Planting Place / Beds and Borders
Beds and Borders
Discover beautiful perennials, flower bulbs, shrubs or ornamental grasses to create terrific beds and borders. Choose plants so that your garden offers color throughout the year, even in winter. Spectacular flowers grab our attention, but do not ignore foliage plants that add interesting visual texture to the borders. Incorporate evergreen or flowering shrubs and small trees to provide fall color and winter interest.
Salvia azurea var. grandiflora (Pitcher Sage)
Salvia azurea var. grandiflora (Pitcher Sage) is a clump-forming, shrubby perennial with beautiful wands of sky blue flowers, up to 12 in. long (30 cm). Blooming from midsummer to frost, the elegant flowering wands are borne on slender stems clad with long, narrow, grayish-green leaves. Hardy, this Salvia enjoys an upright habit until midsummer, but will sprawl over nearby plants when it begins to bloom.
Abelia 'Edward Goucher'
Award-winning Abelia 'Edward Goucher' is a compact, semi-evergreen shrub with upright, gracefully arching stems bearing glossy, oval, dark green leaves with a bronze tinge when young. In midsummer, abundant clusters of lilac-pink, funnel-shaped flowers adorn the bush until fall. Their attractive bronze-tinged calyces further enrich the display and persist well after the flowers fall.
Abelia x grandiflora 'Hopleys' (Glossy Abelia)
Noted for its stable variegated foliage, award-winning Abelia x grandiflora 'Hopleys' is a compact, semi-evergreen shrub with a luminous foliage of bright green leaves adorned with buttery yellow edges in spring, gradually fading to ivory-white. The glossy oval leaves are highly decorative and turn pink in the fall. In midsummer, abundant clusters of lightly-scented, lilac-tinged white flowers adorn the bush until fall.
Abelia × grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope' (Glossy Abelia)
Changing color over the seasons, Abelia × grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope' (Glossy Abelia) is a dwarf, variegated, semi-evergreen shrub. Emerging bright yellow and lime-green in spring, its glossy oval leaves turn golden yellow in summer before taking on glowing orange and fiery red hues in fall. The leaf coloration does not burn or scorch in the hottest of weather.
Abelia × grandiflora 'Mardi Gras' (Glossy Abelia)
Changing color over the passing seasons, Abelia × grandiflora 'Mardi Gras' (Glossy Abelia) is a compact, low growing, spreading, semi-evergreen shrub. Borne on pink to red stems, its glossy oval leaves emerge bright pink in spring, mature to sparkling creamy white and green as the season progresses before taking on coppery shades in the fall.
Abelia × grandiflora 'Radiance' (Glossy Abelia)
Vigorous, Abelia × grandiflora 'Radiance' (Glossy Abelia) is a compact, dense, semi-evergreen shrub with vivid crimson stems contrasting the white variegated foliage. Emerging medium green with creamy yellow margins in spring, the glossy oval leaves soften to silvery-green with creamy white margins as the season progresses.
Abelia × grandiflora (Glossy Abelia)
Abelia × grandiflora (Glossy Abelia) is a medium-sized, rounded, semi-evergreen shrub with gracefully arching branches, densely clothed with small glossy oval, dark green leaves and clusters of pink-tinged, white, bell-shaped flowers. Slightly fragrant, the blooms are produced continuously cover a long period extending from late spring to fall. The foliage turn purplish-bronze in the fall.
Abies amabilis 'Spreading Star' (Pacific Silver Fir)
Abies amabilis ‘Spreading Star’ is a low-growing, evergreen conifer forming a widely spreading mound adorned with thick, overlapping, horizontal to arching branches clothed in a lush foliage of fluffy, green, long needles with silvery undersides. Slow-growing, 3-4 in. per year (7-10 cm), this Pacific Silver Fir is a great choice for small gardens or rockeries.
Abies balsamea (Hudsonia Group) 'Nana' (Balsam Fir)
Highly popular, Abies balsamea ‘Nana’ is a dwarf, aromatic, evergreen conifer of globose habit forming a broad mound with numerous short branches, adorned with a lush foliage of dark green needles radially arranged around the stems. Slow-growing, 2-3 in. per year (5-7 cm), this Balsam Fir is a great choice for small gardens or rockeries. Perfect for adding year-round color to the garden.
Abies concolor 'Archer’s Dwarf' (White Fir)
Abies concolor 'Archer’s Dwarf' is a dwarf evergreen conifer of regular, conical habit adorned with slightly ascending branches clothed in soft, silvery-blue, slightly incurved needles. Slow-growing, 3-4 in. per year (7-10 cm), this White Fir is a great choice for small gardens, containers or rockeries.
Abies concolor 'Compacta' (White Fir)
A deservedly popular White Fir, Abies concolor 'Compacta' is a slow-growing dwarf evergreen conifer of great beauty. It forms a dense, compact mound of irregular, spreading shape, unless it is sheared to a conical form. Its branches are beautifully clothed with long and slender, powder-blue needles
Abies concolor 'Hosta la Vista' (White Fir)
Abies concolor 'Hosta la Vista' is a dwarf evergreen conifer of globose habit, beautifully clothed with long, thick, slightly recurved, blue-green needles adorned with a glaucous, powdery coating. Slow-growing, 1-2 in. per year (2-5 cm), this small White Fir brightens up the garden and makes a lovely addition to small gardens, rockeries or containers.
