2007-2008 Natureworks Catalog
2007-2008 Natureworks Catalog
2007-2008 Natureworks Catalog
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Come into my garden, my flowers would like to meet you!<br />
$5.00
February 4, <strong>2007</strong><br />
Dear friends,<br />
You hold in your hands the new generation of <strong>Natureworks</strong> catalogs. It may not<br />
look very different to you, but behind the scenes, the work involved to produce this<br />
book was quite amazing. Late in December, I vented my frustration to my husband (an<br />
ace computer programmer) about the long and tedious process I had to go through to<br />
format this catalog. After examining our antiquated and inefficient process, he decided<br />
to write us a program to make it simpler. And he did! Meanwhile, back in the <strong>Natureworks</strong><br />
office, chaos reigned. It turns out that we had to correct every nomenclature error<br />
in our database to make this most excellent program work. And we did...after a lot<br />
of blood, sweat and tears. The result is what you hold in your hand. Tony’s program is<br />
going to enable us to put this catalog up on our website. It will also enable us to print<br />
what he calls “mini-catalogs” whenever the spirit moves us, which will probably be on<br />
a fairly regular basis. It has also inspired me to produce this main catalog on an every<br />
other year basis, with a winter “mini-catalog”, listing all of the new plants, written during<br />
the off year. What does this mean for you? Simply that you hold onto this main<br />
catalog for two years. It will save a LOT of paper and a lot of time. Hopefully, that we<br />
free me up to continue working on my next book (which has over 100 pages written so<br />
far) and will free up my staff to do cool things like import color pictures to the online<br />
version of the catalog on our website (naturework.com).<br />
I have been all over the world in the last six weeks. Not literally; I have traveled<br />
in cyberspace! In the process of writing this catalog, I refer to my ever expanding<br />
library of reference books, but I also Google and Google Image just about everything<br />
to learn more about it. This is such a neat thing to do, as the scientific name of a plant<br />
will bring you to nurseries in every corner of the globe. You can see pictures of the<br />
plant in gardens, read opinions and comments from real gardeners, and follow the<br />
threads that lead you to where this plant was found or developed. This is a very geeky<br />
pursuit, but for someone like me, it is an all consuming passion.<br />
My hope is that the honest descriptions of the plants in this catalog will help<br />
you to design and embellish your gardens with the best that the world has to offer. We<br />
want you to buy your plants from <strong>Natureworks</strong>. Our plants are carefully chosen, and<br />
once they arrive in our nursery, lovingly tended using organic methods. We offer all<br />
sorts of ways to save money, from our Perennial Buying Club to Quantity Discounts to<br />
our <strong>Catalog</strong> Order Programs. My staff is a bunch of fanatical, passionate gardeners<br />
who live and breathe plants and are as excited about what we are selling as I am.<br />
We are now in our 24th year! To our customers old and new, THANK YOU for<br />
supporting our work. We look forward to another exciting year in the garden together.<br />
See you soon...<br />
Nancy DuBrule-Clemente
How to use this catalog:<br />
Because we cannot afford the luxury of a color catalog with enticing pictures<br />
of each plant, I suggest you do the following: take all the fancy, colorful plant<br />
catalogs that you have received and spread them out on a large table. Open the<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> catalog and read all about the hundreds of plants we will be<br />
carrying. Look up any plant you are interested in in one of the mail order<br />
catalogs or a good perennial book to see what it looks like in bloom, or visit<br />
one of the websites we recommend for some fabulous color images. Read our<br />
descriptions of those plants to better understand how they will honestly<br />
perform for you here in southern Connecticut. DON’T ORDER PLANTS<br />
OVER THE INTERNET...! Instead, fill out the <strong>Natureworks</strong> order form, figure<br />
your discount, and mail or fax it in to us! We all know that plants purchased at<br />
a local specialty nursery have a tremendous advantage over mail-order plants,<br />
as they do not have any shipping shock. You are able to see the plants you are<br />
purchasing and work with a knowledgeable staff member who can help you<br />
with your garden planning. MOREOVER, YOU ARE SUPPORTING A<br />
LOCAL BUSINESS, one that has an interest in you AND your garden!<br />
WHY AREN’T ALL THE PLANTS IN THIS<br />
CATALOG ON THE ORDER FORM?<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> now publishes one catalog every other year that comes out<br />
in the winter. We have <strong>Catalog</strong> Order Programs for Early Spring, Late<br />
Spring, and sometimes during the summer and fall. We try very hard to<br />
list only the plants on each order form that we are fairly certain will be in<br />
stock or have been confirmed by our growers. If a plant is described in<br />
the catalog but is NOT on the current order form, it means we do not<br />
have it available at this time. Feel free to inquire and to place a Special<br />
Order for any plants not on the order form and we will do our best to get<br />
them for you.<br />
The Perennial Buying Club<br />
Join & Save!<br />
Membership benefits: 10% off<br />
all perennials, all gardening classes,<br />
all gardening books,<br />
all gardening gloves, all metal plant labels<br />
Plus, special private PBC sales, with additional<br />
discounts, in the summer. 1 year membership: $25<br />
Grow Organic Program<br />
Join & Save!<br />
Membership benefits: 10% off<br />
all organic fertilizers, composts,<br />
and natural pest control products.<br />
(mulch excluded) 1 year membership: $10<br />
How our <strong>Catalog</strong> Order<br />
Program Works:<br />
We strongly encourage advance<br />
orders of plants from this catalog.<br />
Because of the wide diversity of<br />
plants that we carry, many in limited<br />
quantities, it is important for us to<br />
know in advance which plants we<br />
need to reorder and which plants are<br />
sold out. Our <strong>Catalog</strong> Order Program<br />
enables you to plan your garden<br />
AND save money at the same time.<br />
It also assures you that the plants that<br />
you want will be held for you.<br />
Where did the prices go?<br />
This catalog is a valuable<br />
reference. We list the plants that we<br />
normally carry, or expect to carry.<br />
This does not mean that they are all<br />
available, nor should you expect to<br />
find all of them at our nursery during<br />
a single visit. Some will arrive at the<br />
beginning of April; others won’t<br />
arrive until much later. Some are<br />
temporarily unavailable– we just<br />
keep searching for them, or grow our<br />
own stock plants that we can<br />
eventually propagate. For this<br />
reason, we have devised a new order<br />
system: we have broken our season<br />
into several delivery periods (Early<br />
Spring, Late Spring, etc.), and have<br />
created an order form for each that<br />
lists the plants and their prices that<br />
will arrive during that period. This<br />
allows us to offer you savings<br />
throughout the growing season (your<br />
quantity discount is cumulative for<br />
the entire year).<br />
When you place an order, the<br />
plants will be tagged for you as soon<br />
as they arrive. Plants will NOT be<br />
put out on our retail benches until all<br />
orders are tagged. We will call you<br />
when a significant portion of your<br />
order is ready for pickup. We<br />
appreciate it if you pick up your<br />
order promptly, as we are cramped<br />
for space on our overflowing one<br />
acre of property! After two weeks,<br />
your order will be placed back into<br />
retail stock unless we hear from you.<br />
Do not assume that the plants in<br />
this catalog are the full extent of all<br />
that we sell! We also carry additional<br />
nursery stock, herbs, and unusual<br />
annuals. We offer a choice selection<br />
of top-size bulbs in the fall, and<br />
orchids and other exceptional<br />
houseplants throughout the year.
Some Helpful Lists to Guide You<br />
A catalog of this size can be daunting. How do you find what you want? These lists will be your guide,<br />
enabling you to navigate these pages and hone in on some truly exceptional plants.<br />
NANCY’S PICKS<br />
Favorite Plants of <strong>2007</strong><br />
I revise this list every year. Some plants stay on the list as they seem to have<br />
won a permanent place in my heart. Others are new loves. You can study them<br />
and learn about the features that have caused them to win a place in my heart—<br />
and in the gardens of many of my favorite clients.<br />
*Indicates signature plants used in many <strong>Natureworks</strong> designs<br />
*Abelia grandiflora<br />
Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’<br />
*Allium thunbergii ‘Ozowa’<br />
*Anemone ‘Honorine Jobert’<br />
Astilbe simplicifolia ‘Hennie Graafland’<br />
*Athyrium ‘Ghost’ (fern)<br />
Athyrium ‘Victoria Selection’(fern)<br />
Azalea ‘Millenium’<br />
*Brunnera macrophylla (esp. ‘Jack Frost’)<br />
*Campanula poscharskyana ‘Blue Waterfall’<br />
*Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’ (grass)<br />
Caryopteris ‘Sunshine Blue’<br />
Centaurea montana ‘Amethyst in Snow’<br />
*Chelone lyonii ‘Hot Lips’<br />
Coreopsis integrifolia<br />
Cornus sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’<br />
*Cyrtomium fortunei (holly fern)<br />
*Dendranthemum’White Bomb’<br />
Digitalis x ‘Spice Island’<br />
*Doronicum pardalianches<br />
Dryopteris erythosora (fern)<br />
Echinacae ‘Big Sky Sunset’<br />
Gaillardia ‘Summer Kiss’<br />
Gentiana makinoi ‘Royal Blue’<br />
Geranium ‘Rozanne’<br />
Hamamelis ‘Arnold’s Promise’<br />
Helenium ‘Coppelia’, ‘Mardi Gras’<br />
Helianthus ‘First Light’<br />
Helleborus x ‘Ivory Prince’<br />
Hemerocallis citrina<br />
Heuchera villosa ‘Caramel’<br />
*Hosta plantaginea<br />
Hydrangea ‘Tardiva’<br />
Ilex pedunculosa<br />
*Iris germanica ‘Immortality’<br />
*Iris pallida ‘Variegata’<br />
Lathyrus vernus ‘Rose Fairy’<br />
*Leucanthemum ‘Becky’<br />
Lilium orienpet ‘Conca D’Or’<br />
Lobelia ‘Gladys Lindley’<br />
Mertensia virginica<br />
*Molinia caerulea ‘Skyracer’<br />
Oenothera macrocarpa<br />
Oenothera fremontii ‘Lemon Silver’<br />
Paeonia ‘Coral Fay’<br />
*Perovskia ‘Longin’<br />
Persicaria ‘Firetail’<br />
*Phlox glaberrima ‘Morris Berd’<br />
Phlox maculata ‘Natasha’<br />
Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diabolo’<br />
Pieris japonica ‘Flaming Silver’<br />
Potentilla ‘Monarch’s Velvet’<br />
Primula japonica ‘Miller’s Crimson’<br />
Rose ‘Knockout’<br />
*Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida<br />
*Salvia ‘Carradonna’, ‘Marcus’<br />
Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’ (tender peren.)<br />
*Sanguisorba menziesii ‘Dali Marble’<br />
Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’<br />
*Stokesia ‘Peachie’s Pick’<br />
*Thalictrum rochebrunianum<br />
Tricyrtis formosana<br />
*Veronica peduncularis ‘Georgia Blue’<br />
Plants (and hummingbirds) in Cyberspace!<br />
www.provenwinners.com www.futureplants.com<br />
www.CareyAward.org www.quansettnurseries.com<br />
www.bobna.com (Blooms of Bressingham) www.clematisnursery.com<br />
www.stepables.com (ground covers) www.ct-botanical-society.org<br />
www.TerraNovaNurseries.com www.sunnyborder.com<br />
www.gardenweb.com www.peonygarden.com<br />
www.rubythroat.org www.sedumphotos.net<br />
www.plantdelights.com www.monrovia.com<br />
ELIMINATE YOUR<br />
LAWN!!!<br />
We now carry a full line of plants<br />
that can be used as lawn substitutes,<br />
are excellent ground covers, or can<br />
be planted between stepping stones.<br />
Here’s a list of plants to explore for<br />
both sun and shade.<br />
HELPFUL WEBSITES:<br />
www.stepables.com<br />
www.quansettnurseries.com<br />
Acaena saccaticupula ‘Blue Haze’<br />
Achillea tomentosa ‘Lemon’<br />
Ajuga (all)<br />
Anthemis carpatica ‘Snow Carpet’<br />
Anthemis nobilis (chamomile)<br />
Cerastium<br />
Cymbalaria aequitriloba<br />
Erigeron scopulinus, trifidus<br />
Galium odoratum<br />
Gaultheria procumbens<br />
Gypsophila cerastoides<br />
Hernaria glabra ‘Green Carpet’<br />
Hutchinsia alpina<br />
Hydrocotyl sibthorpioides<br />
Hypericum reptans<br />
Isotoma fluvialtiis<br />
Leptinella squallida ‘Platt’s Black’<br />
Lysimachia japonica ‘Minutissima’<br />
Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’<br />
Mazus reptans<br />
Mentha pulegium<br />
Mentha requienii<br />
Mitchella repens<br />
Muehlenbeckia axillaris ‘Nana’<br />
Phlox stolonifera<br />
Phlox subulata<br />
Pratia pedunculata ‘County Park’<br />
Sedum album ‘Baby’s Tears’<br />
Sedum kamtschaticum ‘Variegatum’<br />
Sedum lydium<br />
Sedum middendorfianum<br />
Sedum oreganum ‘Glaucum’<br />
Sedum requieni<br />
Sedum spurium ‘Fulda-glow’<br />
Sedum tetractinum<br />
Spergularia rubra<br />
Thymus herba-baronna<br />
Thymus praecox ‘Coccineus’<br />
Thymus praecox ‘Minor<br />
Thymus praecox ‘Nutmeg’<br />
Thymus pseudolanguinosis<br />
Thymus serphyllum<br />
Veronica peduncularis ‘Georgia Blue’<br />
Veronica repens ‘Sunshine’
OUR<br />
EDUCATIONAL<br />
FOCUS<br />
“An educated<br />
gardener is our best<br />
customer...”<br />
We want you to<br />
understand<br />
gardening, be<br />
successful at it, and<br />
fall in love with it<br />
as we have! At<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong>, we<br />
purposely integrate<br />
education into<br />
everything we do.<br />
Our gardens are our<br />
“living classrooms”<br />
and provide our<br />
customers and<br />
students an<br />
invaluable local<br />
resource. Our<br />
Saturday morning<br />
garden walks,<br />
which run from<br />
June ‘til October,<br />
are always popular,<br />
offering hands-on<br />
techniques and a<br />
weekly commentary<br />
of what’s in bloom.<br />
Newsletters, weekly<br />
emails, handouts,<br />
winter classes,<br />
newspaper and<br />
magazine articles,<br />
public speaking<br />
engagements,<br />
summer festivals<br />
and workshops, and<br />
this comprehensive<br />
catalog ALL work<br />
together to offer<br />
YOU top-notch<br />
information. We are<br />
proud to share what<br />
we know so that we<br />
all may become<br />
better gardeners.<br />
SOME DEER-RESISTANT PLANTS*<br />
*I have been working for many years on a comprehensive list of plants that deer won’t<br />
eat. It is very long and detailed, much too much to include here. Check out our website at<br />
www.naturework.com and download a copy. You may also request a list when you visit<br />
the store. I encourage and welcome your input. If there are plants on the list that the deer<br />
devour in your yard, let me know. If there are plants that they don’t touch that are not on<br />
the list, please tell me! Together we can build a plant palette that truly works in deer<br />
country.<br />
Achillea<br />
Aconitum<br />
Agastache<br />
Alchemilla mollis<br />
Allium<br />
Anthemis tinctoria<br />
Aqueligia<br />
Artemesia<br />
Astilbe<br />
Buddleia<br />
Calamintha<br />
Centranthus ruber<br />
Cerastium tomentosum<br />
Convallaria majalis<br />
Delphinium<br />
Dicentra (old fashioned and dwarf)<br />
Digitalis<br />
Epimedium<br />
Euphorbia<br />
Ferns<br />
Geranium macrorhizum<br />
Helleborus<br />
Hypericum<br />
Iris germanica<br />
Kniphofia<br />
Lamium<br />
Available at <strong>Natureworks</strong> to help you with your deer problems:<br />
The BEST book on the subject:<br />
Deer Proofing your Yard and Garden by Rhonda Maassingham Hart<br />
Deer repellants that really work and smell great: Deer Stopper,<br />
Deer Solution<br />
Deer repellants that really work but smell strong: Coast of Maine<br />
fermented salmon, Liquid Fence<br />
You should alternate repellants if you have a large deer population!<br />
Lupinus<br />
Lychnis coronaria<br />
Monarda<br />
Myosotis<br />
Nepeta<br />
Origanum<br />
Papaver orientale<br />
Paeonia<br />
Perovskia<br />
Ranunculus<br />
Rumex sanguineus var. sanguineus<br />
Salvia<br />
Stachys<br />
Tanacetum<br />
Veronica incana<br />
Vitex agnus-castus<br />
WATERING TECHNIQUES FOR SUMMER GARDENS<br />
Over 75% of the serious plant problems reported during the summer months are<br />
the result of improper watering techniques.<br />
Water DEEPLY twice a week for the first three weeks after planting and at least<br />
once a week thereafter for the first growing season or plants will fail to thrive and<br />
may even perish!<br />
Get a rain gauge. Know just how much rain has fallen in your yard each week.<br />
“Sprinkling” the plants and the surface of the soil causes the roots to grow up to the<br />
surface, where they dry out much more quickly. Instead, water so that the water<br />
penetrates down into the root zone, at least 6" or more. When you water, WALK<br />
AWAY, leaving the water on for at least one half hour. When you think you are<br />
done, take a trowel and dig down 6" to make sure the water has reached the roots.<br />
If you are on a well, water one garden area deeply each day. Turn the water off as<br />
often as needed to let the well recover and then turn it back on the same garden or<br />
individual plant again.<br />
Weave soaker hoses, which use 50-70% less water than conventional sprinklers,<br />
throughout your garden. Leave soaker hoses on for at least 2-4 hours, and check to<br />
make sure that water has made it to the root zone of all the plants. Water doesn't<br />
travel far from soaker hoses—if they are not laid down correctly, entire sections of<br />
the garden will remain bone dry.<br />
NEVER use a lawn irrigation system (with pop-up sprinkler heads going on for a<br />
brief period every night) to water your perennial or shrub beds. Ask your irrigation<br />
company to install permanent drip irrigation lines and put them on a separate zone<br />
from your lawn.<br />
Enrich your soil each spring with organic compost and then mulch thickly in early<br />
summer. Both of these practices help the soil hold moisture and protect the soil from<br />
extreme temperature fluctuations.
UNDER-USED AND UNAPPRECIATED<br />
Wonderful Plants that Everyone Should Try:<br />
It is so easy to overlook perennials that are not the drama queens of the<br />
garden. These plants have so much to offer the gardener. Look up and read<br />
their descriptions to find out why they made this list!<br />
Abelia grandiflora<br />
Aesculus parviflora<br />
Agastache ‘Blue Fortune’-hardy, heat<br />
tolerant, deer proof<br />
Artemesia lactiflora ‘Ghuizo’<br />
Aster laevis ‘Bluebird’<br />
Astrantias<br />
Baptisia<br />
Buddleia alternifolia ‘Argentea’<br />
Carex siderosticha ‘Variegata’<br />
Chrysogonum<br />
Corydalis lutea– longest bloomer of all!<br />
Corylopsis<br />
Doronicum pardalianches<br />
Dianthus ‘Ian’<br />
Epimedium<br />
Eryngium (sea holly)<br />
Euphorbia amygaloides ‘Purpurea’<br />
Fothergilla gardenii<br />
Geum<br />
Heleniums– they love the heat!<br />
Helleborus (winter bloomers!)<br />
Helianthemum-super hardy<br />
Heptacodium miconiodes– fragrant, fall<br />
blooming tree!<br />
Hydrangea serrata ‘Preziosa’ (it’s hardy)<br />
Hypericum patulum ‘Hidecote’<br />
Hyssopus officinalis<br />
Inula ensifolia<br />
Kalimeris integrifolia<br />
Lespedeza-late blooming shrub<br />
Origanum ‘Herrenhausen’<br />
Phlox glaberrima ‘Morris Berd’<br />
Pulmonaria angustifolia ‘Azurea’<br />
Pulsatilla vulgaris<br />
Pycnanthemum muticum<br />
Scutellaria<br />
Stachys densiflora<br />
Teucrium– super foliage, hardy herb<br />
Tiarellas—great shade plants<br />
Veronicastrum– stately native plant<br />
FALL BLOOMERS TO PLANT THIS SPRING<br />
It is so hard to plan ahead for the fall garden when you are suffering from<br />
spring planting fever. This list will help you to get organized. If you simply put<br />
in five plants from this list, you will be amazed at how your late-season garden<br />
will be transformed!<br />
Abelia grandiflora<br />
Anemone x hybrida<br />
Aster ‘Fanny’<br />
Aster tartaricus ‘Jindai’<br />
Callicarpa (purple berries!)<br />
Caryopteris ‘Dark Knight’, ‘Longwood<br />
Blue’, ‘Sunshine Blue’, ‘Pink Chablis’<br />
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides<br />
Cimicifuga ramosa<br />
Coreopsis integrifolia<br />
Dendranthemum—we have a huge selection<br />
of super-hardy Dendranthemums (a.k.a.<br />
Chrysanthemums), many field-dug from<br />
our gardens. Small plants added in the<br />
early spring will yield a large mass of<br />
flowers the first fall.<br />
Eupatorium ‘Chocolate’<br />
Gaura lindheimerii<br />
Helianthus salicifolius, ‘Lemon Queen’<br />
Hemerocallis ‘Autumn Minarette’<br />
Heptacodium miconiodes<br />
Lespedeza thunbergii ‘Bicolor’<br />
Origanum ‘Hopley’s Purple’<br />
Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida<br />
Rudbeckia triloba<br />
Sanguisorba tenuifolia ‘Atropurpurea’<br />
Sedum ‘Autumn Fire’<br />
Tricyrtis formosana<br />
IF YOU FIND THIS CATALOG USEFUL, PLEASE<br />
CONSIDER MAKING A DONATION TO THE<br />
EDUCATION FUND. THANKS!<br />
SEE ORDER FORM FOR DETAILS.<br />
FABULOUS FOLIAGE<br />
PLANTS<br />
Whether a plant is flowering or not, it<br />
can add structure, color, substance<br />
and interest to the garden if it has<br />
good foliage Here are a few of my<br />
favorite foliage plants.<br />
Ajania pacifica<br />
Amsonia hubrechtii<br />
Angelica pachycarpa<br />
Anthriscus ‘Ravenswing’<br />
Aruncus diocus ‘Kneiffii’<br />
Athyrium ‘Ghost’<br />
Begonia evansiana<br />
Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’<br />
Calamagrostis ‘Avalanche’<br />
Campsis ‘Summer Snowfall’<br />
Carex ‘Ice Dance’<br />
Centaurea ‘Gold Bullion’<br />
Cimicifuga ‘Hillside Black Beauty’<br />
Cyrtomium (holly ferns)<br />
Filipendula ulmaria ‘Aurea’, ‘Variegata’<br />
Hakonechloe macra ‘Aureola’<br />
Heliopsis ‘Loraine Sunshine’<br />
Helleborus foetidus<br />
