Our Plants

Grown mainly for the foliage, 'Purple Knockout' has compact basal rosettes of shiny burgundy leaves that turn to deep purple in summer, then to red in the fall. Spikes of pale lilac-blue flowers appear in spring and summer, but sometimes the flowers have only calyces and no petals. We have not been able to determine the cause of this, but a cut back of the stems promotes new blooms that often have petals the second time around. Petals or no, the flowers are attractive to bees and butterflies. Very easy to grow in just about any soil, it will self sow to spread and become a dense groundcover that makes a great native substitute for Ajuga.

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.

From Beate Zillmer of Zillmer Pflanzen in Uchte, Germany. Imagine 'East Friesland' with violet blue flowers and glowing purple stems. Incomparable! Its tidy upright habit makes an excellent companion for Geranium, yellow Baptisia, and purple Heuchera.

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.

One of the most commonly used salvias in the northeastern US, it is covered in striking dark violet-blue flower spikes in May and June and remains upright and tidy throughout the season. Attracts birds, butterflies and bees. Makes an excellent cut flower, fresh or dried, and its leaves are freshly aromatic. An overall low maintenance selection. Combine with brilliant yellows and whites for a bold display in the garden.

Salvia nemorosa 'Rose Marvel' has the largest flowers of any rose or pink Salvia nemorosa on the market. Enjoy the stunning display of color in spring and summer.

A sport from 'Blue Hill', 'Schneehügel' or 'Snow Hill' is another breakthrough from renowned German plantsman Ernst Pagels. Beautiful spikes of soft white flowers are accented by fragrant, gray-green foliage. Compact habit and problem free.

A diminutive 'May Night' cousin, covered in violet blue flowers in early summer. A good bloomer with compact and very short habit. Very easy to grow. A Haussermann Nursery Selection.

An early blooming, petite Salvia! Blooming a month earlier than the popular 'May Night', Salvia 'April Night' provides lush violet-blue blooms from spring to summer. 

A profusion of blue-purple pincushion flowers. A fantastic performer and butterfly magnet, flowering continuously from May to killing frost. Top ten container and sunny border plant and cut flower.

An underused but widely requested native warm-season grass, Schizachyrium littorale is a bushier version of the popular little bluestem, growing 2' tall. What makes it notable are the seedheads, which are featherier and stay on the stem well into the winter. We predict this dune bluestem to become a popular favorite in everything from dune restoration projects to coastal landscaping to low-maintenance high-exposure urban sites. 

An upright and clump forming native grass with spiky blades of blue and green. Wispy silvery flowers bloom in late summer, followed by a spectacular display of fall color changing from green and orange to deep burgundy. Remains attractive as an architectural feature through winter.

A North Creek discovery sure to give a brilliant performance in the landscape, worthy of applause.  It keeps a tight, upright habit throughout the entire season and has stood strong even in the rich soils of our trial gardens. A warm season grass that does well in poor, dry soils.  Spikey bluish-green stems and leaves transition to a sizzling display of oranges, reds, yellows, and purplish-browns in the autumn.  Also provides winter interest before cutting back in early spring to make way for new growth.

Obligate wetland plant for inland shallow waters, non-tidal marshes and wildlife. Large triangular dark green stems with brownish inflorescences hang pendulously from spring to fall. Stems are unusually spongy. Emergent aquatic.

Scutellaria 'Appalachian Blues' is a cross of S. ovata and S. serrata, both plants indigenous to the mountains of West Virginia where breeder Peter Heus resides . The result of this cross? A compact habit, clumping skullcap with serrated leaves and dark margins that adapts to both sun and shade, with spikes of bicolor purple white flowers that bloom for weeks on end.

Bold clusters of closely packed, rosy pink flowers appear in late summer, age to a salmon bronze, and finish with a deep coppery-red in fall. An easy-to-grow plant that not only tolerates drought, but seems to thrive in it. The sturdy stems of 'Autumn Fire' keep it beautifully intact throughout its bloom period for an outstanding show!

Delightful round blue foliage on low spreading plants with gracefully arching stems. In late summer the foliage is completely hidden behind tiny brilliant pink star flowers. Tough and easy to grow, it loves a hot dry location and thrives in containers and rock walls.

A dense mat of conifer-like blue foliage forms a tight, weed resistant groundcover in any sunny location. In June deep mauve pink stems rise to 10" and are topped with brilliant yellow flowers. 'Blue Spruce' grows quickly and is easy to maintain even in the most unwelcome of sites. Great for rock walls, green roofs, walkways and containers. Evergreen in warmer zones.

A nice, easy plant that pleases everyone. A quick spreading groundcover with needle-like foliage that emerges chartreuse, then turns golden yellow in the sun. In fall it turns to rich shades of orange and red. Yellow flowers appear in mid-summer. Great for containers and hanging baskets, or as an underplanting in a full sun garden.

A quick-spreading groundcover that turns shades of rose and copper in the sun, creating a tapestry of color that bursts in to brilliant yellow bloom in mid-summer. Often used on green roofs, it is highly adaptable and thrives in any sunny location. Tough and easy to grow. The species name is derived from its little leaves that appear in six spiral rows.

Scalloped, silver-blue foliage with clusters of star-shaped, bright pink flowers in late September and October. Unique arching habit with the best winter resistance. Great groundcover to accompany daylilies. Also makes a great container plant. The entire plant turns light to deep pink with colder temperatures.

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.

A vigorous and long-lived groundcover that forms a dense weed-blocking mat. It starts red in the spring, stays red throughout the season and is not prone to reversions. Rosy red flowers appear in summer.

