Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium sphaerocephalon

Family: (Alliaceae)

Hardy bulb to 3′.  Drumstick Allium.  Europe, North Africa, West Asia.  Cylindrical, hollow, grey-green leaves to 14 inches long form a grass-like foliage clump in spring.  Sturdy, slender stems rise in late spring and are topped with oval, clover-like flowerheads. Each flowerhead is a tight, dense, one-inch umbel of tiny florets that emerge deep green but mature (top to bottom) to rose-purple, displaying an interesting bi-colour effect.  Excellent when weaving through their neighbours.  Blooms mid-summer.  Sun. 3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium thunbergii

Family: (Alliaceae)

(P) to 2′.  Japanese Onion.  Japan.  The last Allium to bloom making a welcome appearance in September and October.  Dense clumps of foliage give rise to thin scapes of numerous nodding umbels of rose-purple flowers with elongated orange anthers.  The entire ensemble looks like a collection of mop heads, at attention, ready to clean!  Foliage turns a tawny orange in fall.  Sun.  3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium tuberosum

Family: (Alliaceae)

Hardy bulb to 18″. Garlic Chives. Southeast Asia. Spherical, white blooms freshen the flower garden throughout August. Sun/partial shade. 3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Althaea cannabina

Family: (Malvaceae)

(P) 7′. Europe. A tall, wiry plant producing lavender-pink, cup-shaped blooms with darker central eyes in the leaf axils of slender, branching stems. The palmately lobed leaves are roughly pubescent with a greyish white underside. “The whole plant is light and graceful.” (GST**). Moist soil. Sun. 3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Alyssoides utriculata

Family: (Brassicaceae)

Subshrub to 14″. Bladder Pod. Mountains of Europe. Alpine with succulent, matte green leaves and panicles of fragrant, bright yellow, mustard-like flowers, which bloom with Phlox, Alyssum and Saxifraga moschata. Later on, interesting ovoid, inflated seedpods emerge and eventually fall apart to reveal their inner, translucent septum with seeds attached resembling a miniature Honesty plant. Sun. 4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amaranthus caudatus

Family: (Amaranthaceae)

(A) to 3.5′.  Love-lies-bleeding.  Andes.  Long, drooping, tassel-like flower spikes of crimson to wine red, from late summer into autumn. Lush green foliage and red-tinted stems add to the ornamental value.  A classic.  Sun.  3 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amaranthus gangeticus

Family: (Amaranthaceae)

(A) to 5′.  Elephant Amaranth.  South America, Africa.  This plant is a delightful point of interest in the flower or vegetable garden.  The tiny, congested sprays of crimson flowers form rounded, dense clusters that make up one extraordinarily shaped form, rather like an elephant’s trunk, or a pointing finger or two.  Sun.  3 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amaranthus hybridus var. erythrostachys

Family: (Amaranthaceae)

(A) to 5′.  Peruvian Tassel Flower.  Many branched panicles of crimson, tassel-like flowers accentuated by the deep maroon foliage of this plant, creates drama in the border.  Sun.  3 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Ammi majus

Family: (Apiaceae)

(A) to 3’.  Bishop’s Flower.  Europe, Asia.  A sophisticated Queen Anne’s Lace with large heads of lacy white flowers and deep green foliage.  Great for cutting.  Sun.  3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amsonia tabernaemontana var. salicifolia

Family: (Apocynaceae)

(P) to 3′. Willow-Leaved Blue Star. Southeast United States. A lovely addition to the flower border, bearing starry, blue flowers in late spring and early summer. Beautiful, slender-leaved, willow-like foliage turns golden yellow in autumn. Sun/partial shade. 3, 7 for 4 weeks, then T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Anemone virginiana

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(P) to 2.5′. Central and eastern United States. This plant has long petioled, toothed basal leaves. The flowers are greenish white and not long lasting. However, the fuzzy, white, cotton ball-like seedheads provide an interesting addition to the garden throughout the summer. Not fussy. Partial shade. 3 & 6 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Angelica polymorpha

Family: (Apiaceae)

(P) to 6′. China. Exquisite, airy umbels of small, creamy white flowers and attractive lobed leaves. The flowering umbels look like a perfect firework display. A choice plant. Sun. 3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Anomatheca laxa

Family: (Iridaceae)

Tender corm to 12″. A South African treasure for a sunny window. Single, six-tepalled, orange-red flowers with a dark red blotch at the base of the lower three petals. Flat, fan-shaped leaves. Blooms in April/May and is followed by a capsule filled with shiny, red seeds. Easy and charming. Sun. 3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Antennaria dioica

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 4″. Pussy-Toes. Europe, North America. This adorable little carpeting perennial is at home in the sunny rock garden. It forms a flat mat of small, grey-green, tomentose, spathulate leaves. Short stems with dense corymbs of buds that resemble the toes of a cat which open to papery white flowers with a pinkish tinge. Plants are dioecious – male and female flowers are produced on separate plants. The female flowerhead is larger and has narrow, pointed, erect and often pink-tipped bracts.   Male flowers typically appear on shorter flower stalks with white-tipped bracts. A billowing cloud of fluffy seedheads follows. Blooms in late spring. A tough and useful plant. Well-drained soil and sun. 3 & T2

This seed is either sold out or unavailable

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Antennaria dioica 'Minima'

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 3″. Half the size of regular Pussy-toes, this adorable little carpeting perennial is at home in the sunny rock garden, alpine trough or growing between stepping stones. It forms a flat mat of tiny silver edged, grey-green leaves. Short stems with tight terminal clusters of buds that resemble the toes of a cat, open to papery white flowers with a pinkish tinge. A billowing cloud of fluffy seedheads follows. Blooms in late spring. A tough and useful plant. Well-drained soil and sun. 3 & T2