Helleborus x ‘Ivory Prince’<br />
Heuchera villosa ‘Caramel’<br />
Heuchera ‘Can Can’<br />
Hibiscus ‘Kopper King’<br />
Hosta ‘Blue Mouse Ears’<br />
Iris ensata ‘Variegata’<br />
Iris pallida ‘Variegata’<br />
Ligularia ‘Marie Britt Crawford’<br />
Miscanthus ‘Super Stripe’<br />
Oenothera ‘Spring Gold’<br />
Panicum virgatum ‘Ruby Ribbons’<br />
Phlox paniculata ‘Becky Towe’<br />
Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diablo’,<br />
‘Coppertina’<br />
Pieris japonica ‘Flaming Silver’<br />
Polemonium ‘Stairway to Heaven’<br />
Polystichum polyblepharum (Tassle fern)<br />
Pulmonaria ‘Majeste’<br />
Rhamnus frangula ‘Fine Line’<br />
Rodgersia pinnata ‘Chocolate Wings’<br />
Salix integra ‘Hakuro Nishiki’<br />
Sambucus ‘Black Lace’<br />
Sanguisorba menziesii ‘Dali Marble’<br />
Sedum ‘Angelina’<br />
Sedum ‘Matrona’<br />
Spirea thunbergii ‘Ogon’<br />
Spirea ‘White Gold’, ‘Mini-Gold’<br />
Tiarella ‘Iron Butterfly’<br />
Tradescantia ‘Sweet Kate’<br />
Veronica repens ‘Sunshine’<br />
Vinca minor ‘Illumination’<br />
Weigela ‘Fine Wine’
If you are reading this catalog<br />
and you are NOT on our<br />
mailing list, you are missing out<br />
on:<br />
Valuable information<br />
Humor and garden talk<br />
Sales and Special events<br />
Call us RIGHT NOW<br />
203-484-2748<br />
and put your name on the list.<br />
*Better yet, go to our website*<br />
naturework.com<br />
and sign up for our<br />
EMAIL mailing list.<br />
Then go back to<br />
STUDYING THIS CATALOG!<br />
FRAGRANT PLANTS<br />
Abeliophyllum distichum<br />
Astilbe chinensis ‘Vision in Pink’<br />
Azalea ‘Pink and Sweet’<br />
Buddleia ‘Dartmoor’, ‘Lochinch’<br />
Cimicifuga ramosa ‘Atropurpurea’<br />
Clematis montana ‘Rubens’<br />
Clematis paniculata<br />
Clethra alnifolia<br />
Convallaria majalis<br />
Cytisus praecox<br />
Dianthus ’Essex Witch’, ‘Old Spice’,<br />
‘Bath’s Pink’, ‘Tatra Fragrance’<br />
Echinacea ‘Fragrant Angel’<br />
Hamamelis ‘Arnolds Promise’<br />
Hemerocallis flava, citrina ,‘Hyperion’<br />
Hosta ‘Fragrant Blue’, ‘Fragrant Bouquet’,<br />
‘Guacamole’, ‘Plataginae’, ‘So Sweet’,<br />
‘Summer Fragrance’<br />
Iris germanica ‘Beverly Sills’<br />
Liliums—orientals and trumpets<br />
Paeonia ‘Avalanche’, ‘Honey Gold’,<br />
‘James Mann’, ‘Mrs. Frank Beach’,<br />
‘President Roosevelt’, ‘Raspberry<br />
Sundae’, ‘Pink Jazz’<br />
Phlox divaricata ‘Clouds of Perfume’,<br />
‘May Breeze’, ‘Montrose Tricolor’<br />
Phlox paniculata<br />
Roses—‘Gertrude Jekyll’, ‘Hansa’, ‘Moje<br />
Hammarberg’, ‘Therese Bugnet’, ‘Blanc<br />
Double de Coubert’, ‘Purple Pavement’<br />
Syringa meyerii, ‘Miss Kim<br />
Viburnum carlesii, ‘Carcephalum’,<br />
‘Mohawk’<br />
Viola odorata (all varieties)<br />
DROUGHT-TOLERANT PLANTS<br />
NOTE: IF YOU HAVE AN AUTOMATIC LAWN SPRINKLER SYSTEM, DO NOT PLANT<br />
THESE PLANTS IN YOUR YARD! TOO MUCH WATER COULD CAUSE THEIR DEMISE!<br />
The droughts of 1999 and 2002, as well as the fall of 2005 shook many avid<br />
gardeners to their core. These plant defy dry summer weather and are perfect<br />
if you have a shallow well and can’t water or simply don’t have the time or<br />
inclination.<br />
Achillea<br />
Agastache foeniculum ‘Blue Fortune’<br />
Allium ‘Mt. Sinai’, senescens<br />
Amsonia<br />
Arabis<br />
Artemesia<br />
Asclepia tuberosa<br />
Aurinia<br />
Baccharis halimifolia<br />
Baptisia<br />
Campanula portenschlagiana,<br />
poscharskyana, rotundifolia<br />
Carex siderosticha ‘Variegata’<br />
Carex ‘Ice Dance’<br />
Caryopteris<br />
Cerastium<br />
Comptonia peregrina<br />
Crambe maritima<br />
Delosperma<br />
Dianthus<br />
Epimedium<br />
Eriophyllum lanatum ‘Bella’<br />
Eryngium<br />
Euphorbia<br />
Gaillardia ‘Burgundy’<br />
Gaura<br />
Gypsophila<br />
Helianthemum<br />
Helictotrichon ‘Saphhire’<br />
Iberis<br />
EASY-CARE PERENNIALS<br />
These plants are simple to grow, many bloom for a long time, most have good<br />
foliage, and they have no major insect or disease problems to discourage you<br />
Achillea ‘Moonshine’<br />
Allium senescens, Allium ‘Mt. Sinai’<br />
Aruncus diocus<br />
Aster ‘Fanny’<br />
Brunnera macrophylla<br />
Campanula poscharskyana<br />
Chrysogonum<br />
Clematis paniculata (vine)<br />
Coreopsis ‘Golden Gain’, ‘Moonbeam’<br />
Euphorbia epithymoides<br />
Geranium macrorrhizum<br />
Geranium ‘Rozanne’<br />
Geranium sanguineum<br />
Hemerocallis ‘Happy Returns’, all<br />
Trophytakers<br />
Hosta ‘Halcyon’ (slug resistant)<br />
Kalimeris integrifolia<br />
Leucanthemum superbum ‘Becky<br />
Liriope muscari ‘Big Blue’<br />
Nepeta mussini<br />
Iris germanica<br />
Iris pallida ‘Variegata’<br />
Kniphofia<br />
Lavender<br />
Liatris<br />
Linaria<br />
Liriope<br />
Lychnis coronaria<br />
Nepeta<br />
Nipponanthemum nipponicum<br />
Oenothera fremontii ‘Lemon Silver’<br />
Opuntia<br />
Origanum<br />
Papaver atlanticum<br />
Perovskia<br />
Platycodon<br />
Pycnanthemum muticum<br />
Rhazya<br />
Ruta<br />
Salvia<br />
Santolina<br />
Sedum<br />
Sempervivum<br />
Silene virginica<br />
Stachys ‘Helen von Stein’<br />
Teucrium prostrata<br />
Thymus<br />
Verbascum<br />
Vitex<br />
Yucca ‘Bright Edge’<br />
Origanum ‘Herrenhausen’<br />
Perovskia ‘Longin’, ‘Little Spire’<br />
Miscanthus ‘Yaku Jima’ (grass)<br />
Pennisetum alopecuroides (grass)<br />
Rosa ‘Earth Song’<br />
Rosa ‘Flower Carpet’<br />
Rosa ‘Knockout’<br />
Rosa ‘Scarlet Meideland’<br />
Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’<br />
Sedum ‘Autumn Fire’, ‘Matrona’<br />
Stachys ‘Helen von Stein’<br />
Stachys monnieri<br />
Teucrium chamaedrys
SHADE GARDENING—BEYOND IMPATIENTS!<br />
Jazz up your shade garden with some NEW perennials. This is the list that I prepared for the 2001 winter class<br />
“Succession of Bloom in the Perennial Shade Garden.” It is long, but comprehensive. I hope it helps you to get<br />
organized.<br />
Winter color/structure<br />
Arum italicum<br />
Asarum europeum<br />
Asarum splendens<br />
Bergenia<br />
Cyclamen coum<br />
Epimedium pinnatum, rubrum<br />
Galax<br />
Gaultheria procumbens<br />
Helleborus argutifolius<br />
Helleborus foetidus<br />
Helleborus x sternii<br />
Mitchella repens<br />
Late Winter Flowers<br />
Hammamelis<br />
Helleborus niger<br />
Helleborus orientalis<br />
Helleborus purpurescens<br />
Sarcococca<br />
April Bloomers<br />
Anemone blanda<br />
Anemone nemerosa<br />
Anemone sylvestris<br />
Arum italicum<br />
Azalea mucronulatum<br />
Bergenia<br />
Brunnera<br />
Corylopsis<br />
Dicentra cuccularia<br />
Dicentra eximia<br />
Dicentra spectabilis<br />
Dodecathon meadia<br />
Doronicum pardalianches<br />
Epimedium<br />
Erythronium<br />
Frittilaria melagris<br />
Hepatica acutiloba<br />
Lamium<br />
Lathyrus vernus ‘Rose Elf’<br />
Mahonia<br />
Muscari<br />
Narcissus<br />
Pieris<br />
Primula<br />
Pulmonaria<br />
Pulsatilla vulgaris<br />
Sanguinaria canadensis<br />
Scilla siberica<br />
Trillium<br />
Vinca minor<br />
Viola labradorica<br />
Viola odorata<br />
May Bloomers<br />
Ajuga<br />
Anemone sylvestris<br />
Aquilegia<br />
Ariseama<br />
Azalea—many varieties<br />
Brunnera<br />
Centaurea montana<br />
Chrysogonum<br />
Convallaria<br />
Corydalis<br />
Daphne<br />
Dicentra eximia<br />
Dicentra spectabilis<br />
Disporopsis<br />
Dodecathon meadia<br />
Doronicum pardalianches<br />
Epimedium<br />
Fothergilla<br />
Galium odoratum<br />
Geranium (cranesbill)—most<br />
Houstonia caerulea<br />
Iris cristata<br />
Kerria japonica<br />
Lamium<br />
Lathyrus vernus ‘Rose Elf’<br />
Leucothoe<br />
Mazus reptans<br />
Mertensia siberica<br />
Myosotis alpestris<br />
Omphalodes<br />
Polemonium<br />
Phlox divaricata, stolonifera<br />
Phlox glaberrima ‘Morris Berd’<br />
Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’<br />
Polygonum multiflorum<br />
Primula japonica<br />
Pulmonaria<br />
Sagina<br />
Sanicula caerulescens<br />
Scilla hispanica<br />
Smilacina racemosa<br />
Stephanandra incisa ‘Crispa’<br />
Stylophorum diphyllum<br />
Symphytum grandiflorum<br />
Tiarella<br />
Uvularia<br />
Veronica peduncularis ‘Georgia Blue’<br />
Viburnum plicatum ‘Tomentosum<br />
Viola ‘Dancing Geisha’<br />
Viola labradorica<br />
Zizia aptera<br />
June Bloomers<br />
Alchemilla<br />
Aruncus dioicus<br />
Astilbe—many varieties<br />
Astilboides tabularis<br />
Azalea—deciduous types<br />
Centaurea montana<br />
Chrysogonum<br />
Corydalis lutea<br />
Digitalis lutea, grandiflora, ferruguina,<br />
excelsior, purpurea, obscura<br />
Enkianthus<br />
Filipendula ulmaria, purpurea<br />
‘Elegans’<br />
Geranium—many<br />
Gillenia trifoliata<br />
Heucherella<br />
Hydrangea macrophylla, arborescens,<br />
serrata<br />
Iris ensata (dappled shade, late June)<br />
Kalmia<br />
Lamium<br />
Lilium—Asiatic (dappled )<br />
Lysimachia punctata and p. ‘Alexander’<br />
Mazus reptans<br />
Myosotis palustris<br />
Oenothera tetragona<br />
Omphalodes ‘Parisian Skies’<br />
Polemonium<br />
Sanicula caerulescens<br />
Smilacina racemosa<br />
Symphytum rubrum<br />
Tanacetum parthenium<br />
Thalictrum aquilegifolium, ‘Hewittt’s<br />
Double’<br />
Tradescantia<br />
July Bloomers<br />
Abelia grandiflora<br />
Adenophora<br />
Aruncus sinensis<br />
Astilbe chinensis varieties<br />
Astilbe simplicifolia varieties<br />
Astilbe taquetti varieties<br />
Astilboides tabularis<br />
Astrantia<br />
Cimicifuga racemosa<br />
Corydalis lutea<br />
Filipendula ulmaria, purpurea ‘Elegans’<br />
Geranium ‘Rozanne’, wlassovianum<br />
Gillenia trifoliata<br />
Heucherella<br />
Hydrangea macrophylla, arborescens,<br />
serrata<br />
Hydrangea petiolaris<br />
Hypericum<br />
Iris ensata (dappled shade,early July)<br />
Lamium<br />
Ligularia stenocephala ‘The Rocket’<br />
Lilium—trumpet, oriental, tiger<br />
(dappled)<br />
Myrrhis odorata<br />
Persicaria ‘Firetail’, ‘Taurus’<br />
Persicaria captiata ‘Magic Carpet’<br />
Rodgersia<br />
Sanicula caerulescens<br />
Spigelia marylandica<br />
Tanacetum parthenium<br />
Thalictrum kiusianum<br />
Tradescantia<br />
Tricyrtis latifolia<br />
Viburnum ‘Summer Snowflake’
August Bloomers<br />
Abelia grandiflora<br />
Adenophora<br />
Anemone huphensis<br />
Anemone robustissima<br />
Artemesia lactiflora<br />
Astrantia<br />
Begonia grandis (evansiana)<br />
Ceratostigma<br />
Cimicifuga ‘Hillside Black Beauty’<br />
Cimicifuga ‘Brunette’<br />
Cimicifuga acerina<br />
Clethra<br />
Geranium ‘Rozanne’, wlassovianum<br />
Heuchera—most burgundy-leaved forms<br />
Hosta ‘Fragrant Bouquet’<br />
Hosta ‘Guacamole’<br />
Hosta ‘Summer Fragrance’<br />
Hosta plantaginea ‘Aphrodite’<br />
Hypericum<br />
Lamium<br />
Lilium—oriental (dappled)<br />
Ligularia ‘Desdemona’, ‘Othello’<br />
Ligularia tanguitica<br />
Liriope<br />
Lobelia cardinalis, siphilitica, and all<br />
hybrids<br />
Patrinia scabiosifolia<br />
Persicaria ‘Firetail’, ‘Taurus’<br />
Persicaria captitata ‘Magic Carpet’<br />
Rudbeckia ‘Goldsturm’, R. triloba (yes,<br />
they grow in part shade!)<br />
Spiranthes<br />
Spigelia marylandica<br />
Tanacetum parthenium<br />
Viburnum ‘Summer Snowflake’<br />
September Bloomers<br />
Abelia grandiflora<br />
Anemone japonica hybrids<br />
Aster dumosus (woodland asters)<br />
Begonia evansiana<br />
