Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Hyssopus officinalis

Family: (Lamiaceae)

(P) to 2′.  Hyssop.  Southern and eastern Europe.  An aromatic, semi-evergreen perennial that forms an erect bushy shrublet, and is frequently grown in herb gardens and as an ornamental.  Hyssop features narrow, one-inch, stalk-less, toothed, shiny dark green leaves with tufts of smaller leaves borne in the leaf axils.  Fragrant, two-lipped, tubular, purple-blue flowers with protruding stamens bloom in whorls on long, dense spikes from mid to late summer.  Foliage and flowers have a long history of culinary and folk medicine uses.  Leaves have been and still are used in cooking to flavor meats, soups, sauces, salads or stews.  Hyssop oil is currently used as a flavoring agent in the French liqueur Chartreuse.  Known for attracting and feeding bees and bumble bees, legend has it that beekeepers rubbed their hives with Hyssop and other herbs to encourage bees to stay. Hyssop also attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.  Sun, well-drained soil.  3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Hesperis matronalis 'Alba'

Family: (Brassicaceae)

(B/P) to 3′.  A delicate white form of the Dame’s Rocket.  Four-petalled flowers in racemes bloom in early summer then sporadically until frost.  Lightly scented at night.  This plant is crucial to the white garden.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T3

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): Aquilegia sp. Double Wine

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(P) to 3′.  One of our favourite and oldest.  Many petalled flowers with no spurs and a beautiful, pure, rich colour.  Goes with anything.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

This seed is either sold out or unavailable

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Aquilegia shockleyi

Family: (Ranunculaceae)

(P) to 2′.  Desert Columbine.  Southwest US – California, Nevada.  This Aquilegia has delicate, long spurred, pale red and yellow flowers that nod above neat mounds of soft green, ferny foliage. Unusual to Columbines is the grey-pink new growth.  Whilst requiring moisture and shade, this Aquilegia tolerates hot summers better than most, flowering for a long period from early spring to mid-summer. Sun/partial shade.  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): Verbascum chaixii Mix

Family: Scrophulariaceae

(P) to 4′.  A delightful blend of yellow and white.  Very versatile.  Sun.  4 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amsonia hubrichtii

Family: Apocynaceae

(P) to 3.5′.  Hubricht’s Bluestar.  Arkansas to Oklahoma.  Clusters of starry, blue flowers in summer but chiefly grown for the soft, feathery texture of its fine, needle-shaped leaves and its luxurious, billowing habit.  In autumn the leaves turn to a rich, burnished gold with overtones of copper and apricot.  Wow.  Moist, well-drained soil.  Sun.  3, 7 for 4 weeks, then T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Geranium pratense

Family: (Geraniaceae)

(P) to 2′.  Meadow Crane’s Bill.  Europe.  Strong, upright, many branching stems with pink veined, violet-blue flowers in early to midsummer.  The large, deeply divided, lobed foliage forms a handsome, bushy clump and develops good autumn tints.  Will naturalize where happy.  Well-drained soil.  Sun/partial shade.  3 & T1

This seed is either sold out or unavailable

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Valeriana officinalis

Family: (Caprifoliaceae)

(P) to 4′.  Common Valerian or Garden Heliotrope.  Europe, West Asia.  Sweetly-scented clusters of pale pink or white flowers appear on branched stems and emerge out of clumps of deeply toothed, pinnate leaves.  Thrives in sun or partial shade.  3 & T2