2019 PLANT LIST – E to L

Updated May 21, 2019 – The list will be updated frequently as the season progresses. Some plants are in very limited supply, and all are subject to prior sale. Please inquire by email (bscharf@uniserve.com) if you are looking for something in particular – not all plants are available at every Market but we are always happy to assemble “special orders” for you.

• 2019 PLANT LIST A to D
  
• 2019 PLANT LIST M to Q
• 2019 PLANT LIST R to Z

Echinacea purpurea. ‘BRAVADO’ PURPLE CONEFLOWER.

Perennial. Zone 2. Butterflies and bees love this plant. Large magenta purple blooms in late summer. Elongated, rather drooping petals fall from perky orange and brown central cones. A prairie wildflower which has moved faultlessly into the ornamental and herb garden. 2 feet tall. All Echinacea species have medicinal properties; some are used extensively in herbal medicine to boost the immune system. Sun, well-drained soil. Deer resistant.

Echinacea purpurea. ‘GREEN TWISTER’ CONEFLOWER.

Perennial. Zone 2. Interesting recent colour break from Jelitto’s excellent purple cultivar ‘Magnus’. A few green-tinted individuals were observed in a large for-seed planting, and were isolated to observe if they would stay true to form. They did, and here we are!  Typical of a “normal” Purple Coneflower, with flower buds opening into light magenta purple, with a flush of lemony-green on the petal tips. Over the next days, as the flower expands, the green becomes more pronounced, shading up to half each petal with an ombre bicolour effect. Orange-pollened central cones are predictably attractive to bees and butterflies. 2 feet tall, and blooms from midsummer into autumn. Sun, well-drained soil. Deer resistant.

Echium russicum. RED RUSSIAN BUGLOSS.

Perennial. Zone 3. Boraginacae. Sturdy, 2 foot tall flower spikes crowded with small burgundy blooms arise from basal rosettes of long, bristly leaves. Blooms in late summer. Attractive and long-lasting flower display, and also an excellent late-season bee plant. Full sun, average conditions, drought tolerant. Prefers good drainage. Deer resistant.

*Eremurus bungei syn. stenophyllus. FOXTAIL LILY.

Perennial. Zone 4. Asphodeloideae. Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan. Softly grey-green, grass-like fooliage tufts send up sturdy 36 to 48 inch tall stems are lined with tiny, fragrant, soft yellow star flowers accented by golden-tipped stamens. These open bottom-to-top on the spike, extending the show for several weeks in early summer. The grass-like leaves have already started to shrivel as the flowering time starts, and the plant goes dormant after blooming. Big round seed pods form on the spikes and may be left to add interest to the garden. Large, brittle, multi-rooted tubers resent being disurbed once established, though you need to ensure that they are kept covered with soil or gravel mulch, as they tend to work towards the surface year by year. Best with a bit of room – don’t allow bumptious border neighbours to crowd in. Excellent in a gravel bed alongside hardy yuccas and such, or even at the back of a well-drained alpine/rockery planting. Full sun, very well-drained soil, good moisture during the foliage/bud stage in spring, then hot and dry during dormancy. Sprouts very early and is susceptible to frost, so mulch crowns with coarse sand and/or shavings for winter protection. *Sold out for 2019.

Eremurus bungei syn. stenophyllus –  Foxtail Lily. Image: HFN

Erigeron  alpinus. ALPINE FLEABANE.

Perennial. Zone 2. Petite alpine fleabane for the rockery or border front. Fuzzy, spoon-shaped foliage in gently spreading 6 to 12 inch tall and wide clumps. Many mauve to deeper purple daisy-flowers with green-gold eyes in early summer. Sun, average conditions.

Eryngium planum. ‘BLUE CAP’ SEA HOLLY.

Perennial. Zone 2. Apiaceaeae. Leathery, rounded leaves in basal rosettes send up 18 to 24 inch tall multi-branched stems topped by loose clusters of bristly, bracted, cone-shaped flower heads summer through fall. Silvery-green foliage; stems and flowers are flushed a deep electric blue. Excellent cutflower and everlasting. Bee and butterfly flower. Self seeds generously. A very long season of bloom through summer. Sun, any soil, drought tolerant.

