New and Reintroduced Plants

'Rising Star' Garden Chives combines beautiful blooms with edible grayish green foliage.  The spherical flowers are lavender purple, and bloom from late spring to early summer.  The spent flower heads are also attractive, and can be added to dried flower arrangements.  Like other edible chives, Allium 'Rising Star' will seed itself readily in not deadheaded.  This ornamental Onion is totally deer resistant, and we introduced by Intrinsic Perennials.

'In Orbit' Ornamental Onion blooms from June to September, producing large 3" globular flowers of lavender purple.  The "Drumstick" blooms are 16" tall over green, deer repellent foliage.  'In Orbit' Allium is a very attractive cut flower, and the spent flower heads make a lovely addition to dried flower arrangements.  Pollinators flock to all Alliums when they are in bloom.

'Blackhawks' Big Bluestem is a beautiful Andropogon selection from Brent Horvath of Intrinsic Perennial Gardens.  The 4' stems emerge with green blades in spring, but the foliage takes on shades of deep purple in mid summer.  The turkey foot inflorescences appear in August and turn into airy, light catching seedheads for added fall and winter beauty.  Andropogon gerardii 'Blackhawks' got its name from its origins in Illinois (Chicago Blackhawks), and it thrives in prairie like conditions.

'Chantilly Lace' hybrid Goatsbeard blooms in late spring and early summer, producing masses of airy creamy white sprays above the attractive green foliage.  Aruncus 'Chantilly Lace' is an excellent addition to shade gardens, with strong vigor and increasing clump size over many years.  This showy native is part of the Proven Winners® perennial program, from Walters Gardens.

'Soulmate' Swamp Milkweed blooms in July and August, producing clumps of fragrant mauve pink flowers.  Asclepias incarnata 'Soulmate' thrives in moist and wet sites, so it works well in rain gardens, bioswales and wet meadows.  Milkweeds are critical for Monarch caterpillars, and many pollinators are drawn to the flowers, Asclepias 'Soulmate' naturalizes well in wet locations because of the airborne milkweed seed production in fall.

'Visions in White' Chinese Astilbe blooms in June and July, producing dense creamy white spikes over glossy green foliage.  'Visions in White' is exciting because of its good tolerance for drier conditions.  Like other Astilbe chinensis cultivars, 'Visions in White' extends the bloom time for Astilbes into early summer.  Excellent for shade gardens and woodland edges.

Pugster® Amethyst ('SMNBDL') Butterfly Bush is a more cold tolerant compact Buddleia, with large lavender purple blooms on short sturdy stems.  Pugster® Amethyst starts blooming in June and keeps on flowering until early fall.  A Spring Meadows introduction, this Buddleia is recommended for use in rock gardens, perennial beds and tighter sites than most Buddleia can handle.

'Pink Octopus' Bellflower has very unusually shaped blooms which actually look like pink Octopuses.  The hanging bright pink petals are very narrow and long, and are carried above fuzzy dissected leaves.  Campanula x 'Pink Octopus' spreads rapidly in average soil, making a showy groundcover when in bloom in June and July.

'Iridescent Bells' ('Irbella') Bellflower blooms in June and July, with light lavender bell-shaped flowers which emerge from eggplant purple buds.  The green foliage is clean and Campanula 'Iridescent Bells' has an upright habit, displaying the hanging flowers nicely.  If deadheaded after blooming this Bellflower reblooms in the late summer and early fall.  A Burpee Introduction which has been praised by the Royal Horticultural Society.

'Goldtau' Tufted Hairgrass is a compact form of this lovely cool season native grass.  The name 'Godtau' means 'Golden Dew', which refers to the airy quality of the yellow inflorescences appearing in July to September.  The dark green blades are semi-evergreen and happy in shady locations.   Deschampsia 'Goldtau' is beautiful in mass plantings or mixed with ferns and other woodland perennials.  The fall color of the seedheads is bronze.

