Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Acer pensylvanicum

Family: (Sapindaceae)

Deciduous tree to 25′.  Moosewood, Striped Maple.  NE US to eastern Canada.  Young trees feature smooth grey-green bark, striped vertically with distinctive white marks running the length of the trunk.  Bark transitions to a reddish-brown on more mature trees. The large, opposite, three-lobed leaves emerge with a pinkish tint, develop into a deep green in summer and finish with brilliant yellow autumn colour.  The yellow-green, 4 to 5 petalled flowers can be male (stipulate), female (pistillate) or complete (bi-sexual) and are held on slender, six-inch pendant racemes.  The flowers open in late spring and are followed by attractive hanging clusters of one-inch long, paired samaras that persist into winter.  Thrives in a woodland setting with dappled light and moist soil.  Great understory tree.  3, 7 for 4 weeks, move seed pan to an outdoor location until germination.

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Acmella oleraceae

Family: (Asteraceae)

(A) to 10″.  Toothache Plant.  South America.  A profusion of rounded, orange-yellow disc florets with brownish red centres resemble eyeballs.  Creeping, bronze-green foliage has numbing properties when chewed, hence the common name.  Easy to grow.  Very unusual and fun; a “must have”.  Summer blooming.  Sun.  3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Actaea alba (syn. A. pachypoda)

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(P) to 2′. Doll’s Eyes. This American native has a long season of interest from flower to fruit. Racemes of fat, white, bottlebrush flowers bloom early and are followed by china-white berries with black eyes. Sturdy, red-flushed stems and the attractive toothed leaves add interest, too. A “must” for the woodland. Berries are poisonous! Partial shade. 3 & 7 for 3 months, then T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Actaea racemosa (syn. Cimicifuga racemosa)

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(P) to 6′. Early Snakeroot, Black Cohosh. An eastern North American native with branched wands of white, bottlebrush flowers. Blooms prolifically in June. Light green, divided foliage remains at three feet tall. Partial shade. 3 & 6A

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Actaea simplex ‘Brunette’ (syn. Cimicifuga ramosa ‘Brunette’)

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(P) to 6′. One of the darkest leaved Cimicifugas. Stems are a rich purplish brown with pure white, upright, fragrant flower spikes in September. Not all seedlings will be as dark as ‘Brunette’, but definitely worth a try. Partial shade. 3 & 6A

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Adenophora liliifolia

Family: (Campanulaceae)

(P) to 2.5′. Lilyleaf Ladybell. Central Europe to Siberia. Fragrant, pendant, violet-blue flower bells bloom like crazy in midsummer. Excellent cut flower. Well-drained soil. Will self-sow when happy. Sun. 4 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Aethionema coridifolium

Family: (Brassicaceae)

(P) to 6″. Stone Cress. Turkey and Lebanon. Erect, woody stems with narrow, blue-green foliage produce rounded heads of rosy lilac, four-petalled flowers in early summer. Interesting multi-coloured, flat seedheads. Sun. 3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Agastache aurantiaca

Family: Lamiaceae

(A/TP) to 2.5’.  Orange Hummingbird Mint.  South US, Mexico.  Bright orange, tubular, lipped flowers in spikes provide a sizzling blaze of colour from mid-to-late summer. Aromatic silver-grey foliage too.  A hummingbird favourite.  Marvellous filler in our Peach Bed.  3 & T2

This seed is either sold out or unavailable

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Agastache foeniculum

Family: (Lamiaceae)

Short-lived perennial to 3.5′.  Anise Hyssop.  A North American native with aromatic, anise-scented foliage.  Lavender-blue flowers appear in many-flowered verticillasters which are densely packed into showy, cylindrical, terminal flower spikes up to 6 inches long.  Mid-summer bloomer attractive to all pollinators. Self-sows.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Agastache foeniculum ‘Alba’

Family: Lamiaceae

Short-lived perennial to 3.5′.  White Anise Hyssop.  A white cultivar of the above. Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Agastache foeniculum ‘Golden Jubilee’

Family: Lamiaceae

Short-lived perennial to 3.5′.  A lovely Anise Hyssop with golden-chartreuse to lime-green foliage that is especially bright yellow in spring and provides a pleasant contrast to the lavender-blue flower spikes.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Agastache scrophulariifolia

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(P) to 5′. Purple Giant Hyssop. Native to eastern North America. Many terminal spikes of small, violet to rosy pink flowers on tall, branching stems. The coarsely toothed, lanceolate leaves are aromatic. Blooms July to September. Well-drained soil. Sun/partial shade. 4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Agrimonia eupatoria

Family: (Rosaceae)

(P) to 3′. Agrimony, Church Steeples. Europe. An ancient, domestic medicinal herb long used for the treatment of wounds and snakebites. This charming, long blooming garden flower has tall, slender spikes of bright yellow, five-petalled blooms. The fruit is burr-like with hooked bristles to aid dispersal by animals. The deep green, softly hairy, pinnately-divided leaves have silvery undersides. The entire plant is sweetly fragrant, especially the flowers, whose perfume is said to be reminiscent of ripe apricots. June to September. Well-drained soil. Sun. 3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Agrimonia gryposepala

Family: (Rosaceae)

(P) to 5′. Tall Agrimony. North America. Slender, erect racemes of bright yellow, five-petalled blooms open from the bottom upwards, atop upright, softly hairy plants bearing paired, coarsely toothed, chartreuse green leaves. This native of open woods and thickets makes a surprisingly attractive garden plant. A patch planted outside our greenhouses was a joy all summer. Well-drained soil. Partial shade/sun. 3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium albidum subsp. caucasicum (syn. Allium denudatum)

Family: (Alliaceae)

Hardy bulb to 6″.  W Russia, Romania, Bulgaria.  This rhizomatous Allium is a fine, compact, mat-forming onion for the rock garden.  The white, star-shaped flowers in July and August are large, plentiful and sublime against the carpets of fine, green, flat foliage.  A great way to jazz things up in the rockery in mid to late summer.  Full sun and average moisture soil.  3 & 6