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Energy Efficient Early Perennials – Columbine “And the eagle flies with the dove.” – Stephen StillsYou know “cool crops” as a description of certain annuals that don’t need (or like) lots of heat to finish for spring sales. Well, it’s not just for annuals anymore. Pick the right early flowering perennials, and you can realize significant energy savings. If you like your benches full and your heating bills low, we’ve got the perfect perennials for you. Aquilegia is a prime early bloomer, a t

The “aster disaster” rocked the perennial world over 20 years ago when that venerable genus was torn asunder.Those darned taxonomists shipped all “New World” asters off to tongue-twisting new genera like Eurybia, Doellingeria and, in the case of our two favorites, Symphiotrichum.Many professionals snubbed the neologisms and kept right on calling them “asters.” That’s where you’ll find them in our catalog, with Symphiotrichum second. Because that’s where our customers look for them. By any name,

We’re known for our tough-as-nails perennials and ornamental grasses, but we have a soft spot for a few really special tender plants.Case in point: Cordyline australis. Known as Ti plant, Cabbage palm and other nicknames, Cordyline is a great fit for containers. Our two varieties make striking companions for other tropicals and semi-tropicals like Colocasia. They love full sun and are hardy in Zones 9 – 11.‘Red Sensation’ features erect clumps of burgundy-red, sword-like leaves. It can

Remember how huge it looked as it slowly sank, closer and closer to the water? Didn’t it seem twice as big as when it was high overhead?That’s Ocean Sunset™ for you. This series was bred for brilliant blooms that open wide, significantly larger than any other on the market. We’ve grown them all, and they’re all good, but oh, these flowers! They’re not just bigger, the colors are hot hot hot! Orange Glow PPAF Unusual bicolor blooms are pumpkin orange with purple tips.Orange Vibe PPA

Hakonechloa macraMost ornamental grasses thrive in full sun. But most gardens have areas the sun just can’t find. Must those places remain grassless? Fortunately, no!The shaded landscape can also employ and enjoy the graceful form and movement that only grasses bring. The go-to genus: Hakonechloa, Japanese forest grass.This sinuous beauty grows as water flows, welling up and cascading down in supple layers of pendant, bamboo-like leaves. It’s happiest in shade, dappled or full. Northern growers