Perennials

Like the popular ‘Empress Wu’, but with an attractive margin! Blue-green leaves have striking apple-green margins. Give the plant about 5 years to reach full maturity. Violet flowers.

Light Requirement: Partial Shade to Full Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 48 - 60"

• Width: 36 - 48"

Photos courtesy Proven Winners

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. 

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

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 purple 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.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 10 - 14"

• Width: 12 - 24"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

Goldquelle, also known as Gold Drops, features twice as many petals as other varieties. Its fluffy 3" pompoms bloom from midsummer through fall, with plants reaching up to 7 feet tall but easily kept smaller with pinching. Early summer pinching encourages bushier growth.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 60 - 72"

• Width: 36 - 48"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

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.

This unique and appealing variety showcases ruffled, violet-blue double blooms, with the best effect achieved through massed plantings in a garden. Blooming from late spring into summer, and potentially again later, it thrives in full sun and moist soil, yet it is highly adaptable.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 24 - 36"

• Width: 12 - 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

'Eupatorium Maculatum' , also known as Joe-Pye Weeds,  are bold, architectural specimen plants, perfect for making a statement in the border. Plants forms a huge clump of coarse green leaves, bearing enormous umbrella-like heads of rosy-purple flowers in late summer.

This selection is a little more restrained in height, but still gets large and impressive.

A magnet to butterflies, this is also suitable for planting in a meadow or at the waterside. Excellent for cutting.

Light Requirement: Full Sun to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 60 - 72"

• Width: 24 - 36"

Zone: 4

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa.

'Lakeside Paisley' Hosta produces heart-shaped leaves with wide and wavy margins. The narrow, creamy white markings in the centre of the leaves shoot out from the leafstalk in a feathered pattern. The thick leaves make a perfect background for the light lavender flowers that bloom in midsummer. 

Light Requirement: Full Shade to Partial Shade

Mature Size:

• Height: 20 - 30"

• Width: 24 - 36"

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Van Noort Bulb Co. & Florissa

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.

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