Perennial Special

Commonly known as woodland sage, violet sage or salvia.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 10 -12"

• Width: 10 - 12"

Zone: 3

Aster 'Alert" is a compact mounding selection of our native New England aster.  During spring and summer, plants are clothed in gray-green leaves.  In fall foliage disappears beneath a starry mantle of crimson daisies. Plants are tough and adaptable to moist sunny sites in a variety of garden situations. This cultivar is known for its compact habit, disease resistance and eye-popping flower display.

Light Requirement: Full to Part Sun

Flowering Season:  Late Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 12"
  
• Spread: 16"
  

Zone: 3a

Prairie smoke (Geum triflorum) adds interest to a garden bed from early spring through to fall. This perennial is native to North American prairies. It gets its name from the long, wispy, feather-like achenes (seed heads) that develop during the summer. With their pinkish shades, they create an impression of puffs of smoke remaining on the plant for several weeks. The small, pink, bud-like flowers may not be as impressive as the achenes, but they still add a splash of color to the garden in the spring. And during the fall, the foliage takes on purplish, reddish, and orange hues and then turns to a burgundy shade during winter. 

No sunny border would seem complete without the familiar presence of Shasta Daisies. This is a very tall selection that exhibits excellent tolerance to summer heat and humidity.

Shasta Daisy flowers are large single white daisies with a yellow eye, valued in the garden and excellent for cutting. Removing faded flowers regularly will greatly increase the blooming time. May require staking if grown in rich soil. 

Light Requirement: Full Sun 

Mature Size:

• Height: 18 - 24"

• Width: 24 - 40"

Zone: 3

Sweet Kate Tradescantia is a low maintenance perennial ideal for medium borders.

Blue Gold has lime green/gold foliage and deep blue blooms.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 10 - 12"

• Width: 14 - 18"

Zone: 3

photo courtesy of Jeffries Nursery

Summer Phlox is very popular for its midsummer display in the sunny border. This selection produces large, fragrant flower clusters. Attractive to butterflies. Excellent cut flower. Flowering is always best in a sunny location. Easy to grow and mildew resistant although Summer Phlox always benefit from a location that provides good air circulation and consistent soil moisture. Drought tolerant. Excellent for containers or in the border. Remove faded flowers to encourage more buds to form.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Height: 18"

Width: 18"

Zone: 3

Photo and data courtesy of Aubin Nursery and Bellwyck Horticolor.

This iris, recently found at a breeder's nursery in the Netherlands, is truly unique and presents a color combination that is unexpected when Siberian iris bloom. Enjoy cinnamon-hued flowers that will spice up the predominately blue and yellow iris arrangements of the season. Planted for their early season color, Siberian iris are tall, with grass like leaves that stay vivid green and lovely all season, and they have long stems and delicate flowers on a no-fuss growth habit that tolerates moist places. Their colorful, undulating falls dance in the breeze, bringing movement and beauty to the garden. Add copper-colored flare to your late spring to early summer border and arrangements. 

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 24 - 26"

• Width: 18 - 24"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

Achillea Yarrow blooms for weeks starting from early to late summer and is known for attracting butterflies.

A deer, drought and rabbit resistant perennial that features clusters of petit flowers with a long stem. 

Deadheading will encourage new blooms and will prevent from spreading it's seeds, yarrow seeds can fall from previous blooms and will spread if not monitored. 

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Mid Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 32"
  
• Spread: 20"
  

Zone: 2b

Photos of Ball Seed Company

White Clips make for beautiful ground covering and edging for any garden, Campanula are also known as 'Bell flowers'  or ' Canterbury Bells' because of their distinct, upturned bell-shaped flowers.

White Clips are not aggressive like other varieties of Bell flowers

 Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Early Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 6"
  
• Spread: 10"
  

Zone: 3b

Photos courtesy of Ball Seed Company

Garden Astilbe are a popular choice for shady gardens, where they perform well if given a rich, moist soil and regular watering. This selection has long, feathery plumes of deep lavender-mauve flowers, over a mound of elegant, lacy green leaves. Also thrives in tubs, or mixed containers. Excellent for cutting.

