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): Centaurea dealbata

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 3′. Persian Knapweed. Caucasus. Erect, branched, leafy stems with finely divided, grey-green, pinnatisect leaves with grey, woolly undersides. The attractive green, scaly, involucre of bracts with black bristles supports the lilac-pink, pale centred ‘bachelor’s buttons’. Blooms early to mid-summer. Sun/partial shade. Well-drained soil.  3, D & T2

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Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Caryopteris divaricata

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(P) to 5′.  Bluebeard.  A native plant of the Himalayas.  Splendid spikes of violet-blue, wide open, hooded flowers with a dab of white in the throat.  Light green leaves are ovate, acute and oddly aromatic.  An accommodating, tough plant.  Blooms in September.  Sun.  3 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Campanula trachelium Mix

Family: (Campanulaceae)

(P) to 3.5′. Nettle-leaved Bellflower. Europe, North Africa, Siberia.  Spikes of blue-purple to lilac to white bells decorate the numerous, leafy stems. Nettle-like foliage. Blooms simultaneously with the roses, a perfect complement. Sun/partial shade. 4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Baptisia leucantha

Family: (Fabaceae)

(P) to 3′. White Wild Indigo. Grows in dry woods from North Carolina to Florida. A sparsely branched, bush-like, herbaceous perennial with trifoliate, bluish-green, glaucous leaves. Dark flower stems give rise to erect racemes of small, white, pea-like flowers, up to two feet in length. Blooms in spring. The large, oblong, inflated seed pods are initially green but turn black, extending the show. Sun/partial shade. 2A & 4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Aster tataricus

Family: (Asteraceae)

(P) to 7′.  Tatarian Aster.  Siberia.  Tall, long-blooming Aster with glorious, loose sprays of bold, lilac-blue daisies with yellow centres.  Dense clusters of wide, lance-shaped leaves.  Tough, durable plant that will thrive in a variety of conditions.  No staking needed, blooms late – September and October and well worth the wait.  Sun/partial shade. 3 & 6 & Δ

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Angelica gigas

Family: (Apiaceae)

(B/P) to 5′. This terrific Barry Yinger introduction from Korea and Japan is a stunner. Dramatic, deep maroon, spherical flowerheads emerge from red-flushed, bulbous, leafy sheaths above glossy green, dissected foliage. The afternoon sun intensifies the colour and lends this plant another dimension. Please note, insects, especially hornets, also find it irresistible. Sun/partial shade. 3 & 6

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amsonia tabernaemontana var. salicifolia

Family: (Apocynaceae)

(P) to 3′. Willow-Leaved Blue Star. Southeast United States. A lovely addition to the flower border, bearing starry, blue flowers in late spring and early summer. Beautiful, slender-leaved, willow-like foliage turns golden yellow in autumn. Sun/partial shade. 3, 7 for 4 weeks, then T2

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): Agrimonia eupatoria

Family: (Rosaceae)

(P) to 3′. Agrimony, Church Steeples. Europe. An ancient, domestic medicinal herb long used for the treatment of wounds and snakebites. This charming, long blooming garden flower has tall, slender spikes of bright yellow, five-petalled blooms. The fruit is burr-like with hooked bristles to aid dispersal by animals. The deep green, softly hairy, pinnately-divided leaves have silvery undersides. The entire plant is sweetly fragrant, especially the flowers, whose perfume is said to be reminiscent of ripe apricots. June to September. Well-drained soil. Sun. 3 & T2