Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Pulsatilla patens

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(P) to 12″.  Eastern Pasque Flower.  Native to Europe, Russian, China, Canada and US.  Blooming in April at 4″ high, before the leaves develop, the ethereal, open, bell-shaped, flowers command attention.  The solitary, two-inch flower has six blue-violet, petal-like sepals and a ring of many yellow staminodes that surround a light green central boss of stamens. The sepals are pointed at the tip and lined with many parallel veins.  Flowers, stems and foliage are all covered in fine, silky, whitish hairs.  The flowers are followed by plume-like seed heads (reminiscent of some Clematis and Geum) that have good ornamental interest.  Deeply divided basal foliage grows to 12 inches tall after the flowers have faded.  A great rock garden plant and the state flower of South Dakota.  Grows best in drier, sandier soil.  Sun.  3 & T2 & ∆

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Parthenium integrifolium

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 3′.  Wild Quinine.  Eastern United States. Tiny clustered, almost ball-like, white flowers in broad, branching, flat-topped corymbs.  The tapering leaves are coarsely toothed and decrease in size up the stems, with the upper leaves often absent or clasping the stem.  Both the leaves and stems are rough and covered in short bristly hairs.  Well-drained soil.  Sun.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Orlaya grandiflora

Family: (Apiaceae)

(A) to 18″.  A beautiful native of Greece with umbels of cream-coloured flowers comprised of many starry florets, each with two large outer petals.  The whole effect is reminiscent of a lace doily.  Feathery, apple-green foliage and the distinct, rough, spiny seeds are a bonus.  We love it in our spring displays.  Sun.  3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Monarda punctata

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(A) to 3′.  Horse Mint.  Native to the Great Plains of the United States.  Dense whorls of pale yellow, hooded flowers spotted with purple-brown.  Each whorl is surrounded by large, pink-tipped, green bracts.  The narrow, toothed leaves have a grey cast.  A very showy plant.  Sun.  4 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Monarda citriodora

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(A) to 3′.  Lemon Bee Balm.  Central United States to northern Mexico.  Like the name describes, the flowers are lemon-scented.  The showy, leaf-like, pinkish bracts surround the inner, pink dotted, two-lipped, purple hooded flowers.  A bonus, the mature seedheads are attractive when dried.  Sun.  4 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Eryngium giganteum

Family: (Apiaceae)

Short-lived perennial/biennial to 4′.  Miss Willmott’s Ghost.  Miss Willmott was known to scatter this seed surreptitiously in the gardens she visited, leaving her horticultural calling card!  The elongated, dome-shaped, greenish flowerheads are surrounded by spiny tipped, silvery bracts.  Attractive, marbled, grey-green, spiny foliage with dark green basal rosettes adds more drama.  Excellent dried flower.  Self-sows happily.  Well-drained soil.  Sun. 3 & 6 & Δ

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Eranthis hyemalis

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

Hardy bulb to 6″.  Winter Aconite.  Southern France to Bulgaria.  Brightly glowing, buttercup-like, yellow flowers carpeting the woodland are a sure herald of spring.  A most welcome sight after the long winter.  The low growing, dissected basal foliage dies down and disappears by summer.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Shade/partial shade. 3 & T2 & Δ

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Consolida regalis

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(A) to 2′.  Forked Larkspur.  Mediterranean.  Panicles of delicate, long-spurred, violet-blue flowers are produced in profusion forming an airy cloud of blue.  Finely divided foliage is an added attraction.  An easy charmer.  Sun.  3, D & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Clematis integrifolia pink-flowered

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(P) to 3′.  Solitary Clematis.  Central Europe and Asia.  An upright, non-climbing Clematis with 2-inch, bell-shaped flowers that are a bright clear to pale mauve pink with heavily ribbed, spreading tepals and a central cluster of deep yellow stamens. Attractive, feathery seedheads follow.  Mid-to-late summer.  Sun.  3 & 7 for 8 weeks, then T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Callirhoe involucrata

Family: (Malvaceae)

(P) to 12″.  Purple Poppy Mallow.  Central United States.  This Missouri native has attractive Geranium-like leaves, palmately divided into 5 to 7 finger-like lobes.  The stems are procumbent and spread nicely along the ground.  The solitary, upward facing, cup-shaped, five-petalled, magenta flowers are borne on axillary thin stems above the foliage. An attractive, spreading, drought tolerant perennial.  Long blooming, from late spring to late summer.  Sun.  3 & T2