Hardy and reliable, Agastache 'Black Adder' (Giant Hyssop) is a charming herbaceous perennial boasting bottle-brush, terminal spikes, 6-8 in. long (15-20 cm), packed with fragrant, tubular, two-lipped red-violet flowers emerging from dark buds. Blooming from mid-summer to fall, they provide a remarkably long floral display and add color as well as a lovely spiky texture to the garden.

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.

Allium sphaerocephalon or 'Drumstick Allium' is a lovely addition to the border where it adds interest and movement with its dense egg-shaped flower heads atop straight and slender stems, delicately turning from green to purple as they mature. Blooming in late spring to early summer, this spectacular bulbous perennial adds some dramatic color to the garden. Naturalizes easily and will come back year after year

Resembling the delicate Astilbe, Artemisia lactiflora (White Mugwort) is favored for its deep green foliage, its attractive plumes of creamy-white flowers and its elegant vertical lines. Unlike its Artemisia cousins whose yellow-gray flowers are inconspicuous, White Mugwort features lovely sprays of tiny flowers, on slightly arching but self-supporting stems from late summer to fall, atop toothed, deep-green leaves with silver undersides. This is an excellent selection for the garden thanks to its airy texture and is perfect for lightening the effect of brightly colored flowers in the landscape.

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.

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!

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 Echinacea purpurea 'Magnus' is a sun-loving perennial that stands out with its bold, giant flowers whose rosy purple petals are held out flat rather than drooping like most coneflowers. An early bloomer, this compact coneflower provides a vibrant floral display in the garden from early to late summer, sometimes with additional sporadic bloom until frost. Perfect for perennial borders, prairies, small gardens and containers.

Echinacea purpurea 'Rubinglow' is an outstanding short-stemmed variety of Coneflower with big, heavily petaled, brilliant magenta flowers surrounding dark brown central cones. Standing out, this sun-loving perennial is considered as first choice by many gardeners. An early bloomer, this great-looking perennial has a compact habit and shines in the garden from early to late summer, sometimes with additional sporadic bloom until frost. Perfect for perennial borders, prairies and cottage gardens.

Award-winning Echinacea 'Ruby Giant' is an upright perennial boasting a profusion of huge, fragrant flowers, 5 in. wide (12 cm), with slightly reflexed, red-purple rays that fade to light purple as they mature. This clonal selection from the original Echinacea 'Rubinstern' seed presents a double row of petals held horizontally for maximum impact and effect. Free-flowering, its brownish central disk may grow up to 2 in. (5 cm) tall! Blooming from mid to late summer, sometimes with additional sporadic bloom until frost, this attractive coneflower is perfect for perennial borders, prairies and cottage gardens.

Robust, Echinops bannaticus 'Taplow Blue' is a unique and appealing Globe Thistle with deeply cut foliage of prickly dark green leaves, downy and white underneath. From mid-summer to early fall, it produces abundant, perfectly round, powdery steel-blue flower heads, 2-3 in. (5-7 cm), at the end of gracefully curving, branched, leafy stems. Adding outstanding contrast, interest, and color to the summer garden while being trouble-free and low maintenance, Globe Thistle makes an invaluable contribution to the landscape. Excellent for cutting, it flowers more than once in a season. Truly lovely and perfectly suited to the perennial border or the cutting garden.

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.

Noted for its exceptionally long flowering period and spreading habit, award-winning Geranium 'Ann Folkard' is quite eye-catching with its profusion of large, magenta-pink cup-shaped flowers with black star-shaped centers, rising atop mounds of deeply cut, bright golden chartreuse leaves that darken slightly in summer. Putting on a great show from late spring to fall, this hardy geranium is reliable, easy to grow, and provides long-lasting color. Vigorous, it can knit the largest of borders together and provides a bold presence in the garden. Attractive to butterflies but deer and rabbit resistant!

Noted for its exceptionally long flowering period, award-winning Geranium 'Patricia' (Cranesbill) is quite eye-catching with its profusion of magenta-pink cup-shaped flowers with black star-shaped centers, rising atop mounds of deeply cut, dark green leaves that turn stunning shades of red in fall. Putting on a great show from late spring to midsummer, this hardy Geranium is reliable, easy to grow and provides long-lasting color for any garden. Attractive to butterflies but deer and rabbit resistant! Drought tolerant!

Lychnis Coronaria (Rose Campion) is an evergray perennial that deserves a spot in the landscape. Very attractive with its erect, white-gray flowering stalks covered with a profusion of glowing magenta, pale pink or white trumpet-shaped flowers, it enjoys a long season of interest, is easy to grow, trouble free and not too fussy about soils or exposure. Grown as much for its decorative and abundant 1 inch flowers in bloom from late spring to late summer as for its basal rosette of woolly, silver-gray leaves which provides interest in the winter garden, it requires little maintenance, is drought tolerant and deer resistant.