Eryngium planum – ‘Blue Cap’ Sea Holly. Image: HFN

Eryngium planum. ‘SILVER SALENTINO’ SEA HOLLY.

Perennial. Zone 2. Apiaceaeae. European Fleuroselect Winner. Pure white sea holly flowers on profusely branching stems in summer. Long bloom time, great cutflower. 36 to 48 inches tall. Sun, any soil, drought tolerant.

Eryngium variifolium. ‘MISS MARBLE’ SEA HOLLY.

Perennial. Zone 4. Apiaceae. Atlas Mountains. A.k.a. MOROCCAN SEA HOLLY, MARBLE-LEAF SEA HOLLY. Tidy tap-rooted clump former with glossy, white-veined, semi-prickly foliage. Bloom stems to a foot or so tall, topped by clusters of typical sea holly flowers: grey-blue heads of tiny blooms, nestled in spiky basal bracts. Long bloom time, June through August. Well mannered, and has not self sown at all in our garden over the past decade. Sun, well drained soil, drought tolerant.

Eryngium yuccifolium. YUCCA-LEAVED SEA HOLLY.

Perennial. Zone 4. Apiaceaeae. A.k.a. RATTLESNAKE MASTER, for purported use in herbal medicine as a snakebite remedy. Basal foliage in yucca-like clumps. 2 to 4 foot tall stems topped by perfectly round, spiky, pure white sea holly blooms. Striking in garden, long bloom time in summer, great cutflower and everlasting. Sun, any soil, drought tolerant, needs good drainage.

*Fragaria x ananassa. ‘ALBION’ EVERBEARING STRAWBERRY.

Perennial. Zone 3. Originates from the University of California strawberry breeding program. An almost runnerless variety which puts a lot of energy into fruit production. High yields of large, bright red, aromatic and sweet strawberries starting in early summer and producing well into fall. Sun, good soil and moisture. *Sold out for 2019.

*Fragaria x ananassa. ‘FORT LARAMIE’ EVERBEARING STRAWBERRY.

Perennial. Zone 2. Wyoming, 1973. High yields of large, bright red, aromatic and sweet strawberries starting in June and producing through the summer. Sun, good soil and moisture. *Sold out for 2019.

*Fragaria x ananassa. ‘HONEOYE’ JUNE-BEARING STRAWBERRY.

Perennial. Zone 2. University of Cornell, New York, 1979. Strong variety which produces generous crops of large, dark red, very good flavoured strawberries for an extended period starting in June. Sun, good soil and moisture. *Sold out for 2019.

*Fragaria x ananassa. ‘KENT’ JUNE-BEARING STRAWBERRY.

Perennial. Zone 2. Canada, 1981. Vigorous plants produce large crops of mid-size, bright red, very sweet strawberries over a month-long fruiting period starting in June. Sun, good soil and moisture. *Sold out for 2019.

Gaillardia grandiflora x. GAILLARDIA ‘MONARCH MIX’.

Perennial. Zone 3. Large, showy, daisy-flowers in a wide variety of variations – gold, red, bicolors – produced abundantly from lush clumps of light green foliage. Profuse first-year bloomer. A very nice variety of this reliable garden flower. 18 to 24 inches tall. Sun, average conditions, quite drought tolerant.

Geranium sanguineum x psilostemon. ‘TINY MONSTER’ GERANIUM.

Perennial. Zone 3. A vigorous, rather spawling mound former, 12 inches tall, spreading 18 to 24 inches at maturity. Covered in bright magenta-pink blooms with dark burgundy striping late spring through summer, with lighter bloom through the fall. Deeply cut foliage turns deep red in fall. A sterile hybrid which puts all of its energy into bloom production, never self-seeding as its beautifully rambunctious parent Geranium sanguineum is wont to do. Sun to part shade, average conditions.

Geum chiloense.  ‘LADY STRATHEDEN’ GEUM. 

