd year. RARE. CHOICE!
An
herb with a strong spicy flavor used in soups, meats, vegetables and teas
but surprisingly good edging plant which may be clipped for a formal effect.
A low shrub with dark green foliage and profuse white flowers. Useful border
plant. Trim back in early spring. Not reliably hardy below 10
degrees.
While
it's typically thought of as a submerged plant, growing into small
colonies from underground runners but it also grows in moist spots and
drainage ditches so if you have a swampy spot in your yard, it's a
marvelous plant. Reaching 2 feet tall, it's topped with arching
bottlebrush spikes of white flowers, usually 6-8" long but can be
longer. The seeds are small nutlets that resemble a lizard's tail.
3" long leaves can be either arrowhead-shaped or heart-shaped and the
leaf stalks form clasps where they join the stem. 
The
green form of Strawberry Begonia. (BUT it's NOT a Begonia or a
Strawberry!) Makes an unusual, not too aggressive groundcover for
Part shade that in May and June is covered with spikes of small airy
white flowers. Tolerates dry soils, but a moist, well-drained site
is better. Velvety, fuzzy textured leaves.
A beautiful form of the species above with brilliant
sulfur-yellow to harvest gold foliage with a red metallic sheen. Makes a
unique and unusual groundcover. In 5 years, expect a 3' wide
patch. In May and June, the gorgeous foliage is topped with a
fantastic show of 1' spikes composed of small airy white flowers. Tolerates
dry soils, but a moist, well-drained site is better. Easily one of the
dumbest common names -- neither a strawberry nor a Begonia. Go figure
Common Names!
If
you like Hens 'n Chicks but have too much shade for them, take a look at
this! It looks like a big richly green and gold variegated Hens 'n
Chick!. Sends up 9" airy sprays of palest pink blooms that in mass
makes good cut flowers. Water well the first year until
established. Very hard to find in the trade.
Chinese
native woodland groundcover. White occasionally pink flowers in mid-summer
on 12" stems. Adequate moisture. The "Red Carpet" groundcover
for moist places--thick solid rounded leaves in profusion, each covered with
showy red hair. Hardy in zone 6 with protection. Gorgeous when in bloom &
not 'pushy' like Saxafraga stolonifera.
Butterfly
Blue and it's buddy, 'Pink Misty' have met the test of time and are still
blooming when all of the hot, new plants have 'taken a powder'!
An exceptional performer, w/ lavender-blue blooms from Mid-summer to heavy
frost. Neat, compact. Neutral to slightly alkaline soil. Divide & replace
soil every 3 years. Deadhead.
A
dwarf selection of Pincushion Flower that only reaches an adorable
6" tall when blooming! Profuse HUGE 1-2" blooms all summer and
attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Hardy enough in Zone 6
and warmer to live in a pot or even a bit colder in a heavy trough.
Very charming. Short lived if grown in poorly drained soil.
Japanese Pincushion is not the generally available Scabiosa and is a
profuse dwarf bloomer especially in cool summer areas. Because
it will take some shade, move it there in warmer areas.
From
September through Frost, Kafir Lily puts on a shameless display of
bright red flowers. Long Iris-like foliage and solid
blooms somewhat like Candy Lilies. It's a great color in the Fall
Garden often dominated by gold, rusts and yellows. Great cut
flower. The soil must be well-watered or moist. Beautiful with
Golden Rod and Blue Asters! More cold hardy than most sources
report. Once the blooms started here, they just continued in abundance
and that was in quart pots. On Nov. 18th, they were still blooming
in the greenhouse!
Lavender
rose wands of flowers. This unusual bulb naturalizes in the rock garden
nicely. Fall Squill has delicate spikes appear in early fall
along with Fall Crocus; foliage dies away by early summer. SUMMER
DORMANT. Excellent hardy bulb. Plant pot another 1" deeper.
I see sources that say that this isn't hardy but we keep it in pots
above ground, outside over winter in Zone 7, so it should easily be
hardy to zone 5. Our original plants came to us when we bought out
a fledgling rare plant nursery. The owner acquired seed from all
over the world but particularly from high altitude locations where
possibly our clone was growing in a colder spot than others.
