Perennial Special

This Flowering ground cover has a clumping habit and is commonly used in borders and rock gardens.

Plants form a mound of deep greens to black leaves, bearing showy spikes of flowers in mid to late spring. Excellent for combining with spring-flowering bulbs. 

Performs well in pots or mixed containers. Easily divided in spring or early fall.

 Light Requirement: Full to part Shade

Flowering Season: Late Spring

Mature Size:

• Height: 6"
  
• Spread: 10"
  

Zone: 3B

Photos Courtesy of Aubin & Vanstone Nurseries

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.

‘Heavy Metal’ is a favorite switchgrass, well-loved for its dramatic, metallic blue foliage and for its strong upright habit that remains standing straight and tall. Pink-tinted, airy blooms appear in July, highlighting the color of its blue leaves. This blue switchgrass serves as a colorful backdrop to other grasses and perennials, looks stunning in masses, and provides a focal point when used as a specimen.

Light Requirement: Full to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 48"
  
• Spread: 36"
  

Zone: 4

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Shade

Height: 36"

Width: 18"

Zone: 3

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

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

This great series showcases some of the brightest and most exciting blossoms seen to date. Many are fringed and double and very showy. Flowers spikes are durable and require less staking.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Height: 60"

Width: 24"

Zone: 3

Photos and information courtesy of Vanstone Nursery.

Sharply toothed edges on the strongly upright foliage of Sedum T-Rex add to its ‘monstrous’ appeal. Clusters of cream buds open to enormous rose pink flower clusters – very appealing; not at all scary! Great for a hot, sunny site. Stonecrop provides beautiful low care summer and fall color. Let dried flower heads remain to provide nice winter interest. Sedum store water in their thick, succulent leaves which enables them to be extremely drought tolerant.

Selected form with deep maroon foliage. White flowers are held in a loose spike. Needs full sun to maintain foliage color.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Sun

Height: 30"

Width: 18"

Zone: 3

Photo and data courtesy of Aubin Nursery and Bellwyck Horticolor.

Upright spikes of bright fuchsia-pink flower are held above green foliage.

Light Requirement: Full Sun 

Mature Size:

• Height: 16"

• Width: 10 - 12"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Jeffries Nursery, Aubin Nursery and Bellwyck Horticolor.

Skywriter Hosta has beautiful ruffled blue leaves.

Light Requirement: Full Shade to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 16"

• Width: 36"

Zone: 3

Light Requirement: Full Shade to Partial Shade

Height: 32 - 36" 

Width: 36 - 40" 

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa

Midnight Marvel Rose mallow is a very robust perennial that fills a lot of space in the garden. Find a place in your landscape where it will not be crowded by other plants, because it will quickly out compete your other perennials for space within a year or two. 

Do not prune it to keep it smaller, as this will remove the flower buds. Zone 4 perennial so it will need heavy mulch before frost!

The Flame Peony lives up to its name as a profuse bloomer with fiery crimson-red flowers, accented by hints of deep coral. Its large, single blooming blossoms are cup-shaped, with wide petals surrounding a center of golden-yellow stamens. This hybrid peony features dark green foliage on sturdy stems.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 24 - 36"

• Width: 24 - 36"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

The 'Wide Brim' Hosta shows a dark green-blue centres and irregular edging of a buttery yellow colour. Broad heart-shaped leaves grow into a dome shaped mound and have funnel shaped light lavender flowers.

Light Requirement: Partial Sun to Full Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 20 - 24"

• Width: 20 - 24"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

Bergenia is incredibly hardy and reliable throughout nearly the entire continent. Plants form a low clump of bold, leathery green leaves, which often turn bronze during winter. Short stems of pink flowers rise above the shiny foliage in mid spring.

Most effective when planted in groups or used as an edging along a walkway.

Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions, in both sun or part shade.

