Nepeta
Nepeta, or catmint, is a very useful little plant. Most varieties get about a foot tall, but ‘Six Hills Giant’ can grow to three feet. Grey-green leaves and spikes of purple flowers are characteristic. Bees love Nepeta and deer tend to leave it alone. N. cataria is catnip, the herb of choice for many cats. It grows to about three feet and seems to self-sow freely. Nepeta is reasonably drought tolerant, but will look better with water.
Euphorbia ‘Blackbird’
The genus of Euphorbia contains about 2000 species, all of which contain a milky sap that is caustic or poisonous. Needless to say, deer and gophers stay away from these very interesting, useful and attractive plants. Euphorbia pulcherrima is the poinsettia of Christmas. What we call the flowers are actually bracts that surround the very small true flowers. This is the case with all Euphorbias. There are many wonderful forms of this genus for the garden. E. characias wulfenii has grey-green leaves and clusters of chartreuse bracts with red centers and a variegated form, ‘Tasmanian Tiger’, has white and green leaves and bracts. ‘Blackbird’, a hybrid, has very dark reddish purple leaves with bracts that are almost black to yellowish. E. x martinii has purple tinged dark green leaves and chartreuse bracts while E. x martinii ‘Ascot Rainbow’ has variegated leaves and bracts in yellow, green and bronze-red. E. myrsinites grows only to six inches and sports blue-grey leaves with chartreuse bracts. E. ‘Diamond Frost’ is an annual here and has an airy look with its small white flowers and small leaves. There is a Euphorbia for almost every spot in the garden.
Gaura
Gaura is a lovely, airy plant with either pink or white flowers that vaguely resemble butterflies. Foliage is usually green, but some newer varieties have reddish foliage. Plant size varies from about two feet to four feet. Gaura can self-sow vigorously under the right conditions, but it is so long blooming (late spring to frost) that much can be forgiven. It is a long lived plant and very drought tolerant, but provide some water for best appearance.
Gaillardia
Gaillardia is a great perennial for sunny spots. It flowers profusely, loves heat and needs only moderate water. Flower color ranges from yellow to orange and yellow to bicolor (as shown at left) to red. Bloom time lasts from early summer to frost.
Liriope
Liriope, or lily turf, is a grass-like shade plant. There are green leaved versions as well as variegated ones. Flowers appear on spikes in summer and can be purple or white. These plants are not attractive to deer. Provide regular water.
Campanula poscharskyana
Campanula poscharskyana and C. portenschlagiana (a.k.a. Serbian and Dalmatian bellflower, respectively) are the two species that we usually have in stock. They both make great small scale groundcover, growing no more than about eight inches high. Purple flowers adorn the plants heavily in spring and periodically thereafter until frost. The foliage is present throughout winter.
Hosta ‘Sum and Substance’
Hostas are shade loving plants that come in a wide range of sizes and leaf colors and variegations. Lavender flowers on spikes, some fragrant, appear in summer. All will go dormant in winter and do quite well in containers, even the very large varieties. Protect from slugs and snails and provide regular water.
Helleborus orientalis
Hellebores are wonderful plants that bloom in winter and early spring when very little else is flowering. Color ranges from white to dark purple, although some species have greenish flowers. The evergreen foliage is generally dark green and glossy, divided into leaflets. They do very well in shade, even deep shade. They can get by with moderate water, but will look best with regular water. All parts of the plant are poisonous and therefore are left alone by deer and gophers. What a bonus!
Rudbeckia
Rudbeckia, or black-eyed Susan, is a tough plant that blooms summer and autumn. Nearly all have flowers in the yellow and orange range. ‘Indian Summer’ has a dark brown center while ‘Irish Eyes’ has a green center. ‘Goldsturm’ is a reliable perennial. variety with somewhat smaller flowers and dark centers.
Echinacea
Echinacea, or coneflower, is a tough plant that blooms for a long period in summer and autumn. Recent breeding has produced flowers of many colors and plants of varying heights. These plants are suitable for the garden or containers.
