Boasting the biggest flower heads, multiple award-winner Allium 'Globemaster' is a striking ornamental onion with huge inflorescences packed with dozens of small star-shaped violet flowers forming a 10-inch wide (25 cm) globe-shaped cluster! Blooming in late spring to early summer, this spectacular bulbous perennial enjoys long-lasting blooms, and its seed heads are ornamental, persisting for weeks after the flower has passed.

A favorite of many gardeners, multiple award-winner Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation' is a striking ornamental onion with perfectly round flowerheads, 3 in. wide (8 cm), packed with dozens of small, star-shaped, rich violet-lilac flowers. They are borne atop sturdy stalks, which arise from a group of 6 to 8 handsome, blue-green leaves. Blooming in late spring to early summer, this spectacular Allium enjoys long-lasting blooms and makes outstanding cut flowers that will last for 2 weeks.

Phlomis tuberosa brings multi-season interest to the garden, making it a valued perennial plant for the gardener. It is noted for its distinctive blooms in the form of lavender-pink hooded flower clusters that appear along the upper parts of upright, dark burgundy stems. They rise well above the basal foliage, which consists of a handsome mound of arrowhead-shaped, rich green leaves. The architectural presence of the blossoms and the evergreen foliage provide a great sight in all seasons.

An unusual, ivory-white dwarf ornamental onion, Allium karataviense 'Ivory Queen' (Turkistan Onion) is quite attractive with its elegant globe-shaped clusters, 5 in. wide (12 cm), packed with starry white flowers nestled in the beautiful foliage of wide and recurved, gray-green leaves, slightly red-edged. Blooming in late spring to early summer, this bulbous perennial is an heirloom variety dating from 1876. This is one of the best Alliums for containers.

Favored by landscapers for its tendency to grow in decorative bunches, Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed) is a fine-textured ornamental grass with long, narrow arching leaves forming attractive round tufts about 18 in. tall. The leaves range in color from a rich green hue in summer to golden with orange hues in the fall and fade to light bronze in winter. Foliage is resilient enough to resist flattening by snow, so it provides year-round interest. From late July to mid-September, a cloudy haze of tiny flower heads, noted for their unique coriander fragrance, elegantly rise up to 36 in. tall on slender stems. The small mature seeds drop to the ground in the fall, hence its common name of 'Dropseed'.

Award-winner Allium cristophii (Star of Persia) is an elegant ornamental onion with star-shaped silvery purple flowers forming a large globe-shaped cluster, 8 in. wide (20 cm), atop narrow and hairy leaves. Blooming in late spring to early summer, this spectacular bulbous perennial enjoys long-lasting blooms and remains ornamental in the garden well into summer. This beauty naturalizes easily and will come back year after year. Excellent as cut flowers for both fresh and dried bouquets.

Favored by landscapers for its tendency to grow in decorative bunches, Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed) is a fine-textured ornamental grass with long, narrow arching leaves forming attractive round tufts about 18 in. tall. The leaves range in color from a rich green hue in summer to golden with orange hues in the fall and fade to light bronze in winter. Foliage is resilient enough to resist flattening by snow, so it provides year-round interest. From late July to mid-September, a cloudy haze of tiny flower heads, noted for their unique coriander fragrance, elegantly rise up to 36 in. tall on slender stems. The small mature seeds drop to the ground in the fall, hence its common name of 'Dropseed'.

A favorite of many gardeners, multiple award-winner Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation' is a striking ornamental onion with perfectly round flowerheads, 3 in. wide (8 cm), packed with dozens of small, star-shaped, rich violet-lilac flowers. They are borne atop sturdy stalks, which arise from a group of 6 to 8 handsome, blue-green leaves. Blooming in late spring to early summer, this spectacular Allium enjoys long-lasting blooms and makes outstanding cut flowers that will last for 2 weeks.

Native to the Mediterranean area, Gladiolus communis subsp. byzantinus (Byzantine Gladiolus) is a bulbous perennial that features narrow sword-shaped leaves in a fan of 3-5 erect flowering spikes, each bearing up to 15 bold, magenta funnel-shaped flowers, 2" wide (5cm). Blooming in late spring to early summer, this eye-catching beauty grows up to 2-3 ft. tall (60-90 cm) and gradually spreads to form large clumps. Puts a terrific show in beds and borders when mixed with other perennials or ornamental grasses. Great for cutting too! This plant will naturalize and multiply with great enthusiasm in favorable growing conditions.

A favorite of many gardeners, multiple award-winner Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation' is a striking ornamental onion with perfectly round flowerheads, 3 in. wide (8 cm), packed with dozens of small, star-shaped, rich violet-lilac flowers. They are borne atop sturdy stalks, which arise from a group of 6 to 8 handsome, blue-green leaves. Blooming in late spring to early summer, this spectacular Allium enjoys long-lasting blooms and makes outstanding cut flowers that will last for 2 weeks.

Hardy and tall, Geranium phaeum 'Lily Lovell' (Dusky Cranesbill) is an exceptionally beautiful geranium with slightly reflexed, dusky purple flowers adorned with a white heart in late spring to early summer and with sporadic rebloom throughout the summer. Elegantly floating above a deeply lobed, bright green foliage, the flowers of this species are among the largest of the Geranium phaeum group with a 1.5 in. diameter (4 cm). Performs best in part shade.

A favorite of many gardeners, multiple award-winner Allium hollandicum 'Purple Sensation' is a striking ornamental onion with perfectly round flowerheads, 3 in. wide (8 cm), packed with dozens of small, star-shaped, rich violet-lilac flowers. They are borne atop sturdy stalks, which arise from a group of 6 to 8 handsome, blue-green leaves. Blooming in late spring to early summer, this spectacular Allium enjoys long-lasting blooms and makes outstanding cut flowers that will last for 2 weeks.

Gillenia trifoliata (Bowman's Root) is an upright, somewhat bushy perennial featuring reddish stems carrying small, 3-lobed leaves and clusters of starry, dainty white flowers with contrasting red calyces, up to 1-1.5 in wide (3-4cm ), which persist after the petals drop. Blooming in late spring to early summer, this eastern and southern United States native remains attractive in the fall when its foliage turns red.

More tolerant of hot and humid summers than most heucheras, Heuchera 'Caramel' is a gorgeous variety of Coral Bells with a unique foliage of rounded leaves, emerging gray-red in spring and maturing to apricot-caramel with burgundy-red undersides by summer. In early summer, panicles of small, bell-shaped, creamy-pink flowers bloom on slender stems rising above the semi-evergreen foliage. Robust and vigorous, 'Caramel' is also prized for its ability to thrive in dry shade.