Probably the most widely grown cultivar of Crocosmia, award-winning Crocosmia 'Lucifer' produces decorative clumps of erect pleated leaves and brilliant wands of fiery scarlet red tubular flowers which bloom for 5-8 weeks from mid to late summer. Extremely showy, this South African native is a magnet for hummingbirds and butterflies. Its vibrant blossoms give way to seedpods that persist into fall and attract hungry birds.

Tall and stately, Kniphofia 'Alcazar' features dark, bronzed stems bearing luminous terminal spikes of tubular, creamy orange flowers, gradually opening from brick-red buds from early to late summer. Changing color as the flower matures, this robust perennial displays the deepest shades in bud and fades as the flower opens, resulting in a bicolor look. Virtually disease free, this favorite of hummingbirds is also drought, deer, and rabbit tolerant.

Easy care, drought tolerant, and deer resistant, Asclepias tuberosa (Butterfly Weed) is a bushy perennial prized for its brilliant clusters of bright orange to yellow-orange flowers which bloom continuously throughout summer. Sitting atop upright flowering stems, clad with stiff, lance-shaped leaves, the colorful umbels, 2-5 inches across (5-12 cm), are followed by attractive seed pods in fall. The abundant foliage provides a dark-green backdrop that nicely compliments the cheerful flat umbel flowers. Native to most of the United States and southern Canada, this perennial wildflower has no milky sap, unlike many other milkweeds.

Noted for its cold-hardiness, Agapanthus Headbourne Hybrids (African Lily) is a variable group of bulb-like perennials boasting rounded clusters, 3-4 in. wide (7-10 cm), of funnel-shaped flowers in shades of light and dark violet-blue. Each flower head is packed with 70 to 75 florets. They rise on stiff, upright stalks atop clumps of beautiful, deciduous, narrowly strap-shaped leaves. The foliage remains attractive when the plant is not in bloom.

Lychnis coronaria 'Alba (Rose Campion) is an evergray short-lived perennial or biennial that deserves a spot in the landscape. Very attractive with its erect, white-gray flowering stalks covered with a profusion of rounded white flowers, it enjoys a long season of interest, is easy to grow, trouble free and not too fussy about soils or exposure. In short, the perfect perennial!

Perovskia atriplicifolia (Russian Sage) is a bushy, woody-based deciduous perennial with long terminal panicles of small, lavender-blue flowers, borne on thin white stems, clad with finely-dissected, aromatic gray-green leaves. Blooming for weeks from mid-summer to fall, this delicate-looking plant is a toughy that is resistant to drought, heat, pests, and poor soils. Pretty and excellent for xeriscaping, its long blooming season, makes it an extremely valuable addition to the garden - even in winter when the stems create a beautiful feature in the landscape.