Cultivated since the 19th century, award-winner Alchemilla mollis (Lady's Mantle) provides a lovely finish to a border or a path edge and blends beautifully with most perennials. This clump-forming perennial forms dense, leafy mounds of scallop-edged, toothed, densely hairy, light green leaves which nicely retain moisture beads after the rain.

One of the most popular foliage plants, award-winner Artemisia schmidtiana 'Nana' is a compact, semi-evergreen perennial forming a low, spreading mound with soft, silvery leaves divided into hair-like segments of extremely fine foliage texture. Tiny, yellow nodding flower-heads appear in mid or late summer, but they are ornamentally insignificant and are best cut off to keep the foliage at its best. A great choice as a neutral spacer or framing plant, Artemisia schmidtiana 'Nana' is a graceful addition to the landscape. One of the few Artemisia that is not invasive by underground rhizomes.

Incredibly showy, Euphorbia polychroma is a mounding perennial considered one of the best for borders. Growing in an attractive dome, it bears dense, flattened golden-yellow flowers in spring, and is one of the few perennials to display a showy fall foliage. Although the flowers are not showy, they are subtended by long-lasting, bright sulfur-yellow bracts which are exceptionally eye-catching. The foliage of medium green leaves turns to a showy red, purple or orange in fall, providing a long season of interest.

Adding striking colors to the garden in early or mid-summer, Tanacetum coccineum, commonly called Painted Daisy or Pyrethrum, is a fabulous perennial. Why? It produces masses of very showy, 3 in. wide (7 cm) daisies with a large central golden disc, elegantly contrasting with the white, red, purple, or pink rays. They last over a very long season to the delight of butterflies but also repel insects, helping to keep your garden pest free! They rise above a strongly-aromatic foliage mound of soft, finely-divided, fern-like bright green leaves which remain attractive after blooming is over. Finally, Painted Daisies have always been popular as cut flowers thanks to their sturdy, straight stems that prolong their blooms' life in a vase.

Aquilegia, commonly known as Columbine or Granny's Bonnet is an excellent garden perennial with attractive clouds of delicate, bell-shaped flowers and a wonderful lacy foliage that emerges early in the year. Blooming profusely for at least 4-6 weeks, from mid-spring through summer (depending on varieties and regions), they provide a lovely and welcomed transition between the early spring bulbs and the peak garden season.

Vigorous, charming and eye-catching, Campanula glomerata (Clustered Bellflower) is a useful perennial that brings early color and contrast to the garden. It features bouquets of eye-catching, violet-blue to white, upward facing, bell-shaped flowers, held in dense clusters. They sit atop sturdy leafy stems above basal rosettes of heart-shaped to oval green leaves. These clusters can have up to 15 flowers, therefore the common name of Clustered Bellflower. Blooming for 2-3 weeks from late spring to early summer, this Bellflower does well in most soils but has a tendency to spread rapidly in rich soils. Ideal for beds and borders in cottage gardens. Campanula glomerata makes excellent cut flowers that last up to 2 weeks in a vase!

Adding fabulous color and form to the early summer border, hardy perennial salvias are mostly represented by the hybrids of Salvia x sylvestris (Woodland Sage) and Salvia nemorosa. With their vertical, densely packed flower spikes, ranging from rich indigo-blue to violet to purple, these hardy salvias contribute to creating incredibly beautiful and contrasting combinations with other perennials and ornamental grasses. Butterflies and hummingbirds love them as they enjoy sipping the nectar from their tightly bunched whorls of flowers.

Peonies are a classic ingredient of the perennial border and have been cultivated for over 2000 years. Beloved for their abundant blooms, the beauty of their exquisite flowers, their delightful fragrance, and their bold foliage changing shades over the seasons, peony flowers add a dazzling splash of color in the landscape. Virtually carefree once established, they live for generations, are deer-proof, and produce some of the best cut flowers - making them one of Nature's loveliest perennials! Peony bouquets are a favorite of florists and many brides-to-be.

Highlights of the garden from late spring to early summer, Oriental Poppies (Papaver orientale) are truly eye-catching perennials with their huge, silky-satin flowers in shades of red, orange, white or pink. Planted in small groups, their bold blossoms will give a colorful punch to your borders and draw your attention! The seedpods that follow the fading flowers are also quite attractive and can be used in dried flower arrangements or left in the garden for the visual interest they bring!