Kodiak® Orange ('G2X88544') Bush-honeysuckle puts out vivid orange new growth in he spring and summer.  Mature leaves are green, and are topped with bright sulfer yellow flowers throughout the summer, attracting butterflies, pollinators and hummingbirds.  Diervilla is a wonderful native for its compact neat habit and its showy orange red fall color.  Kodiak® Orange is also very versitile, as it does well in sun and shade, average and dry soils, and areas with deer pressure.

PRN Preferred: Attractive orange colored new growth in summer is followed by beautiful orange red fall color.

'Domino' Barrenwort comes from the prolific hybridizing work of Darrell Probost, the 'Epimedium King'.  Epimedium x 'Domino' is a very heavy bloomer in April and May, producing a multitude of airy flowers displayed on burgundy stems.  The blooms have long white spurs which end in rose purple cupped centers.  The spikes emerge from toothed evergreen leaves which are mottled with large burgundy spots.  This is one of Tony Avent's favorite 'Fairy Wings' because of its heavy reliable flower production.

Purple Lovegrass is a short warm season grass which is best planted in mass.  The effect is stunning when Eragrostis spectabilis comes into bloom in August and September.  The airy panicles are bright shades of reddish purple, making a showy carpet over sandy, dry and infertile soils.  In the fall the foliage takes on shades of reddish bronze.  This tough native provides good erosion control and a good choice for green roofs.  It is a good choice for roadside planting as it can handle infertile and polluted soils adjacent to the pavement.

Frostkiss® Pippa's Purple® ('RD9') Lenten Rose is crowned with merlot flowers in February to April.  The large blooms have deep purple speckling and the evergreen foliage is a deep green overlaid with silver mottling.  Another beauty from the work of English Hellebore hybridizer, Rodney Davey.

'Autumn Minaret' is a very unusual Daylily because of its late bloom time (August and September) and its extreme flower height.  The yellow to orange delicate scapes are somehow old fashioned looking, but they tower above the short green strap-like foliage.  This unsual Daylily from Dr Stout blooms for an extended period and actually looks much more like a native wildflower than you expect a Hemmerocallis to look. 

PRN Preferred:  The natural and late flowering blooms make this one of our favorite daylilies.  Tall scapes and long blooming make it a winner in the garden.

'Plum Cascade' Foamy Bells is one of the Cascade™ Series from Terra Nova Nurseries.  Its purple and silver leaves are a color breakthrough, as is its prolonged blooming time of spring and late summer.  The flowers are delicate light pink spikes above the foliage, and the habit is trailing, so Heucherella 'Plum Cascade' can be used as a shady site groundcover.

Luna™ 'Rose' Common Mallow produces quantities of 8" rose pink flowers on sturdy compact plants.  The foliage is green making a good setting for the vividly colored blooms in July and August.  Hibiscus are great mid to late summer food sources for Hummingbirds and pollinators.  Luna™ 'Rose' is a good choice for wet sites such as bioswales, rain gardens and wet meadows.  A Kieft Seed introduction.

Summerific® 'Ballet Slippers' Rose Mallow has 7" ruffled white flowers edged with soft pink and accented by a deep red eye.  The green maple-like foliage is clean and disease free.  Flowers are produced along the branches rather than just at the tips, making a showy tropical effect.  'Ballet Slippers' comes from Walters Gardens prolific breeding program, and is a wonderful addition to wet sites and large scale perennial gardens.

PRN Preferred: Huge pink and white flowers are produced for a long time throughout the summer.

'Empress Wu' Plantain Lily is considered the largest Hosta available.  The enormous green leaves are corrugated and have a faint blue coating in spring.  Lavender flowers appear above the foliage in July and August, often attracting Hummingbirds.  Hosta 'Empress Wu' is a seedling of Hosta 'Big John', which was bred by Brian and Virginia Skaags.  Be patient, as it takes several years for 'Empress Wu' to reach its final amazing size.  Named after the only female empress of China (624 AD to 705 AD).

