Grower's Choice Perennials 2018
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Grower's Choice Perennials 2018 Vassar College's Shakespeare Garden 1 Introduction The Imperfect Garden Wabi-sabi – from Japan, a world view centered on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. That kind of describes my yard which is full of dandelions. I accept dandelions because they feed the bees. And now that Wabi-sabi is a 2018 trend, I feel even better about my dandelions. Let's go a step further and talk about the cottage garden, a distinct style that uses informal design, with a mixture of ornamental and edible plants, homely and functional but filled with grace and charm. The earliest cottage gardens were practical, with the emphasis on vegetables and herbs, fruit trees, perhaps a beehive and even livestock. How about that. Lots of people, including me, have a bee hive, and I no longer have to buy eggs because so many of my friends have chickens. The Wabi-sabi approach to gardening takes the stress out of planning an elaborate garden. Let's look at the purpose of your planting – is it food for the bees or hummingbirds? Are you mixing in a few herbs for cooking? You now have the perfect excuse for an imperfect garden. If people look askance at your gardening efforts, just brag, “I'm growing food for the caterpillars that will one day be a butterfly, and I'm growing plants for the butterflies. Over here is food for the bees.” As you grow plants and have success, you may or may not become more sophisticated in your plantings. But no matter where you put the plants, when they bloom, you'll delight in their beauty. That's perfect. Sue Adams 2 Table of Contents Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2 How to Use This Catalog......................................................................................................................4 Perennials..............................................................................................................................................5 Succulent Collection............................................................................................................................29 Herbs...................................................................................................................................................33 Quick Answers to Common Questions...............................................................................................43 Perennials For:.....................................................................................................................................46 Attracts Bees…....................................................................................................................................46 Attracts Butterflies…..........................................................................................................................46 Attracts Hummingbirds.......................................................................................................................46 Deer Resistant......................................................................................................................................46 For Cutting..........................................................................................................................................46 For Drying...........................................................................................................................................46 Ground Covers....................................................................................................................................46 Rock Gardens......................................................................................................................................46 Containers............................................................................................................................................46 For a Dry Location..............................................................................................................................46 Perennials for Full Shade....................................................................................................................48 Common Name Index.........................................................................................................................49 Above: Ball Perennial Day Beds 3 How to Use This Catalog Perennials are listed alphabetically by scientific name, with the common names in parentheses. A cross reference index is provided, alphabetized by common name. The perennials are divided into three categories; Perennials, Succulents, and Herbs. Information in the text includes height, blooming period and a brief description. Quick reference symbols make it easy to identify everything from lighting requirements to deer resistance. GUIDE TO SYMBOLS: R Grows best in full sun Grows best in shade Grows best in partial shade T Winter hardy in the northeast May need winter protection Great for cutting Deer resistant Attracts butterflies Attracts bees Attracts hummingbirds Scientific Name Common Name Bloom Period Quick Reference Symbols USDA Hardiness Rating Alyssum (Basket of Gold, Madwort) saxatile Mountain Gold Rto 8-12” Zones 3-9 Spring Compact plant with its pseudo-evergreen leaves and masses of bright T yellow flowers is ideal for rock gardens, stone walls, borders. Height Variety Bookmarks (Go to specific points of interest using bookmark links) On the left you will notice an icon of a piece of paper with a blue ribbon. When you click on this you will then be able to click on points of interest in our catalog. These can be accessed at any point in time when viewing our catalog. 4 Perennials Let's attract pollinators! 5 Achillea (Yarrow, Milfoil) New Vintage Red R T 10-12” Zones 4-9 Late Spring-Summer The vibrant color of the Vintage series is slow to fade. Flowers are held at foliage height. All achilleas are heat and drought tolerant. Summer Berries Mix R T 18-24” Zones 3-10 Late Spring-Fall A mix of intense red, cerise and pink flowers top aromatic gray-green leaves. Remove faded flowers for continuous bloom. Ajuga (Bugleweed, Carpet Bugle) Black Scallop to 3-6” Zones 4-9 Spring T Beautiful shiny black, scallop-shaped leaves with blue flower spikes. Striking as ground cover or in combinations. Burgundy Glow to 4-6” Zones 3-9 Spring T Its variegated foliage of burgundy, creamy white and green makes this a good choice for a ground cover especially in moist areas. Anemone (Windflower) sylvestris (Snowdrop Anemone) Rto 12” Zones 3-9 Spring and Fall Drought tolerant. Produces delicate and fragrant 2” flowers in the spring and again in the fall. Prefers deep, cool soil, such as that found in forests. 6 Aquilegia (Columbine) canadensis (Wild Red Columbine) Rto 12-24” Zones 3-8 Spring Produces yellow and red, short spurred flowers on dark green, fern-like T foliage. This native wildflower is good in the rock or woodland garden. Origami Red & White Rto 14-16” Zones 4-9 Spring Upright, compact plants produce a cheery array of large red flowers T with white centers. Songbird Nightingale Rto 18-30” Zones 3-9 Spring This compact plant produces striking, large, upward-facing, lilac and T bi-color flowers. Arenaria (Sandwort) montana (Avalanche, Snowwhite) Rto 3-4” Zones 3-8 Late Spring-Summer Produces large white flowers over low dense evergreen leaves. Great T for rock gardens or borders. Armeria (Common Thrift, Thrift, Sea Pink) Morning Star Deep Rose R T 4-6” Zones 4-8 Early Spring-Spring This durable perennial forms low cushions of grassy green leaves. The rose-pink flowers appear in early spring and last for several weeks. Trim off the spent flowers to encourage reblooming. Artemisia (Wormwood, Mugwort) Powis Castle R T 36” Zones 3-8 Summer Dense mounds of silver, finely textured leaves make this plant a great foliage accent in the border. 7 Astilbe (False Spirea, Spirea, Feathery Flower) Fanal Red, Montgomery, White Gloria to 20-25” Zones 4-8 Summer T This easy to grow plant comes in a variety of colors, including red, white, and magenta. Best grown in moist soil, this plant benefits from additional fertilizer in the summer. Flower is good for cutting. Bellis (English Daisy, True Daisy) Bellisima Mix R 6-10” Zones 4-7 Early Spring-Spring Produces an array of pom pom shaped flowers in colors ranging from rose, deep rose, red and white. Bergenia (Pigsqueak) 15” Zones 4-7 Summer Rto A low growing plant with showy pink blooms that is good for borders. Foliage is evergreen and turns red to bronze for the fall and winter. T Campanula (Bellflower, Harebell) glomerata superba (Clustered Bellflower) Rto 20-24” Zones 2-7 Summer Produces large clusters of rich violet blooms. Excellent for cutting. T Chrysogonum (Green & Gold) Pierre Rto 6” Zones 5-9 Spring Yellow daisy flowers adorn clumps of soft green foliage. An excellent T ground cover. 8 Convallaria (Lily of the Valley) majalis to 4-6” Zones 2-9 Spring T Lovely bell-shaped white flowers with a delightful scent adorn this woodland plant. Coreopsis (Tickseed) Early Sunrise Rto 18-24” Zones 5-9 Summer – Fall This All-American winner blooms continuously. Golden yellow double T flowers are great for cutting and in beds. Limerock Dream R 12-18” Tender Summer-Fall This tender perennial produces long-blooming daisy flowers that start out apricot-pink and mature to hot orange. Use in mass plantings or containers. Nana (Dwarf Mouse Ear) Rto 6-12” Zones 4-9 Summer Bright yellow orange flowers over dark green foliage.