Plants Worth Talking About
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If you haven't been in to visit us lately, now is a great time to come. The perennials are blooming their heads off, and if you browse through the flowers on a warm day, you'll have plenty of company: butterflies, hummingbirds and bees will all be out, working away.
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This summer we're enjoying a collection of standout perennials, some of them available for the first time! Many come with interesting backstories, and a few have been straight up hard to find. Here's a baker's dozen of the novel and the new:
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In Stock; Out Of the Ordinary
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Iris pseudata
$19.99, several varieties available
A plant so new that it doesn't have an English name yet! Once considered an impossible cross between two different iris species, Japanese breeder Hiroshi Shimizu created the first stable hybrid less than two decades ago. That breakthrough eventually led to the garden-ready cultivars you'll find available today. If you want to own a plant that was essentially impossible until recently, this is your chance!
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Blackberry Lily
$19.99
Get two seasons of interest in one plant! First the freckled, lily-like blooms appear, followed by clusters of glossy seeds that look exactly like ripe blackberries. Both stages are showy in their own right.
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Whispurr Pink Catmint
$19.99
It took us a season or two to figure this one out. Turns out that it thrives on more neglect than we're used to giving our plants! Water it just enough to get established, and it will reward you with a long season of soft pink blooms.
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Orange Carpet Hardy Fuchsia
$15.99
Most fuchsias are annuals in hanging baskets. This one is a perennial that grows into a colorful ground-hugging mat, but both are irresistible to hummingbirds! Likes a spot with full sun and great soil drainage. This is our first season having it in stock and we've got a limited number of them, so grab it while you can!
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Max Frei Soapwort
$15.99
A charming, low‑maintenance ground cover that blankets itself in soft pink flowers over a long season. Thrives once established in hot, dry, well-drained sunny spots.
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Peter Cottontail Yarrow
$15.99
Few plants do more for less that yarrow. It blooms for months, holds up cut or fresh, attracts beneficial insects, and comes in enough colors now to work in almost any palette. But even among yarrows, Peter Cottontail is unique! With small, cottony flowers like a hardier baby's breath, it makes a fantastic filler in flower arrangements and borders.
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Illinois Originals: Native Varieties
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Beebop Beebalm (Monarda punctata)
$15.99
A rarely seen native that's been difficult to find commercially, we've managed to get our hands on this unusual variety! The delicate pink bracts and tiny spotted flowers are curious and sculptural, and irresistible to native bees.
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Gateway Joe Pye Weed
$15.99
A compact, well-behaved form of this Illinois native, Gateway earns its place in any garden that attracts monarchs and swallowtails. It's a statement plant in late summer when most things are winding down.
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Prairie Clover
$17.99
A slender, airy native with bright purple flower spikes that bloom for weeks. It's a pollinator magnet that looks delicate, but handles drought with ease once established.
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Rattlesnake Master
$15.99
Bold, and architectural, the spiny spherical flower heads and blue-gray foliage of this native prairie classic act like a punctuation mark in the naturalistic garden.
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Golden Needles Prairie Dropseed
$19.99
A native grass with chartreuse color that looks almost luminous in the morning and afternoon sunlight. This graceful grass turns a warm amber color in fall.
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Pennsylvania Sedge
Starting at $7.99 (2" containers)
A native woodland sedge that stays low, spreads slowly, and thrives where lawn refuses to grow. One of the better solutions we carry for dry shade.
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A Bizarre Bonus: Chocolate Vine!
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$29.99
A lush, lacy vine that grows quickly to shade whatever support it is given. Be sure to train it up something strong! Cascades of small purple flowers appear in spring, noteworthy for their sweet, cocoa-like fragrance. Unusual purple fruits follow in fall. The pulp can be sucked from the seeds, with a tropical flavor that is something like a blend of coconut, melon, and pear. Despite its tropical looks, it's hardy to -30°F.
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Everything listed here is on the benches now, and most of it is blooming, so you'll know exactly what you're bringing home. If you have questions about any of these plants, or want help figuring out where something belongs in your yard, stop in and ask. We're always happy to help.
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More Garden For Your Money
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Early summer is prime growing time, and we're making it easier to plant more of it. Get more garden for your money! Annuals, tropicals, herbs, and vegetables are now 50% off, and all remaining non-shrub roses are 33% off, while supplies last. That includes floribundas, grandifloras, and hybrid teas. With most of the growing season still ahead of us, they'll have a chance to settle in, fill out, and put on a real show.
These deals have a way of disappearing, so don't wait to pick up whatever you've had your eye on. Come see what's available and save while we're still well-stocked.
Happy gardening!
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