Tuff Stuff Ah-Ha® ('SMNHSDD') Sawtooth Hydrangea is a very showy reblooming lacecap in the Tuff Stuff™ series.  The short statue does not limit the number of large flowers, as Hydrangea Ah-Ha® is a heavy bloomer on both old and new wood.  Since it is a serrata, its cold tolerance is also an advantage.  The double sterile florets vary in color from pink to purple, depending on the soil pH and amount of aluminum sulfate.

'Snowflake' Candytuft is a neat little evergreen perennial which is excellent for rock gardens and walkways.  The small lustrous green leaves and stems are topped by showy flat white flower clumps in April and May.  Iberis sempervirens 'Snowflake' has a cascading habit, so it is a good choice for mixed containers or short walls.

Proven Winners® Color Choice® Gem Box® ('SMNIGAB17') Inkberry Holly is an exciting alternative to Boxwoods. The habit is round and full to the ground, without the bare branch look which many Ilex glabras exhibit as they age.  As Boxwood Blight becomes more of a regional problem, this tough native evergreen shrub will become more important for containers, low hedges and small round garden specimens.  New growth is spring has reddish tips which mature to small dark green leaves. 

Hollywood Juniper ('Kaizuka') is a classic conifer because of its unusual irregular branching combined with its dark green needles.  The open, sculpted shape makes this Juniper showy all year, whether planted as a screen of displayed as a specimen.  Hollywood Junipers are quite cold tolerant, so they are particularly effective in large containers on desks or patios.  We have heard from several customers that this is there 'go to' plant for seashore and urban roof top gardens since Hollywood Juniper handles salt and wind very well.  The common name of "Hollywood" is because this versatile evergreen seems to be planted everywhere in California.

'Black Truffle' Cardinal flower has leaves which are purple to black, especially in spring and early summer.  Lobelia cardinalis 'Black Truffle' produces 4' spikes of vivid red flowers from July to September, attracting hummingbirds, butterflies and other pollinators like mad.  This very showy native is an introduction by Peter Heus of West Virginia, and is being marketed by Plants Nouveau and North Creek's American Beauties Program.

'Little Gem' Southern Magnolia is a compact cultivar of our stately native evergreen Magnolia grandiflora.  The habit is tight and compact, with large lustrous dark green leaves which have a fuzzy brown indumentum on the undersides.  The large white flowers are fragrant and appear intermittently from late May through July.  Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem' needs to be planted in a sheltered location, with particular protection from the winter winds.

Teddy Bear® ('Southern Charm') Southern Magnolia has a tight pyramidal habit on a compact plant.  The dark green lustrous leaves have attractive brown indumentum and are evergreen.  Magnolia grandiflora Teddy Bear® produces large fragrant white flowers from June to August.  A Head Introductions, Teddy Bear® is an excellent choice for smaller locations.  Give it some protection from winter winds when possible.  They has thrived in containers in Center City Philadelphia and they are a favorite of theirs for the annual Wintergarden at Dilworth Park.

PRN Preferred: The lustrous green leaves are much rounder in shape, and this compact selection tolerates zone 6 temperatures.

Sugar Buzz™ 'Rockin' Raspberry' Bee Balm is another lovely selection from Hans Hansen's hybridizing work at Walters Gardens.  The vivid raspberry purple flowers appear in July and cover the compact green foliage into August, especially if deadheaded after the initial bloom.  The foliage is dark green, aromatic and mildew resistant.  Combined with the compact size and habit, these qualities make Monarda didyma Sugar Buzz™ 'Rockin' Raspberry' a great addition to perennial borders.

PRN Preferred: Showy raspberry purple flowers crown the dark green disease resistant foliage.

