Perennials

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

These are the old-fashioned style of 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 to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 12 - 24"

• Width: 12 - 24"

Zone: 4

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

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

Blue 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

This variety is not aggressive like other varieties of Bell flowers

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 8"
  
• Spread: 12"
  

Zone: 3a

Bee balm is a classic American native and cottage garden favorite, it's beloved by gardeners not only for its beautiful whorled blooms in red, pink, purple and white; but for the evocative fragrance given off by foliage warmed by the sun or touched by the gardener.

And it’s just as beloved by wildlife as it is by gardeners. Plant bee balm and you can be sure of the attention of hummingbirds and bees in the summer and by seed-loving finches in the winter. It’s an all-around garden winner that provides so much for so little effort.

This herb that can be harvested for making tea. Pick the leaves just before blooming and dry completely for the best flavour.   

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 36 - 48 "

• Width: 16 - 24"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of: Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

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.