Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Habranthus tubispathus (syn. Habranthus texanus)

Family: (Amaryllidaceae)

Tender bulb to 8″.  Rio Grande Copper Lily.  Argentina and Uruguay.  Flowers have a copper-coloured exterior and are golden yellow within.  The solitary, upward facing blooms are 1½ inches in length and about the same diameter when open.  Blooms in the spring, but often, there is another flush in the fall.  Leaves appear after flowering.  Sun.  3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Halesia monticola var. vestita

Family: (Styracaceae)

Hardy tree to 60′. Mountain Silverbell. Southern Appalachia. Visitors to Stonecrop in early May always admire this beautiful tree in full bloom. A mass of pendulous, pink bells appear before the leaves fully emerge. Seed was collected from our specimen, which is var. vestita having larger, pink, bell flowers, whereas the species has white bells. Makes a choice understory tree. Rich, well-drained acidic soil. Well worth the wait. Sun/partial shade. 3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Erinus alpinus var. albus

Family: (Plantaginaceae)

(P) to 4″. White Fairy Foxglove.  C & S Europe.  An adorable alpine. Evergreen mats are covered in spring with crisp, white, notched, hooded flowers in terminal racemes. A low maintenance rock garden classic. Sun 4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Sedum middendorfianum

Family: (Crassulaceae)

(P) to 8″.  Chinese Mountain Stonecrop.  East Siberia to North China.  A non-stop performer in all seasons.  Narrow, spathulate, leathery, deep green leaves with toothed tips whorl around showy red stems.  In early summer, the dense, semi-evergreen mats support multitudes of five-petalled, bright flowers ranging in colour from yellow to fiery orange-red.  Seedheads dry to a beautiful deep maroon, persisting for the remainder of the season, atop the spectacular autumn foliage show in brilliant shades of red.  One of our favourite, most reliable plants for the well-drained, full-sun garden.  4 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Lepechinia hastata

Family: (Lamiaceae)

Tender subshrub to 6′. Americas. The specific epithet hastata is descriptive of the large, arrow-shaped, velvety grey-green leaves for which this tender subshrub is grown. Of equal value are the ten-inch long flower spikes adorned with numerous, one-inch long, rosy purple flowers of classic “Lamium-esque” form, sitting upon smoky purple pedicels. A striking specimen for a sunny spot in your home. Blooms on and off throughout the year. Sun. 4 & T2

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

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 2″. 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

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Mirabilis dichotoma

Family: (Nyctaginaceae)

(TP) to 3.5′.  Mexico.  An old-fashioned favourite, in cultivation since at least 1640, but now rarely seen.  Forms bushy clumps of dark green, heart-shaped leaves with many yellow, trumpet-shaped blooms all summer long.  We dig up the tuber and store like Dahlias.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Sanguisorba obtusa 'Chatto'

Family: (Rosaceae)

(P) to 4′. Japanese Burnet. An elegant plant with striking, blue-grey, toothed, pinnate foliage which is sparsely topped with white bottle brush flowers. A reliable and beautiful performer that is admired more for the foliage than flower. Midsummer. Sun. 3 & T2 & Δ

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Centaurea macrocephala

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 3′. Great Golden Knapweed. Caucasus. A large, leafy, robust plant bearing sturdy stems topped with incredible, rich golden yellow, hemispherical, thistle-like blooms. The fringed, rusty brown coloured involucre of bracts is very prominent and persists. Midsummer. Makes excellent dried cut flowers. Sun.  3, D & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Echinops exaltatus

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 6′.  Tall Globe Thistle.  Eastern Europe to Russia.  Globular flowerheads composed of numerous, tiny, pale blue florets.  Flowerheads to 2-½ inches in diameter stand tall on sturdy, downy-white stems and mature into dense, prickly seedheads.  The bold, greyish green, thistle-like foliage forms an impressive clump.  This summer-to-fall bloomer is a magnet for bees, hoverflies and butterflies.  Sun.  4 & T2