Queen
of the Genus, this plant is just a knockout. It's a Denver Botanic
Garden Plant Select for good reason. Lives in the most
inhospitable place - 'hell strips' between highway lanes in Arizona for
example! Blooms from June through Fall with cherry red Penstemon-like
blooms with white lips over dark green angular foliage. With an
informal habit, it will lean over and even intertwine with tall
neighbors for support.
Bushy,
upright grower with long, glossy leaves and intense cobalt-blue flowers
from early summer to early autumn.. One of the best. From Mongolia.
Perfect in the rock garden or any well-drained, raised bed.
A
Northeastern US Native that gets a 5 Star Rating from MOBOT! A
very tall skullcap with two-lipped, purplish flowers flowers in summer
over toothed, oval medium green leaves. Square stems are covered
with minute white hairs, hence another Common Name, hoary (hairy)
Skullcap (which refers to the skull or helmet shaped calyx of the bloom.
Come up late in spring, so don't go digging where you planted them
thinking they're dead!
Cherry
red flowers, low twiggy shrub 4-6" tall, sparsely hairy. Leaves oval,
rounded tips, slightly clothed in hairs like stems on short petioles. Seeds
black and granular. From the northeast corner of Mexico but hardy in Zone 6
to 9, mostly sunny to full sun. Beautiful 'hooded' flowers. Wonderful
and hard to find in the trade. Takes our humidity. Zone 6 hardiness per
Colorado State.
Firm,
dark green, front-like erect branched leaves on a Fern Ally.
Like all fern and their allies, it doesn't develop blooms and seed
but reproduces by divisions and spore bearing leafy cones
(strobili). From China, this unique plant is a clump forming
species. Of easy culture and very eye-catching.
Plant of the Week for 2-7-03 by Oregon University's Cal Lemke.
THIS IS NOT A SHRUB but can be confused with an evergreen shrub in
summer when it's mature! 
Versatile
fern ally for use as pots, baskets, groundcover for bonsai, mixed bowls or
as accents and groundcover for the garden. Gold tips has golden new growth
with yellow-green mature tips. A mat-maker of fairly fast spread if sited
properly. No direct sun but bright full shade. Mist from stream bed
waterfall makes it positively delirious!
Native
to Eastern Asia this is one of the hardiest of the 700 spikemosses. A fern
ally that can be used as a deciduous groundcover in full shade but w/ bright
light. Creeping around a shady pond or creek is perfect. Can also be used as
a houseplant or bonsai cover. Needs moisture in the house. Fabulous rust
hues in Fall and Spring.
Peacock
Moss is possibly the most beautiful ground cover in the woods.
Semi-evergreen, lacy foliage -- like a cross between an upright moss & a
fern. The metallic blue, almost iridescent sheen, in a flicker of sunlight,
will stop you in your tracks! From China. Needs a rich, moist but
well-drained soil. Provide protection the first winter.
If
you like Aquilegia, then you love Semiaquilegia ecalcarata! The
Chinese Native grows in mossy woodland area and looks quite it's
relative, the columbine, but the flowers are spurless.
Violet-purple to burgundy blooms wave airily above deeply lobed forest
green foliage and purplish stem (unlike Aquilegias) from May to June. 
Per
Horticulture Magazine, it's the "Holy Grail" to gardeners from
England even though blooming for a mere week. Extraordinarily rare
even though the species is a native - Oconee is a Cherokee word meaning
"beside the waters". And logically that's where it can
occasionally still be found in shade the Appalachian Mountains.
Shortia layers itself over the soil in an evergreen mat barely 6" tall.
The oh-so-shiny paddle-shaped leaves appear varnished and are a rich
green heavily veined in light green. They turn shades of bronze to
russet in Fall. Shortly following snow melt in spring, tiny white bell-shaped blooms emerge from maroon calyxes. Not difficult to grow (pricey because they're so rare) but they crave
deep, moist, humus rich forest litter which they have in the
Appalachians where they grow with underground runners. Give them
that and some shade and you'll have more really, really expensive
Natives! From nursery grown divisions.
Covered
in deep pink flowers in late spring, 'Short and Sweet' is compact form
of our Native (found in rocky, calcareous woods and outcrops from New
Hampshire to Ohio, south to Alabama.) and easy to grow. In cool
springs, it seems to bloom forever. A better choice for many areas
than Dianthus, it's much more forgiving about growing conditions -- can
stand up to a wet season (with good drainage) or dry spells.
Excellent for naturalizing. 
