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.

Native to North America, Amorpha canescens (Lead Plant) is a lovely rounded deciduous shrub with small, grayish green, aromatic, feathery leaves and spikes of tiny, bluish-purple flowers with gold anthers. Blooming for 3 weeks in late spring to early summer, the flower spikes to 4 in. long (10 cm) are rich in nectar and attract bees, butterflies, moths and other beneficial insects. The pinnately compound foliage is covered with short, dense hairs, giving the plant a silver-gray appearance. Lead Plant frequently dies down to ground level in the winter, resprouting from the base in the following spring. Its roots are very deep and can grow more than 15 ft (450 cm) into the ground, making it very well adapted to surviving fires and drought. Tough and undemanding, Lead Plant withstands heat, drought and wind. It is a good plant for borders, meadows, and wildflower gardens. It can also be used as a windbreak and to prevent soil erosion.

Selected by the American Horticultural Society as one of the 75 Great Plants for American Gardens, Amsonia tabernaemontana (Blue Star) is an exceptional perennial with early-season blue flowers, attractive summer foliage, a sturdy habit and golden fall color. Amsonia tabernaemontana features clusters of delicate, pale blue, star-shaped flowers borne on erect, sturdy, leafy stems in late spring - early summer. The flowers attract long-tongued insects such as carpenter bees, hummingbird moths, and butterflies. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are also attracted to the nectar. The blossoms rise above a graceful, willow-shaped, upright foliage that pleasantly colors up in the fall. This beauty is also low maintenance, disease and insect resistant, making this eastern U.S. native a first-rate garden plant.

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.

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.

Tough and durable, Baptisia australis (False Indigo) is an upright perennial with a long season of interest. In spring, this native to the North American prairies bears spikes of pea-shaped indigo blue flowers, resembling Lupines. They last for about three weeks and attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. When the flowers fade away, the lovely blue-green, trifoliate leaves remain neat and form a lovely backdrop for the other perennials in the garden. If left untrimmed, the plant forms interesting seedpods turning deep black in the fall and persist into winter.

One of the most elegant of perennials, Bleeding Heart (Dicentra spectabilis) is a graceful herbaceous perennial boasting gracefully arching stems studded with lockets of pink flowers, whose hearts are no doubt bleeding, adorned with protruding white petals. They hang above the attractive foliage of soft green, divided leaves. Blooming for 4-6 weeks in late spring to early summer, it tends to decline or even disappear in mid-summer. However, if it is kept well-watered during the spring, dormancy may be delayed until late summer or early fall. Great for shaded borders or woodland gardens.

Appreciated for their stature, ease of cultivation, and attractive flowers, Eupatorium maculatum, commonly known as Joe-Pye Weed, are strong growing perennials that provide a wonderful garden presence. Native to North America, they are noted for their erect, purple-stained stems (therefore "maculata") that are branched with flat-topped, 4-5 in. (10-12 cm) clusters of eye-catching rose-purple to mauve flowers. Often fragrant, their blossoms are attractive to bees and butterflies in search of nectar.

A favorite for cut flowers and arrangements, Baby's Breath (Gypsophila paniculata) also deserves a place in the landscape. Its airy clouds of white or pink tiny flowers add both contrast and texture to the perennial border from early summer to fall. Their billowy appearance is most attractive and has a softening effect on the surrounding plants. Growing in decorative mounds, up to 2-3 feet tall and wide (60-90 cm), covered with myriads of long-lasting, single or double flowers on plants with very small, blue-green leaves, this plant is low maintenance and highly disease-free.

A fabulous little plant that you should not be overlooked. Iberis sempervirens (Evergreen Candytuft) is an enchanting low, sprawling, woody-based perennial that will charm your garden in mid to late spring. Among the purest garden whites with its abundant clusters of 4-petaled white flowers, enhanced by delicate yellow dots on each petal, the blossoms stand out starkly against the foliage of narrow, dark green leaves.