Perennial.  Zone 4. The charmingly showy, long-blooming Chilean geums are cottage garden favourites. “Chiloense” refers to the island of Chiloe, off the coast of Chile, where the ancestors of today’s cultivars were found and brought to Great Britain in the 1920s. Lush clumps of lobed-and-scalloped, light green, lightly fuzzy foliage produce numerous graceful bloom stems to 20 inches tall, topped by large, double-petalled, brightest yellow, buttercuppish blooms. Blooms late spring into summer, reblooms in fall if cut back. ‘Lady Stratheden’ is named after Mary Elizabeth Scarlett, 1st Baroness Stratheden of Scotland. She (the plant, not the Baroness, who is sadly long defunct, having died in 1860), has received the Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit. Sun to part shade, average conditions.

Geum chiloense.  ‘MRS. BRADSHAW’ GEUM. 

Perennial.  Zone 4. A.k.a. ‘FIREBALL’. A handsome older cultivar of this popular old-fashioned border plant, recipient of the Royal Horticultural Award of Garden Merit for its pretty flowers and general garden worthiness. Low growing, lush, light green foliage clumps. Many multi-branched flower stems tipped with semi-double, bright scarlet-orange blooms with contrasting yellow anthers. Blooms late spring into summer, reblooms in fall if cut back. 20 inches tall. Sun to part shade, average conditions.

Geum chiloense.  ‘RED DRAGON’ GEUM. 

Perennial.  Zone 4. Old cottage garden favourite. Great in mixed border; nice cut flower. Low clumps of scalloped, fuzzy foliage send up many wiry, multi-branched flower stems tipped with large, double, bright scarlet red blooms with contrasting yellow anthers. Vivid!  Blooms late spring into summer, reblooms in fall if cut back. 20 inches tall. Sun to part shade, average conditions.

Geum coccineum.  ‘KOI’ GEUM.

Perennial.  Zone 4. Compact clumps of soft-textured, softly pleated round foliage send up 12-inch tall bloom stems topped by large, bright red-orange rose-form flowers centered with prominent clusters of bright yellow stamens. Blooms for a long period in early to mid summer, with rebloom in fall if spent flowerstalks clipped off. Popular with foraging bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Sun to part shade, average conditions.

*Geum triflorum.  PRAIRIE SMOKE.

Perennial.  Zone 1. Rosaceae. A.k.a. THREE-FLOWERED AVENS, NODDING AVENS, OLD MAN’S WHISKERS. One of my favourite spring wildflowers, this pretty plant flourishes from the dry hillsides of the Cariboo to the prairie grasslands east of the Rockies. Happily adapts to the garden. Ferny, downy soft foliage in tidy clumps send up multiple, 6 to 12 inch tall stems topped by groups of three soft to deep pink, nodding, bell shaped blooms. Attractive seedheads follow – large and feathery and very long lasting; often blushed with pink. Spreads to form a generous colony, but never invasive or ill-behaved. Very nice for spring interest in the rockery or at the border front; good on slopes. Sun to part shade, average conditions, drought tolerant. *Sold out for 2019.

*Helenium autumnale. ‘HELENA RED’ HELENIUM.

Perennial. Zone 3. A.k.a. HELEN’S FLOWER, SNEEZEWEED, DOGTOOTH DAISY. Handsome late summer and fall bloomer which should be more widely grown in our Cariboo gardens. Multi-branching 3 to 4 foot tall clumps produce an endless succession of gleaming, vari-coloured maroon, red, and copper daisy-flowers with golden-pollen-dusted, completely round, mahogany-red stamen cones. Very long-lasting flowers. Wonderful with ornamental grasses, Joe Pye Weed and other late season plants. Very attractive to butterflies, and small birds enjoy the fall and winter seed heads. Sun, average conditions. *Sold out for 2019.

Helenium autumnale. WILD HELENIUM.

Perennial. Zone 3. A.k.a. HELEN’S FLOWER, SNEEZEWEED, DOGTOOTH DAISY. Grown from seed wild-collected in Ontario, this native fall-blooming “daisy” is a valuable garden addition for its late season colour. Multi-branching 3 to 4 foot tall clumps.  Bright yellow daisy-flowers with drooping petals and prominent central cones are bee and butterfly magnets. Sun, average conditions.