Carolina
Catchfly is found in sandy woods, slopes and rock outcrops in the
Southeast, not just Carolina! Clusters of 5-Petaled, strong pink
(occasionally white) 2" wide flowers appear for a very long time sitting
2" above the leaves. Ideal for the rock garden and loves limey soil. The
blooms of wherryi are larger than the species. Don't fertilize. They
like lean soil. Over-fertilizing makes them short lived.
AKA,
Lychnis dioica, Melandrium dioicum. Common on woodland edges in many
states but not a native. In nature, flowers are male or female. A male
without females does not set seed but just blooms and blooms and blooms
-- usually from May through Fall. Foliage forms neat, rounded
'bushettes' sporting 3/4" blooms in shades of rose. The
interesting British site First Nature describes it as having
'Dense flower masses that last all summer". It is a British
native. Vegetatively propagated from a male plant rather
than seed grown. 
Fire
pink which is really red is a striking sight whether you come across it
around a bend in the woods or in your own garden where, with care, it's even
more spectacular. The red tubular flowers are a favorite of the
ruby-throated hummingbird, who has impeccable taste in flowers!
Like
the red species, two listings above, but this is the VERY rare pink
form. A medium pink, the tubular flowers are a favorite of
hummingbirds.
Let's
start out with corrections: It's leaves aren't Kidneys shaped and
it's not a weed! And a thump on the head to whoever gave it this
common name! A good cut-leaf form of the impressive
Southeastern Native which forms basal rosettes of up to twelve rich
green cut leaves 12-18" long, which remind me of an Acanthus.
Nearly leafless flowering stems, branching, reaching skyward and
ultimately produce heads of small yellow daisies. Amazing foliage,
big bloom power, exceptional drought tolerance, tap rooted so it needs
deep soil and a permanent home, good seed for songbirds, and a butterfly
plant. What's not to like unless maybe you have a tiny, tiny
garden and even then, if you can find a 12" square space with plenty of
room to go up you'll be hard pressed to find another plant that blooms
this tall and has such a little 'Footprint' as the computer folks say!
Almost
impossible to get seed to germinate but worth the trouble! A big, bold,
back-of-the-border plant with incredible perfoliated leaves that hold rain
like a cup. From midsummer to autumn, bears yellow daisy like flowers up to
3" across. Grows in average soil, but moist, heavy, best. Also neutral to
alkaline best.
This
iris relative is semi-evergreen with linear leaves to 7" long. In summer,
broadly winged stems bear a succession of star-shaped, dark-veined, bright
yellow flowers. Self-seeds freely, so it's doesn't matter that it's
short-lived. Not as hardy as some but wonderful where it will grow.
Similar
to Solomon Seal but with distinctly different flowers, that look like white
Astilbe blossoms at the end of the pink stemmed branches, followed by bright
red berries. Easy to grow; colonizes. Takes several years to reach mature
size. Tolerant of drought. A must for the woodland garden.
We
couldn't have said it better than Sandra Mason U. of IL Extension Office
in her online Homeowner's Column (9/15/01): 
Elegant
Canadian and East Coast Native. Up to 5" long thin, dark green
leaves and axillary clusters of flowers on the central stem (which often
arch or lean over) and are Blue or occasionally Burgundy Gray -- very
wand-like . One of the few Goldenrods that, not only will take
shade, but prefers some in hot areas. Very little branching.
With blooms up and down the stem, can easily be shaped into a Wreath.
Showy,
prolific sprays of summer blooms THAT DO NOT CAUSE HAY FEVER -- that's
ragweed. In Europe, they know better & are wild about this plant! This is a
choice, dwarf, groundcover form & it's well-behaved. Chicago Botanic
Garden 'Best Plants'
Beautiful golden-yellow blooms born in the axis on the stems in clusters on reflexing, cascading stems in late summer and on into Fall. The foliage is deep green and glossy and remains tidy and clean through the season. A clump forming Goldenrod, not an aggressive runner. This knee-high Solidago is more compact then 'Golden Fleece' but tall than 'Fireworks'. Drought tolerant when established. Super performer in perennials trials at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. Breathtaking in masse.