Valued for its showy fluffy vertical flower spikes contrasting with a lush, finely textured, grassy foliage, Gayfeather or Blazing Star (Liatris spicata) is a perennial of great ornamental value. Interestingly flowering in succession from top to bottom over 4 weeks and more, its button-shaped, purple, rosy red or white flowers resemble blazing stars (hence its common name). Attractive to bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, this beautiful native American species enjoys a long season of interest from mid-summer to fall and supplies winter bird food. The narrow, opposite leaves stay attractive all summer and turn a rich bronze in fall. Easy to grow and low care, Liatris spicata adds a strong vertical accent in sunny borders or prairie gardens. It helps create outstanding combinations with the warm golds of Rudbeckia or the purple blossoms of Echinacea.

Very free flowering and one of the tallest, Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant' (Catmint) is a vigorous herbaceous perennial noted for its billowing, aromatic, gray-green foliage that is topped with 9-12 in. spikes (22-30 cm) of rich violet-blue flowers in early summer with repeat blooms throughout the growing season. Although the stems are 2-3 ft long (60-90 cm), the arching habit of this Nepeta brings the height down to 18 to 24 inches (45-60 cm). Plant large drifts of Nepeta 'Six Hills Giant' along a walkway to create a garden space that overflows with color and enjoy its lemon scent when bruised!

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.

Native to eastern North America, Phlox divaricata (Woodland Phlox) is a semi-evergreen, spreading wildflower which creates mats of abundant, open clusters of slightly fragrant flowers in mid to late spring. Each scented, saucer-shaped flower features five, flat, notched, petal-like lobes in shades of lilac, rose or blue. Borne at the tip of hairy and sticky stems, they rise enthusiastically above the lance-shaped foliage. A creeping perennial, Phlox divaricata grows only 9-12 in. tall and wide (22-30 cm) and can form large colonies over time, creating a beautiful flower carpet.

Handsome and fragrant, Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum' (Fragrant Solomon's Seal) is a rhizomatous, shade-loving perennial with slightly arching stems covered with sweetly scented, vase-shaped, creamy-white flowers tipped with green in late spring to early summer. Gracefully hanging from the leaf axils, they are followed in fall by attractive blue-black berries. Highly ornamental, the elegant foliage of bright green, elliptic leaves is splashed and streaked with creamy white and turns attractive shades of yellow in fall. Native to shaded slopes and woodland areas in temperate regions of Europe and Asia, Variegated Solomon’s Seal is a classic beauty for the shady woodland garden or the part-shade to full-shade border

Marking the end of summer with its sprays of bright yellow flowers, Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks' (Rough Goldenrod) is a clump-forming perennial that provides a bold splash of color in the late season garden. Blooming for weeks from late summer to late fall, this eye-catching beauty features arching flower panicles that resemble fireworks cascading off the plant. They are a great source of nectar and pollen, attracting various species of insects, including small bees, wasps, flies, small butterflies, skippers, and beetles. The fine-textured leaves emerge burgundy in spring and change to dark green in summer. Ornamental throughout the season, Fireworks is subject to less spreading than the species, and can be mixed with other perennials without fear of it becoming invasive.

Named after Achilles, hero of the Trojan Wars in Greek mythology, who used yarrow to heal the wounds of his soldiers, Achillea is valued for its pleasantly fragrant, feathery foliage and its long-lasting, conspicuous, flat umbel flowers. Vital ingredient of herbaceous borders, cottage gardens, meadows or prairies, Achillea typically blooms for weeks from late spring to late summer, in a wide range of colors. Easy care, drought, deer and rabbit resistant, Achillea is rich in many qualities!

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.

Providing a bold splash of color in the late-season garden with its masses of lavender-blue starry flowers, the Italian Aster (Aster amellus) is one of the first Asters to bloom, doesn't need staking, and is not sensitive to mildew. Native to Europe, it is easy to grow, is long-lived, brings cheerful fall color, and is a great source of nectar for butterflies! As opposed to the New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae) or the New York Aster (Aster novi-belgii), it doesn't produce tall, pyramidal plants, but the size and beauty of its blossoms, coupled with its neat and compact habit, make the Italian Aster among the most desirable of all Fall Asters.

