Perennials for Season-long Bloom

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Plant Finder

	Caryopteris x clandonensis 'Longwood Blue' bluebeard Deciduous shrub I frequently use this perennial as a small shrub in a sunny location. It can be used with plants that have yellow flowers. It blooms as the monarchs migrate so sit back and enjoy this sighting.
	Hibiscus syriacus 'Diana' rose of Sharon Deciduous shrub The Rose-of-Sharon is a late season bloomer. It can be used as a single specimen or in groups. I like this cultivar for its large pure white flowers which bloom over the summer and even into fall. It is considered a shrub or a small tree. I find there is a renewed interest in these plants with good reason.
	*Hypericum calycinum* St. John's wort Deciduous shrub This little known perennial can make an excellent groundcover in full sun. The blue-green tinged foliage supports the yellow, round flowers. Place this perennial under trees, shrubs, or use it as another layer in filling the perennial border. Pick blue-flowered perennials for a great complimentary color scheme.
	*Acanthus spinosus* bear's breeches Herbaceous perennial A bold architectural statement is made with the use of Acanthus. I like to place it in the shade garden for the best results. The foliage stands alone and commands attention.
	Achillea 'Coronation Gold' yarrow Herbaceous perennial My sunny perennial gardens always have a place for yarrow. The flowers are landing pads for butterflies and also can be used for a cutting garden. This cultivar holds up well in the summer.
	Achillea millefolium 'Paprika' yarrow Herbaceous perennial Achilleas are excellent in a sunny perennial border. The feathery leaves are a nice contrast to the bright red blooms held up on sturdy stems. This cultivar will quickly form a dense mound with flat-topped flowers that will attract butterflies.
	*Ajania pacifica* ajania Herbaceous perennial This is a very attractive plant with extremely ornamental foliage. I find the elegant silver-edged foliage is a very nice compliment to the yellow, late flowers.
	*Alchemilla mollis* lady's mantle Herbaceous perennial This makes an excellent groundcover with densely hairy scalloped foliage for the shady border. The blue-green foliage is accented with lime-green flowers and combines well with blue foliage hostas.
	*Amsonia hubrichtii* blue star Herbaceous perennial I love the thin linear foliage of this plant that gives an airy appearance to the perennial border. The blue-star flowers are held up above the foliage. Although Amsonia is slow to establish, it is well worth the wait. This perennial is one of the few that has an autumn color of light, golden yellow.
	*Amsonia tabernaemontana* blue star Herbaceous perennial This is a tough plant for the perennial border. You'll fall in love with the numerous blue star-shaped flowers in late spring are great to combine with other full sun perennials. There is a nice light, golden yellow fall color to extend the gardening season. Be patient to get the plant established in your garden.
	Anemone hupehensis var. japonica 'Pamina' Japanese anemone Herbaceous perennial The late fall flowers are held on wiry stems. It is a pleasure to see the elegance this plant brings to the shade borders late into the season. This anemone will brighten your woodland gardens and the late flowers are delightful.
	Aquilegia (Songbird Series) 'Cardinal' columbine Herbaceous perennial You'll find that the vibrant red color of this columbine is a treat for the landscape. The funnel shaped flowers are a delight in the woodland garden. Use this columbine planted among other woodland plants for the best show.
	**Aquilegia flabellata var. pumila fan columbine** Herbaceous perennial If your're looking for blue flowers to add to your landscape this columbine will provide the solution. The thicker foliage is blue-green and is rather short. Use this columbine up close to appreciate the rather small size.
	*Asarum canadense* wild ginger Herbaceous perennial This plant has wonderful, shiny, kidney-shaped foliage. I find it makes a great groundcover for the shady garden. It is a native plant that is underused in the woodland garden. The small size can be used under most shade loving plants to add another dimension in the layering of plants.
	*Asclepias tuberosa* butterfly weed Herbaceous perennial Don't miss this plant for a great native plant for attracting butterflies. It needs to be located in a dry area and left alone. The bright orange, umbel flowers are a landing pad for butterflies. They are slow to emerge in the spring so don’t be overzealous with cultivation in spring.
	Astilbe 'Deutschland' astilbe Herbaceous perennial The shade garden is enhanced with the addition of any astilbe. This one is particularly fine. Provide moisture to avoid crispy, curled leaves. Combine with other ferns, hostas, lady’s mantle, bleeding hearts and lungworts.