Ceratostigma<br />
Chrysopsis mariana<br />
Cimicifuga racemosa ‘Cordifolia’<br />
Cimicifuga simplex ‘White Pearl’<br />
Chelone lyonnii ‘Hot Lips’<br />
Clematis paniculata<br />
Clethra<br />
Gentiana andrewsii<br />
Geranium ‘Rozanne’<br />
Helianthus ‘Lemon Queen’<br />
Heuchera—most burgundy-leaved forms<br />
Hosta plataginae ‘Aphrodite’<br />
Kirengeshoma<br />
Lamium<br />
Ligularia tanguitica<br />
Liriope<br />
Persicaria ‘Firetail’, ‘Taurus’<br />
Rudbeckia fulgida fulgida<br />
Rudbeckia triloba<br />
Spiranthes<br />
Tricyrtis<br />
October Bloomers<br />
Aconitum arendsii<br />
Aconitum carmichaelii ‘Barker’s Variety’<br />
Actea alba (Doll’s Eyes)—berries<br />
Aronia arbutifolia (berries)<br />
Aster ‘Fanny’<br />
Aster lateriflorus ‘Prince’, ‘Lady in Black’<br />
Aster oblongifolius ‘October Skies’<br />
Cimicifuga ramosa ‘Atropurpurea’<br />
Crocus sativus<br />
Cyclamen—fall types<br />
Ilex (berries)<br />
Persicaria ‘Firetail’, ‘Taurus’<br />
Rudbeckia fulgida fulgida<br />
Tricyrtis<br />
November Bloomers<br />
Aster ‘Fanny’<br />
Fabulous foliage plants for shade<br />
Acanthopanax sieboldiana ‘Variegata’<br />
Ajuga<br />
Athyrium nipponicum—Painted ferns<br />
Athyrium ‘Ghost’, ‘Lady in Red’<br />
Carex ‘Bowle’s Golden’<br />
Carex morrowii ‘Ice Dance’<br />
Carex siderosticha<br />
‘Variegata’, ‘Island Brocade’<br />
Dicentra ‘Goldheart’<br />
Disporum sessile ‘Variegatum’<br />
Epimedium<br />
Euonymus fortunei<br />
Fallopia japonica ‘Variegata’<br />
Ferns<br />
Filipendula ulmaria ‘Variegata’, ‘Aurea’<br />
Geranium ‘Sambor’, maculatum<br />
‘Espresso’, wlassovianum, macrorhizum<br />
Hakonechloe macra ‘Aureola’<br />
Heuchera—burgundy-leaf forms<br />
Heuchera ‘Amber Waves’<br />
Heuchera ‘Mint Frost’<br />
Heucherella—new hybrids<br />
Hostas<br />
Hydrangea mac. ‘Variegata’<br />
Hydrangea ‘Lemon Wave’<br />
Imperata cylindrica (dappled)<br />
Iris ensata ‘Variegata’<br />
Lamium<br />
Liriope—esp. variegated types<br />
Luzula nivea (grass)<br />
Lysimachia cletheroides ‘Geisha’<br />
Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’<br />
Lysimachia punctata ‘Alexander’<br />
Miscanthus (dappled shade only)<br />
Polemonium ‘Brise D’Anjou’, ‘Snow and<br />
Sapphires’, ‘Stairway to Heaven’<br />
Polygonatum odoratum ‘Variegatum’,<br />
‘Striatum’<br />
Polystichum-Christmas and Tassel ferns<br />
Symphytum‘Uplandicum Variegatum’<br />
‘Axminster Gold’<br />
Tiarella—new hybrids<br />
Viola koreana ‘Sylettus’, ‘Mars’<br />
If you are planting a new shade garden, or renovating/adding to an existing shade garden, be sure to ask for our<br />
handout “Designing a Shade Garden” when you come to the store. Also, we carry a wide selection of excellent books on<br />
shade gardening.<br />
LEAN FEEDERS<br />
Feed sparingly; don’t add lots of compost; great for<br />
poor soil.<br />
Achillea<br />
Armeria<br />
Artemesia<br />
Asclepias tuberosa<br />
Aurinia<br />
Centranthus<br />
Corydalis<br />
Dianthus<br />
Eryngium<br />
Euphorbia<br />
Gaillardia<br />
Gaura<br />
Helianthemum<br />
Iris germanica<br />
Lavandula<br />
Nepeta<br />
Perovskia<br />
Ruta<br />
Salvia<br />
Sedums<br />
Stachys<br />
Teucrium<br />
Thymus<br />
Verbascum<br />
LIME<br />
LOVERS:<br />
Bergenia<br />
Campanulas<br />
Clematis<br />
Delphiniums<br />
Dianthus<br />
Gypsophila -Baby’s Breath<br />
Iberis<br />
Iris-German or bearded ONLY<br />
Lavender<br />
Scabiosa<br />
Silver and gray plants<br />
Syringa-lilacs
GET ‘EM WHILE THEY’RE HOT . . .<br />
These plants are either in very short supply, will be used in great quantities in <strong>Natureworks</strong> designs, or are new introductions<br />
(or simply fabulous varieties) that will sell out fast.<br />
IF YOU WANT THESE PLANTS, PLACE AN EARLY ORDER TODAY TO RESERVE THEM!<br />
Allium senescens (we grow our own)<br />
Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’<br />
Asclepia tuberosa (we never have enough)<br />
Baptisia ‘Twilite Prairieblues’ (cool color)<br />
Brunnera ‘Looking Glass’<br />
Delphinium– New Millenium hybrids<br />
Dendranthemum ‘Lucie’s Pink’<br />
Dicentra spectabilis ‘Goldheart’<br />
Digitalis x ‘Spice Island’<br />
Echinacae—all orange and yellow varieties<br />
Euphorbia x ‘Blackbird’<br />
Gaillardia ‘Summer Kiss’<br />
Galium aristata<br />
Hamamelis– all winter bloomers<br />
Helleborus ‘Ivory Prince’<br />
SUPERIOR VARIETIES<br />
There IS a difference between plants. The following varieties have proven<br />
themselves superior to the straight species or to older cultivars.<br />
Astilbe chinensis ‘Visions in Red’ – Large, fat flowers are much showier than the species.<br />
Foliage is red when it emerges and not as coarse. Still spreads quickly and is<br />
just as easy to grow.<br />
Coreopsis verticillata ‘Golden Gain’ – The flowers are much larger than ‘Zagreb’ or<br />
‘Golden Showers’. Very showy.<br />
Echinacae ‘Rubinstern’ – Put this side by side with any other coneflower and you will<br />
see why I now use this in most of my designs. Larger, deeper lavender flowers with<br />
a very showy reddish/orange raised center.<br />
Eryngium ‘Sapphire Blue’ – Huge blue flowers, showier bracts, strong stems makes<br />
this a superior new addition to the sea hollies.<br />
Heuchera villosa ’Caramel’ – Of all the new introductions, this is the easiest to grow,<br />
has a fascinating color that pops with all sorts of combinations.<br />
Hydrangea macrophylla ‘Endless Summer’ – This is the first mophead hydrangea to<br />
bloom off of current year’s wood. Cold winters or improper pruning won’t matter<br />
any more!<br />
Iris germanica ‘Immortality’ – This was the first repeat blooming German iris I ever<br />
planted, and I still feel it’s the best. Totally reliable fall bloom for many weeks.<br />
Leucanthemum superbum ‘Becky’ – This is the easiest and best summer blooming<br />
Shasta daisy, bar none. Excellent foliage stucture, later and longer bloom, no need<br />
to cut back to basal foliage.<br />
Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’ – This hybrid of our native switch grass is tall but<br />
stands up to strong winds and doesn’t flop.<br />
Perovskia ‘Longin’ – Upright habit, never floppy. Broader silver foliage adds silver<br />
foliage structure. Early spring cutback is all the maintenance this will need.<br />
Polemonium reptans ‘Stairway to Heaven’ This is bred from the hardiest, creeping<br />
form of Jacob’s Ladder and is very reliable, unlike ‘Brise D’Anjou’. Variegation is<br />
gorgeous, with a pink blush in spring and fall. A Bill Cullina introduction.<br />
Salvia nemerosa ‘Carradona’ – Excellent, tall, stiff, upright spikes of deep rich purple.<br />
Non-sprawling habit. This really makes a statement. No staking or pinching<br />
needed for excellent bloom.<br />
Stokesia ‘Peachie’s Pick’ – This variety has enormous flowers on very short, compact<br />
plants. This make the tidiest front-of-the-border plant for late summer that you<br />
could ever want.<br />
Hydrangea ‘Endless Summer Blushing Bride’<br />
Iris sibirica ‘Welcome Returns’<br />
Lathyrus vernus ‘Rose Elf’<br />
Leucanthemum ‘Sonnenschein’ (yellow!)<br />
Lupinus ‘The Governor’ (purple)<br />
Mertensia virginica (when it blooms, it sells out)<br />
Molina caerulea spp. strahlenquelle (cool new grass)<br />
Oenothera fremontii ‘Lemon Silver’<br />
Papaver ‘Patty’s Plum’<br />
Rosa ‘Double Knockout’<br />
Rosa ‘Rainbow Knockout’<br />
Rosa ‘Zephrine Drouhin’ (thornless)<br />
Sedum ‘Xenox’<br />
Sisyrinchium angustifolium ‘Lucerne’<br />
TRUE BLUE FLOWERS<br />
True blue, not lavender/blue, is rare in<br />
garden flowers. If you seek this elusive<br />
color for your garden, read about<br />
these plants and try a few this year.<br />
Allium cyaneum<br />
Amsonia ‘Blue Ice’<br />
Brunnera<br />
Eryngium<br />
Gentiana<br />
Iris germanica ‘Breakers’<br />
Linum perenne ‘Nanum Sapphire’<br />
Lithodora<br />
Myosotis (biennial)<br />
Pulmonaria angustifolia ‘Azurea’<br />
Salvia uliginosa (tender perennial)<br />
Stokesia ‘Klaus Jellito’<br />
Tweedia caerulea (annual)<br />
Veronica peduncularis ‘Georgia Blue’
DRY SHADE PLANTS<br />
What do you grow under trees or in areas where the soil is lean and the hose<br />
won’t reach? Here is a list of plants that are my mainstays for these challenging<br />
sites:<br />
Aconitum carmichaelii<br />
Anemone robustissima<br />
Aruncus dioicus<br />
Asarum europeum<br />
Aster ‘Fanny’<br />
Carex ‘Ice Dance’ (grass)<br />
Carex siderosticha ‘Variegata’ (grass)<br />
Chelone lyonii<br />
Dicentra eximia<br />
Dicentra spectabilis<br />
Digitalis<br />
Disporum<br />
Doronicum pardalianches<br />
Epimedium<br />
Erythronium<br />
Geranium macrorrhizum<br />
Helleborus<br />
Hosta<br />
Kirengeshoma<br />
ODDBALLS & WEIRDOS TO MAKE YOU SMILE<br />
Buddleia ‘White Ball’<br />
Centaurea macrocephala<br />
Cephalanthus occidentalis<br />
Cephalaria gigantea<br />
Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam Tubular’<br />
Crambe maritima<br />
Dracunculus vulgaris<br />
Geum triflorum<br />
Hemerocallis ‘Challenger’ (6’ tall!)<br />
Hibiscus syriacus ‘Variegatus’<br />
Inula magnifica<br />
Isolepsis cernua (tender peren. grass)<br />
Liatris microcephala<br />
Ligularia tussilaginea ‘Aureomaculata’<br />
(tender perennial also called Farfugium)<br />
Hakonechloe (grass)<br />
Lathyrus vernus<br />
Liriope muscari (grass)<br />
Luzula ‘Scarlett Stilleto’<br />
Lysimachia punctata<br />
Mitchella repens<br />
Pachysandra procumbens<br />
Phlox stolonifera<br />
Polygonatum<br />
Polygonum<br />
Polystichum-Christmas fern<br />
Rudbecka fulgida<br />
Smilacina<br />
Stylophorum<br />
Syneilesis aconitifolia<br />
Tanacetum parthenium<br />
Tricyrtis<br />
Vinca minor<br />
Monarda ‘Little Siberia’<br />
Orostachys iwarenge<br />
Phlomis russeliana<br />
Primula vialii<br />
Salvia nemerosa ‘Plumosa’<br />
Sanguisorba tenuifolia ‘Atropurpurea’<br />
Sedum rubrotinctum ‘Mini Me’<br />
Sisyrinchium ‘Quaint and Queer’<br />
Spigelia marylandica<br />
Ratibida pinnata<br />
Rudbeckia maxima<br />
Tradescantia ‘Sweet Kate’<br />
Trifolium rubens<br />
Viola ‘Irish Molly’<br />
LONG BLOOMERS Just a sampling...<br />
Calamintha<br />
Callirhoe<br />
Ceratostigma plumbaginoides<br />
Coreopsis ‘Sweet Dreams’<br />
Corydalis lutea<br />
Dicentra ‘King of Hearts’, ‘Snowdrift’<br />
Digitalis x ‘Spice Island’<br />
Geranium ‘Rozanne’, ‘Jolly Bee’<br />
Geranium wlassovianum<br />
Helenium ‘Mardi Gras<br />
Kalimeris integrifolia<br />
Knautia macedonica<br />
Nepeta mussini<br />
Pennisetum ‘Karley Rose’<br />
Perovskia<br />
Persicaria ‘Firetail’<br />
Rudbeckia nitida ‘Herbstonne’<br />
Rudbeckia triloba<br />
Stokesia ‘Peachie’s Pick’<br />
A SMALL SAMPLING OF<br />
UNUSUAL ANNUALS,<br />
TROPICALS, AND TENDER<br />
PERENNIALS<br />
Someday, I will get it together to create<br />
a comprehensive list of these plants.<br />
Until then, let these descriptions entice<br />
you to come in and explore our<br />
benches. We get new plants in every<br />
week from late spring until fall!<br />
Chocolate cosmos – deep maroon<br />
flowers that smell like chocolate—<br />
really! Forms a tuber that can be<br />
overwintered in the cellar.<br />
Asclepias curassavica – this is the<br />
