A Long-Lasting Summer Idea for your Borders with Lavender, Achillea and Sedum

Striking when well sited, Carex flagellifera is a very distinctive ornamental grass which maintains a golden-brown color throughout the growing season. Its long, grasslike leaves, in various shades of brown curl gracefully towards the ground, delicately softening any landscape. The low mounding form and subtle color of this New Zealand Sedge make it an unusual accent in many plant combinations. Growing easily in a dense fountain-like clump, it is drought tolerant, deer resistant and requires very little care.

Long lived and drought tolerant, award-winner Sedum 'Purple Emperor' is a lovely sight in the landscape with its masses of rosy-pink flowers, densely packed in large umbrella-shaped flower heads, and showing off atop bright reddish-purple stems clad with dark purple, fleshy leaves. Vigorous, hardy, carefree, good-looking, with a season of interest lasting more than 6 months from early summer until well into winter, this standout perennial grows up to 18-24 in. tall (45-60 cm) and is rabbit and deer resistant.

A great pick! Compact, extremely fragrant with rosy purple flowers, Lavender 'Munstead' is very attractive throughout the year. Introduced in 1916 by the garden designer Gertrude Jekill, this small cultivar grows well in containers and is a great choice for hedges or knot gardens. Excellent for potpourris or dried arrangements as it retains its color. Blooms twice starting in late spring or early summer. Lavenders blooming twice are known to have a full second flush of blooms after the flowers of the first bloom have been harvested.

Good-looking, compact, bushy and heat loving, Achillea millefolium 'Pink Grapefruit' is a stunning Yarrow with its masses of long-lasting clusters of bright deep rose flowers fading delicately to creamy pink as they age. Its pleasantly aromatic, green fern-like foliage is disease resistant and nicely compliments the cheerful dusty-pink flat umbel flowers. Easy care, drought, heat, humidity, deer and rabbit tolerant