Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Allium flavum var. minus

Family: (Alliaceae)

Hardy bulb to 4″.  Central Europe to West Asia.  Lilliputian form of Allium flavum.  Loose umbels of sulphur-yellow flowers in early summer.  Grey glaucous foliage.  Loves a hot dry location.  Great in a rock crevice.  Sun.  3 & 6

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 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 caudatus var. viridis

Family: (Amaranthaceae)

(A) to 3.5′. Green Tails. Andes. An interesting variant of Loves-lies-bleeding with bright lime green flower tassels contrasting against the lush green foliage. Very nice in combination with the yellows and oranges in our Yellow Rainbow. Blooms from late summer into autumn. 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): 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): Ammobium altatum

Family: (Asteraceae)

(A) to 3′.  Winged Everlasting.  Although a perennial in Australia, we treat this tender perennial as an annual.  The pure white, stiff, papery ray florets are short and layered and surround bright yellow, central discs. Unusual greyish green stems are flat and winged along the edges.  Flowers are in abundance throughout the season.  An interesting and easy to grow annual that dries beautifully.  Sun. 3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amsonia ciliata

Family: (Apocynaceae)

(P) to 20″. Narrow-Leaved Bluestar. This native of open sandy woodland and prairies from North Carolina to Missouri resembles a petite, more refined version of the Arkansas Bluestar (Amsonia hubrichtii) with five-petalled, starry, periwinkle-blue flowers in early summer. The narrow, almost needle-like foliage turns a brilliant golden yellow in the fall. Dry, well-drained soil. Sun. 3 & 7 for 12 weeks, then T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amsonia elliptica

Family: (Apocynaceae)

(P) to 18″.  Dwarf Oriental Blue-Star.  China, Japan, and Korea.  Amsonia elliptica makes a bushy mound of tight-clumped, upright stems topped with starry, five-petalled, porcelain-blue flowers in early June. The glossy green, broad, grass-like leaves make an excellent backdrop for other garden plants during the summer.  In fall the foliage turns a glowing yellow to orange.  A great Amsonia for the small garden with a good display of flowers and excellent autumn colour.  Sun/partial shade.  3, 7 for 4 weeks, then T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amsonia hubrichtii

Family: Apocynaceae

(P) to 3.5′.  Hubricht’s Bluestar.  Arkansas to Oklahoma.  Clusters of starry, blue flowers in summer but chiefly grown for the soft, feathery texture of its fine, needle-shaped leaves and its luxurious, billowing habit.  In autumn the leaves turn to a rich, burnished gold with overtones of copper and apricot.  Wow.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Sun.  3, 7 for 4 weeks, then T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amsonia illustris

Family: (Apocynaceae)

(P) to 3.5′.  Central US.  Handsome shiny, leathery, lance-shaped leaves with a terminal cluster of pale, starry blue flowers.  Foliage turns bright yellow in fall.  Sun/partial shade.  3, 7 for 4 weeks, then T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amsonia rigida

Family: (Apocynaceae)

(P) to 2′. Stiff Bluestar. Southern Georgia and Northern Florida. A smaller Amsonia with a distinctive, dark reddish purple colouration to its emerging stems contrasting beautifully with the shiny, leathery, elliptical leaves. Loose cymes of light blue, starry flowers. The outer flower tube is flushed a darker hue giving it more pizzazz. Surprisingly hardy given its southern origin. Moist, well drained sandy soil. Sun/partial shade. 3, 7 for 4 weeks, then T2