Brilliant
golden showers of flowers in early Autumn. In this form, flowers flare out
above the leaves, like fireworks, for a spectacular display. Goldenrods do
NOT CAUSE HAY FEVER -- they're not wind pollinated -- it's Ragweed that
causes Hay fever. This is a great plant and combines beautifully with so
very many Fall blooming Perennials. Chicago Botanic Garden 'Best
Plants' and shown in the above photo.
This lovely
Native Goldenrod grows here in Virginia at the nursery and I've never
quite been able to pinpoint the exact species but it's so-o-o-o
distinctive and lovely, we're offering anyway! Unlike most
Goldenrods, it has a spikey bloom like a Liatris, which by the way, it
goes well with! Not a rampant self-seeder -- we only see it
occasionally on our 28 acre property.
Dwarf
Goldenrod introduced by Mt. Cuba Center. From attractive rosettes of deep
green leaves arch strong stems loaded with radiating racemes of golden
yellow. Well behaved and drought tolerant, with dense foliage that makes an
excellent ground cover in 1 year set 15" apart. Chicago Botanic Garden
'Best Plants'.
A
clump forming Goldenrod hybrid with bright yellow blooms on dense,
horizontal, plume-like panicles. With stiff stems to 24" long it
has a long bloom period from mid-summer through Fall. More rust
resistant than some cultivars.
'Little
Lemon' has dense racemes of the lightest yellow-flowering Goldenrod in
the trade. The dwarf size reaching 8-10" in bloom and very free
branching habit makes this a great addition to the Fall perennial
border. Blooms for several weeks in August and September and if
cut back for another flusher later. A hybrid of natives.
A
prized Southeastern wildflower rarely offered for sale. Delicate,
carmine-and-yellow flowers bloom in the heat of summer, continuing from July
to September. Native to shaded woodland areas but adapts to full sun if
given adequate moisture. This neat, slender plant grows 12 to 24" tall. 
This
hardy native orchid bears slender spikes of vanilla-scented white flowers in
summer. Flower stalks rise 18 to 24 in. tall above a basal clump of grassy
leaves. While it prefers moist soil in sun it's perfectly happy in average
moisture in part shade.. Absolutely stunning in bloom. Delaware native is
propagated here at the nursery. Smells like Jasmine.
One
of the best perennials we've seen in a while. Soft-hairy, emerald
foliage bears spikes of red, tubular flowers with flaring lips from
mid-summer to frost. Easily grown, blooming the first year from seed.
Fairly rare & highly recommended. THIS PERENNIAL IS DESTINED FOR
GREATNESS!
Foliage
on basal rosette is rippled lettuce green with scalloped edges. Dense
spikes of pink flowers 1 1/4" long from EARLY SUMMER to EARLY AUTUMN!
This is a great, unknown plant that's hard to beat for length of bloom.
Heat
tolerant perennial with HUGE LEAVES. Excellent groundcover or front of the
border. Strong clumping habit. Divide every 2-3 years if not used for
groundcover. Leaves resist rot like the species. Few flowers. Holds up well
to heat & humidity but needs well-drained soil.
A NON-FLOWERING (rarely flowers) type used for silvery foliage effect in front of border or as a ground cover.
Doesn't 'MELT' in summer heat and humidity like the species. Never looks good in pots in the greenhouse --it's too humid
and they get too crowded -- but looks fabulous in the garden.
Ground hugging foliage
of flat green rosettes are topped with 4-6" bloom red-lavender spikes
in summer for MONTHS!! Dense,
textured, flat rosettes of foliage hug the ground, topped
with 4-6" bloom spikes in summer. Flowers are
reddish-lavender, just a tad lighter than those of Verbena
‘Homestead Purple.’ Plant in sunny well-drained areas;
excellent along the edge of a path. Don't miss the
picture of this - link above!
3" tall spikes of
deep fuchsia blooms by the dozen! Groundcover-like habit and long,
narrow, textured shiny dark green foliage. From German breeder
Ernst Pagels and it received the highest rating out of 22 Stachys
studied in the Plant Evaluation Trials at the Chicago Botanic
Gardens. Appreciates PM shade in warm climates. Spreads
politely by stolens. Plant 12-18" apart for groundcover
effect.
A
nice border plant with 2-3" long heart-shaped leaves and flower
spikes of white, pale, rose, etc. Our variety is purple. A good bee
plant. Mat forming perennial with 4-sided, hairy stems and oblong,
deeply veined, regularly toothed leaves. Used externally in herbal
circles for wounds. 
