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Now that we've learned how vital pollinators and native plants are, gardeners and designers want to welcome them with open arms...and wallets.Savvy growers can respond to gardeners' expanding pollinator and native plant awareness by offering the reliable garden performance of economical, easy-to-grow Echinacea purpurea. It's a win for the birds, the bees, and your bottom line.Also known as "coneflower" this North American native showcases an enticing nectar-filled central cone surrounded by

Widely used since Victorian times, Cortaderia selloana, well known as pampas grass, is a landscape workhorse that shows like a derby champion.Cortaderia s. fills the bill for large landscapes, without breaking the bank! Its long, slender, green blades race to a substantial six foot. Then, in bloom, this giant nearly doubles in size to an impressive 12' tall.The massive white flowers are held upright, high above arching gray-green foliage. Fluffy and feathery, the ostrich plume blooms are prized

The native known as “false indigo” has deep roots – in the garden, and in American history. Now an ornamental favorite, it was once prized and even subsidized by the British government for the blue dye made from its sap.Baptisia sends up erect racemes of purple/blue lupine-like flowers in late spring. The blooms give way to decorative green seed pods that ripen to charcoal black. Flowers, foliage and seed pods in all color stages are all valuable as cut flowers, with exceptional vase life. Nativ

Renowned breeder Hans Hansen selected his Sassy Summer series for several desirable traits: big, big flowers, and lots of ‘em; attractive silvery foliage with a dense, upright habit; and, drum roll please, sturdy stems that stand up to wind and rain.Mind you, these are nicely proportioned plants, not skinny skyscrapers. Sassy Summer varieties hoist cheerful flowers up to three feet over silvery green foliage. Flat topped umbels are perfect landing pads for pollinators. Hardy in Zones 3 – 8. Choo

Modern Takes on a Garden ClassicNo perennial garden can call itself complete without a complement of Dianthus. And neither can your perennial offering. These charmers are especially indispensable to the quintessential English cottage garden look. But they’re equally at home wherever they get what they need: Full sun, well-drained fertile soil, and adequate moisture. Dianthus is a cosmopolitan genus with over 300 species. A breeders’ favorite for centuries, its hybrids now number litera