	Astilbe x arendsii 'Fanal' astilbe Herbaceous perennial I love the blood-red panicle flowers of this astilbe, which are showcased againts its fernlike foliage. Plant this cultivar in a moist, woodland area with ferns, hostas, and even some annual impatiens, begonias or caladiums.
	**Begonia grandis subsp. evansiana hardy begonia** Herbaceous perennial This late blooming perennial begonia should be a welcome sight in any woodland garden. The red veins on the undersides of the foliage become an interesting accent. More comments will be made with this plant in your woodland garden than most others. It is ideal to see this in mass planting.
	*Bergenia cordifolia* pigsqueak Herbaceous perennial This is a long-lived undemanding shade perennial that has a place in any shady garden. The bold foliage should be grouped together to add a sharp contrast to fine textured plants. The flowers are not significant so the bold foliage provides companion planting.
	*Brunnera macrophylla* Siberian bugloss Herbaceous perennial The heart-shaped foliage is bold when compared to the blue forget-me-not flowers. I like to combine it with other shade loving perennials. Ferns, hostas, and epimedium are happy companions.
	*Centranthus ruber* red valerian Herbaceous perennial I use this heirloom full sun perennial frequently in garden designs. It is found in dry soils and found in walls in most of Europe. It makes a long lasting cut flower and a good source for butterfly nectar.
	*Ceratostigma plumbaginoides* plumbago Herbaceous perennial This late, blue-flowered perennial is slow to emerge in the spring so do not disturb it with early season cultivation. Plant this as a ground cover under shrubs or trees. I like to plant early spring bulbs with this late-to-emerge perennial.
	*Chelone lyonii* shellflower Herbaceous perennial This perennial is a favorite of mine for moist, shaded areas. The snapdragon-like flowers resemble the head of a turtle. This is a great addition for late flowers in the woodland garden. Use with ferns and astilbes.
	Coreopsis verticillata 'Zagreb' threadleaf coreopsis Herbaceous perennial This cultivar has deeper yellow flowers than the ever popular cultivar ‘Moonbeam’. This deeper yellow is a golden color addition to the perennial border. I find it is easily maintained in the border and it is long-lived.
	*Dicentra spectabilis* bleeding heart Herbaceous perennial I love this popular cottage garden plant. It goes go dormant in your shade garden and one should leave a void or plant ferns as a filler.
	*Echinacea purpurea* purple coneflower Herbaceous perennial No native sun garden should be without this coneflower. The erect flowers are held up by sturdy stems and they are a welcome addition to a native garden, wildflower border or a sunny border. The dried seedheads are sought after by birds. Don’t deadhead the flowers to interfere with this feeding habit.
	*Echinacea tennesseensis* Tennessee coneflower Herbaceous perennial This Tennessee coneflower has deep pink ray flowers that are up-turned. I find it is a delight for the sunny perennial border. It was once on the endangered species list, but is now found in numbers and deseerves a prominent place in the home landscape.
	*Eutrochium purpureum* Joe Pye weed Herbaceous perennial This is a native Eastern North American plant. It needs to be placed in the back of the border to allow for its 6’ to 8’ bold character. It is attractive to butterflies and good for cutting. I like to use it in a meadow garden, wild garden or herbaceous border.
	**Gaura lindheimeri gaura** Herbaceous perennial This is a good choice for a long-flowering plant for a sunny border. It can be considered a “see-though” plant since it has the flowers arranged on airy stems. It loves a dry location, thought, and hot weather is its friend.
	*Helleborus orientalis* hellebore Herbaceous perennial The hellebores is finally getting the attention it so deserves. It certainly rates high in my book. The leathery foliage is a delight in the woodland garden. It is great to use under trees, shrubs or among other bold leaved perennials.
	Heuchera micrantha var. diversifolia 'Palace Purple' coral bells Herbaceous perennial The genus Heuchera should play a vital roll in your herbaceous borders. Generally, I find that the foliage is more important than the flowers in design work. The strong purple foliage combines well with both blue and golden foliaged hosta.
	Hibiscus 'Blue River II' hardy hibiscus Herbaceous perennial The tropical-looking foliage compliments the large white flowers spaced along stems that don’t need staking. I think it is best placed at the back of the border or used as a single specimen in the sunny border.You could use Eupatorium or ornamental/native grasses to compete with the large bold space this hibiscus occupies in the sunny garden.
	*Hibiscus coccineus* scarlet rose mallow Herbaceous perennial This selection has multiple branching up and down the stems. I find that this tropical looking plant can be at home in the sunny border with ample moisture. The palmately lobed leaves are distinctive and showy. The plant is dominant in the garden so let it be a standout.