Helianthus atrorubens. PURPLE DISK SUNFLOWER ‘GULLICK’S VARIETY’.

Perennial. Zone 2. Southeastern U.S.A. A.k.a. APPALACHIAN SUNFLOWER, SWAMP SUNFLOWER. One of the many native North American sunflowers, and a handsome and hardy perennial which brings a splash of colour to the autumn garden. Sturdy clumps of purple-flushed, multi-branching, 3 foot tall stems produce rich golden yellow sunflowers with dark centres, late August into October. The clump expands modestly each year by underground runners, and may be divided or nipped back into bounds in early spring. Sun, average conditions.

Helleborus niger. WHITE CHRISTMAS ROSE.

Perennial. Zone 3. Low growing clumps of leathery, dark green, deeply cut, evergreen leaves. Very early in spring, just as the snow melts, fat white buds which have formed over the winter emerge and open into large, pristine white, 5-petalled flowers with large clusters of yellow stamens. In its native land, Helleborus niger blooms in December, hence its common name “Christmas Rose”. It does indeed resemble a single white rose flower, but is a member of the Ranunculus or Buttercup family. Takes a year or so to establish after transplanting, but once settled in this lovely plant will be trouble-free and beautiful for decades to come, increasing in size and number of blooms, and perhaps even gently self-sowing if conditions are just right. Due to the evergreen nature of the foliage, snow cover or some sort of winter protection is a good idea – we use fluffy wood shavings or evergreen boughs, applied at the time of the first really cold temperatures in early winter. If leaves brown and die, just clip them off. More will soon sprout. Sun to shade, humus-rich soil, good moisture.

Hemerocallis citrina x. ‘TETRINA’S DAUGHTER’ DAYLILY.

Perennial. Zone 3. This is a lovely older variety, released in 1971. Large, long-petalled blooms are pale yellow and wonderfully fragrant. Long bloom time in mid-summer. 3 to 4 feet tall.  Sun to light shade, average soil and moisture. 

Hemerocallis x. ‘BUFFY’S DOLL’ DAYLILY.

Perennial. Zone 3. A real cutie of a miniature daylily, released way back in 1969and recipient of numerous awards of merit throughout the years. To 12 inches tall and wide, and a generous producer of warmly buff pink blooms with a darker rose-pink eye zone. Extended bloom period in mid summer. Sun to light shade, average soil and moisture.

Hemerocallis x. ‘CATHERINE WOODBERY’ DAYLILY.

Perennial. Zone 2. This lovely daylily was released in 1967 by an accomplished horticultural couple, Frank and Peggy Childs of Georgia, U.S.A. It went on to win numerous awards. ‘Catherine Woodbery’ is a mid-sized, early-blooming daylily, with lush foliage clumps to 18 inches tall, and bloom scapes to 30 inches. Large, palest pink blooms are flushed with lavender, and have a contrasting pale yellow centre. Sweetly fragrant. Sun to light shade, average soil and moisture.

Hemerocallis x. ‘CONDILLA’ DAYLILY.

Perennial. Zone 2. Heavily textured, deep golden-yellow double blooms with ruffled petal edges. Makes a compact and lush clump to 2 feet tall, 3 or 4 feet wide. Blooms profusely in midsummer. A really handsome cultivar, and recipient of numerous American Hemerocallis Society awards since its introduction in 1977. Sun to light shade, average soil and moisture.

Hemerocallis x. DAYLILY ‘STRAWBERRY CANDY’.

Perennial. Zone 4. This is a pretty thing – mid-sized, picotee-edged, soft crushed-strawberry-pink blooms with nicely contrasting deep pink centre rings. Blooms in early summer,  and often reblooms later in the season. A fairly recent variety, from Florida daylily breeder Patrick Stamile, released in 1989. ‘Strawberry Candy’ is a multiple award winner, and received the American Hemerocallis Society’s highest award, the Stout Silver Medal, in 1999. Sun, average soil and moisture.

Heuchera micrantha. ‘PALACE PURPLE’ HEUCHERA.

