Green to bright chartreuse flowers appear in clusters above scalloped, grey-green foliage from late spring through summer. Robust and vigorous, Alchemilla mollis 'Auslese' prefers full sun to part shade and has a wonderfully uniform habit.
Delicate, nodding white flowers bloom early to mid spring atop lustrous dense, green foliage. A low maintenance groundcover for bright shade! Easy to grow in containers, overwinters well in cold frames if protected from heavy rain and snow melt.
Vibrant, hot-pink, star-shaped flowers with yellow center accents adorn lance-shaped green foliage through autumn. The compact, mounding habit of this sport of Aster 'Purple Dome' has proven mildew resistance. Reaching between 18 and 20 inches, 'Vibrant Dome' performs best in fertile, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. A beautiful performer for late season color.
One of the most widespread species of Carex in North America, growing in wet meadows, prairies, swamps and marshes. The seedheads mature in late summer and resemble fox tails, hence the common name.
A wonderful pot plant with long retail shelf life and rewarding garden and landscape performance. It loves heat and humidity and breezes through a drought like a champ. Single, one inch, pale blue, daisy-like flowers on a compact mound of green all summer. Resembles Felicia or Brachycomb - but it's hardy! Very popular in Europe and deserves much more recognition here. Many thanks to Ewald Hügen for introducing us to this gem!
Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Little Goldstar'
Common Name: orange coneflower
This knee-high performer is a knockout in the landscape! Selected for copious floral display and dwarf habit with increased manageability, this variety has excellent branching and forms a tidy, compact clump. A bit more floriferous than 'Goldsturm', flowers are held high above rich green foliage and bloom from July into October.
Dr. John Creech, former director of the U.S. National Arboretum, discovered this little beauty in the Siberian Academ Gorodok Gardens in 1971. The small, scalloped green leaves of this weed-smothering groundcover are topped with rose pink flowers in late summer and fall. It is very hardy, vigorous and gorgeous weaving in and out of stepping stones or along a garden path. Ideal for green roofs, rock gardens and containers as well. Tolerant of light shade.
'Peachie's Pick' isn't peach or apricot, but it is a fantastic plant for containers and for the garden! Selected in Peachie Saxon's Mississippi garden, this Stokesia has the typical lavender blue flowers of the species, but it is very compact and has incredible flower power. And the flowers just keep coming, especially with periodic trims. This is our new favorite! 'Peachie's Pick' combines well with pinks and pale yellows.
Brilliant yellow flowers bloom in spring atop blue-green, pinnately lobed foliage. Leaf underside has a silvery cast. An easy-to-grow native that will self sow and form a dense shade groundcover. Tolerates all but the driest conditions. Beautiful paired with Mertensia virginica, Aquilegia canadensis, Aruncus dioicus, and Phlox divaricata.
Growing under 2' tall, Tricyrtishirta Miyazaki Hybrids bear purple-speckled flowers along gently arched stems—with more gently arching stems than the straight species and a clumping nature unlike other rhizomatous toadlilies on the market. Miyazaki Hybrids are best showcased along a pathway or near a seating area in the garden, as their unique flowers are certain to draw attention. A wonderful addition to the fall shade garden.