	Leucanthemum x superbum 'Alaska' shasta daisy Herbaceous perennial I find they don't get any easier to grow than the Shasta daisies. Plant in full sun with good drainage and have a cut flower garden before your eyes. The long bloom time is an asset. Use the daisies with yarrows, iris, sedum, coreopsis and coneflowers.
	Ligularia dentata 'Desdemona' leopard plant Herbaceous perennial Find a cool and moist area in your garden and you have the best home for the Ligularias.This plant would be great to use in combination with ferns and astilbes. The foliage is bold and the plant will be at home for a lengthy stay when well sited.
	*Lobelia cardinalis* cardinal flower Herbaceous perennial This plant is a hummingbird magnet. The scarlet-red flowers appear in late summer and are absolutely striking. Plant it in a moist, shade location with ferns, and bugbanes as companions. Make sure ample organic matter is also a companion. A native that all should place in their woodland stream areas. For an added location place L. cardinalis in a pot and place it in the water garden.
	*Lobelia siphilitica* blue cardinal flower Herbaceous perennial The blue flowers appear a little later than those of L. cardinalis. It needs to be in a moist, shady location in the woodland garden. If it is happy where you locate the plant, it will set seeds and spread. I like to site it with ferns and bugbanes as happy neighbors.
	Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red' beardtongue Herbaceous perennial The narrow pointed foliage of Penstemon sets off many green-leaved plants in the perennial garden. I recommend plant it with blue-flowering plants such as Peroviska, Caryopteris, and some new blue-flowering butterfly bushes. All penstemons are attractive to hummingbirds.
	*Perovskia atriplicifolia* Russian sage Herbaceous perennial This is a beautiful blue flowering, long-flowering sun loving perennial that I know you will come to love as much as I do. Use it with monardas, daylilies, coneflowers, rudbeckias. Russian sage is fragrant when the foliage is crushed. Use it for the airy appearance it can provide among other sun loving perennials.
	Perovskia 'Filigran' Russian sage Herbaceous perennial This Perovskia has a finer texture foliage than the species. I love its gray-green foliage with white undersides that is fragrant when crushed. Use this perennial in a full sun, dry location and enjoy the 10 weeks of flowers. It combines well with monardas, daylilies, coneflowers, rudbeckia. Blue flowers are a cooling effect in a garden.
	Polygonatum odoratum var. pluriflorum 'Variegatum' Solomon's seal Herbaceous perennial The graceful arching variegated foliage is a highlight in the shade garden. It is easily seen in the woodland garden. The stems usually all bend in the same direction. I like to combine it with ferns, astilbes, hostas, epimediums, and wild ginger.
	*Rudbeckia missouriensis* Missouri coneflower Herbaceous perennial This native sun-loving rudbeckia is little known; I want to change that. Find a full sun location and add this tough, delightful native to your garden. The ray-like petals are smaller and play a delicate role.
	Sedum kamtschaticum var. ellacombeanum orange stonecrop Herbaceous perennial This sedum is an easy ground cover to grow in a sunny location. Its short, 6-inch height makes it a neat placement around not only perennials, but also shrubs. Place it in an area that you want some mass plantings.
	Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks' rough goldenrod Herbaceous perennial The autumn season is announced when this Solidago comes into bloom. I find the arching yellow flowers of this cultivar are a great treat to see. The plant actually “explodes” in your garden. Try late flowering Asters as a good companion.
	Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Andenken an Alma Pötschke' New England aster Herbaceous perennial The New England aster is a native plant. I love this cultivar for its vivid, hot-pink blooms that occur late into the fall. Use this aster in the mid to back sun perennial border. Combine it with Caryopteris or Solidago for a nice color combination.
	Symphyotrichum novae-angliae 'Purple Dome' New England aster Herbaceous perennial The New England aster is a native plant. 'Purple Dome' has a mounding form that can be used in the sun perennial border. I like that it grows only 18 inch height and does not need pinching to keep its shape. The late flowers are a delight to enjoy into the cool autumn days.
	*Symphyotrichum oblongifolium* aromatic aster Herbaceous perennial This native plant has a nice mint scent to the foliage. Place this in full sun and be prepared for late color to the garden. I like to mix it with Solidago, grasses, Anemones, Boltonia and sedums.

Holiday Flower and Train Show

Saturday, November 16 - Wednesday, January 1

Kernels of Culture: Maize Around the World

Advanced Inquiry Program Registration

Winter Class Registration

Perennials for Season Long Bloom