Winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society, Verbena bonariensis is a tall and slender-stemmed perennial that displays rich lilac flowers in tight clusters atop long stems that sway gracefully in the summer breeze. They rise well above rosettes of lance-shaped, dark green leaves that hug the ground. A superior nectar plant, hummingbirds and butterflies love it, and so will you!

For summer to fall exquisite beauty on easy care plants, few perennials can compare with Aster x frikartii 'Monch' (Frikart's Aster). One of the first Asters to bloom, this lovely perennial plant creates a bold splash of color in the landscape over an extraordinarily long season with masses of attractive, soft lavender-blue, star-shaped blossoms, 2 in. wide (5 cm), with slender rays and golden-yellow centers. Such a gentle color that it blends with almost any other color in the garden. Free flowering, well-branched with sturdy stems that do not need staking, this aster is easy to grow, trouble-free, mildew-resistant and a great source of nectar for butterflies!

Blooming longer than most Mountain Fleeces, Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Taurus' is an upright perennial noted for its intense deep crimson-red flower spikes on display from mid-summer to mid-fall. Quite eye-catching, the brilliantly colored fluffy flowers do not fade, even in full sun. They are held on long, graceful wands atop a compact, bushy clump of shiny, leathery green leaves. In the fall, the foliage turns red and orange tints, adding charm to the fall garden.

Free-flowering, Helianthus 'Lemon Queen' (Sunflower) is ideal to brighten up the late season garden. This tall and upright perennial features luminous sprays of pale yellow flowers, 2 in. across (5 cm), with light yellow ray florets surrounding a dark yellow central disk. The flowers are so abundant that they literally blanket the entire bush and cover the foliage of coarse, dark green leaves. Often called a showstopper,'Lemon Queen' is a valuable addition to the landscape with its spectacular floral display that lasts about 6 weeks from late summer to fall. Forms a dense, arching mound up to 6-7 ft. tall (180-210 cm) and 30-36 in. wide (75-90 cm). Winner of the prestigious Award of Garden Merit of the Royal Horticultural Society

Quite compact, Chinese Silver Grass 'Kleine Silberspinne' is a remarkable ornamental grass for many reasons. First, its modest size makes it perfect for small gardens. Second, its fine-textured foliage, which consists of arching, narrow green leaves with white midribs, turns to warm reddish-bronze shades in the fall, and creates an exquisite fountain shape that stands out beautifully and sways gracefully in the slightest breeze. Finally, graceful, reddish flower plumes emerge in late summer that will change to pale brown as they mature and provide a delightful winter interest. Grows up to 4 feet tall (120 cm). Drought tolerant, it is deer and rabbit resistant!

Reliable and robust, award-winner Chinese Silver Grass 'SilberFeder' is an impressive ornamental grass with tall, airy plumes which emerge sparkling pinkish-silver in late summer and turn shining silvery-white in the fall. Remaining attractive all winter, they rise well above the graceful variegated foliage of arching green leaves, with thin white midribs running the length of each leaf, which turns a lovely wheat shade in the fall. Standing out beautifully in the garden and providing wonderful winter interest, it grows in a dense, upright clump up to 8 feet tall (240 cm). Drought and salt tolerant, it is deer and rabbit resistant!

Stipa tenuissima (Mexican Feather Grass) is an exceptionally lovely and graceful ornamental grass that exhibits silvery-green thread-like leaves in late spring, that sway gracefully in the slightest breeze, delicately softening any landscape. All summer, it bears abundant feathery panicles, which are held a little above the foliage and can be used in dried arrangements. Native to the Americas, this perennial grass provides a fairly long-lasting display with its airy silky green leaves turning golden brown towards fall.

Award-winning Rhus Tiphina Tiger Eyes® is a real standout! Changing with every season, the cut-leaf foliage of this deciduous, suckering shrub emerges chartreuse in spring, matures to bright yellow in the summer, and eventually acquires striking orange and scarlet tones in fall. The leaves contrast extremely well with the purplish branches and stems. Cone-shaped panicles of green-yellow flowers bloom in early summer, followed on female plants by dark red fruit in fall.

Proven to be a workhorse in the garden, award-winning Rudbeckia fulgida var. sullivantii 'Goldsturm' is a highly popular choice. This perennial plant is long-lived and reliably produces masses of rich golden yellow, 3-4 in. flowers (7-10 cm) from midsummer through early fall, no matter what the weather is like. Each flower has many ray-like petals surrounding a dark brown cone in the center, providing fantastic warm color in the late summer garden.

Among the most fashionable Michaelmas daisies of the moment, award-winning Aster 'Little Carlow' is a lovely hybrid between Aster cordifolius and Aster novi-belgii. This attractive perennial plant produces masses of single flowers, 1 in. wide (2 cm), with lavender-blue petals and bright golden-yellow centers. Borne on soft stems, their gentle color blends with almost any other color in the garden. Healthy, 'Little Carlow' forms a dense clump of dark green leaves, which reach the ground.