Perennial. Zone 2. Bronze-red maple-leaf shaped foliage in tidy clumps with 18-inch stems topped by sprays of tiny white flowers in summer. Sun to shade, average conditions.

Heuchera sanguinea ‘splendens’. CORALBELLS ‘FIREFLY’. 

Perennial. Zone 2. This is a rather under-used, old-fashioned plant. Well-grown clumps are truly beautiful and vividly light up their bit of the border. Clouds of tiny, vibrant scarlet blooms on delicate, 18-inch stalks late spring through summer. Tidy mounds of scalloped foliage, often attractively marked with white veining. Marvelous hummingbird flower. Very nice in a woodland garden.  Sun to part shade, good soil and moisture.

Hylotelephium ussuriense. ‘PINK BEACON’ SEDUM.

Perennial. Zone 2. Syn. Sedum ussuriense. A.k.a. USSURI RIVER STONECROP. Hailing from Siberia is this handsome 16 inch tall clump former. Succulent, scalloped, blue-green leaves are flushed with burgundy. Rounded clusters of star-shaped, red-pink flowers in August and September. Seedheads turn an interesting shade of russet brown in late autumn and can be left to stand for winter interest. One of those “looks good four seasons” plants. Wonderful bee and butterfly flower. Sun to light shade, average conditions, quite drought tolerant.

Hypericum kalmianum. KALM’S ST. JOHN’S WORT.

Perennial. Zone 4. Great Lakes region of North America. Small semi-evergreen shrublet, 2 to 3 feet tall and wide when mature. Narrow blue-green foliage on woody stems, which are tipped with many large, showy, 5-petalled lemon yellow blooms for a long period in summer. Beaked seed heads follow. Sought out by bees and other pollinators. Named after one of Linnaeus’ students, Peter Kalm, who roved through North America in the 1700s documenting and classifying plants. Sun to part shade, average soil and moisture.

Hypericum polyphyllum ‘grandiflorum’. DWARF ST. JOHN’S WORT.

Perennial. Zone 4. Turkey. Very showy small clump former, 6 to 12 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide. Wiry stems are lined with small, blue-green leaves. Buds develop on stem tips in mid summer and pop open to large, bright yellow, whiskery-stamened flowers for weeks and weeks. A favourite of bees and butterflies. Sun, average moisture, well-drained soil.

Incarvillea olgae. RUSSIAN TRUMPET FLOWER.

Perennial. Zone 4. Central Asia, Himalayas, Russia. Interesting plant for the collector. Narrow, branching clump former to 2 feet tall, with woody basal stems and glossy, cutleaf foliage. Sugar-pink trumpet flowers appear over a long period summer into early autumn. Sun to light shade, average soil and moisture. Can be grown in rocky soil, and drought tolerant once established.

Inula magnifica. GIANT INULA, SHOWY INULA.

Perennial. Zone 3. The Caucasus mountains, Europe. This is a seriusly imposing plant, with a certain untamed charm. A robust clump former, with lush foliage (lower leaves can reach 3 feet long on established specimens) and 4 to 6 foot tall stems topped by giant, intensely orange-yellow, thin-rayed daisy-flowers in late summer. Very atractive to all sorts of bees. Warmly aromatic foliage. Sun to part shade, good soil and moisture.

Iris sibirica.  ‘BLACK JOKER’ SIBERIAN IRIS. 

Perennial.  Zone 2. Very recent cultivar, bred by Marty Schafer and Jan Sacks, released in 2013. This is a fantastically coloured Siberian, with standards pale yellow with purple centres and veining, and falls deep yellow-purple, shaded, veined and freckled in darker purple and dark gold. To 20 inches tall, with generous bloom in early July. Sun to part shade, average soil, average to high moisture. Prefers soil slightly on the acid side, so peaty soil amendments will be welcomed.

Iris sibirica.  ‘CONCORD CRUSH’ SIBERIAN IRIS. 