Black Mondo Grass or Lily Turf is a slow growing groundcover with interesting blackish purple strap-like leaves.  The habit is clumping but slowly spreading.  The short flower spikes have subtle lavender bell-shaped flowers which are followed by small shiny purple berries.  The blooms appear in July and August, emerging from the foliage clumps.  Leaf color is darkest in full sun, although O. 'Nigrescens' tolerates shade well.  This is the same plant as O. 'Nigra'.

'Summer Sunrise' Switchgrass is a compact Panicum, with a neat upright habit and clean bluish green foliage.  The inflorescences are striking, appearing in shades of soft pink in late summer.  They take on shades of pinkish gold in the early fall and Panicum 'Summer Sunrise' turns light tan in late fall and all winter.  This versatile grass is an Introduction by Hoffman Nursery in North Carolina.

'Fashionably Early Crystal' Garden Phlox is another beauty from the prolific plant breeder Hans Hansen.  A cross between P. maculata and P. paniculata, 'Fashionably Early Crystal' combines great attributes of both parents.  The thick leathery leaves are narrow and highly disease resistant, and the habit is stoloniferous, the large fragrant flowers are white with tiny lavender eyes, and produced in quantity for a month in early summer.  If deadheaded, there is often some reblooming in fall.

Summer Wine® Black is the darkest Physocarpus on the market to date.  The foliage is such a dark purple that it approaches black, and the delicate pink flower clumps really stand out in contrast when they appear in June.  As the leaves mature throughout the summer, they take on some more bronzy tones, followed by showy reddish purple fall color.  If desired, pruning is most appropriate right after blooming.

'Roseum Bluestem' Rosebay Rhododendron blooms in late May and early June, producing pinkish lavender trusses over large narrow evergreen foliage.  'Roseum Bluestem' gets its name from the reddish stems, and is a selection by Rarefind Nursery of Jackson, NJ.  Like other selections of Rhododendron maximum 'Roseum', Rhododendron 'Blue Stem' flowers for a long time, in between R. catawbiense and R. maximum bloom time.

'Tangerine Delight' Hybrid Flame Azalea is a result of a beautiful cross between R. calendulaceum and a Knaphill Azalea.  The habit is mounded with deciduous foliage, topped by large showy clusters of fragrant orange and peach colored flowers in May and June.  Although eventually large, Rhododendron 'Tangerine Delight' has dense branching, and would make an excellent hedge as well as a large specimen.

One of the best varieties of Black-Eyed Susan is Rudbeckia fulgida var. deamii because of its excellent disease resistance and great flower production.  The dark yellow daisy-like blooms appear in July through early September, and the showy golden petals are set off by the chocolate brown cones.  Rudbeckia deamii's fuzzy green leaves are clean and neat, and the heavily branched flower display covers the clump when in bloom.

'Little Miss Sunshine' Stonecrop blooms heavily in early summer, producing lots of bright yellow spiky flower clumps covering the lustrous green succulent leaves.  The foliage is delicately toothed, and 'Little Miss Sunshine' slowly expands to make a low attractive mat.  Excellent for rock gardens, winter containers and roof gardens, this groundcover Sedum is very showy in bloom and low maintenance the rest of the year.

Double Play® Blue Kazoo® ('SMSMBK') Spiraea produces dusty blue foliage, with bronzy new growth in spring and early summer.  The delicate white flower clusters are produced in May and June, and make an attractive compliment to the bluish green leaves.  In the fall the foliage of Spiraea media Double Play® Blue Kazoo® takes on attractive shades of red.  A recent introduction from Spring Meadows, this Spiraea would be useful as a colorful low hedge or as a foundation plant.

Allee® ('Emer II') Lacebark Elm was selected by Dr Dirr on the campus of the University of Georgia at at Athens.  Ulmus parvifolia Allee® has a beautiful vase-shaped habit similar to the classic American Elm, but it also has excellent resistance to Dutch Elm and Phloem Necrosis.  The foliage is smaller and the bark is attractively mottled in shades of green, orange, tan and gray.  Allee® handles urban conditions well, and has proved to be an excellent addition to urban street tree choices.