This
plant is unheard of outside of China! We purchased it as a parent
plant from China as Phlomis medicinalis, which it wasn't. Finally, using
Harvard records & line drawings dating back to 1938 & using a magnifying
glass to see hairs on leaves & bloom, we got the correct ID!
Strongly stoloniferous with varying bloom color - pale pink, pink to
light purple. Beautiful & seems tough as nails! In 2007 we were
the only source in the country for this plant.
Bulbous
perennial that looks like a Yellow Crocus in Fall. 1 1/2" goblet-shaped
yellow flowers. Narrow, lance-shaped, deep green leaves to 12" long.
From Spain and Afghanistan. A very pretty plant, grown best on
warm gravelly soils but not fussy. Flowers freely but rarely sets seed.
It is thought by some to be the Biblical 'Lilies of the Field', as it
grows abundantly in Palestine. Interesting article at Suite 101 on
what they call "arguably the best Fall flowering bulb for the garden".
A
classic - blue with a white center. 2-3" wide fluffy deep sky blue
flowers on erect stems growing 12-18" tall and an 8" tall evergreen
rosette. 'Blue Danube' is very erect and doesn't flop as some do.
Good drought tolerance. Appreciates winter mulch in the the colder
parts of its range.
An
incredible look for a Stokesia! Blooms start white in mid-May,
gradually changing thru shades of gradually darkening lavender finally
ending in purple. During this time new white blooms are forming so
at any given time, all 5 distinct colors are present -- the Color Wheel!
An introduction from the best brothers in the trade -- Saul Brothers of
Atlanta. Deadhead to promote continued bloom and remember, no
winter waterlogged soil for Stokesias. Drought tolerant.
Unusual
lacy, cornflower-like flowers at the stem tips. Evergreen, basal rosettes.
Highly decorative border plant & good cut flower. Takes summer heat or
winter cold w/ ease. Needs well-drained soil. Klaus Jelitto features
HUGE 4" powder blue blooms. Superb!
Uniquely
colored Stokes Aster -- Yellow blooms just keep on coming if deadheaded.
Great cut flowers, beautiful in the border, evergreen and huge flowers.
Introduced by Niche Gardens. This is such a color breakthrough for Stokes
Asters.
A
selection of one of our best Native Plants - Stoke's Aster. The
bloom starts out initially light blue, becoming darker blue, then bluish
purple to reddish purple and finally dark hot pink. Deadhead to
keep it blooming all summer and remember, no waterlogged winter soil for
this drought tolerant beauty.
Broad,
lance-shaped green leaves with white midveins. Prefers moist, well-drained
soil but established plants tolerate poor, dry soil. Maroon fall color.
Long-blooming if kept deadheaded. Silver moon has large, silvery white
flowers.
Broad,
lance-shaped green leaves with white midveins. Prefers moist, well-drained
soil but established plants tolerate poor, dry soil. Long-blooming if
kept deadheaded. Wyoming has large, blue flowers. Wyoming
self-seeds a lot which is either what you want in a groundcover or not.
Others we have seem to self seed less.
AKA,
Celandine Poppy has basal rosettes of large, lobed, hairy leaves. Bears open
cup-shaped flowers UP TO 4" ACROSS. It's color is rare in the shade garden
during the spring. Ornamental seed capsules & pretty foliage. Self seeds but
quite easy to pull up. Often dormant in summer.
A
stunning variegated form of comfrey with heavy substanced, crinkled
green leaves to 4" long with a creamy margin. It is much more
restrained than other forms. Cutting back stems after blooming
encourages rebloom. AKA Symphytum ibericum 'Jubilee'
Shiny
green crinkled leaves, early spring flowers are pale yellow. Good
groundcover. From the Caucasas. Contains certains alkaloids & should not be
taken internally. One of the prettiest & smallest of the comfrey. We quickly
sold out last year, this plant is so charming. Seldom seen in the trade.
AKA,
Spierantha. Very similar in appearance to the realy
Lily-of-the-Valley. With glossy, dark evergreen leaves from 8-12"
long, it grows in deciduous forests in Chinca. Unlike it's
look-alike, it spreads by rhizomes to slowly form small colonies - maybe
a yard wide in 10 years. An extremely rare and lovely groundcover
for the shade garden. The only plant in this Genus! White
bottlebrush type flowers.