 Light Requirement: Full to Part Sun

Flowering Season: Early Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 12"
  
• Spread: 18"
  

Zone: 3

Photo courtesy of Ball Seed

 Elegant lacy leaves form a very dense and bushy clump. This dwarf plant does not demand the same space as the standard Goats beard, and is somewhat inclined to sulk in hot summer areas, so plant in a moist, peaty soil, or even at the waterside. Cut plants back in summer if they look untidy.

An excellent companion to summer-blooming shrub roses. Good for cutting, the flowers may also be dried by hanging upside down in a warm, dark room.

'Purple D'Oro' Daylily displays remarkable variation in colour, with lavender-purple flowers that re-bloom throughout the summer and carry into the fall with a second wave of blooms. 'Purple D'Oro' is an easy grower and low maintenance.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 18-24 "

• Width: 12 - 24"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

Regularly used as a ground cover, it makes a great choice for areas of your garden where other plants do not succeed. Flower stems can be removed to keep the patch kept clean, as well as to prevent self-seeding. 

 CAUTION:Difficult to eradicate once established. Do not discard unwanted plants in any natural areas, as they may establish themselves and become invasive.  Unwanted all-green shoots should be sprayed with a non-selective weed killer.

 Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season:  Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 24"
  
• Spread: 24"
  

Zone: 2A

Photos courtesy of Ball Seed Company

Large vase-shaped leaves form a beautiful mound of variegated foliage. Flower stems can reach between 5-6ft (150-180cm) and produce pale lavender blooms. 

For best growth results plant in moist well-drained soil and cut stems back after blooming to encourage regrowth. 

Light Requirement: Partial Sun to Full Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 24 - 36"

• Width: 24 - 36"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

Chrysanthemums are a great choice for the garden, or in tubs and mixed containers. Garden Mums are extremely popular plants for a splash of colour in late summer right through the fall.

Morden strain produces naturally cushion-shaped, compact plants with double and semi-double flowers in a whole range of rich jewel tones. Best in a sunny area, with regular watering through the season. 

Pinching plants in June will result in a much greater number of flowers. 

Light Requirement: Full to Part Sun

Flowering Season: Early Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 24"
  
• Spread: 24"
  

Zone: 3

The obedient plant can be an aggressive spreader so allow for this. One of the best features of this plant is its long bloom time, about a full month from late summer into fall. The blossoms are light shades of pink and white, a rarity among the hot, bold colours of fall. The flowers look good in a garden setting and also make good cut flowers.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Late Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 24"
  
• Spread: 24"
  

Zone: 3a

Photos courtesy of Ball Seed Company

Low mounding perennial with stunning dark purple foliage and large cherry colored flowers.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Sun

Height: 6"

Width: 16"

Zone: 3

Photo and data courtesy of Aubin Nursery and Bellwyck Horticolor.

The Northern Exposure coral bells are among the hardiest available. This clump-forming perennial forms a dense mound of colourful round leaves with spikes of bell-shaped flowers. Excellent for borders or edging.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Full Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 14"

• Width: 20"

Zone: 3

Photos and Data Courtesy of Vanstone Nursery

This great series showcases some of the brightest and most exciting blossoms seen to date. Many are fringed and double and very showy. Flowers spikes are durable and require less staking.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Height: 60"

Width: 24"

Zone: 3

Photos and information courtesy of Vanstone Nursery.

Photo courtesy of Ball Horticultural Company

Photo courtesy of Ball Horticultural Company

T. serpyllum. Creeping thyme is an ornamental. From a tiny clump of little seedlings comes a spreading mat of scented foliage covered with pink flowers. Plant Creeping Thyme seeds for excellent coverage and easy use in rock gardens. This is a mat forming herb that grows to maximum heights of 15cm (6") and red blooms May to August. Grow in full sun, in well drained soil, with moderate to low water. Use in rock or herb gardens, as an edging along paths or as a ground cover. 

A favourite for cut flowers and arrangements, Gypsophila (Baby's Breath) also deserves a place in the landscape.

It has airy clouds of pink tiny flowers that add both contrast and texture to the perennial border from early summer to fall. 

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Height: 36"

Width: 16"

Zone: 2

Photos courtesy of Aubin Nursery & Belwyck Horticolor