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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