Well-behaved, Persicaria amplexicaulis 'Alba' is upright, clump-forming perennial boasting narrow spires densely packed with small, bell-shaped, white flowers held on long, graceful wands over a long season. Blooming from midsummer to fall, they rise well above the foliage mound of large, oval, pointed, mid green leaves.

Multiple award-winner, Salvia nemorosa 'Caradonna' is a favorite of many gardeners for its unique, glowing dark purple stems and stunning, vertical spikes of rich, violet-blue flowers appearing in late spring or early summer. Very striking when in bloom, they last for weeks and bring strong color and form to the landscape. Drought tolerant and deer resistant, this Salvia is a real magnet for butterflies, hummingbirds and bees! Reliable and compact, it grows in round clumps of gray-green, aromatic foliage up to 18-24 in. high (45-60 cm) and nearly as wide.

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

Long-lived and drought tolerant, award-winner Sedum 'Karfunkelstein' is a harmonious sight in the landscape with its masses of light pink flowers, densely packed in large umbrella-shaped flower heads, and showing off atop sturdy purple stems that keep them perfectly upright, coupled with the fleshy, purple-tinged leaves. 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?

Long-lived and drought tolerant, award-winner Sedum 'Purple Emperor' is a lovely sight in the landscape with its masses of rosy-pink flowers, densely packed in large umbrella-shaped flower heads, and showing off atop bright reddish-purple stems clad with dark purple, fleshy leaves. Vigorous, hardy, carefree, good-looking, with a season of interest lasting more than 6 months from early summer until well into winter, this standout perennial grows up to 18-24 in. tall (45-60 cm) and is rabbit and deer resistant.

Agapanthus are such flamboyant and exotic-looking perennials that it is impossible not to love them! Easy to grow, pest and disease free, they feature showy, rounded clusters of brightly colored flowers on stiff, upright stalks atop clumps of beautiful, long, shiny leaves.

An essential component of many bouquets thanks to their long vase life (over 2 weeks), Peruvian Lilies (Alstroemeria) are striking beauties that also deserve a spot outdoors. Borne in loose clusters, their 2 in. (5 cm) exotic blossoms are often streaked or freckled and are available in a fabulous range of colors. Resembling lilies with their attractive trumpet-like flowers, they do not grow from true bulbs but rather grow from tuberous roots which spread outward, gradually increasing the plant size each year.

Eye-catching, Anthemis tinctoria is a vigorous perennial that will light up your garden throughout summer and sometimes into fall with its abundant blooms of shining golden yellow flowers atop a fragrant lacy foliage. A low-maintenance plant, it adds long-lasting color and contrast to the summer perennial border.

Extremely showy and exotic-looking, Crocosmia produce decorative clumps of erect sword-shaped leaves and brilliant wands of fiery scarlet, red, orange, and yellow tubular flowers which bloom for 5-8 weeks from mid-summer through mid-fall. Magnets for hummingbirds and butterflies, the vibrant blossoms give way to seedpods that persist into fall and attract hungry birds.

Flat Sea Holly (Eryngium planum) provides a tremendous garden presence throughout the summer that can't be overlooked with its profuse egg-shaped, steel-blue colored flowers. Its beautiful texture, unique color, long-lasting flowering, easy care and beauty in dried flower arrangements make it a favorite of gardeners. A favorite of bees too!

Native to North America and Central America, Helenium is a great perennial for the late season garden as it provides weeks of splashes of color, from early summer to early fall, when many other perennials are starting to fade.

Often called the 'perfect perennial' because of its numerous qualities: showy flowers, wide array of vibrant colors, drought tolerance, heat stress immunity, ability to grow in most hardiness zones and low care requirements, Daylily (Hemerocallis) is a remarkable and stunning addition to the garden! Each flower typically lasts no more than 24 hours, opening up in the morning and withering during the forthcoming night, possibly replaced by another one on the same flower stalk the next day.

Kniphofias, commonly known as Torch Lilies or Red Hot Pokers, always make a bold statement in the garden with their brilliant show of bright-colored, dense, erect spikes resembling glowing pokers or torches. Blooming from late spring to early fall, depending on the varieties, their stately flowers are noted for their long-lasting display of reds, oranges, yellows, or creams, adding eye-catching splashes of color to any border.

Monarda has very distinctive, brightly colored flower-heads that create impressive border displays and provide a great impact when used in a mass planting. The blooms consist of asymmetrical, two-lipped tubular flowers borne in dense, globular terminal heads, which rest upon a whorl of decorative bracts that attract scores of butterflies and hummingbirds. It is also grown for its aromatic foliage that can be enjoyed in salads or simply by passing by.

Extremely showy, Veronicastrum virginicum (Culver's Root) introduces elegant vertical lines to the borders with its long spikes of densely-clustered, tiny flowers from summer to fall. With a candelabra look, these attractive inflorescences, in shades of white, blue, pink and purple, are nicely complemented by lanceolate, dark-green leaves that are arranged in whorls around the stem. Fantastically hardy, very tolerant, Veronicastrum adds height, structure and texture to the garden, and as a bonus, this plant also attracts bees and butterflies!