A Landscape Architect’s Favorite Plants for Stunning, Resilient Gardens! / by Jay Holinger

Welcome to a collection of thoughtfully selected plants that define beauty, structure, and ecological value in the landscape. These plants are featured in this garden because they thrive in a variety of conditions, offer stunning seasonal interest, and require minimal maintenance while enhancing outdoor spaces.

Whether you’re looking for structural trees, pollinator-friendly perennials, or lush shade plants, this list is full of inspiration for your own garden.

Show stopping Trees & Large Shrubs

  • Cercis canadensis ‘Ruby Falls’ (Weeping Redbud) – A compact, cascading tree with deep burgundy foliage and pink spring blooms.

  • Fagus sylvatica ‘Tricolor’ (Tri-Color Beech) – A striking tree with pink, white, and purple variegated foliage.

  • Amelanchier ‘Autumn Brilliance’ (Serviceberry) – Multi-season beauty with white spring flowers, edible berries, and brilliant red fall color.

  • Cotinus Winecraft Black® (Smokebush) – Dark purple-black foliage with smoky seed heads for dramatic impact.

  • Thuja occidentalis ‘Techny’ – A hardy evergreen for year-round structure and privacy screening.

Hydrangeas for Season-Long Color

  • Hydrangea paniculata ‘Quick Fire®’, ‘Limelight’, ‘Little Lime®’, ‘Fire Light®’ – Long-lasting blooms that shift from white to pink-red, available in tree and shrub forms.

  • Hydrangea arborescens ‘Incrediball®’ – Massive white blooms that don’t flop, perfect for foundation plantings.

  • Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Munchkin’ & ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Oakleaf Hydrangea) – Stunning fall foliage with unique cone-shaped flowers.

  • Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Eclipse®’ – A bold, deep-colored hydrangea that stands out in any garden.

Shrubs for Flowers, Foliage, and Pollinators

  • Physocarpus ‘Little Devil™’ (Ninebark) – Burgundy foliage and peeling bark for year-round texture.

  • Rhododendron ‘PJM’ – An early bloomer with lavender-pink flowers and evergreen leaves.

  • Viburnum dentatum ‘Blue Muffin®’ & Viburnum prunifolium ‘Forest Rouge’™ – Pollinator-friendly shrubs with white flowers, berries, and fall color.

  • Diervilla Nightglow® – A native shrub with deep burgundy foliage and yellow flowers.

  • Forsythia Show Off® – A vibrant early-spring bloomer that signals the start of the growing season.

Perennials for Pollinators & Seasonal Color

Sun-Loving Perennials for Continuous Blooms

  • Echinacea (Coneflowers) – ‘Magnus’, ‘Prairie Splendor’, PowWow® White, Sombrero® Granada Gold & Salsa Red

  • Rudbeckia ‘Little Goldstar’ & Rudbeckia hirta (Black-Eyed Susan)

  • Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Tuscan Sun’ (False Sunflower)

  • Coreopsis ‘Creme Brulee’, ‘Jethro Tull’, ‘Golden Showers’, Lil Bang™ ‘Starlight’

  • Kniphofia ‘Orange Blaze’ (Red Hot Poker)

  • Sedum spectabile ‘Neon’ & ‘Autumn Fire’

  • Achillea ‘Walther Funcke’, ‘Moonshine’, & ‘New Vintage Violet’ (Yarrow)

  • Asclepias tuberosa ‘Hello Yellow’ & Asclepias syriaca (Milkweed) – Essential for Monarch butterflies!

  • Penstemon ‘Midnight Masquerade’ & Penstemon digitalis (Beardtongue)

  • Monarda ‘Raspberry Wine’, ‘Petite Delight’, ‘Coral Reef’, ‘Pardon My Cerise’ (Bee Balm)

  • Eupatorium maculatum ‘Phantom’ (Joe Pye Weed)

  • Liatris spicata ‘Kobold’ (Blazing Star)

  • Lobelia siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia) & Lobelia cardinalis ‘Black Truffle’

  • Symphyotrichum ‘October Skies’, ‘Wood’s Blue’, ‘Purple Dome’ (Asters)

Shade-Loving & Woodland Perennials

  • Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s Mantle) - is a low-maintenance, shade-tolerant perennial prized for its soft, scalloped foliage and delicate yellow-green blooms.

  • Zizia aurea (Golden Alexanders) - versatile, easy-to-grow native perennial that provides bright yellow blooms in spring and early summer.Chelone lyonii ‘Hot Lips’ (Pink Turtlehead) – A Late-Season Pollinator Favorite

  • Chelone lyonii ‘Hot Lips’, commonly known as Pink Turtlehead, is a native, moisture-loving perennial that produces unique pink flowers resembling a turtle’s head. This long-blooming, pollinator-friendly plant thrives in wet soils, shade gardens, and rain gardens, making it an excellent choice for naturalistic landscapes.

