Perennials

Perennials

Our enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable perennials team is here to answer your questions and help you choose the best perennials for your situation. There’s always something in bloom for sun, shade, butterflies, birds or deer resistance  as well as a variety of bulbs for your space.

Stroll through our time-tested favorites and introduce yourself to the newest varieties. We garden with perennials too; we love them and it shows!

Phlox subulata 'Drummond's Pink'

Height: 5 inches

Spacing: 15 inches

Sunlight: full sun, partial shade

Hardiness Zone: 2a

Other Names: Drummond Pink Phlox, Creeping Phlox

Description:
This variety produces a dazzling display of large, hot pink flowers that blanket the plant in spring; prune lightly after flowering to encourage a dense growth habit; wonderful for rock gardens, edging, or in mixed containers

Ornamental Features:
Drummond's Pink Moss Phlox is smothered in stunning hot pink star-shaped flowers at the ends of the stems from early to late spring. Its tiny needle-like leaves remain forest green in color throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes:
Drummond's Pink Moss Phlox is a dense herbaceous evergreen perennial with a ground-hugging habit of growth. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration:

- Spreading

Drummond's Pink Moss Phlox is recommended for the following landscape applications:

- Mass Planting
- Rock/Alpine Gardens
- Border Edging
- General Garden Use
- Groundcover

Planting & Growing:
Drummond's Pink Moss Phlox will grow to be only 4 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 15 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain low and dense right to the ground. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an evegreen perennial, this plant will typically keep its form and foliage year-round.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for alkaline soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. Consider covering it with a thick layer of mulch in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.

Phlox subulata 'Drummond's Pink'

Deep pink blooms. Evergreen groundcover. Native. USDA 3-8

Asclepias incarnata

This monarch host plant produces pink blooms summer through fall. Requires moist soils. Self-seeder. Native. USDA 3-6

Asclepias incarnata

Plant Height: 3 feet

Flower Height: 4 feet

Spread: 32 inches

Sunlight: full sun partial shade

Hardiness Zone: 2a

Other Names: Butterfly Weed

Description:

A wonderful selection for attracting butterflies to garden beds and rain gardens; this upright selection features clusters of rosy-pink, fragrant flowers and green narrow foliage; a compact variety that is easy to grow, needing little to no maintenance

Ornamental Features:

Swamp Milkweed has fuchsia flat-top flowers with rose overtones at the ends of the stems from mid summer to early fall. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its narrow leaves remain grayish green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes:

Swamp Milkweed is an herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies to your yard, but is not particularly attractive to deer who tend to leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Swamp Milkweed is recommended for the following landscape applications:

- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use
- Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
- Bog Gardens

Planting & Growing:

Swamp Milkweed will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity extending to 4 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 32 inches. It tends to be leggy, with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and should be underplanted with lower-growing perennials. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!
This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is quite adaptable, prefering to grow in average to wet conditions, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided. This species is native to parts of North America.

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Pink Muhly Grass | Airy pink blooms. Fine, threadlike foliage. Native. USDA 5-9

Panicum virgatum

Green foliage. Pink blooms. Upright clumping. Native. USDA 5-9

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Airy pink blooms. Fine, threadlike foliage. Native. USDA 5-9

Muhlenbergia capillaris

Airy pink blooms. Fine, threadlike foliage. Native. USDA 5-9

Sporobolus heterolepis

Plant Height: 24 inches

Flower Height: 3 feet

Spread: 3 feet

Sunlight: full sun, partial shade

Hardiness Zone: 2a

Description:
Native to the Great Plains and Prairies, this extremely fine-textured grass features airy plumes of fine seed heads floating over the grassy foliage in the late season; ideal for restoration projects and flowing hummocky accents in the urban landscape

Ornamental Features:
Prairie Dropseed features delicate plumes of orange flowers rising above the foliage from late summer to early fall. The tan seed heads are carried on showy plumes displayed in abundance from early to late fall. Its threadlike leaves are light green in color. As an added bonus, the foliage turns a gorgeous harvest gold in the fall.

Landscape Attributes:
Prairie Dropseed is an open herbaceous perennial grass with a shapely form and gracefully arching stems. It brings an extremely fine and delicate texture to the garden composition and should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Prairie Dropseed is recommended for the following landscape applications:
- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use
- Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens

Planting & Growing:
Prairie Dropseed will grow to be about 24 inches tall at maturity extending to 3 feet tall with the flowers, with a spread of 3 feet. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under typical garden conditions. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is native to parts of North America.

Pycnanthemum muticum

PYCNANTHEMUM MUTICUM 1 Gallon | Mountain Mint | Pink blooms. Fragrant silvery foliage. Naturalizing. Native. USDA 4-8

Chelone lyonii 'Hot Lips'

Height: 3 feet

Spread: 3 feet

Sunlight: full sun partial shade

Hardiness Zone: 4a

Other Names: Lyon's Turtlehead, Shellflower

Description:
Lush deep-green, shiny leaves topped with hot rosey-pink flowers which are shaped like little turtle heads; tolerant to moisture, this spreading plant is fantastic for stream edges and in bog gardens

Ornamental Features:

Hot Lips Turtlehead has masses of beautiful hot pink hooded flowers at the ends of the stems from late summer to mid fall, which are most effective when planted in groupings. The flowers are excellent for cutting. Its glossy pointy leaves remain dark green in color throughout the season.

Landscape Attributes:

Hot Lips Turtlehead is a dense herbaceous perennial with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration: Spreading

Hot Lips Turtlehead is recommended for the following landscape applications:

- Mass Planting
- General Garden Use
- Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
- Bog Gardens

Planting & Growing:

Hot Lips Turtlehead will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 12 years. As an herbaceous perennial, this plant will usually die back to the crown each winter, and will regrow from the base each spring. Be careful not to disturb the crown in late winter when it may not be readily seen!

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in moist to wet soil, and will even tolerate some standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone over the growing season to conserve soil moisture. This is a selection of a native North American species. It can be propagated by division; however, as a cultivated variety, be aware that it may be subject to certain restrictions or prohibitions on propagation.