Perennials

Developed in 1906, this pink peony is still a favorite. Double flowers of soft seashell pink with petals edged a trifle lighter with a few crimson flecks.

Caring for Peonies:

May/June: Keep your peony watered if there is little rainfall. Use compost or aged manure to your soil. If your peony is newly planted it can take up to two seasons for it to get its first bloom. Be patient, it's worth it.
Late June: Blooming season, like many garden plants you will need to deadhead peony flowers often. 
Summer: Herbaceous Peonies do best with an inch of water per week if they are newly planted. If they are established they can handle a drought season more than newly planted roots. Enjoy green peony bush once blooms are gone.
Fall: Cut stems of Herbaceous Peonies back to soil level and remove from the area.  If you have new plantings mulch.

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

Hosta Dancing Darling is a beauty with its unique yellow-golden foliage with green edges. The foliage is curled and looks lovely in combination with the lilac flowers. Plant Dancing Darling in a moist, cool, humus-rich and well-drained soil. It can be planted in a sunny or shaded spot.  This fast growing Hosta is excellent as a solitary on patio or balcony, for mixed containers, for mass planting and in border.

Light Requirement: Full Shade to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 20"

• Width: 24"

Zone: 3

Photo courtesy of Bellwyck Horticolor

Moss Phlox forms a low mound or cushion smothered by tiny flowers in late spring.  Clip plants immediately after blooming to encourage a dense habit. Wonderful in the sunny rock garden, for edging, or in mixed containers. Requires good drainage. Drought tolerant, once established.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 4 -6"

• Width: 12 - 24"

Zone: 2

Photos courtesy of Jeffries Nursery

Maiden Pinks are easy-care perennials, ideal for the beginning gardener. Plants form a low, spreading mound of green and bronze leaves, studded with bright white & pink bi-colour flowers in late spring, and bloom on and off throughout the summer. Suitable in poor soils, and hot, sunny sites.

Excellent in tubs and mixed containers.

Trim back lightly after first flowering. Plants are easily divided in early spring or fall.

Jenny aster plants are characterized by their delicate, lace-like foliage and clusters of bright pink, star-shaped flowers. They add a graceful and vibrant touch to any garden, particularly in the fall season.

Light Requirement: Full sun

Flowering Season:  Late Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 12 - 18"
  
• Spread: 12 - 18"
  

Zone: 3a

Photos and Data Courtesy of Ball Seed

Bright crimson plumes emerge in vertical spires during early summer, making it one of the earliest red blooms. Its foliage transitions from mahogany red in spring to a lush green by summer, making it a favored choice among enthusiasts for its vigorous growth and striking color.

Light Requirement: Part Shade to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 18 - 20"

• Width: 18 - 20"

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

McKana's Giant aquilegia 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: Part Sun

Flowering Season: Early Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 30"
  
• Spread: 24"
  

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Ball Seed Company & Bodger

 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

Duchesse de Nemours is a clear white peony. It’s one of the oldest varieties. It was  bred more than 150 years ago and enjoys enduring popularity.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 24 - 36"

• Width: 24 - 36"

Zone: 2

Image courtesy of: van Noort Bulb co.

This improved Beard-tongue forms low mounds of glossy burgundy 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: 24"

• Width: 18-24"

Zone: 3

Images courtesy of vanstone Nurseries & Terra Nova Nursereies

'Komodo Dragon' Hosta forms a large mound, with dark blue-green leaves and shows a ruffled edge. In midsummer, 4 foot tall flowering stalks emerge bearing light lavender coloured, funnel shaped bloom.

Light Requirement: Full Shade to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 36"

• Width: 24 - 84" 

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa. 

Photo courtesy of Ball Seed

The Firecracker series of Chrysanthemums were bred at Jeffries Nurseries and selected for early blooming and large flowers. 

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Sun

Mature Size:

• Height:  20 - 22"

• Width: 18 - 24"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Jeffries Nursery

Lime green foliage with a constrasting red edge. Hot pink flowers. A perfect addition to the front of the perennial border, and works great in containers.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Height: 6"

Width: 18"

Zone: 3

Photo and data courtesy of Aubin Nursery and Bellwyck Horticolor.

Mid-pink, spicy scented flowers bloom almost constantly on neat mounds of grass-green foliage. Excellent for edging, rock gardens and attracts butterflies. Propagation is prohibited. 

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Height: 10 - 12

Width: 20"

Zone: 3

Photo courtesy of Ball Horticultural Company

Widely grown as a commercial cut flower, this plant form a low clump of grassy leaves, bearing tall spikes of purple flowers beginning in midsummer.

 Can be planted in sunny border or meadow garden, or in containers.

May need to be staked as growth continues.

Exposure: Sun

Height: 36 - 48" (91 - 122cm)

Width: 18 - 24" (46 - 61cm)

Image courtesy of Jeffries Nursery

Part Sun to Shade

Height: 16"

Images courtesy of: van Noort Bulb Co.

'Ruby Stella' Daylily shows a rich ruby coloured petal and a golden centre. Once established, this daylily is especially strong against drought and heat, and prefers drier conditions.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 18-20"

• Width: 12-18"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

Little Miss Sunshine is a dwarf goldenrod. This bright golden yellow bloomer makes an excellent border plant in a sunny area, as its spread is wider than it's height you can expect a dense mini hedge.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 12"
• Width: 12"

Zone 2

Photos courtesy of Bellwyck Horticolor

Photo and data 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 to Partial Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 24 - 36"

• Width: 10 -12"

Zone: 3

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.

Dense, fragrant gray-green foliage has clusters of bright blue flowers. Drought tolerant.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 10 - 13"

• Width: 12"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Jeffries Nursery

Brilliant flowers complement neat, attractive foliage. Wonderful as ground cover, in the rock garden, along walkways or cascading over stone walls. Easy to maintain. Thrives in hot, dry locations. Also called orange stonecrop.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Late Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 6"
  
• Spread: 12"

Zone: 3A

Photos courtesy of Bellwyck Horticolor

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Late Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 24"
  
• Spread: 24"
  

Zone: 3a

Photos courtesy of Bellwyck Horticolor

Hardy perennial in Manitoba.  Sedum (also known as Stonecrop) is a gorgeous,  flowering plant with fleshy, gray-green leaves and purple veins and stems. A true sun lover, they bloom in late summer and attracts plentiful pollinators to the garden throughout the fall season. Very showy and tolerant of low rainfall. This plant will attract butterflies, birds and is bee friendly.

* Deer/Rabbit Resistant

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Flowering Season: Late Summer

Lily of the Valley is easy and adaptable, this will even grow well in tubs or mixed containers. A favourite for growing as a ground-cover in shady areas, be sure to Protect from afternoon sun. Plants form a spreading clump of large green leaves, bearing short spikes of fragrant white bells in late spring. 

Takes a year or two to establish, then spreads quickly. May go dormant in summer.

Tolerant of poor soils, even dry shade, but prefers a rich, moist soil.

 CAUTION: Toxic if eaten.

CAUTION: Do not discard unwanted plants in any natural areas, as they will establish themselves and become invasive.

Light Requirement: Full to Part Shade

Flowering Season: Summer

Mature Size:

• Height: 6"
  
• Spread: 12"
  

Zone: 2

Flashing Lights are easy-care perennials, ideal for the beginning gardener. Plants form a low, spreading mound of green and bronze leaves, studded with bright ruby-red flowers in late spring, and bloom on and off throughout the summer. Suitable in poor soils, and hot, sunny sites.

Excellent in tubs and mixed containers.

Trim back lightly after first flowering. Plants are easily divided in early spring or fall.