Perennial.  Zone 2. A relatively new cultivar from veteran iris specialists Bob Bauer and John Coble, released only in 2009 and already making quite a name for itself. Ruffled, grape-purple, 12 to 15-petalled double flowers, beautifully marked with yellow and white veining on the falls. Vigorous and healthy, blooming in June with rebloom in late August. To 24 inches tall, with handsome strappy foliage which looks good spring through autumn. Very hardy and adaptable. Sun to part shade, perfers humus-rich soil, average moisture, tolerates damp locations well. Prefers soil slightly on the acid side, so peaty soil amendments will be welcomed.

Iris sibirica.  ‘RUFFLED VELVET’ SIBERIAN IRIS. 

Perennial.  Zone 2. Gorgeous older cultivar, bred by the famed Dr. Currier McEwen, released in 1973.  Multiple award winner. Great big plum/royal purple blooms, nice ruffling on falls and standards, with a prominent black-and-gold patch on each fall petal. A later blooming Siberian, June into July, extending the season nicely. Vigorous, clumps up quickly. To 24″ tall. Sun to part shade, perfers humus-rich soil, average moisture, tolerates damp locations well. Prefers soil slightly on the acid side, so peaty soil amendments will be welcomed.

Jasione laevis.  ‘BLUE LIGHT’ SHEPHERD’S BIT. 

Perennial. Zone 4. Syn. Jasione perennis. SHEPHERD’S SCABIOUS, SHEEP’S BIT. An appealing, dainty plant for border front or rockery. Tidy clumps of rather hairy, grey-green foliage send up delicate stems topped by pale blue scabiosa-like blooms with contrasting white stamens. To 12 inches. Late spring into summer bloom time. Sun, average conditions.

Kalimeris incisa.  JAPANESE CUT-LEAF ASTER. 

Perennial.  Zone 4. Asteraceae. Syn. Boltonia incisa. Nicely rounded, 2-foot tall and wide clumps of light green, raggedly cut foliage, covered with countless fine-petalled, yellow-eyed, pale purple-white “aster” blooms for a very long time in late summer through fall. Excellent bee and butterfly flower. Sun, average conditions.

Kitaibelia vitifolia. RIVER MALLOW.

Perennial. Zone 3. Malvaceae. Slovenia, Macedonia, Hungary. A.k.a. CEDAR CUP, CHALICE FLOWER. Impressive clumps of sturdy stems to 6 feet tall. Lovely grape-like foliage, and cup-shaped white (and sometimes pale rose-pink) classic mallow flowers from July to September. A wildflowery backgrounder, shrub-like in effect. Sun to part shade, any soil, appreciates summer moisture.

Lathyrus latifolius. ‘ROSE PEARL’ PERENNIAL SWEET PEA.

Perennial Vine. Zone 3. Large clusters of large, pale pink flushed darker at petal edges, sweet pea-like flowers for a long period summer-fall. Sadly, not strongly scented – but very pretty! Vigorous climber or rambler, with 6 to 10 foot vines making large clumps with age. Needs room to do its stuff, so good for difficult areas that need a fair bit of cover. Sun, average conditions. Appreciates fertile, reasonably moist soil. Late to emerge in spring.

Lavandula angustifolia. ENGLISH LAVENDER ‘MUNSTEAD’.

Perennial. Zone 2. Short shrub with gray-green foliage and many chubby spikes of lavender flowers in summer. The hardiest strain. Overwinters reliably into Zone 2 with snow cover or other protection. Woody stems should be left over winter; prune back to live wood in late spring. The whole plant is wonderfully fragrant. Sun, well-drained soil.

Leucanthemum x superbum. SHASTA DAISY ‘STARBURST’.

Perennial. Zone 4. Syn. Chrysanthemum maximum. ‘Starburst’ is a vigorous cultivar, producing very large, pure white, yellow-centered daisy flowers throughout most of the summer. Very showy. 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. Makes an excellent cutflower. Sun, good soil and moisture.

Levisticum officinale. LOVAGE, MAGGI-PLANT.

Perennial. Zone 1. Statuesque, long-lived herb which can reach majestic proportions (to 8 feet or more) with maturity. Thick-stalked, strongly flavoured, celery-like foliage is much used in cooking in Europe. Umbels of greeny-yellow flowers in summer attract beneficial insects to the garden. Seeds can be dried to use in winter cooking. Sun to light shade, average soil and moisture.

