Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Aethionema schistosum

Family: (Brassicaceae)

(P) to 6″.  Turkish Stonecress.  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 seed capsules follow and persist.  A welcome self-sower.  Sun.  3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Papaver atlanticum

Family: (Papaveraceae)

(P) to 2′.  Moroccan Poppy.  Soft orange, two-inch, single, tissue paper blooms with yellow anthers are followed by club-shaped pods.  Pale green, silken, jagged basal leaves.  Self-sows beautifully.  Sun.  4, D & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Crambe maritima

Family: (Brassicaceae)

(P) to 2′.  Sea Kale.  Coastal North Europe, Baltic and Black Seas.  Often grown as a vegetable, however, we like it in the mixed border.  The early emerging foliage is flushed deep purple; this is the edible stage.  The unfurled leaves are wide, wavy, lobed, and glaucous providing an attractive foil  for the large panicles of honey-scented, white, four-petalled flowers.  Long summer bloomer.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Tanacetum niveum

Family: (Asteraceae)

(TP) to 2-½’.  Silver Tansy.  A short-lived perennial with silver-grey, deeply cut, fragrant foliage that is covered with masses of ½ inch, white, daisy-like flowers with yellow centres.  Midsummer.  Delicate yet striking.  Sun.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Agastache nepetoides

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(P) to 5′.  Yellow Giant Hyssop.  South Canada to Southeast US.  Whorls of tiny, greenish-yellow flowers closely packed into five-inch terminal spikes appear on stiff, square stems. Toothed, arrowhead-shaped leaves are up to five inches long. Whilst the leaves lack the strong smell like other species in the mint family, the bitterness of its leaves make it deer resistant.  Tolerant of summer heat and humidity, this late summer bloomer is a favourite of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators.  Grows best in rich, open woodlands. Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Euphorbia myrsinites

Family: (Euphorbiaceae)

(P) to 6″.  Southern Europe.  Trailing, robust 12-inch stems with spiraling, blue-green, glaucous foliage.  Stems terminate in large heads of many greenish yellow bracts enclosing tiny, yellow flowers.  A perfect plant for a dry wall or sunny rock garden.  Blooms early summer.  Well-drained soil.  Self-seeds for us.  Sun.  3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Dianthus carthusianorum

Family: (Caryophyllaceae)

(P) to 2′.  Cluster-head Pink.  Native to sunny hillsides and dry meadows throughout central and southern Europe.  Dianthus carthusianorum was named to commemorate the monks of the Carthusian order, founded in the 11th century in the Chartreuse Valley in the French Alps.  Dense, terminal clusters of five-petalled, toothed, pinkish purple flowers on slender, airy stems.  Grassy clumps of narrow, pale grey-green foliage adds to the charm.  Blooms in midsummer.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  4 & 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): Tradescantia virginiana

Family: Commelinaceae

(P) to 3′.  Virginia Spiderwort, Spider Lily.  Eastern US.  This Spiderwort has three-petalled, blue-purple flowers with contrasting yellow stamens in terminal clusters above a pair of long, narrow, leaf-like bracts, each opening for only a day.  Clump-forming with multiple stems bearing narrow, pointed, olive green leaves.  A useful and robust perennial for native gardens, open woods and borders.  Blooms late sprint to mid-summer.  Sun to part shade.  Moist, well-drained soil.  3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Thalictrum pubescens

Family: Ranunculaceae

(P) to 7′.  King of the Meadow.  Eastern US and Canada. This native beauty has tall panicles of apetalous flowers with white, thread-like, stamens that form a cloud-like fluff and tower over blue-green, Columbine-like leaves.  The foliage turns bright yellow in the fall.  Use in the back of borders, native gardens, and moist woodlands.  Blooms spring to summer.  Shade to part shade.  Medium to wet, well-drained, organically rich soil.  3 & T1