  • Hostas – ‘Guacamole’, ‘Blue Angel’, ‘August Moon’, ‘June’, ‘Hadspen Blue’, ‘Patriot’

  • Astilbe – ‘Deutschland’, ‘Purpurkerze’, ‘Maggie Daley’, ‘Vision in White’, ‘Visions’

  • Heuchera – ‘Obsidian’, Dolce® ‘Cherry Truffles’, ‘Smoke and Mirrors’

  • Pulmonaria ‘Raspberry Splash’

  • Dicentra spectabilis ‘Valentine’, ‘Luxuriant’, & Dicentra spec. ‘Alba’ (Bleeding Heart)

  • Polygonatum ‘Ruby Slippers’ (Solomon’s Seal)

  • Polemonium ‘Stairway to Heaven’ (Jacob’s Ladder)

  • Ferns – Athyrium ‘Pictum’ (Japanese Painted Fern), ‘Crested Surf’

Grasses & Textural Plants for Movement

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Haense Herms’ & ‘Chameleon’

  • Calamagrostis ‘Karl Foerster’ & ‘Overdam’

  • Pennisetum alopecuroides ‘Hameln’

  • Deschampsia cespitosa ‘Goldtau’ (Tufted Hair Grass)

  • Carex elata ‘Aurea’ & Carex pensylvanica

  • Festuca ‘Cool as Ice’ & ‘Elijah Blue’

  • Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed)

Native Perennials for Pollinators & Biodiversity

  • Echinacea (Coneflowers) – ‘Magnus’, ‘Prairie Splendor’, PowWow® White, Sombrero® Granada Gold & Salsa Red

  • Rudbeckia ‘Little Goldstar’ & Rudbeckia hirta (Black-Eyed Susan)

  • Heliopsis helianthoides ‘Tuscan Sun’ (False Sunflower)

  • Coreopsis ‘Jethro Tull’, ‘Golden Showers’, Lil Bang™ ‘Starlight’

  • Liatris spicata ‘Kobold’ (Blazing Star)

  • Lobelia siphilitica (Great Blue Lobelia) & Lobelia cardinalis ‘Black Truffle’

  • Monarda ‘Raspberry Wine’, ‘Petite Delight’, ‘Coral Reef’, ‘Pardon My Cerise’ (Bee Balm)

  • Achillea ‘Walther Funcke’, ‘Moonshine’ (Yarrow)

  • Asclepias tuberosa ‘Hello Yellow’ & Asclepias syriaca (Milkweed) – Essential for Monarch butterflies!

  • Penstemon digitalis & Penstemon ‘Midnight Masquerade’ (Beardtongue)

  • Symphyotrichum ‘October Skies’, ‘Wood’s Blue’, ‘Purple Dome’ (Asters)

  • Eupatorium maculatum ‘Phantom’ (Joe Pye Weed)

Native Grasses for Movement & Resilience

  • Panicum virgatum ‘Haense Herms’ & ‘Chameleon’ (Switchgrass)

  • Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Chameleon’ (Little Bluestem)

  • Sporobolus heterolepis (Prairie Dropseed)

  • Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania Sedge) – A fantastic, low-maintenance groundcover alternative to traditional turfgrass.

Climbing & Vining Plants for Vertical Interest

  • Clematis terniflora (Sweet Autumn Clematis)

Seasonal & Finishing Touches

  • Paeonia ‘Sarah Bernhardt’, ‘Kansas’, ‘Festiva Maxima’, & ‘Barzella’ (Peonies)

  • Chrysanthemums (Mumkin™ Red, Yellow, & Other Fall Varieties)

  • Tulip ‘Pink Impression’

    This tulip is a powerhouse in spring, with large, vibrant pink blooms that make an impact in any garden. I appreciate its strong stems and reliable return year after year.

  • Narcissus ‘Ice Follies’ & ‘Dutchmaster’

    Daffodils are essential for early-season cheer, and these two varieties are my favorites. ‘Ice Follies’ has a soft creamy white and yellow look, while ‘Dutchmaster’ delivers the classic bright yellow daffodil. Both are deer-resistant and naturalize well.

Let’s Bring Your Landscape to Life!

This curated plant selection ensures a thriving, resilient, and visually stunning garden for every season. Whether you're looking for low-maintenance, pollinator-friendly, or bold structural plantings, these plants provide a strong foundation for a beautiful landscape.

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📞 Contact us today at 630-800-0501 to discuss your project and bring these incredible plants into your outdoor space!