annual form of butterfly weed that<br />
blooms the entire summer and fall. Red<br />
and orange bicolor flowers on 4-5’<br />
plants.<br />
Bidens ‘Peter’s Gold Carpet’ – don’t<br />
overlook this workhorse. Thousands of<br />
yellow flowers cascade from this plant<br />
in heat, humidity, in containers or in<br />
planting beds. Flower power, very<br />
underappreciated.<br />
Brugmansia x ‘Variegata’ – variegated<br />
green and cream foliage, pure white,<br />
evening scented trumpet flowers. I keep<br />
mine in the cellar all winter and it<br />
resprouts each spring.<br />
Centratherum intermedia – I am<br />
amazed by how easy this plant is to<br />
grow. Purple fuzzy button flowers from<br />
spring to late fall. Very unusual, always<br />
asked about. The few that have<br />
discovered it always come back for it<br />
each year.<br />
Clereodendrum ‘Ugandense’ – a very<br />
cool and strange blue flower on an<br />
upright shrub. Tropical—can be<br />
brought in.<br />
Fuchsia ‘Gardenmeister Bonstedt’ – I<br />
use this plant as a major hummingbird<br />
attractant in the shade. Orange tubular<br />
flowers.<br />
Nemesia ‘Blue Bird’ – Nemesias can<br />
take lots of cold. Plant in spring with<br />
pansies; they will bloom in fall as well.<br />
This is still my favorite even though<br />
there are lots of wonderful new colors.<br />
Salvia ‘Indigo Spires’ – a tender<br />
perennial with long, dramatic, blue/<br />
purple spikes from late summer till hard<br />
frost. Heat and humidity don’t phase it<br />
at all. I use this in most of my designs<br />
to embellish the late color.
April<br />
Caltha palustris<br />
Dicentra cuccularia<br />
Dicentra eximia<br />
Dicentra formosa<br />
Erythronium<br />
Hepatica nobilis<br />
Sanguinaria canadensis<br />
May<br />
Aquilegia canadensis<br />
Arisaema triphyllum<br />
Baptisia australis<br />
Baptisia leucantha<br />
Chrysogonum virginianum<br />
Cornus canadensis<br />
Delphinium tricorne<br />
Dicentra eximia<br />
Dicentra formosa<br />
Dodecatheon meadia<br />
Leucanthemum ‘May Queen’<br />
Epigaea repens<br />
Geranium maculatum<br />
Houstonia caerulea<br />
Iris cristata<br />
Lupinus<br />
Mertensia virginica<br />
Phlox divaricata<br />
Phlox stolonifera<br />
Phlox subulata<br />
Podophyllum peltatum<br />
Silene virginica<br />
Stylophorum diphyllum<br />
Tiarella cordifolia<br />
Trillium<br />
Uvularia grandiflora<br />
Viola labradorica<br />
Viola pedata<br />
Zizia aptera<br />
June<br />
Amsonia hubrechtii<br />
Amsonia tabernaemontana<br />
Aruncus dioicus<br />
Asclepias tuberosa<br />
Baptisia australis<br />
Camassia quamash<br />
Campanula rotundifolia<br />
Coreopsis<br />
Delphinium tricorne<br />
Gaillardia<br />
Gillenia trifoliata<br />
Iris versicolor<br />
Lilium canadense<br />
Lupinus<br />
Oenothera fruticosa<br />
Oenothera speciosa ‘Rosea’<br />
Penstemon<br />
Silene dioca<br />
Silene virginica<br />
Sisyrinchium angustifolium<br />
Thermopsis caroliniana<br />
Tradescantia virginana<br />
July<br />
Asclepias incarnata, tuberosa<br />
Campanula rotundifolia<br />
Cimicifuga racemosa<br />
Coreopsis<br />
Eryngium yuccifolium<br />
Filipendula rubra ‘Venusta’<br />
Gaillardia<br />
Gaura lindheimerii<br />
Goodyera pubescens<br />
Heliopsis<br />
Heuchera americana<br />
(parent of most ornamental burgundy and<br />
silver leave Heucheras)<br />
Liatris spicata<br />
Monarda<br />
Oenothera speciosa ‘Rosea’<br />
Penstemon<br />
Phlox maculata<br />
Pycnanthemum<br />
Ratibida pinnata<br />
Rudbeckia fulgida<br />
Silene dioica<br />
Spigelia marylandica<br />
Stokesia laevis<br />
Veronicastrum<br />
What are American Beauties?<br />
American Beauties are a special collection of native American<br />
plants. Of course, <strong>Natureworks</strong> has been carrying, planting,<br />
and promoting all sorts of native plants for years. This program<br />
is designed to make it easier for you to identify them and learn<br />
more about them. Plus, each time you buy plants from this<br />
program, money will be donated to The National Wildlife Federation<br />
and earmarked to fund their home habitat work and<br />
outreach programs. If you are interested in creating a certified<br />
home habitat in your yard or neighborhood, go to their website<br />
listed above or contact us at <strong>Natureworks</strong> for further information.<br />
Start a movement in your area to re-establish habitats<br />
where they were disrupted or destroyed by development!<br />
SUCCESSION OF BLOOM WITH NATIVE PERENNIALS<br />
August<br />
Agastache foeniculum<br />
Anaphalis margaritacea<br />
Coreopsis<br />
Eupatorium maculatum, purpureum<br />
Gaura lindheimerii<br />
Goodyera pubescens<br />
Helenium<br />
Helianthus mollis<br />
Helianthus multiflorus<br />
Hibiscus moscheutos<br />
Lobelia cardinalis<br />
Lobelia siphilitica<br />
Oenothera speciosa ‘Rosea’<br />
Phlox paniculata<br />
Physostegia virginica<br />
Ratibida<br />
Rudbeckia fulgida<br />
Silphium<br />
Soldidago<br />
Vernonia noveboracensis<br />
September<br />
Aster<br />
Boltonia asteroides<br />
Chelone lyonii<br />
Eupatorium coelestinum<br />
Gaura lindheimerii<br />
Gentiana andrewsii<br />
Helianthus mollis<br />
Helianthus multiflorus<br />
Helianthus tuberosus<br />
Spiranthes cernua<br />
October<br />
Aster<br />
Helianthus maximilliana<br />
Helianthus salicifolius<br />
Rudbeckia fulgida var. fulgida<br />
Aster ‘Fanny’<br />
November
PERENNIALS<br />
Acaena NEW ZEALAND BUR<br />
anserinifolia ‘Blue Haze’ Lacy, intricate pale blue-gray foliage<br />
covers the ground. Flowers are purple, maturing into tiny red<br />
spined fruit. Grows only 1" tall. Everyone comments on the<br />
unusual texture of this Stepable. Be sure to water in a dry<br />
summer, especially if growing among stones.<br />
Acanthus BEAR’S BREECHES<br />
Striking, deeply-cut foliage is attractive all season. Flower spikes are<br />
very dramatic, creating a strong vertical accent. Certain varieties are<br />
zone 6, need winter protection. Prefers sun or dappled shade.<br />
hungaricus Very dramatic 4-5’ tall spikes of white or pink<br />
flowers with red-purple bracts in July. Foliage is thistle-like,<br />
deep green. This is the hardiest Acanthus. Zone 5.<br />
mollis Glossy, wide deep green foliage, very architectural;<br />
flower spikes are 30-48" tall, purple and white, bold and striking<br />
vertical accents. Blooms in late spring. Zone 6.<br />
‘Latifolius’ 5-6’ tall flower spikes, very dramatic!<br />
spinosissima Foliage is very leathery and deeply cut, with<br />
spines on the tips. A wonderful textural foliage accent plant,<br />
hardy to zone 6. Flowers are 3-4' tall, mauve with purple bracts.<br />
VERY dramatic.<br />
Achillea YARROW<br />
Yarrows have flat-topped flowers, long-lasting as cut flowers or for<br />
drying. They bloom from mid-June through the end of July. If cut back<br />
and fed with Sea-Mix after the first blooming, most will rebloom in the<br />
fall. To avoid floppy stems, plant in lean soil not heavily enriched with<br />
compost in full sun. Feed sparingly; heavy on the rock phosphate and<br />
greensand. Yarrow are not eaten by deer and are loved by butterflies<br />
and beneficial insects.<br />
‘Anthea’ Striking silver foliage, very pale, almost creamy yellow<br />
flowers, much softer color than ‘Moonshine’ with equally<br />
excellent silver foliage. 2-3’ tall, Blooms of Bressingham intro.<br />
‘Coronation Gold’ 3-4’ deep gold flower for fresh cut or drying,<br />
bloom June/July; an easy-to-grow garden staple.<br />
filipendulina ‘Altgold’ 3’ tall, blooms June/July with deep gold<br />
flowers. Long stems, huge flower heads.<br />
‘Gold Coin Dwarf’ This is not really a dwarf, just a shorter<br />
version of the very tall and stately gold plate yarrow. Grows 3-<br />
4' tall, with gray-green foliage topped with golden flowers.<br />
Great for drying.<br />
‘Parkers Variety’ The best for dried work, 5-6’ tall stems with<br />
huge gold flower heads. Has become rare in the trade, can’t<br />
imagine why, this is really one of the best cut flowers!<br />
millefolium<br />
Feathery grey/green foliage, 2-1/2’ tall, great fresh-cut or dried, these<br />
are the best rebloomers. Cut back hard in late July; prefers lean soil.<br />
‘Appleblossom’ A clean pink that fades to pale pink.<br />
‘Apricot Delight’ New! A comapct hybrid growing only 12"<br />
tall; flowers are chameleon-like with shades of pink, apricot,<br />
and almost red on the same plant.<br />
‘Feuerland’ A strong brick red flower on strong, non-flopping<br />
stems makes this variety stand out. 30-36" tall.<br />
‘Paprika’ Brilliant paprika-pepper red, a hot accent color. I use<br />
this a lot with deep purple Campanulas.<br />
‘Summer Wine’ A striking shade of wine purple. I find this<br />
one of the most useful colors to combine with Campanulas,<br />
roses, Lychnis coronaria, and more. The color exactly matches<br />
the center of Coreopsis ‘Sweet Dreams’, and they make a<br />
dreamy combination in a sunny, hot garden!<br />
‘Terra Cotta’ Terra cotta orange fades to peach.<br />
‘Moonshine’ I use this plant all the time! The silver foliage is an<br />
outstanding garden feature. The soft, buttery, pale yellow<br />
flowers bloom twice, mid June/early August and again in the<br />
fall until hard frost. No other yarrow I know of offers this long<br />
bloom period. Grows 18" tall with good stems for cutting.<br />
Definitely a plant in my top 25 list.<br />
siberica ‘Stephanie Cohen’ I finally visited Stephanie Cohen’s<br />
gardens in the summer of 2002, in the middle of the worst<br />
drought her state had ever experienced. It was a fascinating<br />
experience. She is a wealth of plant information! This yarrow,<br />
named for this famous plantswoman, is a compact variety that is<br />
NOT floppy. The green foliage is not as lacy as most yarrows,<br />
fairly bold-textured. The flowers grow only 18", in tall sprays of<br />
single flowers, a lovely shade of soft, clean pink. Most people<br />
who see this don’t realize it’s a yarrow! Must have good<br />
drainage. Zone 6.<br />
tomentosa ‘Aurea’ Bright golden yellow flowers on fuzzy, silver<br />
foliage that hugs the ground. Entire plant only reaches 8-10" tall,<br />
ideal for trough gardens.<br />
‘Lemon’ Wooly yarrow is a low ground cover with gray,<br />
fuzzy foliage and pale lemon yellow flowers in late May and<br />
early June. Considered an alpine, perfect for troughs, also used<br />
in hot spots as a Stepable for low foot traffic. 3-4" tall.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 1
Aconitum MONKSHOOD<br />
Monkshoods are excellent cut flowers and<br />
many are a good late season item. Plant these<br />
early and enjoy them this year! Plants are<br />
POISONOUS. The late fall varieties do best in<br />
shade, summer bloomers thrive in full sun.<br />
Deer-resistant.<br />
cammarum ‘Bressingham Spire’ An<br />
improved summer-bloomer, Blooms of<br />
Bressingham introduction. 3’ tall, doesn’t<br />
need staking, deep violet-blue spikes, sun<br />
to dappled shade.<br />
carmichaelii ‘Arendsii’ 4’ blue/violet<br />
spikes, Sept./Oct. Exceptionally hardy in sun or shade. I am<br />
