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Red flowers with yellow centers hang like drifts of softly illuminated lanterns in April and May. Excellent as a shady rock garden naturalizer, it also is quite content in average garden conditions. Occurs naturally in rich rocky woods, north-facing slopes, cliffs, ledges, pastures, and roadside banks. Native to all states east of the Rockies, but not found in Louisiana.

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 wonderful new addition to the fall palette of pink and blue asters. Clusters of loose, single, 2", bright yellow daisy flowers cover the plant in the fall. Maryland goldenaster truly is drought tolerant and easy to grow.

Helenium 'Mardi Gras' produces a festival of multicolored blooms jazzes up the garden for six to eight weeks in mid to late summer. Yellow petals are lavishly edged with bright orange red, aging to clear red edged in gold, all surrounding deep chestnut cones. Gorgeous in a pot! Great as a cut flower, its long stems are sturdy and vase life is long. Heleniums are naturally resistant, even toxic, to deer and rabbits. An early pinch back helps promote branching. Blooms of Bressingham variety.

This delightful selection of Crested Iris came to us from Don Shadow in Winchester, TN. Tennessee White is a vigorous spreader and prolific bloomer, covering the fan-like foliage with brilliant white flowers in spring, each accented with delicate yellow crests. Its late spring show starts earlier and lasts longer than the other selections we've tried.

 

Finally a production and landscape friendly native honeysuckle! Major Wheeler is the best selection of Lonicera sempervirens we've grown and it stands out so far above the rest that we've dropped all other red cultivars. Clean foliage is the first benefit. Even in periods of drought or in overgrown production, we've never seen a speck of mildew on this one. But its real asset is FLOWER POWER! This selection is COVERED in red trumpet flowers in late spring and keeps churning them out all summer long, especially with a post-bloom trim. The hummingbirds will find it from miles around.

Founded by garden writer Tammy Clayton, Phlox paniculata 'Lord Clayton' is a regal combination of leaf and bloom. Unique, cherry-red flowers add excitement to the perennial border from late June into September. Foliage emerges a deep purple with lime green stems and veins, later transitioning to a deep purple-green. Phlox paniculata 'Lord Clayton' performs quite well in average garden soil with average moisture.

Also known as Indian Physic or American Ipecac, Bowman's Root is an easy-to-grow native for bright shade or partial sun and it tolerates tree root competition well as long at it has a nice layer organic mulch. Bowman's Root is lovely in a mass planting where its lacy white flowers can shimmer in a light breeze. It makes a nice filler - think Gaura for shade! A compact rounded plant is topped in late spring with ethereal white flowers growing in a few loose terminal panicles, with red petioles and mahogany stems. Clean, disease-free foliage often turns deep bronzy red in fall and contrasts beautifully with the more typical oranges and yellows in the perennial border. Interesting form and unique seed heads persist into winter. Great for cut flowers!

We've been enjoying this great native for many years in our garden, since it was given to us by the Mt. Cuba Center in 2001. We are thrilled to finally be able to offer it to you thanks to a breakthrough in propagation! Porteranthus 'Pink Profusion' has clear pink flowers that are held daintily above reddish leaves on deep red stems. The best part is the way the flowers shimmer in a light breeze, as though they will take flight at any moment.

An irresistable quilt textured creeping groundcover. Turns deep, vivid red in the fall. Small ( 1-1.5" ) deep green, maple shaped leaves, with smooth light tan undersides. Nearly evergreen, insect and pest free. White flowers with amber fruits in late spring. Very durable!

A long hoped for color break in garden Salvia. Ernst Pagels selected it for
bluer flowers and compact habit. Insect and disease resistant, long flowered and tough as its brethren to follow. Attracts birds, butterflies and bees.

Delightful, compact and easy to grow, Silene caroliniana is an excellent choice for bright shade or full sun. It is covered in deep pink flowers in late spring. Very reliable for us through wet and dry seasons for three years now and in a cool spring it seems to bloom forever - one year we tracked 8 weeks of full bloom! A great native substitute for Dianthus, this Silene has similar appearance and bloom time, but tolerates a wider variety of garden situations. Silene 'Short and Sweet' is a fantastic plant for naturalizing, yet it can hold its own as a specimen in a container or patio garden as well.

Excellent for flowers and foliage, S. 'Hummelo' hosts a lovely display of lavender-purple flowers atop tall, leafless stems while the stoloniferous nature creates small mounding clumps. Selected for strong flower production, plant health, habit quality and winter hardiness. A true garden delight!