Abies concolor 'Piggelmee' (White Fir)
A miniature White Firm cultivar, Abies concolor 'Piggelmee' is a slow-growing dwarf evergreen conifer with a lovely pale blue foliage.
Abies koreana 'Alpin Star' (Korean Fir)
Abies koreana 'Alpin Star' (Korean Fir) is a dwarf, evergreen conifer of compact, upright, irregular habit densely clothed in incredibly dark green needles, adorned with white undersides. Slow-growing, 1-3 in. per year (2-7 cm), this Korean Fir is a great choice for small gardens, containers or rockeries.
Abies koreana 'Aurea' (Korean Fir)
Abies koreana 'Aurea' (Korean Fir) is a desirable evergreen conifer of globe-shaped habit when young, becoming broadly pyramidal over time. Its ascending branches boast short, bright golden-yellow needles adorned with silvery-white undersides in the spring. As the season progresses, the golden coloration takes on a softer shade, almost turning light green. Abundant purple cones are held upright along the branches, creating a lovely contrast against the foliage. A slow grower, 3-6 in. per year (7-15 cm), this golden Korean Fir makes an eye-catching specimen accent. Mature plants can tolerate full sun, but juvenile plants prefer some shade.
Abies koreana 'Blauer Eskimo' (Korean Fir)
Abies koreana 'Blauer Eskimo' (Korean Fir) is a dwarf, evergreen conifer of globose habit adorned with short and stubby branches clothed in blue-green needles and prominent resin covered buds which are ravishing in winter. Slow-growing, 1 in. per year (2.5 cm), this Korean Fir is a great choice for small gardens, containers or rockeries and makes a lovely specimen plant when grafted onto a standard.
Abies koreana 'Blue Emperor' (Korean Fir)
Abies koreana 'Blue Emperor' (Korean Fir) is an evergreen conifer of great beauty. It forms a compact pyramid with attractive steel-blue needles.
Abies koreana 'Green Carpet' (Korean Fir)
Abies koreana 'Green Carpet' (Korean Fir) is a dwarf, evergreen conifer forming a compact, flat, round cushion adorned with attractive fresh green needles in spring, turning dark green over the summer. Abundant purple cones are held upright along the branches, creating a lovely contrast against the foliage. Slow-growing, 2 in. per year (5 cm), this Korean Fir is a great choice for small gardens, containers or rockeries and makes a handsome groundcover.
Abies koreana 'Kohout's Ice Breaker' (Korean Fir)
Abies koreana 'Kohout's Ice Breaker' (Korean Fir) is a dwarf, evergreen conifer of globose habit when young, developing into a small, broadly pyramidal tree over time. Its short and stubby branches boast a ravishing foliage of strongly-curled needles showing off their silvery-white undersides, creating a striking shimmering silvery-blue effect in the garden. Slow-growing, 1-3 in. per year (2-7 cm), this Korean Fir is a great choice for small gardens, containers or rockeries.
Abies koreana 'Silberperle' (Korean Fir)
Abies koreana 'Silberperle' (Korean Fir) is a miniature, evergreen conifer of globose habit when young, becoming a small squat conical tree over time. Its compact branches are adorned with short, slightly twisted, deep green needles which expose their silvery undersides, creating a lovely bi-color effect. Equally attractive are its resin covered buds which resemble silver pearls. Slow-growing, 2-3 in. per year (5-7 cm), this desirable Korean Fir is a great choice for small gardens, containers or rockeries.
Abies koreana 'Silver Show' (Korean Fir)
Abies koreana 'Silver Show' (Korean Fir) is an evergreen conifer forming a compact pyramid with tightly curled needles, exposing the silvery-white undersides. Abundant purple cones are held upright along the branches, creating a lovely contrast against the bi-color foliage. A moderate grower, 6-10 in. per year (15-25 cm), this Korean Fir makes an eye-catching specimen accent.
Abies lasiocarpa 'Green Globe' (Alpine Fir)
Abies lasiocarpa ‘Green Globe’ is a semi-dwarf, evergreen conifer of globose habit when young, becoming conical over time, and clothed in a lush foliage of short, soft, green needles. Slow-growing, 3-6 in. per year (7-15 cm), this Alpine Fir is a great choice for foundation plantings or rockeries.
Abies nordmanniana 'Golden Spreader' (Caucasian Fir)
Stately and elegant, Abies nordmaniana 'Golden Spreader' is a slow-growing evergreen conifer of great beauty, particularly in the winter garden. While this dwarf Nordman fir sports a soft green color in summer and fall, its needles turn bright golden-yellow in winter.
Abutilon 'Lucky Lantern Red' (Flowering Maple)
Noted for its long flowering season and compact size, Abutilon 'Lucky Lantern Red' (Flowering Maple) is a dwarf, bushy, rounded, semi-evergreen shrub bearing large, pendent, brilliant red, bell-shaped flowers. Blooming for weeks from summer to frost (and almost year-round in warm climates), they decorate the plant with a profusion of eye-catching, lantern-shaped blossoms which attract butterflies and hummingbirds. The pretty flowers stand out against the fresh green foliage of maple-like leaves that line the gracefully arching branches.