We’re thrilled to offer Chris Hansen’s breakthrough new Sunsparkler® series! Selected for compact growth habit, attractive foliage, large flower heads, and brilliant bloom color…'Cherry Tart' does not disappoint! Masses of brilliant pink, 5" diameter flower clusters explode above cherry-red leaves from late summer into early autumn. Perfect for the landscape or container garden.

Compact, smoky blue-gray foliage makes an attractive groundcover throughout the season. Raspberry-pink flower heads range in diameter from 6-8” and put on a dazzling display from late summer to fall. A lovely accent to cut flower arrangements. From the breeding program of Chris Hansen.

Chris Hansen has done it again! Lime green foliage with a crisp, contrasting red edge. Hot pink flower heads last for weeks through late summer into fall, and don't flop or fade! A perfect addition to the front of the perennial border, and works great in containers.

Bold clusters of closely packed, rosy pink flowers appear in late summer, age to a salmon bronze and finish with a deep coppery red in fall. An easy-to-grow plant that not only tolerates drought, but seems to thrive in it. Introduced by Georg Arends of Germany. A top 10 perennial for many years. This brilliant display of color is sure to urge the butterflies to stop and visit.

A low-growing, succulent native groundcover for shade, it carpets the woodland floor with whimsical round leaves arranged in threes. In spring it is covered in white star-shaped flowers. A slowly spreading, floriferous selection from Mineral County, WV, via The Primrose Path of Scottdale, PA. 'Larinem Park' is more tolerant of shade and moisture than other Sedum species.

Delightful, compact and easy to grow, Silene 'Short and Sweet' 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, 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.

Bright blue star-shaped flowers with gold centers rise above fine, semi-evergreen, iris-like foliage from May to June. Excellent for edging, the 3/4" flowers are very good sized for the genus. We are very excited about this little gem. It will charm your customers for 8-10 weeks! Named by Robert Herman, who found it in Lucerne, Switzerland.

Soft blue star-shaped flowers with gold centers rise above fine, semievergreen, Iris-like foliage from May to June. Excellent for edging, the 3/4" flowers are very good sized for the genus. A strong floral show without seeding around and a tidier habit with more flower power than the straight species.

Delightful, golden-yellow flowers are borne in axillary clusters along reflexing stems from late summer into fall. Reliable, deep green, glossy foliage remains clean throughout the growing seasons. Not an aggressive runner, 'Solar Cascade' is a clump forming perennial reaching knee height, maxing out somewhere between the taller 'Fireworks' and more compact 'Golden Fleece'. Performs best in moist to average garden soil under full sun or partial shade; extremely drought tolerant once established. This great garden plant is easy to propagate and proved to be a standout in The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden perennial trials. Plant en masse for a dramatic effect or incorporate into seasonal arrangements.

This clump forming, non-invasive native perennial boldly displays arching wands of golden clusters in September, contrasted by blue-green stems. Adds life to a dry shady spot. Great with Aster cordifolius and Chasmanthium. Incredible butterfly magnet and cut flower!

Solidago flexicaulis brings pollinators to your dappled shade areas with a subtle yellow flower clusters in mid-summer to fall. A hardy native perennial, it tolerates deer, shade, and clay soils.

Fine-textured linear foliage and golden flat-topped inflorescences in late summer. Cherished by butterflies and preying mantises and well as the wildflower enthusiast.

This diminutive beauty is exceptionally compact with bright, light yellow flowers beginning in late summer and lasting well into fall. Great shelf life! It is versatile, easy to grow and combines well with purple and pink asters both in the garden and in a container. Great as a cut flower, it is also very attractive to butterflies.

Wonderfully fragrant leaves give off an anise scent when crushed, reminiscent of licorice candy! The lance-shaped leaves are a glossy, smooth dark green. S. odora has a tidy, clump-forming habit and is not weedy or aggressive in the garden. Attracts butterflies, bees, ladybugs, lacewings and other beneficial insects. Its high ecologial value and handsome appearance make it a valuable addition to wildflower gardens, meadows and naturalistic borders.

A compact, cascading, clump-forming native cultivar with a radiating flower form that really looks like fireworks! A great addition for late season color and to lure the butterflies in. Selected and named by Ken Moore of North Carolina Botanical Garden in 1970. Introduced by Niche Gardens.

An east coast native that is useful for dune restoration projects, stormwater management, roadside, and habitat plantings.

Another fantastic Mt. Cuba introduction. A stunning show of sprays of golden yellow flowers from mid-August through September. Semievergreen heart-shaped leaves. Truly an excellent groundcover and bee and butterfly charmer! Hairstreaks, sulphurs and skippers are particularly attracted to goldenrod. Monarchs visit it during their autumn migration.

Brand new! We have had Golden Sunset® yellow prairie grass in our trials for a couple of years and couldn't believe how well it performed. Early flowering with gorgeous golden flower plumes, this Sorghastrum nutans selection from University of Minnesota produces hundreds of flowering stems to create a real show in the fall. It also has a very upright habit that does not lodge or fall over like the straight species tends to do. 

According to wild Niel Dibol, of Prairie Nursery, Westfield, WI, it is "often considered to be the most handsome of the prairie grasses. It makes a well defined and very distinctive border." Fine textured, deep green foliage with lovely, light and airy flowers to 2 1/2" in September and October. Flowers have a slight fragrance similar to coriander. Often has glowing pumpkin orange fall color. Good drought tolerance.

'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.