Providing an outstanding late-season show with its masses of violet or lavender daisy-like flowers, New England Aster (Aster novae-angliae) is one of the tallest and most spectacular of the Asters. Native to North America, it is easy to grow, long-lived brings cheerful fall color, and is a great source of nectar for butterflies.

Astilbes are fabulous plants for shady, moist conditions. Admired for their graceful, colorful flower plumes rising elegantly above mounds of fern-like foliage which remains attractive all season long, they light up your shade garden for weeks and add a dazzling splash of color in the landscape. Each plume consists of hundreds of densely packed tiny flowers, each opening in succession from late spring to late summer, providing a long season of bloom before turning progressively a rich caramel color.

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!

Tough as nails, Coneflowers (Echinacea) are wonderful additions to the landscape with their brightly colored blossoms to be enjoyed over a long flowering season. Simple to grow, mostly trouble-free, thriving on neglect, these members of the Asteraceae family (along with daisies, sunflowers and asters), are reliable performers that are tolerant to almost everything! Loved by butterflies, birds and bees, Coneflowers have won the hearts and minds of many gardeners and are increasingly in vogue as garden perennials, as cut flowers or landscape plants. They enjoy such a long list of virtues that should not be overlooked!

Adding outstanding contrast, interest, and color to the summer garden while being trouble-free and low maintenance, Echinops (Globe Thistle) makes an invaluable contribution to the landscape. Blooming from mid-summer to early fall, their bold and ornamental, steel blue or pristine white, globe-shaped flowers (the size of a golf ball) are truly lovely and enchanting. Borne at the end of sturdy stems, they dance gracefully above their handsome foliage of thistle-like dark green leaves.

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.

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.

Siberian Irises are terrific herbaceous perennials, rich with many qualities: fabulous looking, long display season, easy to grow, low maintenance and trouble free! Their exquisite flowers come in an array of gorgeous blue, purple, red-violet or yellow with newer cultivars in brown and orange shades, and can have a variety of forms from upright to flat and round. After blooming, their grass-like foliage of upright, blade-shaped leaves, is also one of their most attractive garden features as it remains fresh-looking all season.

Shasta Daisy (Leucanthemum x superbum) is a highly popular herbaceous perennial valued for its prominent and spectacular floral display and its attractive, lush dark green foliage which provide weeks of color starting early or mid-summer. Extremely easy to grow, there is a Shasta Daisy for every garden and every taste thanks to the profusion of cultivars presenting different levels of compactness, floral size, flowering type (single or double), longevity, or repetitiveness of the bloom period.

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.

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!

With its showy, sweetly fragrant flowers and long blooming season throughout the summer until early fall, Phlox paniculata is a garden classic that is considered by many as the backbone of summer borders. Their full round heads of white, lavender, pink, rose, red and bi-color blossoms sway attractively in the breeze, adding a gentle fragrance that is always welcome. Rich in nectar, they are visited by hummingbirds, butterflies, and birds that adore them! And so should you!

Providing fantastic warm colors in the late summer garden, Rudbeckia fulgida are herbaceous perennial boasting golden yellow flowers with prominent, brown or black central cones. Blooming profusely from mid-summer through early fall, they are borne atop sturdy stems and literally cover the foliage of lance-shaped, deep green leaves. Their joyous color range is fairly limited - from yellow to orange-yellow - but they differ in height and habit. Extremely easy to grow, they look stunning next to the cool blue colors of Geranium, purplish Asters, or the soft tan ornamental grasses.

Sedums are almost the perfect plants. Vigorous, carefree, good-looking, with a season of interest lasting more than 6 months, who could resist? Even the bees and butterflies can't! These standout perennials grow more or less erect, up to 2 ft. (60 cm), and form a clump of thick, fleshy sage green to blue to dark red foliage topped with flower buds resembling broccoli. Gradually, these densely clustered buds reveal tiny, star-like flowers, in shades of white, pink or red, in late summer or early fall. As the weather cools, their colors grow deeper and richer. Both foliage and dead inflorescences remain attractive through winter, providing some additional interest.