Heuchera–commonly called coral bells–bears sprays of tiny, bell-shaped blooms in summer. Flowers rise on thin, wiry stems from a clump-forming, evergreen perennial with heart-shaped leaves that can be red, maroon, brown, yellow, or green. Heuchera begins blooming in spring and continues into summer. Flowers remain on the plant for several weeks. Heuchera are nearly evergreen; […] More
Eupatorium–often called Joe Pye weed–is a good choice for boggy soils or informal gardens. This upright perennial has coarse green foliage on tall purple-flushed stems and large domed, purple-pink fluffy flower heads from late summer to early fall. Eupatorium is a large plant; it can grow to 6 feet tall (2m) or more. The blossoms […] More
Dicentra, commonly called bleeding heart, is a genus of annuals and perennials prized for their graceful, pendant, heart-shaped flowers. Bleeding hearts bloom from late spring to early summer depending on the variety. Blooms can be pink, red-pink, white, yellow, or purple depending on the variety. Dicentra flowers have more or less heart-shaped corollas. The flowers […] More
Digitalis-commonly called foxglove–produces tall graceful spires of long, slender, bell-shaped blossoms. The blossoms open from bottom to top over several weeks. Flowers come in shades of pink, as well as white and creamy yellow. Digitalis are members of a genus of about 22 species of biennials and short-lived perennials. Common foxglove, D. purpurea, is an […] More
Coreopsis–commonly called Tickseed–are long-blooming annuals and perennials that bear daisy-like single or double flowers. Tickseeds belong to the genus Coreopsis. There are about 80 to 100 species of tickseed, most bearing yellow-orange or gold flowers, but there are species with pale yellow or pink flowers. Coreopsis is easily grown and attractive as bedding plants, meadow […] More
Irises are the standouts of the spring garden. There are more than 300 species of irises. To risk oversimplifying this remarkably diverse group of plants: there are two types of iris flowers—bearded and beardless. Tall bearded irises are widely grown and perhaps the most popular. They have showy flowers on branching stems from 28 to […] More
Gooseneck loosestrife, Lysimachia, is an upright clump-forming perennial with lance-shaped mid-green leaves and arching, tapered yellow or white flower clusters from mid-to-late summer. Gooseneck loosestrife is cold hardy and a good choice for semi-wild areas or toward the back of beds. Lysimachia is a genus of about 150 species. The perennials range from erect, clump-forming […] More
Pulmonaria–commonly called lungwort–bears blue trumpet-shaped blooms in spring. The flowers are a source of nectar for early emerging insects. Pulmonaria forms a low clump of matte mid-green leaves. Leaves die back in summer. Pulmonaria species have varied leaves usually dappled with gray or silver. The flowers appear in drooping clusters All Pulmonaria have creeping roots. […] More
Impatiens are a favorite, old-fashioned garden plant that has been updated by plant breeders to include neon colors and colorful foliage. There are about 850 Impatiens species including annuals, perennials, and subshrubs. All have brittle, succulent stems, fleshy leaves, and spurred asymmetrical flowers. Each flower has five petals; the lower two petals are fused together […] More
Chrysanthemums bear single, semi-double, or double flowers heads often in dense clusters. Sometimes the clusters consist of tiny flowers, sometimes growers remove flower buds from clusters to increase the size of the remaining bloom or blooms. Chrysanthemums are commonly divided into two groups, each with dozens and dozens of cultivars. The two groups are garden […] More
Garden asters form compact mounds of colorful blossoms—shades of blue, red, pink, lavender, or purple with bright yellow centers. Aster will brighten garden beds and borders and they are well-suited for container gardens. There are more than 600 species of asters; most are a foot or two tall but some grow to 6 feet tall […] More
Perennial blue salvia, Salvia x superba, bear slender, terminal racemes of bright violet or purple flower from midsummer to early autumn. Perennial blue salvia is a clump-forming, erect, branched perennial with lance-shaped mid-green leaves. It grows up to 3 feet (91cm) tall. It grows best in Zones 5 to 9. Get to know perennial blue […] More
Stephen Albert