Plants
Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Alba'
Lamprocapnos spectabilis 'Alba', commonly known as the white bleeding heart, features heart-shaped white flowers and lime green, fern-like foliage. It blooms from May to September, attracting butterflies to the garden. This plant prefers partial to full shade and moist soil, and it is heat tolerant. Its foliage goes dormant after the blooming season, adding seasonal interest to shaded garden areas.
Buddleja 'Grand Cascade'
Buddleja 'Grand Cascade' is a large shrub known for its impressive lavender-purple panicles that are rich in nectar, attracting pollinators. It grows 5-6 feet tall and is drought-tolerant once established. This non-invasive plant thrives in full sun and well-drained soil, making it a resilient choice for gardens in USDA zones 5 to 10.
Heucherella 'Silver Streak'
Heucherella 'Silver Streak' is a hybrid known for its distinctive foamy bells and leaves resembling cutleaf tiarella. The light lavender leaves have deep maroon veins, and pink flowers bloom from late April through June, making it ideal for woodland gardens.
Cotoneaster lucidus
Cotoneaster lucidus is a cold-hardy shrub with glossy, dark green leaves that turn scarlet, red, and purple in fall. It produces sweet flowers and berries that attract butterflies and birds. This drought-tolerant plant thrives in full sun to partial shade and is pollution-tolerant, making it suitable for urban environments.
Masdevallia 'Sugar Baby'
Masdevallia 'Sugar Baby' is a hybrid orchid resulting from a cross between Masdevallia floribunda and Masdevallia veitchiana. It thrives in cool to intermediate temperatures with high humidity and filtered light. This orchid is known for its unique and vibrant blooms.
Kniphofia 'Little Maid'
Kniphofia 'Little Maid' is a dwarf poker plant with narrow green foliage and grass-like clumps. It produces 2-foot tall spikes of yellow to ivory flowers with yellow tips, blooming in early summer.
Trillium gracile 'Shelbyville'
Trillium gracile 'Shelbyville' is a native plant from Shelby County, Texas, known for its unique appearance. It grows in moist bottomlands, reaching 11 inches tall with three greyish leaves patterned with olive green. In late April, it produces narrow, mostly purple petals, adding a touch of color to shaded garden areas. This plant is a part of the Trillium family and is appreciated for its ornamental value.
Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander'
Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander' is a perennial with upright stems and dark leaves bordered in gold. It produces star-shaped golden flowers in midsummer and thrives in moist conditions.
Veronica 'Amethyst Plume'
Veronica 'Amethyst Plume' is a florally-branched perennial known for its unique visual texture and vigor. It forms an upright clump reaching 26 inches in height and 1.5 feet in width. The plant features densely-branched inflorescences that bloom from late spring to early summer, showcasing purple or lavender flowers. It is an excellent choice for sunlit gardens and can be used as a cut flower or filler in arrangements. This hybrid veronica adds a touch of elegance to any garden setting.
Deuterocohnia brevifolia
Deuterocohnia brevifolia, also known as Argentine ball, is a cold-hardy bromeliad forming dense, cushion-like mounds up to 3 feet in diameter. This slow-growing, drought-tolerant plant thrives in full sun to light shade and requires well-drained soil, making it ideal for xeriscaping.
Lepanthes dictydion
Lepanthes dictydion is an epiphytic plant native to tropical regions of Central and South America. It thrives in shaded, humid environments, making it ideal for terrariums or greenhouses. This plant's unique growth habit and adaptability make it a favorite among orchid enthusiasts.
Lavandula stoechas 'Helmsdale'
Lavandula stoechas 'Helmsdale' is a New Zealand selection of Spanish lavender, known for its velvety burgundy flowers and wide needle-like foliage. This large, compact plant grows 30 inches tall and wide, making it ideal for herb gardens and sunny rock walls.
