My North Creek Nurseries Wish List

We have grown this select form anonymously for many years and have deemed it worthy of a name. It is shorter than the species and has deep dark shining mahogany stems. It came our way from Canyon Creek Nursery, via Roger Rache, then of the Berkley Botanic Gardens's Eastern US section. Originally collected from coastal Rhode Island.

The most colorful fern around with subtle shades of green, purple and red on a grey-blue background. The color is more intense with some direct sun, preferably morning or late afternoon. Strong-growing and dependable, the lady ferns are great garden plants.

A wonderful naturalizer, Carex eburnea is the ideal native groundcover for the woodland or rock garden. Petite colonies of 6-8 inch long soft, thread-like foliage takes on a spherical shape as inconspicuous whitish-green flower spikes appear in early spring.

Blue mist shrub is aptly named as its gray-green foliage is shrouded in a cloud of blue from mid to late summer. It is a well-behaved garden plant that is very attractive to butterflies. 'Dark Knight' has deep purple blue flowers closely spaced on long stems.

A superior selection for its sturdy upright stems, fine threadleaf foliage and deep wine-red flowers that do not become “frosted” in the heat. Sterile flowers bloom all summer; cutting back will encourage rebloom until frost. Beautiful in the perennial garden or as a special accent. A selection from Darrell Probst that is not to be overlooked!

This short and sweet dwarf variety is fantastic for use in perennial borders, rain gardens and mixed containers with its shorter stature and upright habit. Attractive, dome-shaped clusters of tiny, rosy-purple blooms are a favorite of butterflies and gardeners alike, lasting from mid-summer through fall before turning into tufts of fuzzy seed heads with late autumn interest. A clump-forming perennial with whorls of coarse green leaves on sturdy stems.

Imagine: Large-flowered Shasta type daisy that actually lives for years! Single white flowers in June and July. Average to dry soil. Can easily be cut back for compact growth and re-flowering. Good cut flower. Deep shiny green foliage holds up well in heat and humidity. Named for Becky Stewart, of Decatur, GA.

Plant this muhlygrass for a show-stopping autumnal display! An aura of reddish mauve flower spikes bloom late summer into fall and will stop you in your tracks—a performance that intensifies when backlit by the rising or setting autumn sun. Striking when planted en masse, or lovely as an accent mixed into a perennial border. The clouds of flowers dry after frost and persist to provide winter interest. This warm season grass’s fine-textured, soft green foliage forms a tidy, well-behaved mound. Heat and drought tolerant, long-lived and low maintenance.

While not as showy as some others, this fern makes up for it with its neat habit, easy culture, and its lustrous, nearly evergreen leaves. Often used in Christmas floral arrangements because it is still attractive in December. It is a wonderful companion for spring blooming bulbs. Found in acidic to neutral soils on shaded slopes and well drained flats.

A new introduction from Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennials, this Rudbeckia is covered in blooms! A domed and shorter orange coneflower, it is perfect planted in masses or in the perennial border, hiding spent blooms to provide uniform color as it blooms for weeks on end. Due to its thinner, hairier leaves, it is found to be resistant to septoria leaf spot.

Spikes of violet-purple, tubular flowers with light green, aromatic foliage in June and July. Attracts birds, butterflies and bees and is an excellent cut flower, fresh or dried. Combine with brilliant yellows and whites for a bold display in the garden.

Deep blue-purple spikes are decidedly upright and plentiful. This variety is compact and slowly spreading. Superb!