Fertilize in April and June.  Seed heads may be removed, or left on the plant for winter interest.

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

Salvia Caradonna is an outstanding perennial with excellent cold hardiness, vigor, and tolerance of heavy clay soils. Blooming in late spring with a profusion of flower spikes, it re-blooms later in the summer when deadheaded. These plants attract butterflies and are deer/rabbit resistant.

Photo courtesy of  Ball Seed

Chinese Lantern (Physalis alkekengi)  There is high value for this dried species in fall displays. In Japan, the seeds are used during the Bon Festival as offerings to guide the souls of the deceased. This plant spreads underground by rhizomes and should be contained in certain situations. Physalis is a close relative of the Cape Gooseberry but is not cultivated as a food crop. The fruit is tasteless and it should be noted that the unripe fruit and leaves are toxic if enough is ingested. 

 Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 24"
  
• Spread: 24"
  

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

'Blue Moon'  has loads of fragrant, blue flowers.

Ht. 12"

Zone 4 

image courtesy of Ball Seeds.

Light Requirement: Full Shade to Partial Shade

Height: 16"

Width: 20"

Zone: 2

Photo and data courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

This variety of daylily is often called 'ditch lily'. latin name is 'fulva'. blooms orange

This early blooming hybrid series will produce an array of vivid flowers for many weeks in summer. The plants have an upright and compact growth habit with exceptional branching. Dense clusters of smaller fragrant flowers will cover the plant and make an eye-catching display.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Height: 14"

Width: 12"

Zone: 3

Photo and data courtesy of Vanstone Nurseries

Deep, purple-pink flowers set off with darker foliage. Shorter selections with bushy mounds of fine textured green foliage.

Exposure: Sun

Height: 6 - 8" (15 - 20cm)

Width: 12 - 15" (30 - 38cm)

Photos and information courtesy of Ball Seed.

Dazzling silvery white globes are held proudly above deep green, thistle-like foliage. The flowers are golf ball sized and are wonderful in the landscape and for use as a cutflower.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Height: 36"

Width: 24" 

Zone: 3

Photos and data courtesy of Vanstone Nursery

 Spacing:  36 - 60 Inches 91cm - 1.5

Spread: 36 - 60 Inches 91cm - 1.5m

Zone 4

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 2.5'

• Width: 1.5'

Zone: 3a

Photo coming soon.

 This is one of the most floriferous Baptisia we offer, producing loads of brightly colored spikes for many weeks. After the blooming season, 'American Goldfinch' produces attractive round seed pods in the fall. This is the perfect specimen for filling in a large space in your garden or for mass plantings in landscapes.

image courtesy of Ball Horticultural Company 

This Pussytoes cultivar is known for its fuzzy, silvery-grey foliage and tiny, rosy-pink flowers that bloom in the spring. It is a great choice as a small scale groundcover, in rock gardens, and border plantings.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 2" (4" after flower height)

• Width: 12"

Zone: 1

Photo coming soon

Generally, you would need both a male and female bittersweet plant to get the much loved orange berries, but you’ll only need one with Autumn Revolution^™ Bittersweet. This beloved native vine is covered in green leaves in the summer and joined by gorgeous orange berries that form in the late summer and get their color in early fall. The berries on Autumn Revolution^™ are twice the size of other bittersweet varieties and are great for cut arrangements and other DIY crafts. The berries that aren’t used for crafts in the fall provide wonderful winter interest.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Height: 15 - 25'

Zone: 2

Photo and data courtesy of First Editions

Photo courtesy of Ball Horticultural Company

Brilliant display of summer colour with compact form and strong resistance to powdery mildew. Butterfly attractant. Fuchsia flowers. 

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Height: 18"

Width: 24"

Zone: 3

Photo and data courtesy of Aubin Nursery and Bellwyck Horticolor.