Lewisia cotyledon x. SISKIYOU LEWISIA ‘SUNSET SHADES’.

Perennial. Zone 4. Mountains of Oregon & N. California. Tufts of succulent foliage, multiple stems to 12 inches topped by generous clusters of very showy, 1-inch blooms in shades of pink, peach, soft yellow, often with contrasting petal edging. Flowers late spring and sporadically throughout summer if deadheaded. Rosette-forming alpine which makes a lovely feature plant in the rock garden or along the front edge of a raised perennial planting – good drainage is essential! Sun to dappled shade, average soil and moisture. You may wish to add some sand or small pebbles to its planting spot to ensure dry roots over winter.

Liatris spicata. PURPLE PRAIRIE GAYFEATHER.

Perennial. Zone 2. A.k.a. BLAZING STAR. Exotic-looking but very hardy plant. The original species is a now-rare North American prairie wildflower. Spikes of fluffy, bright purple flowers appear over a long period in summer. Very attractive to bees and butterflies.  To 2 feet tall, and forms a nice clump quickly. Also an excellent cutflower, and widely used by florists. Great with Rudbeckia, Echinacea, Sedums and Ornamental Grasses for a “Prairie Border” with lots of late summer interest. Full sun, well-drained soil, average moisture.

PLANTING NOTE: LILIES

All of our lily offerings in 2019 are sold potted up and ready to transplant into the garden. A gentle pull on the stems should lift the plants out of their pot, in a solid mass of bulbs and roots. Take care to disturb the root mass as little as possible, and pre-dig your hole a bit deeper than the pot height. It also doesn’t hurt to bury the stems a bit deeper than they are in the pot – lily bulbs are happy well underground.

Lilium lancifolium x. ‘HIAWATHA’ TIGER LILY.

Perennial bulb. Zone 2. An excellent American cultivar bred by Julian Wadekamper and released in 1975. Large, deep red, well-freckled, out-facing blooms in June-July. 3-4 feet tall.  Sun, good soil and moisture.

Lilium lancifolium x. ‘PINK FLAVOUR’ TIGER LILY.

Perennial bulb. Zone 2. A very eye-catching cultivar. Large, out- and down-facing, glowing coral pink blooms flushed soft yellow in centres, with a few tiny freckles. 3 feet tall. Blooms late summer. Sun, good soil and moisture.

Lilium leichtlinii. YELLOW TURK’S CAP LILY.

Perennial bulb. Zone 2. Honshu, Japan. A beautiful and vigorous Japanese turk’s cap type lily, with a large number of downfacing, deeply recurved, profusely freckled, lemon yellow blooms in July. 24 to 36 inches tall. Sun, good soil and moisture.

Limonium latifolium. SEA LAVENDER.

Perennial. Zone 2. A native of European coastlines from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. Not a true lavender, but so named for the colour of the airy flower heads. Basal rosettes of shiny, smooth, leathery foliage send up wiry-stemmed, multi-branched sprays of tiny, light lavender blooms in summer. These have a stiff, papery texture, and look good for a very long time in the garden; the blooms are also highly prized as cutflowers and everlastings. 12 to 18 inches tall. Sun, average conditions, drought tolerant.

Limonium gmelinii ssp. hungaricum. SIBERIAN SEA LAVENDER.

Perennial. Zone 3. Rosettes of broad, very shiny, rounded foliage. 24-inch stems are topped by sprays of tiny violet-blue blooms in summer. Long bloom time. Very attractive to bees. Great cutflower and everlasting. Sun, average conditions, quite drought tolerant.

Lobelia cardinalis. CARDINAL FLOWER.

Perennial. Zone 4. Eastern North American wildflower. Lush foliage rosettes send up 2 to 3 foot stalks lined with brilliant scarlet blooms in late summer. An absolute hummingbird magnet. For pond-side or woodland garden. Sun to part shade, good soil, likes moisture.

Lobelia siphilitica. GREAT BLUE LOBELIA ‘BLUE SELECTION’.

