Highly robust and vigorous, Anemone x hybrida 'Robustissima' is a sensational Japanese Anemone with single, soft pink cup-shaped blossoms borne on reddish stems. Dancing and swaying in the breeze, the eye-catching 5-petalled blossoms are gracefully carried on wiry reddish stems above mounds of divided, grape-like, dark green foliage.

For summer to fall exquisite beauty on easy care plants, few perennials can compare with Aster x frikartii 'Monch' (Frikart's Aster). One of the first Asters to bloom, this lovely perennial plant creates a bold splash of color in the landscape over an extraordinarily long season with masses of attractive, soft lavender-blue, star-shaped blossoms, 2 in. wide (5 cm), with slender rays and golden-yellow centers. Such a gentle color that it blends with almost any other color in the garden. Free flowering, well-branched with sturdy stems that do not need staking, this aster is easy to grow, trouble-free, mildew-resistant and a great source of nectar for butterflies!

Award-winner Sedum 'Herbstfreude' or 'Autumn Joy' is probably one of the best of all border sedums. Vigorous, hardy, carefree, good-looking, with a season of interest lasting more than 6 months from early summer until well into winter, who could resist? Easy to grow, this standout perennial forms a 2 feet tall (60 cm) clump of thick, fleshy blue-green foliage topped with flower buds resembling broccoli. Gradually, these densely clustered buds will reveal tiny, star-like soft raspberry pink flowers in mid to late summer, which will softly change to rich rose and then coppery-rust in the fall as they die.

Among the most beautiful Japanese anemones, award-winner Anemone hupehensis 'Hadspen Abundance' produces masses of cup-shaped, rich carmine-pink flowers, 2-3 in. wide (5-7 cm), with five rounded tepals contrasting the yellow stamens. Free-flowering, its flowers are unusual because they consist of two smaller dark-pink petals and three slightly larger, paler ones. This two-tone effect results in a delightful shimmering effect in the border.

A North American native that is perfect for the late summer garden, Lobelia siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia) is a popular, upright perennial which produces long-lasting spikes of bright blue flowers atop a finely-toothed, lance-shaped foliage from late summer to mid-fall. Quite an architectural plant that adds vertical interest to the landscape. The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract primarily hummingbirds, bumblebees, and other long-tongued bees. Extremely hardy, low care, and fairly pest and disease-free, Great Blue Lobelia tends to be short-lived, although it may self-seed in ideal growing conditions (without becoming invasive).

Long-lived and drought tolerant, award-winner Sedum 'Matrona' is a fabulous sight in the landscape with its masses of pale pink flowers, densely packed in large umbrella-shaped flowerheads, and showing off atop sturdy ruby stems that keep them perfectly upright, coupled with the fleshy, purple-veined and purple-tinged leaves. Easy to grow, this standout perennial forms an 18-24 in. tall (45- 60 cm) clump of thick, fleshy gray-green foliage topped with flower buds resembling broccoli. Gradually, these densely clustered buds will reveal tiny, star-like pink flowers in mid to late summer, which will softly change to mauve-pink, then chestnut-bronze in fall as they die

A lovely sight in the late summer or fall garden, Anemone hupehensis var. japonica 'Pamina' is a star performer featuring masses of double, deep rose, cup-shaped flowers, 2 in. wide (5 cm), forming lovely rosettes around a ring of golden stamens. Persisting for weeks, the eye-catching flowers are gracefully carried on dark, wiry stems above mounds of divided, vine-like, dark green foliage. A wonderful naturalizer.

Ready to please the gardener, award-winner Sage 'Amethyst' (Salvia nemorosa) is a favorite of many for its unique, glowing purple stems and stunning spikes of rich, lavender-pink flowers, appearing in early summer and lasting throughout the summer. Raised by world-acclaimed designer Piet Oudolf, Salvia 'Amethyst' is considered the best pink flowered variety of Salvia. Reliable, this erect, bushy herbaceous perennial grows in round clumps of mid-green, aromatic wavy-edged leaves. Drought tolerant and deer resistant, it is a real magnet for butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees!

Vigorous and charming, Anemone x hybrida 'Rosenschale' produces masses of large, semi-double, shell pink flowers with 6-9 petals, deeper pink on the backside, and yellow center stamens. The flowers are gracefully carried on wiry stems above the deeply divided, dark green foliage.

Among the first Asters to bloom, Aster amellus 'King George' (Italian Aster) is regarded as one of the best with its profuse and long-lasting show of star-shaped, violet-blue blossoms, up to 2 in. wide (5 cm), with golden yellow centers. Blooming for weeks from late summer to mid-fall, this fall Aster doesn't need staking and is not sensitive to mildew. Native to Europe, it is easy to grow, long-lived, and provides a bold splash of color in the late-season garden. Compact and fast-growing, up to 24 in. tall and wide (60 cm). Drought tolerant, it attracts birds or butterflies.

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.

With very large (3 in. wide or 7 cm), semi-double, silky pink blossoms, award-winner Anemone x hybrida 'Konigin Charlotte' or 'Queen Charlotte' is a luminous and eye-catching Japanese Anemone variety that is perfect to enliven the late summer or fall garden. Dancing and swaying in the breeze, the attractive blossoms, counting up to 10-15 petals, are gracefully carried on wiry stems above mounds of three-lobed, dark green foliage. A popular choice.

Tall and robust, award-winner Chinese Silver Grass 'Kaskade' is a remarkable ornamental grass grown for its large, cascading, rose-pink flower plumes on display from mid-late summer on. They change to silvery white as they mature and provide good winter interest. They rise elegantly, well above the foliage of narrow, arching green leaves with prominent white midribs, which turn to rich copper-red and bronze shades in the fall before bleaching to pewter. Easily grows in a dense, upright 6-7 feet tall (180-210 cm), rounded fountain-like clump. Drought and salt tolerant, it is deer and rabbit resistant!

Winner of the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society, Verbena bonariensis is a tall and slender-stemmed perennial that displays rich lilac flowers in tight clusters atop long stems that sway gracefully in the summer breeze. They rise well above rosettes of lance-shaped, dark green leaves that hug the ground. A superior nectar plant, hummingbirds and butterflies love it, and so will you!

Award-winner Anemone x hybrida 'Honorine Jobert' is a lovely, compact Japanese Anemone hybrid cultivar exhibiting slightly cupped, pure white flowers, 2-3 in. wide (5-7 cm), with contrasting yellow stamens. They are gracefully carried on wiry stems above the deeply divided, dark green foliage, dancing and swaying in the breeze. This garden favorite enjoys one of the longest-blooming season (about 3 months).

Fast-growing, upright and vigorous, New England Aster 'Andenken an Alma Potschke' (Aster novae-angliae) features masses of large, daisy-like, bright rose-pink flowers, up to 2 in. wide (5 cm) with sunny yellow center disks. Blooming for 6 weeks or longer, from late summer to late fall, this eye-catching beauty easily enlivens any sunny corner of the garden. Native to North America, it is easy to grow, long-lived, brings cheerful fall color and is a great source of nectar for butterflies. Typically grows up to 36 in. tall (90 cm) and 2-3 ft. wide (60-90 cm). Deer and rabbit resistant!

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.