This Echinacea species gets the attention of many gardeners. Why? The lovely combination of the prominent central cone and thin, pale pink to purple flower petals gracefully hanging like tassels, makes them one of the most attractive prairie perennials. Aside from the subtle form and color of its elegant flowers, Echinacea pallida, commonly known as Pale Purple Coneflower also features a dark green foliage of long, slender, toothless leaves. Blooming from late spring to midsummer, this attractive upright perennial is worthy of a place in pollinator gardens, perennial borders, prairies, or wildflower gardens.

Incredibly eye-catching, Echinacea purpurea 'Pink Double Delight' is an exquisite beauty with its pom-pom double Coneflowers! Well-branched, 'Pink Double Delight' produces abundant bright pink flowers, up to 3 in. wide (7 cm) with drooping rays that stick out from the fully double central cone like a formal pink pettiskirt. Blooming from midsummer until frost, this compact Coneflower is free flowering and has sturdy flower stems that are perfect for cutting. This dwarf perennial is an eye-catching addition to perennial borders, small gardens, or patio containers.

Providing a captivating floral display in summer, award-winning Monarda 'Marshall's Delight' (Bee Balm) is a clump-forming perennial boasting masses of clear pink flowers, borne in dense, globular terminal heads. Blooming for weeks from mid-summer to early fall, they rest upon a whorl of decorative bracts and attract scores of butterflies and hummingbirds. Their vibrant color is set off to perfection by the bright, fresh green of the leaves, which are delightfully fragrant and can be enjoyed in salads or simply by passing by. This Monarda is significantly more resistant to powdery mildew than older varieties.

One of the most ornamental burnets, Sanguisorba obtusa (Japanese Burnet) is a clump-forming perennial with profuse and attractive fluffy, reddish-pink, bottlebrush flowers, elegantly swaying in the breeze in summer. They are borne on arching wiry stems above a particularly handsome foliage of blue-green, divided leaves. Reliable, easy to grow, it is very useful and adaptable in the garden.

One of the most popular ornamental grasses worldwide, Calamagrostis x acutiflora 'Karl Foerster' (Feather Reed Grass) is a majestic ornamental grass, highly valued for its erect feathery flower plumes, moving gracefully with even the slightest breeze. Fast-growing, reliable, with a multi-season interest, this cool season grass is not only beautiful, but it is also virtually carefree and quite versatile. 'Karl Foerster' is a great-looking plant for the garden as it provides superb vertical lines.

Animating your plantings with its nodding, intense smoky rose-purple fuzzy flowers, Oriental Fountain Grass 'Karley Rose' (Pennisetum orientale) is among the most beautiful and graceful ornamental grasses. Its showy flower spikes rise high above the foliage, arching upward or outward, and cascading down the deep green foliage that rustles in the wind. Luckily, they can be admired over a long blooming season, which extends into fall. The attractive dark green foliage turns to a warm golden-tan color in fall and generally remains attractive well into the winter.

Appreciated for their stature, ease of cultivation, and attractive flowers, Eupatorium maculatum, commonly known as Joe-Pye Weed, are strong growing perennials that provide a wonderful garden presence. Native to North America, they are noted for their erect, purple-stained stems (therefore "maculata") that are branched with flat-topped, 4-5 in. (10-12 cm) clusters of eye-catching rose-purple to mauve flowers. Often fragrant, their blossoms are attractive to bees and butterflies in search of nectar.