Perennial. Zone 3. Elite German strain of the Eastern North American wildflower, chosen for consistently richer and darker blue colour – wild strains are variable.  The flower shape is similar to that of familiar bedding plant lobelia, but plant habit is very different. Clumps of glossy, silken-textured, lanceolate foliage send up thick stems to 18 inches or taller, surrounded by leaves alternating with quite large, violet-blue-touched-white flowers in late summer. This is one to perhaps grow beside your pond, as it is a moisture lover like its relative, the vivid scarlet Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis.) Sun to part shade, humus-rich soil, likes moisture.

Lupinus x.  RUSSELL LUPINE.

Perennial. Zone 2. Classic 3 foot tall lupines which are stunning in the garden in early summer. Long, dense spires of brightly coloured ‘pea flowers’. Hybridized over a period of decades in the early 1900s by English gardener George Russell from our native North American lupines and a garden standard ever since. Lupines do very well in cool summer areas. Sun, average soil and moisture. Available in various mixtures, or these named varieties:

• • ‘CHANDELIER’ – Soft yellow.
  • ‘CHATELAINE’ – Soft pink and white.
  • ‘THE GOVERNOR’ – Blue and white.
  • ‘NOBLE MAIDEN’ – Creamy ivory.
  • ‘THE PAGES’ – Cherry reds.

Lupinus perennis. SUNDIAL LUPINE.

Perennial. Zone 2. This is the wild lupine of Eastern North America, found in various subspecies throughout the continent. Clump former, with flower stalks to 24 inches or so, lined with showy pea-flowers in shades of dark to light blue-violet with contrasting white flashes. Sun, average soil and moisture.

Lychnis arkwrightii x. FLAME CAMPION ‘VESUVIUS’.

Perennial. Zone 4. Large, bright red-orange blooms top 12 to 18 inch stems in summer. Deep maroon-bronze foliage. Unusual and very eye catching combination. Sun, average conditions.

Lychnis coronaria. CERISE ROSE CAMPION.

Biennial. Zone 2. A.k.a. MULLEIN PINK. An ancient ornamental treasured for centuries, definitely a must-grow cottage garden flower! In the first year the rosette forms, and the next year it expands into a bushy plant up to 3 feet tall, with many wiry stems starred by brilliant, round flowers in a most vivid, neon cerise-pink. Blooms endlessly summer through fall. Very fine down covers stems and folige, giving a silver appearance. (Another common name was DUSTY MILLER.) Self sows reliably – a completely trouble-free biennial. Sun, average conditions. Drought tolerant once established.

Lychnis coronaria – CERISE ROSE CAMPION

Lychnis coronaria – CERISE ROSE CAMPION

Lychnis coronaria ‘alba’. WHITE ROSE CAMPION.

Biennial. Zone 2. Silver foliage and, in this variation, large, pure white flowers. Beautiful in the mixed border. A reliable self seeder. Sun, average conditions. Drought tolerant once established.

Lychnis coronaria. ROSE CAMPION ‘ANGEL’S BLUSH’.

Biennial. Zone 2. A.k.a. MULLEIN PINK. Silver foliage and, in this variation, large white flowers with rosy centres which deepen as the blooms age. A reliable self seeder. Sun, average conditions. Drought tolerant once established.

Lychnis flos-cuculi. RAGGED ROBIN.

Perennial. Zone 4. Europe. A.k.a. CUCKOO-FLOWER. Low-growing rosettes produce many stems to 18 inches tall topped by pinky mauve, deeply laced and cut flowers, late May into June. Very appealing en masse as the slender stems dance in the wind. For rockery or border edge. Sun, average conditions.

Lysimachia ciliata ‘purpurea’. ‘FIRECRACKER’ LYSIMACHIA.

Perennial. Zone 3. Rounded, burgundy-purple-brown foliage in basal clumps and on stems to 3 feet tall with many bright yellow starflowers in the leaf axils late spring into summer. Interesting colour contrast, very attractive. Spreads by shallowly-rooted underground runners which can be easily pulled back each spring to restrain its spread. Sun to part shade, good soil and summer moisture.