Dasylirion wheeleri 'Apache Junction'
Dasylirion wheeleri 'Apache Junction' is a distinctive plant with smaller heads of powder blue foliage. It grows on red sandstone and is known for its drought tolerance and resilience. This plant is ideal for xeriscaping and adds a unique texture to gardens with its striking foliage. Its adaptability to arid conditions makes it a valuable addition to landscapes in dry climates.
Echinacea 'Sunrise'
Echinacea 'Sunrise' is a cross of Echinacea purpurea and paradoxa, featuring fragrant, buttery-yellow flowers. It attracts hummingbirds and is a good rebloomer, adding vibrant color to gardens.
Masdevallia harlequina
Masdevallia harlequina is an orchid species from South America, known for its distinctive flowers with intricate patterns and striking colors. It grows in cloud forests and high-altitude regions, requiring cooler temperatures, high humidity, and filtered light. This orchid is a favorite among collectors for its unique appearance and challenging care requirements. Its ability to thrive in specific conditions makes it a prized plant for orchid enthusiasts. The plant's exotic flowers and growth habit make it a standout in any orchid collection.
Tricyrtis 'Sinonome'
Tricyrtis 'Sinonome' is a toad lily rated highly at the Chicago Botanic Gardens for its performance in heat, humidity, and cold. It features 3-foot tall upright stems with leaves from bottom to top and late summer clusters of 1-inch purple and white speckled flowers. This plant prefers slightly moist soils and is drought-tolerant once established, making it suitable for woodland gardens.
Echeveria 'Vanilla Bees'
Echeveria 'Vanilla Bees' is a drought-tolerant succulent that naturally grows in sunny areas. It prefers a south-facing location and requires porous, well-draining soil. This plant needs little watering and should be protected from water-logging, making it an ideal choice for low-maintenance gardens.
Alstroemeria 'Patricia Lynn'
Alstroemeria 'Patricia Lynn' is known for its multi-flowered inflorescences of fluorescent red-purple with dramatic black lines and a contrasting yellow throat. It blooms from June until October and attracts hummingbirds, adding vibrant color to gardens.
Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum'
Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' is a shade garden plant with fragrant white blooms and white and green striped foliage. It tolerates both dry and wet soil and produces blue-black berries in the fall. This plant is deer-resistant and suitable for erosion control.
Hibiscus 'Fireball'
Hibiscus 'Fireball' is a compact perennial that grows up to 4 feet tall, featuring large burgundy-red flowers from midsummer through early fall. It has fine-textured green foliage with a purple blush and is low maintenance, going dormant in winter. This plant is naturally found in shallow water and is drought-tolerant for short periods, with bees as its primary pollinators.
Hylotelephium telephium 'Matrona'
Hylotelephium telephium 'Matrona' is a striking perennial known for its thick, upright purple stems and gray-green succulent leaves edged in rosy-pink. It produces mauve-pink flowers that attract butterflies and bees, which turn chocolate brown in winter. This plant is hardy in USDA zones 3 to 9 and forms an 18-inch clump. It is drought-tolerant once established and is both cold-hardy and heat-resistant. Additionally, it is resistant to deer, making it a low-maintenance choice for gardens.
Oxalis 'Charmed Wine'
Oxalis 'Charmed Wine' is a perennial plant with maroon-colored leaves and dainty pinkish-white flowers. It requires part-to-full shade and moist but well-drained soil. This plant can be grown as a perennial in zones 9-11, adding a touch of color to shaded garden areas.
Mucuna cyclocarpa
Mucuna cyclocarpa is a deciduous vining legume from Southeast China, known for its trifoliate pea-like foliage and dark purple flowers resembling ripe grapes. This plant does not set seed without hand pollination and is often grown for its ornamental value. It thrives in sunny locations and adds a tropical look to gardens.
Primula polyantha 'Dawn Ansell'
Primula polyantha 'Dawn Ansell' is a hybrid primrose with double white flowers that bloom in March and April. It becomes semi-dormant in midsummer, with fresh foliage appearing in early fall. This plant thrives in bright shade or with a few hours of direct sun, preferring moist, well-drained soils.