Adding lovely vertical lines to the garden, Agastache rugosa f. albiflora (Korean Mint) is a compact and bushy, upright herbaceous perennial with aromatic, light green, oval to lance-shaped leaves. From mid-summer to early fall, it produces ravishing spikes of creamy-white flowers held over the foliage mound. The long flowering season, showy flower spikes, licorice-scented foliage, low maintenance, and deer resistance of this Agastache explain its great popularity among gardeners. And it is not only pleasing to people. Bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies love it too.

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.

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.

Considered by most growers as the loveliest Globe Thistle, Echinops ritro 'Veitch's Blue' is an excellent rebloomer that produces abundant, dark violet-blue flowers at the end of gracefully curving, branched, silvery stems. Blooming from mid-summer to early fall, the bold and ornamental, steel blue globe-shaped flowers (the size of a golf ball) rise above the foliage of sharply divided, dark green leaves, covered in down beneath. Adds outstanding contrast, interest, and color to the summer garden while being trouble-free and low maintenance.