Erythronium 'Kondo' (Dog Tooth Violet) is a vigorous perennial boasting up to 7 nodding, pale yellow flowers per stem in mid-late spring. Each blossom features elegantly recurved, pointed petals and deep yellow anthers. They rise well above the basal foliage of glossy, pale green, elliptic leaves, softly marbled with bronze. Lovely in groups under deciduous trees, in rock gardens or near ponds and streams where it will happily multiply.

With big creamy-yellow flowers, Erythronium 'Pagoda' (Dog Tooth Violet) is an outstanding addition to shady gardens. Vigorous, this spring perennial features up to 10 nodding lily-like flowers per stem, 2 in. wide (5 cm), with elegantly recurved, pointed petals in mid to late spring. They rise well above the foliage of rich green, glossy leaves, mottled with brown or bronze markings. The rosette of leaves emerges in early spring and grows from long, tooth-like bulbs, before dying back soon after flowering.

Erythronium americanum (Yellow Trout Lily) is a charming perennial boasting nodding, lily-shaped, bright yellow flowers, one per stem, in mid-spring. Each blossom features elegantly reflexed petals, often brushed with purple on the outside, and brownish-yellow anthers. They rise well above the basal foliage of elliptic leaves, softly marbled with purple and bronze. Lovely in groups under deciduous trees, in rock gardens, or near ponds and streams where it will happily multiply. This is a spring ephemeral whose foliage disappears by late spring as the plant goes dormant.

Award-winning Erythronium californicum 'White Beauty' (Fawn Lily) is a vigorous perennial boasting up to 10 graceful, creamy-white flowers per stem in mid to late spring. Relatively large, each blossom, 2 in. across (5 cm), features elegantly recurved, pointed petals and cinnamon-orange markings in the throat. They rise well above the foliage of rich green, elliptic leaves, softly mottled with brown and white. Lovely in groups under deciduous trees, in rock gardens or near ponds and streams where it will happily multiply.

Erythronium dens-canis 'Japonicum' (Dog's Tooth Violet) is a charming perennial boasting graceful, nodding, violet flowers, one per stem, in mid-late spring. Each blossom features elegantly reflexed petals adorned with dark purple markings in the throat. The reflexed petals reveal long, purple-tipped white anthers. The blossoms rise well above the basal foliage of broadly-oval leaves, copiously marbled with purple-brown. Lovely in groups under deciduous trees, in rock gardens or near ponds and streams where it will happily multiply.

Award-winning Erythronium dens-canis 'Lilac Wonder' (Dog's Tooth Violet) is a charming perennial boasting elegant, nodding, lilac-pink flowers, one per stem, in mid-late spring. Each blossom features gracefully recurved, pointed petals adorned with contrasting chocolate brown markings in the throat. They rise well above the basal foliage of mid-green, elliptic leaves, copiously marbled with purple-brown. Lovely in groups under deciduous trees, in rock gardens, or near ponds and streams where it will happily multiply.

Erythronium dens-canis 'Purple King' (Dog's Tooth Violet) is a charming perennial boasting elegant, nodding, mauve-pink flowers, one per stem, in mid-late spring. Each blossom, 2 in. across (5 cm), features gracefully recurved, pointed petals adorned with yellow markings in the throat. The reflexed petals reveal long, purple-tipped white anthers. The blossoms rise well above the basal foliage of broadly-oval leaves, copiously marbled with purple-brown. Lovely in groups under deciduous trees, in rock gardens or near ponds and streams where it will happily multiply.

Erythronium dens-canis 'Rose Queen' (Dog's Tooth Violet) is a charming perennial boasting elegant, nodding, rose-pink flowers, one per stem, in mid-late spring. Each blossom, 2 in. across (5 cm), features gracefully recurved, pointed petals adorned with yellow markings in the throat. The reflexed petals reveal long, purple-tipped white anthers. The blossoms rise well above the basal foliage of broadly-oval leaves, copiously marbled with purple-brown. Lovely in groups under deciduous trees, in rock gardens or near ponds and streams where it will happily multiply.

Erythronium dens-canis 'Snowflake' (Dog's Tooth Violet) is a charming perennial boasting elegant, nodding, white flowers, one per stem, in mid-late spring. Each blossom, 2 in. across (5 cm), features gracefully recurved, pointed petals adorned with contrasting markings in the throat. The reflexed petals reveal long, violet-tipped white anthers. The blossoms rise well above the basal foliage of broadly-oval leaves, copiously marbled with purple-brown. Lovely in groups under deciduous trees, in rock gardens or near ponds and streams where it will happily multiply.

Erythronium dens-canis (Dog's Tooth Violet) is a charming perennial boasting elegant, nodding, mauve-pink flowers, one per stem, in mid-spring. Relatively large, each blossom, 2 in. across (5 cm), features gracefully recurved, pointed petals adorned with contrasting cinnamon-brown and yellow markings in the throat. They rise well above the basal foliage of mid-green, elliptic leaves, copiously marbled with purple-brown. Lovely in groups under deciduous trees, in rock gardens, or near ponds and streams where it will happily multiply.

Erythronium japonicum (Asian Fawn Lily) is a charming perennial boasting elegant, nodding, lilac-pink flowers, one per stem, in mid to late spring. Each blossom features gracefully reflexed petals adorned with contrasting deep burgundy markings in the throat. They rise well above the basal foliage of broadly elliptical, green leaves. Lovely in groups under deciduous trees, in rock gardens or near ponds and streams where it will happily multiply. This is a spring ephemeral whose foliage disappears by late spring as the plant goes dormant.

Erythronium revolutum (Mahogany Fawn Lily) is a charming tuberous perennial boasting up to 4 elegant, nodding, pale to deep pink flowers per stem in mid to late spring. Each blossom features gracefully reflexed petals adorned with contrasting yellow markings in the throat. They rise well above the basal foliage of semi-erect, lance-shaped, mottled green leaves. Lovely in groups under deciduous trees, in rock gardens or near ponds and streams where it will happily multiply. This is a spring ephemeral whose foliage disappears by late spring as the plant goes dormant.

Erythronium tuolumnense (Tuolumne Dog Tooth Violet) is a robust perennial boasting up to 10 nodding, bright yellow flowers per stem in mid-late spring. Each blossom, 1.5 in. across (4 cm), features elegantly recurved, pointed petals and deep yellow anthers. They rise well above the basal foliage of semi-erect, lance-shaped, glossy, solid green leaves. Lovely in groups under deciduous trees, in rock gardens or near ponds and streams where it will happily multiply.

Often grown for their dramatic foliage - large banana-like leaves - Cannas provide a strong ornamental interest and immediately give a touch of the tropics in the garden.

Real eye-catchers in the garden, Gladioli, also known as sword lilies, are cormous perennials boasting spectacular spikes of funnel-shaped flowers in a surprisingly wide range of colors. Borne atop attractive fans of sword-shaped or linear leaves, they always provide a dramatic effect with their rich and cheerful colors and their breathtaking vertical lines. Easy to grow if some rules are followed, they deserve a spot in beds and borders, containers, or in floral arrangements.

A member of the Amaryllis family, Lycoris (Spider Lilies) are striking bulbous perennials boasting showy umbels of funnel-shaped flowers on naked stems in late summer and early fall. Appearing almost magically since there is no foliage to indicate where their bulb has been planted, they pop out of the ground in a pretty array of bright colors and last about 2 weeks.

A member of the Hyacinth family, Ornithogalum (Star of Bethlehem) are bulbous perennials grown for their clusters of typically star-shaped, white flowers in spring or summer, depending on the species. They quickly form large clumps of grassy or strap-like leaves.