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

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): Aralia continentalis

Family: (Araliaceae)

(P) to 4′. Manchurian Spikenard. Clump-forming, architectural perennial with arching stems of alternate, bipinnate leaves. In midsummer, many terminal racemes of green flowers are soon followed by globose, blue-black fruit. Partial shade. Likes moisture. 3 & 7 for 4 months, then T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Cephalaria gigantea

Family: (Caprifoliaceae)

(P) to 6′. Giant Yellow Scabious. Caucasus to Siberia. Magnificent clumps of distinctive foliage, divided into oblong spear-shaped leaflets producing tall, wiry branching stems ending in masses of delightful primrose-yellow pincushion blooms. Blooms July to August. Moist, well-drained soil. Sun. 3 & T2 & Δ

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Echinops tjanschanicus

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 5′.  A tall, imposing Globe Thistle from Kazakhstan and the mountains of Central Asia.  A vigorous, erect, clump-forming, architectural perennial with spiny, deeply-divided, grey-green leaves, white beneath, and rounded, thistle-like, violet-blue flowerheads in summer.  Both Echinops make great cut flowers.  Sun.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Helianthus mollis

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 4′. Ashy Sunflower. Tallgrass prairie, Michigan to Ohio. The dense, soft hairs that cover the stems and clasping, broadly ovate leaves, give the whole plant an attractive, ashen grey appearance. The large individual blooms are a rich buttercup yellow, appearing from midsummer into early autumn over open, somewhat wide and spreading clumps. A widespread and drought tolerant native for a wild garden or an informal planting. Sun. 3 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Paeonia daurica subsp. mlokosewitschii

Family: (Paeoniaceae)

(P) to 3′. Affectionately known as ‘Molly the Witch’. This robust, herbaceous peony from the Caucasus makes a fine garden specimen. In spring it bears large, single, cup-shaped, lemon-yellow, five inch-wide flowers – the ovary pubescent, the two to four carpels white, pink or yellow, and the stamen filaments yellow-green. Flowers in May. Rare and very choice. Well-drained soil. Sun/partial shade. 3 & 6A

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Sisymbrium luteum (syn. Hesperis lutea)

Family: (Brassicaceae)

(P) to 4′. Japan and Korea. Forms a bushy clump of coarsely pilose, pinnate, grey-green foliage that freely produces dense, elongated racemes of four-petalled, pale yellow flowers in summer. Good for cutting. Well-drained soil. Sun/partial shade. 4 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Stachys macrantha

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(P) to 2.5′. Caucasus. One to covet. Wavy-edged, dark green foliage and spikes of purplish pink, hooded, lipped flowers. Excellent in the border. Sun/partial shade. 3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Thermopsis villosa

Family: (Fabaceae)

(P) to 5′. Carolina Lupine. Southeastern United States. Tall spikes of bright-yellow, pea-like flowers over loose clumps of glaucous, softly downy foliage with three-part, clover-like elliptical leaflets. Blooms in early summer. Well-drained soil. Sun. 1 & 2B then 3 & T2