Perennials

This grass has a remarkable tolerance for extreme climates and is not invasive. It displays soft, feathery green plumes during the summer, maturing into stiff, wheat-coloured spikes that last into winter.

It is generally used in large groupings towards the back of borders, but is also effective as a single plant that can be easily divided in spring. Prune down to the ground in March. 

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 4 - 5'

• Width: 4'

Zone: 3

This improved Beard-tongue, part of the Pristine series, forms low mounds of glossy green leaves, bearing medium-tall stalks of tubular Deep Pink flowers arranged around the strong stems. Vigorous and easy to grow. Remove faded flowers to encourage continued blooming. Attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds. Stems are nice for cutting. Clumps may be easily divided in early spring. Unlike many of the taller selections, this one is ruggedly hardy in colder regions. Drought tolerant once established.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 15 - 20"

• Width: 10 - 15"

Zone: 3

Images courtesy of vanstone Nurseries

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 18 - 24"

• Width: 24 - 30"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Proven Winners

Lamium is one of the best choices for a tough and showy perennial ground cover.  This selection forms a spreading patch of small silver leaves with a narrow green edge. Clusters of purplish-red flowers appear in spring, then continue off and on until fall.

Fairly tolerant of dry shade, once established. Trim back in late winter.

Stems will root into the ground where they touch, and any new plants that form can be easily moved in spring or fall.

photo courtesy of  Ball Seed

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

Lamb’s-Ears are one of the most popular silver-leaved perennials, used widely for edging along pathways and borders. Plants form a dense clump of soft, felty silver grey leaves. Upright spikes of minor magenta-pink flowers form in early summer, but these should be clipped off to maintain a tight, compact habit. Clumps are easily divided in spring or early fall. Drought tolerant once established.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 12 - 18"

• Width: 12 - 24"

Zone: 3

Photos and Data Courtesy of Ball Seed

Moonbeam Coreopsis form a mound of ferny green leaves, bearing many upright stems of single daisy type flowers for weeks starting in early summer. Removing faded flowers regularly will encourage blooming to continue into the fall.

Tolerant of hot, humid summer climates. Attractive to butterflies.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 16"
  
• Spread: 18"
  

Zone: 4

This vine is part of the five-leaved ivy family. It has a habit of clinging and is a fast and hardy grower. It can work as a climber or as a ground cover. The foliage is smaller in size and with palm-shaped leaves. During Fall the leaves will become a burgundy red color with ornamental black berries that are toxic to humans.

Less vigorous than the virginia creeper.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 15' -20'
• Width: 6'

Zone: 3

This is a hybrid strain of Columbine that flowers freely. Plants have a compact habit, with the large blooms usually bi coloured in shades of blue, white, pink, red, rose or yellow. Flowers are attractive to hummingbirds.

Removing spent flowers will increase the blooming time. Columbines are relatively short lived, so allow some of the plants to go to seed and self sow. Leaf miners or sawfly may disfigure the leaves around flowering time, but simply trim off the unwanted foliage and the plants will grow fresh leaves.

Light Requirement: Part Sun

Flowering Season: Early Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 16"
  
• Spread: 14"
  

Zone: 3

Certainly one of the most popular of foliage perennials, silver mound forms a low cushion of ferny, silvery-grey leaves. In areas with humid summers it benefits from a hard clipping just as the tiny silver ball-like flowers appear, usually in mid to late June.

Plants will regrow quickly and remain attractive all season long. Good for hot, dry sites. Nice edging plant, also combines well with other perennials in tubs or mixed containers.

Flowering Season: Mid Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 10"
  
• Spread: 18"
  

Zone: 3a

Russian Sage is extremely valuable for its long season of bloom in the summer garden. Plant forms a bushy upright clump of greyish leaves that are lacy and fragrant. Spikes of rich violet-blue flowers appear in high summer, continuing into late fall. An extremely versatile garden plant, Russian Sage loves hot, sunny sites and will fit right into the perennial border, also good to use among shrubs, and even in containers or tubs. Attractive to butterflies. Prune back to no less than 6 inches in the spring, and never in the fall. Exceptionally drought tolerant. Selected as Perennial Plant of the Year in 1995.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 34 - 60"

• Width: 22 - 36"

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 12"
  
• Spread: 12"
  

Zone: 2

Coreopsis also known as Tickseed, form a mound of leathery green leaves, bearing many upright stems of daisy type flowers for weeks starting in early summer. Removing faded flowers regularly will encourage blooming to continue into the fall.

Tolerant of hot, humid summer climates and attractive to butterflies.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 24"
  
• Spread: 16"
  

Zone: 3b

photo courtesy of Ball Seed

Delphiniums are the stars of the early summer border. Plants form a low mound of deeply-cut green leaves, bearing mounds of satiny flowers. Removing faded bloom at the base will encourage repeat blooming in fall. 

Cut back hard to encourage fresh foliage. Use a high phosphorous fertilizer each year, in early spring. 

Hot, humid summers can bring on potential mildew. 

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 12"
  
• Spread: 12"
  

Zone: 3

A compact ornamental grass that features elegantly arched, variegated leaves that will mature into a dusty-grey pink into the fall season. a cool season grass that is fast growing and reliable. 

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 24 - 36"

• Width: 24 - 36"

Zone: 4A

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa

The leaves emerge frosty blue with a bright yellow margin that lightens to creamy white during the summer.  It forms a medium sized mound topped with light lavender flowers in mid to late summer.

 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

Photos courtesy of Jeffries Nursery

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

Delphiniums are the stars of the early summer border. Plants form a low mound of deeply-cut green leaves, bearing tall spikes of satiny flowers. Removing faded spikes at the base will encourage repeat blooming in fall. 

Cut back hard to encourage fresh foliage. Use a high phosphorous fertilizer each year, in early spring. 

Hot, humid summers can bring on potential mildew. 

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 60"
  
• Spread: 24"
  

Zone: 3

These are the old-fashioned style of Heuchera /Coral Bells, grown for their bright display of flowers in early summer. Plants form a low mound of rounded deep-green leaves, bearing upright spikes with loads of small vermilion-red bells. Excellent for cutting. Flowers also are attractive to hummingbirds. Terrific for edging, in the rock garden, or in tubs. Remove spent flower spikes to encourage more buds to form. Plants may be divided as needed in spring or early fall.

 Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 16"
  
• Spread: 16"
  

Zone: 4A

Sea Thrift is a durable perennial for almost any sunny location. It produces bright pink flower clusters on dark green leaves, and has long flower stems. This genus is strictly an early spring and late fall, cool season flowering perennial. Trim off the spent flowers to encourage continuous blooming.

Good for a rock garden or used as an edging plant, and also does excellent in tubs or mixed containers.

Light Requirement: Full to Part Sun

Flowering Season: Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 12"
  
• Spread: 12"
  

Zone: 3a

Black Barlow is particularly good for cut flowers as it features a fully double, upward-facing bloom, rising above a ferny foliage of gray-green divided leaves. Plants typically produce 3-5 stems in the first year and 5-10 stems in the second and following years.

Remove faded flowering stems to promote additional blooming.

Light Requirement: Full to Part Sun

Flowering Season: Early Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 30"
  
• Spread: 12"
  

Zone: 3a

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: 16"
  
• Spread: 18"
  

Zone: 3