using this plant more and more as a staple of the fall garden.<br />
‘Barkers Variety’ This one is my favorite because it is so late.<br />
Grows to 6’ tall, blooms in October, has magnificent rich, royal<br />
purple spikes, dramatic! The highlight of the <strong>Natureworks</strong><br />
October shade garden.<br />
henryi ‘Sparks’ 4’ tall, intense violet purple July/Aug. bloomer.<br />
napellus This is the old-fashioned summer bloomer. It grows 3-<br />
4’ tall, with long stems for cutting. The color is a rich, deep violet<br />
blue in July and early August. Plan on staking this plant unless<br />
you give it one pinch in late May to encourage branching as the<br />
stems are a bit lanky. It has a gracefulness that many of the new,<br />
thicker-stem hybrids lack. Best in full sun or partial shade--avoid<br />
deep shade.<br />
Adenophora LADY BELLS<br />
liliifolia This is the old-fashioned form, very invasive if allowed<br />
to self-sow, but wonderful in a shade (or sun) garden for its blue<br />
Campanula-like flowers just when they are needed most, in mid<br />
to late summer. Like all self-seeders, if you have too much, be<br />
sure to deadhead. I have a stand of this plant in DEEP shade<br />
under an ash tree and it loves it!<br />
Agastache ANISE HYSSOP<br />
These plants are herbs as well as perennials or tender perennials. The<br />
foliage has a licorice-mint taste and is used in tea. Great for hot, sunny,<br />
dry gardens and great bee plants. The flower spikes are very longlasting<br />
and bloom in July and AUGUST when you really need the<br />
color. Self-sows. Also great in containers. Note that some of the new<br />
varieties are only hardy to zone 6/7 and should be protected or treated<br />
as annuals. They are certainly worth it for their very long season of<br />
bloom. Not eaten by deer.<br />
‘Apricot Sunrise’ Delicate, pale orange flowers, grey-green<br />
foliage, zone 6.<br />
‘Black Adder’ Super-hardy variety with smoky violet-blue<br />
flowers. In 2005, this new introduction bloomed longer than any<br />
other in the garden, well into the fall. Spikes are thinner and<br />
have a more delicate texture. 3’ tall. Zone 5.<br />
‘Firebird’ Coppery orange flowers, 24-30" tall, zone 6.<br />
foeniculum ‘Blue Fortune’ Hybrid of the old-fashioned form<br />
with much larger flowers, very hardy AND self-sows. The most<br />
reliable perennial form in the garden, lavender-blue flowers on<br />
3’ stalks, zone 5.<br />
‘Golden Jubilee’ A new foliage accent plant. Dense spikes of<br />
lavender blue over golden foliage. By August, the foliage is a<br />
cooler lime green. This glowed on our benches, and I noticed it<br />
from my upstairs office. 3’ tall. Zone 5.<br />
‘Pink Panther’ 30" brilliant rose-pink spikes, foliage tinged<br />
purple, zone 6.<br />
rupestris Hardy to zone 5. Silver foliage and sweetly-scented<br />
salmon/orange flowers, 24" tall.<br />
Ajania CHRYSANTHEMUM<br />
Don’t pass this exceptionally late fall garden plant by. Many folks miss<br />
it because they are not plant shopping in late October and November<br />
when it is in bloom. I often use the flowers in Thanksgiving<br />
arrangements—no fooling! Plant in early spring for a well-established<br />
stand this year. Foliage plant bonus—this is a VARIEGATED<br />
chrysanthemum, always noticed for its leaves.<br />
pacifica Oct./Nov.blooming, double, yellow button flowers,<br />
EXCELLENT variegated foliage, green w/silver edge and silver<br />
undersides, 12" tall without pinching!<br />
‘Pink Ice’ Showier flowers have the same golden button<br />
center with pink blushed, snub-nosed petals. Unusual cut<br />
flower for the VERY late garden.<br />
“In his garden every man may be his own<br />
artist without apology or explanation. Each<br />
within his green enclosure is a creator, and<br />
no two shall reach the same conclusion; nor<br />
shall we, any more than other creative<br />
workers, be ever wholly satisfied with our<br />
accomplishment. Ever a season ahead of us<br />
floats the vision of perfection and herein<br />
lies its perennial charm.”<br />
- Louise Beebe Wilder<br />
Ajuga BUGLE<br />
Ajuga is a wonderful plant for difficult places. Some varieties can be<br />
invasive but don’t dismiss it—for all-season foliage interest to anchor<br />
the front of the border it can’t be beat! Many of the clump formers make<br />
strange and wonderful accents in “up close and personal” garden<br />
spaces; I use them all the time to make those nooks and crannies<br />
interesting in shady places along the front walk. Good Stepable plant<br />
for shady or sunny pathways.<br />
‘Mahogany’ Excellent introduction, very shiny deep dark<br />
maroon foliage and deep blue flower spikes 3-5" tall.<br />
pyramidalis ‘Purple Crispa’ Foliage is very crinkled, a shiny<br />
bronze/purple color, same blue flowers.<br />
reptans ‘Black Scallop’ Very dark purple-black scalloped<br />
foliage; each leaf is large, up to 3/4" across. Makes quite a show<br />
to knit the front of the border together. 3-6" tall deep blue flower<br />
spikes. Underplant one of the fancy new Tiarellas with this<br />
beauty.<br />
‘Burgundy Glow’ Lovely colorful variety with burgundy<br />
leaves splashed pink and cream; blue flowers. Slow growing.<br />
Best color in sun to dappled shade.<br />
Page 2 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
‘Caitlins Giant’ This plant rivals ‘Jungle Beauty’ in leaf size;<br />
bronze foliage and 10" blue flower spikes.<br />
‘Chocolate Chip’ This plant is fun! Just like it sounds, the<br />
foliage is diminutive and a dark green color with chocolate<br />
overtones. Because the leaves are tiny and oval, it makes an<br />
unusual textured, neat foliage plant for smaller areas.<br />
Combine with Armeria rubrifolia or Stepables such as Acaena<br />
or wooly yarrow. Slow-growing. Locate where it can been seen<br />
up close. Blue flower spikes 4" tall.<br />
‘Golden Glow’ New! A variegated form with new growth<br />
splashed a coppery color blended with cream. I could see<br />
using this beneath Heuchera Caramel to pick up that color.<br />
Not gaudy, a subtle variegation. Blue flower spikes.<br />
‘Jungle Beauty’ Gigantic, shiny burgundy leaves form a dense<br />
foliage ground cover; 15" deep blue spikes in May-June. Great,<br />
long-lasting foliage for sun/part shade. I use this all the time<br />
in low maintenance landscapes. After a few years, the leaves<br />
get HUGE and are always commented upon.<br />
‘Royalty’ Deep purple, almost black crinkled foliage, clumpforming.<br />
I use this to jazz up the edges of walkways in shady<br />
foundation plantings, combined with black mondo grass. Also<br />
fun woven in with Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’!<br />
Alcea HOLLYHOCK<br />
No old-fashioned cottage garden is complete<br />
without these tall, dramatic plants. Hollyhocks<br />
are technically considered biennials, but I find<br />
them to really be perennials; large plants will<br />
bloom the first year. Young plants (3” and 1 qt.<br />
size) will bloom the second year. Let some seed<br />
pods ripen and self-sow to assure new, young<br />
plants in the garden. (All of ours in the<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> gardens have come from one plant added in the early 90s.)<br />
Move young plants to the back of the garden in fall or early spring.<br />
Rust is a problem—spray with Bordeaux mix and keep plants well<br />
groomed. Cull old plants and encourage a constant crop of new plants<br />
to reduce rust overwintering in the garden. All need full sun. Stake<br />
them if you are in a windy spot. The Queeny series of hollyhocks has<br />
proved to be really quite stunning with its frilly flowers on short stems.<br />
ficifolia This is the old-fashioned single variety in pale yellow,<br />
copper orange, pink, red and white. Self-sows easily. Native to<br />
Siberia and very tolerant of bitter cold winters<br />
‘Our Rose’ Single pink flowers.<br />
‘Single Mix’ This is a mixture of all colors.<br />
rosea ‘Chaters Rose’ The Chater’s series have amazing double<br />
flowers. This one is lilac/purple on 5-6’ stems.<br />
‘Chaters Scarlet’ Double rich red.<br />
‘Crème De Cassis’ A wonderful variety with black-currant<br />
colored deep maroon flowers with lighter veins and yellow<br />
centers. Some flowers are double. Grows 6’ tall.<br />
‘Newport Pink’ Enormous, blowsy double pink flowers; a real<br />
showstopper.<br />
‘Peaches 'N Dreams’ Exquisite double soft peachy-yellow<br />
flowers; this plant will survive many winters, is exceptionally<br />
hardy. A gorgeous color. Limited.<br />
‘Queeny Purple’ All-American award winner. Only grows 4’<br />
tall, the flower stalks are short and stout, never needs staking.<br />
Semi-double fringed purple flowers of an exquisite form,<br />
bloom the first year, even if grown from seed.<br />
‘Queeny Red’ Same as above in bright red.<br />
‘The Watchman’ I’m not sure if this is any darker than<br />
‘Nigra’, but this is the variety we have in our main border and<br />
it is stunning. Single deep dark blackish-red flowers. It backs a<br />
white, delicate Veronicastrum. What a combo!<br />
var. Nigra Deep maroon, almost black, single.<br />
var. Old Barnyard Mix In the olden days, hollyhocks<br />
sprouted everywhere around the farm. The singles self-sow<br />
most readily; this mixture has a wide range of colors. Plant<br />
young starter plants in early spring to start your lifetime<br />
investment in hollyhocks---you only have to plant them once if<br />
you let them self-sow! Smaller plants bloom the second year.<br />
rugosa The Russian hollyhock! Large single pale yellow flowers,<br />
much more rust resistant, 6’ tall. Leaves deeply-lobed.<br />
Alchemilla LADY’S MANTLE<br />
Lady’s Mantle is one of the best foliage plants, a front-of-the-border<br />
anchor. It tolerates sun or partial shade. The light, airy flowers are<br />
great filler flowers, fresh or dried. Not eaten by deer.<br />
erythropoda A very dwarf form, excellent foliage edger, 6-8".<br />
faeroensis ‘Pumila’ A delicate, miniature edging form, 3" tall.<br />
Flowers are a delicate pale yellow. Slow-spreading clumps for<br />
the front of the partial shade garden. A gem.<br />
mollis Lime green foliage, pale yellow flowers in June. This<br />
plant is a classic in garden designs.<br />
‘Thriller’ A new variety with even larger flower sprays that<br />
spread to cover the plant in soft color. A step up for flower<br />
arrangers!<br />
pubescens Dwarf form with rounded leaves with soft downy<br />
hair, giving a bluish appearance, 12" good edger.<br />
Allium CHIVES<br />
I love ornamental Alliums! They are absolutely hardy, easy to grow,<br />
many of them bloom in late summer or fall when we really need the<br />
color, they are rodent-proof, the flowers are nectar sources for<br />
butterflies, and they are edible—both the leaves AND the flowers. Try<br />
chopping up the blossoms in a summer salad for a big surprise! We also<br />
carry many more varieties of hardy Alliums in bulb form in the fall.<br />
cyaneum A true blue flower. Diminutive sky-blue round globes<br />
on 6" stems over tufted and delicate chive foliage. If you can<br />
locate this where it will be admired, everyone will ask about it.<br />
‘Mt. Sinai’ Much admired in our rock garden, JULY/EARLY<br />
AUGUST-BLOOMING purple globes, 12" tall, attracts butterflies<br />
galore. Very easy, a <strong>Natureworks</strong> staple in designs.<br />
senescens Blue-green foliage topped with 2’ tall light lavender,<br />
large globes for 2-3 months, July thru Sept., a VERY long<br />
bloomer, great cut flower. Large enough to make a statement in<br />
a sunny border or rock garden. Exceptionally easy care plant.<br />
The leaves and flowers are both edible; add to summer salads<br />
and dips. Self-sows. Our suppliers have stopped growing this<br />
wonderful variety, so we are taking orders for field dug plants<br />
in early spring and fall. Reserve early, supply is very limited.<br />
‘Glaucum’ Unique blue curly foliage, 6" pale lavender fall<br />
flowers! I saw these used to edge an herbal knot garden,<br />
fabulous effect!<br />
‘Mongolian Gem’ 2" diameter balls of soft lavender pink on<br />
18" stems in August.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 3
thunbergii ‘Album’ I found 5 of these in a flat of purple Allium<br />
'Ozowa's and thought I had discovered an unknown plant. No<br />
such luck...This white form of the November blooming<br />
diminutive Allium is a real unusual plant for the collector. Very<br />
limited.<br />
‘Ozowa’ A very late-blooming purple allium, 12-15" tall<br />
diminutive globes, blooms in October and November! Very<br />
rare, a gem in the fall garden. Finally attracting the attention it<br />
deserves, our <strong>Natureworks</strong> plants have been featured in<br />
garden magazines. The last plant to bloom in my gardens.<br />
Design tip: The foliage of Allium `Purple<br />
Sensation', A. `Globemaster' and A.cristophii<br />
(which are planted from bulbs in the fall) begins to<br />
turn yellow as the flower buds are forming. This is<br />
natural, but can be disguised by interweaving the<br />
Alliums among perennials with excellent spring<br />
foliage, such as Euphorbias or cranesbill geraniums.<br />
Try locating these Alliums mid-border, so they will<br />
erupt out of the perennials to double your blooms in<br />
the same space. Unless noted otherwise, the<br />
herbaceous alliums described on this page have<br />
excellent, long-lasting, and attractive foliage for the<br />
front of the border! Be sure to request our bulb<br />
catalog in late summer for complete <strong>Natureworks</strong>style<br />
descriptions of the bulbs we will be carrying. It<br />
is a great reference!<br />
virgunculae Very choice and fine chives with deep purple<br />
flowers on 6" stem in Oct.-Nov. Slightly smaller flower and a bit<br />
more delicate than ‘Ozowa’. Amazingly late!<br />
Allysum<br />
wulfenianum Tidy gray foliage, closer in texture to<br />
Helianthemum than Aurinia. May-July blooming golden yellow<br />
flowers, soft mounds 5" tall.<br />
Alstromeria<br />
Here’s a handy trick for establishing the hardy Alstromerias: Dig a hole<br />
twice as deep as you normally would for the plants. Set them inside the<br />
hole with the crowns kept a few inches below grade. As they grow,<br />
slowly fill in the hole. This deep planting really helps with winter<br />
hardiness the first year.<br />
‘Sweet Laura’ UConn has led the breeding of hardy<br />
Alstromeria. I had my doubts, but for four years we’ve grown<br />
them in the gardens and they are wonderful, very floriforous,<br />
blooming from June well into Sept. This variety is scented,<br />
peachy-yellow spotted burgundy, to 30" tall. Great cut flowers.<br />
Sun or very dappled shade.<br />
Amsonia BLUE MILKWEED<br />
‘Blue Ice’ A new and much improved Amsonia. Deep blue<br />
flowers and buds cover 12-15" dwarf shrubby plants in June. Fall<br />
foliage is brilliant yellow. An excellent foliage anchor and a very<br />
durable, easy care perennial.<br />
hubrichtii In the summer of 2002 I visited Chanticleer, a<br />
wonderful public garden in Pennsylvania. Masses of this plant<br />
filled their center island as you drove in. I didn’t recognize it and<br />
had to ask about it---as, it turns out, everyone does! The foliage<br />
is thin and threadlike, adding a delicate texture to the garden all<br />
season. Flowers are the softest of blues. The fall foliage color is<br />
outstanding. Now that I have seen it used in many garden and<br />
naturalistic landscape settings, I am starting to incorporate it into<br />
many of my own designs. Hardy, disease and insect free, easy to<br />
grow, and very textural.<br />
tabernaemontana var. salicifolia A very underused, sturdy<br />
perennial with soft blue flowers on 3’ stems in June. Foliage is<br />
finely-cut and delicate, making a nice textural contrast to all<br />
other garden perennials.<br />
Anacyclus MT. ATLAS DAISY<br />
depressus ‘Silver Kisses’ A great rockery plant with white<br />
daisies, red reverse on flower petals; ferny foliage. Blooms<br />
May/June, grows 8" tall. Ideal for hot, dry spots.Excellent<br />
selection with very silvery foliage. White flowers completely<br />
cover the plant in spring.<br />
Anaphalis<br />
margaritacea Pearly everlasting is a native wildflower that<br />
tolerates poor soils, meadow conditions, and is hardy to Canada!<br />
Clusters of white ball-shaped flowers are excellent for drying.<br />
Foliage is silvery. Blooms on 10" tall stems in August/Sept. I've<br />
already found it growing wild in my new garden!<br />
Anchusa ALKANET<br />
azurea ‘Loddon Royal’ I have admired this plant along the<br />
roadsides in Vermont. A true blue flower, 40" spikes in June and<br />
July. Fuzzy foliage requires excellent drainage; does well in lean,<br />
poor soil. Short-lived but will self-sow. The color is amazing!<br />
Androsace CUSHION PRIMROSE<br />
septentrionalis ‘Startdust’ A charming rock garden and trough<br />
plant that has delicate white flowers on 4-6" long, wiry stems in<br />
late spring. Reseeds readily; I remember treasuring this plant<br />
whenever it appeared in a rock garden I tended for years in the<br />
80's. Must have excellent drainage.<br />
Anemone WOODLAND ANEMONE<br />
All anemones tolerate part shade (but will grow fine in full sun) and<br />
prefer a rich soil. They are also called “windflowers” because of their<br />
airy habit. Naturally, we carry both spring and fall bloomers.<br />
canadensis This is invasive and spreads by rhizomes, so locate<br />
it where you want it. 12" tall single white flowers with yellow<br />
stamens cover the plant from mid spring until early summer.<br />
Grows in full sun or partial shade. Tolerates moist soil, but that<br />
will cause it to spread faster! Flowers and foliage are great for<br />
cutting. Durable ground cover for difficult woodland spots.<br />
‘Hadspen Abundance’ Soft pink, single or semi-double flowers.<br />
Very floriferous. September blooming.<br />
hupehensis The straight species has large pink single flowers<br />
on 2-3’ stems in very early September. This keeps the bloom<br />
Page 4 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
period going until some of the hybrids really come into their<br />
own in mid-late September and October.<br />
‘September Charm’ Single medium-pink on long stems, 36".<br />
japonica ‘Bodnant Burgundy’ A Blooms of Bressingham hybrid<br />
with deep, rich maroon-pink flowers, the deepest color of all fallblooming<br />
windflowers. 24-30" tall.<br />
‘Crispa’ A unique variety with crinkly green foliage topped<br />
with 24-28" single pink, large flowers in early fall. One of the<br />
few fall anemones with notable leaves.<br />
leveillei Another early spring blooming beauty, soft pink<br />
flowers, 18" tall, April/May in partial shade.<br />
multifida ‘Annabella Deep Rose’ This unusual variety has<br />
deep rose pink flowers 12" tall over very ferny foliage. Same<br />
wonderful silvery seed pods as Pulsatilla vulgaris. Native plant<br />
for sun or partial shade.<br />
nemerosa ‘Alba’ Single white flowers, 3-4" tall, over finely cut,<br />
lobed foliage. A lovely addition to the April woodland. I have<br />
found this to spread very easily. Summer dormant.<br />
‘Allenii’ This is a gem for naturalizing in rich woodland soil.<br />
Spreads quickly, forming drifts of precious sky blue flowers<br />
over delicate foliage in April. Late summer dormant.<br />
‘Vestal’ Totally enchanting double white flowers caused me to<br />
bid a ridiculous price at a CHS auction to establish a stand in<br />
my yard. Rare and wonderful.<br />
palmata When will gardeners appreciate the wonderful<br />
SPRING blooming anemones? This new species has creamy<br />
white flowers 1" in diameter with a center circle of showy<br />
glowing yellow stamens. Grows 6-12" tall, blooms May/June,<br />
and forms a mat of glossy green foliage.<br />
ranunculoides ‘Fl. Pl. Double Yellow’ Rare double yellow<br />
flowers on this spring wild flower.<br />
sylvestris Spring bloomer with white flowers 12' tall, great in<br />
combo with bulbs. A very easy-to-grow woodland flower.<br />
Delicate flowers are just lovely.<br />
‘Elise Fellmann’ This is probably my favorite new wildflower<br />
of the year. Double pom-pom flowers on 15" tall arching stems<br />
take Anemone sylvestris to a whole new level. I have been<br />
wanting to get my hands on this beauty for a few years now.<br />
Reserve, supply limited.<br />
tomentosa This species is rather coarse but blooms a full month<br />
earlier, beginning in August and on into early fall.<br />
‘Berkshire Charm’ Superior zone 4 hardiness, extremely free<br />
flowering new introduction discovered at Windy Hill Nursery<br />
in Great Barrington, MA. Single rich pink flowers bloom in<br />
September and October, growing 36-42" tall. Because it is a<br />
tomentosa variety, expect to spread quickly!<br />
‘Robustissima’ Soft pink single flowers on 40" tall stems.<br />
Extend your beloved anemone season. Robust = invasive, so<br />
locate with care!<br />
x hybrida ‘Andrea Atkinson’ This is a fall blooming white<br />
hybrid, similar to ‘Honorine Jobert’, with larger flowers. Very<br />
vigorous grower. 3’ tall.<br />
‘Honorine Jobert’ Pure white flowers in late September and<br />
all of Octover, 3-4’ stalks, blooms for 2 months! This is a plant I<br />
use in almost every garden design I do—it truly glows in the<br />
golden autumn light. For a new twist, try combining it with<br />
Coreopsis integrifolia, a surprising late fall bloomer or<br />
Helianthus ‘First Light’.<br />
‘Pamina’ Exceptionally tall 4’ flower stalks of deep pink, semidouble.<br />
September blooming.<br />
‘Prince Henry’ Double dark rose pink flowers, 36". This<br />
variety is a showstopper in our pink garden and takes over<br />
when our gigantic spring-blooming bleeding heart goes<br />
summer dormant. Exceptionally long blooming, all of<br />
Sept./Oct.<br />
‘Queen Charlotte’ The classic pink, 3’ tall semi-double<br />
flowers.<br />
‘Serenade’ Tall and dramatic, 40" stems covered with dark<br />
pink flowers.<br />
‘Whirlwind’ Semi-double white doesn’t do this justice---it is a<br />
whirled star of purest white petals with a bright yellow center.<br />
3’ tall, Sept./Oct., a beautiful flower form.<br />
“It’s hard to describe the effect that fragrance<br />
has on the mind. Certainly there is a very<br />
strong element of nostalgia about it. Sight is<br />
immediate, of the moment, but fragrance is<br />
inexplicably mingled with memory.”<br />
Anemonella<br />
Richard W. Brown<br />
My Kind of Garden, 1997<br />
thalictroides Native to shady woodland slopes in Missouri, this<br />
April blooming windflower has white blossoms and delicate<br />
foliage, resembling Thalictrum. Grows 6-9" tall. Summer<br />
dormant.<br />
Angelica<br />
acutiloba A dwarf with very shiny leaves that caught my eye in<br />
my grower’s fields. 10" tall white flowers in July; does well in<br />
sun or partial shade. Very unusual.<br />
gigas An outrageous plant, 4’ spikes with rounded globes of<br />
deep wine-red flowers and striking foliage. A true biennial—cut<br />
off the flowers immediately after blooming and it will most<br />
likely come back another year. If not, expect it to self-sow and<br />
provide you with many new plants. DRAMATIC.<br />
pachycarpa SHINY is the word to describe this plant. When<br />
staring at a field of plants, this will jump out at you because the<br />
leaves look like they've been sprayed with Mop and Glow floor<br />
wax! Forms a massive clump, with white flowers 35-40" tall in<br />
July.<br />
Antennaria<br />
carpatica Pussytoes has silver foliage that hugs the ground,<br />
perfect for sunny rock gardens or troughs. Small tubular white<br />
flowers in spring.<br />
Anthemis MARGUERITE DAISY<br />
carpatica ‘Snow Carpet’ (Mountain Dog-Daisy) Gray-blue<br />
cushion of foliage topped by white daisies. Blooms in mid-June<br />
and may repeat. A Stepable for full sun. 6" tall<br />
marschalliana We can never keep this plant in stock---as soon as<br />
customers see it bloom, it leaps into their wagons. Great plant<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 5
for hot, sandy, dry soils. Delightful ferny silver foliage makes a<br />
nice contrast to the 18-24" sprays of 2" diameter golden yellow<br />
daisies from late May until the end of summer if deadheaded.<br />
nobilis Perennial chamomile; an excellent ground cover, a fine<br />
Stepable. Emits the distinctively sweet aroma of bedtime tea<br />
when walked on. White summer flowers. Perhaps the most<br />
durable plant for burning hot patios and poolsides.<br />
tinctoria ‘Suzanna Mitchell’ This is a variety of the old<br />
fashioned perennial marguerite daisy with white flowers and<br />
buttery yellow centers on 24" tall wiry stems. Foliage is a low<br />
mound of ferny leaves; locate this in the front of the border as<br />
the flowers are light and airy. Super hardy to zone 3. Cut back<br />
hard after June bloom for a second rebloom. Very drought<br />
tolerant.<br />
Anthriscus<br />
sylvestris ‘Ravenswing’ I first saw this plant at Hillside<br />
Gardens and fell in love. It is essentially a burgundy leaved<br />
chervil. The foliage is bronze-purple, is lacy, and grows 24" tall.<br />
The flowers are delicate white umbels, 3' tall, in early summer.<br />
Self sows, which I consider a true gift.<br />
Design tip: Plant in drifts. Beginning gardeners buy<br />
one of everything. After a while, the garden<br />
becomes a hodge-podge collection and loses<br />
cohesiveness. Eventually, a complex renovation is<br />
in order. Avoid this mistake and start planning your<br />
garden now using bold masses of the exact same<br />
variety of a perennial. Remember, the larger the<br />
garden and the farther away you will be viewing it,<br />
the larger the drift or grouping. Want to save<br />
money? Buy lots of 3” and one quart perennials to<br />
increase the size of your drifts economically. Need<br />
help? Ask for our handout Basic Principles of<br />
Perennial Garden Design or access it online at our<br />
website naturework.com.<br />
Antirrhinum SNAP DRAGON<br />
‘blanc-blanquetti’ A fully hardy perennial snapdragon from the<br />
Swiss Alps! 2’ white spikes with a yellow center in spring and<br />
early summer (while the nights remain cool) and again well into<br />
the fall! RARE!<br />
Aquilegia COLUMBINE<br />
Columbines bloom mid-May through June and tolerate sun (with rich<br />
soil) or partial shade. Many self-sow freely. Foliage is delicately<br />
textured and not showy later in the season. A must in the spring<br />
garden. Don't deadhead to encourage abundant self-sown seedlings in<br />
the garden.<br />
buergeriana ‘Calimero’ Unusual species, 8" tall nodding<br />
flowers of yellow and purple.<br />
caerulea ‘Heavenly Blue’ A gorgeous blue and white bicolor<br />
form of the native Rocky Mountain columbine. Grows 3' tall and<br />
has long spurs.<br />
‘Rocky Mountain’ Large purple flowers on 3’ stems, this is<br />
what columbine is all about to me!<br />
canadensis Native wild Columbine with red and yellow<br />
flowers, 24", self-sows, tolerates deeper shade than hybrids.<br />
‘Canyon Vista’ Hybrid form of the native columbine; flowers<br />
are richer colored, reddish orange/yellow bicolor. Plants are<br />
mounded and compact, 12-18" tall.<br />
‘Little Lanterns’ A great new dwarf, same delightful red and<br />
yellow dangling flowers, only growing 10" tall!<br />
‘Cardinal’ From the Songbird Series, this showstopper has<br />
upfacing red flowers 3" in diameter with long spurs. Grows 24-<br />
28" tall. Received the R.H.S. Award of Merit in 2003. A superior<br />
selection, great cut flower.<br />
‘Christa Barlow’ Double blue flowers with a white edge, 30"<br />
tall. Spurless, round form.<br />
chrysantha ‘Yellow Queen’ Huge solid yellow flowers 3' tall,<br />
long spurs, a classic.<br />
clematiflora ‘Green Apples’ Wow! Do what I did and Google<br />
this as an image search and you'll see what I mean. Double,<br />
spurless, star shaped flowers 24" tall resemble Clematis<br />
blossoms, in a creamy/green color that will turn your head.<br />
flabellata<br />
Flabellata species have excellent blue foliage, far superior to other<br />
Columbines. Good dwarf, compact habit as well.<br />
‘Blue Angel’ Rich violet purple flowers contrast with the<br />
wonderful pale blue foliage, only 8" tall.<br />
‘Cameo Pink-White’ Huge flowers 1-1/2" across, pink with<br />
white centers. Compact plants , 5" tall, superb blue foliage.<br />
‘Ministar’ Dwarf form, 8", beautiful blue flowers.<br />
‘Goldfinch’ Another variety from the Songbird Series, 18" tall<br />
creamy yellow flowers with deeper yellow centers and long<br />
spurs will turn heads.<br />
‘McKana Hybrids’ When these flowers were introduced<br />
decades ago, they redefined the definition of columbines.<br />
Graceful long spurs on large blossoms in a wide selection of<br />
bright carnival colors. 2-3’ tall, great for bouquets.<br />
‘Music Red & Gold’ Brilliant red and yellow, long spurred<br />
flowers 18" tall. The best of the Music (Musik) series, very<br />
showy.<br />
‘Origami Blue/White’ A superior hybrid with immense blue<br />
and white flowers, long spurs, on shorter 18" stems.<br />
‘Origami Pink/White’ A lovely soft pink and white form.<br />
‘Origami Yellow’ Pure yellow flowers.<br />
‘Red Hobbit’ Dwarf red and white variety growing only 12-14"<br />
tall. Showy long spurs make the flowers look amazing!<br />
‘Roman Bronze’ Cool! Foliage emerges in spring a golden color,<br />
quickly changing to coppery bronze, deepening to almost green<br />
in summer. This contrasts vividly with the dark blue flowers, 12-<br />
18" tall.<br />
‘Songbird Blue Jay’ A very early bloomer (mid-late May) with<br />
bicolor blue and white flowers on 20-30" stems.<br />
‘Spring Harmony Navy/White’ Part of the Spring Magic series,<br />
huge spurred flowers of deep navy blue and white, 8-10" tall.<br />
vulgaris ‘Barlows Black’ Double dark purple black flowers 30"<br />
tall.<br />
‘Blue Towers’ A very odd and unusual spurless double that<br />
looks like little blue pantaloons! 24" tall.<br />
Page 6 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
‘Nora Barlow’ This plant has been appearing in our shop<br />
gardens for years---double pink and white odd star-shaped<br />
blossoms, spurless.<br />
‘Winky Blue’ Also called 'Winky Blue and White'. Flowers are<br />
upfacing on 12-14" stems, blue and white. This is really a<br />
charmer.<br />
‘Winky Red & White’ Just as it sounds, upfacing flowers are a<br />
showy bicolor, red with white center, 18" tall.<br />
x hybrida ‘Blue Star’ 2' tall enormous and fragrant flowers of<br />
blue and white, long spurs.<br />
‘Crimson Star’ Showy red and white large flowers, long<br />
spurs, long stems to 36", great cut flower.<br />
‘Koralle’ 36" stems with long spurred coral and white flowers;<br />
a unique color for the spring garden.<br />
‘Maxistar’ Huge yellow flowers, long spurs, the best tall<br />
yellow, 24".<br />
‘Ya Beana’ All right, I admit it, I love this name. A deep, dark<br />
blue columbine with immensely, long spurs, 18-20" tall.<br />
Arabis ROCK CRESS<br />
Rock Cress is an early spring bloomer for the rockery.<br />
caucasica ‘Snowcap’ Silver felty foliage and white flowers in<br />
June---a vigorous spreader for hillsides and rock gardens.<br />
ferdinandi coburgi ‘Old Gold’ Very unusual variegated alpine<br />
plant for troughs or rock gardens. Foliage is green and showy<br />
yellow; spring blooming white flowers. Mat-forming.<br />
sturri Excellent rock garden plant, edger for lean soil. Shiny<br />
green prostrate foliage blanketed in white flowers; April/May.<br />
As the years go by, I am more and more impressed with this<br />
plant.<br />
Arctostaphylos<br />
uva-ursi A native ground cover, excellent for poor sandy soil,<br />
works well by the ocean. This plant is very vigorous and disease<br />
resistant. 12" tall rounded, small evergreen foliage turns<br />
burgundy in the winter. Pale pink flowers become red winter<br />
berries favored by birds.<br />
‘Massachusetts’ An excellent hybrid with large berries.<br />
Arisaema<br />
triphyllum Woodland flower, purple and green spathe and<br />
spadix, moist area, brought in by popular demand.<br />
Armeria SEA PINK<br />
Armerias are wonderful April and May bloomers, long-flowering,<br />
perfect for rockeries, troughs and the front of a garden.<br />
juncea This tiny bun has soft pink flowers reaching only 4-5"<br />
high. Will bloom repeatedly from spring through late summer.<br />
Place it in a trough on a sunny deck where you can see it "up<br />
close and personal".<br />
maritima ‘Nifty Thrifty’ Okay, I admit it, I originally bought<br />
this plant because the name is so cute. But it is pretty nifty!<br />
Foliage is cream and green variegated, flowers are bright pink.<br />
‘Rubrifolia’ This is a BURGUNDY-leaved Armeria! The<br />
constrast with the bright pink flowers, combined with the two<br />
month early spring bloom period, makes it irresistable for<br />
rockeries or trough gardens. Color is deepest in cold weather.<br />
pseudoarmeria Take note, this plant is really different! 15-18"<br />
tall! Very large rosy pink globes, long stems, great cutting<br />
flower. Often reblooms in the fall.<br />
Artemesia<br />
abrotanum Southernwood is a classic old fashioned garden<br />
plant, found in Colonial gardens for centuries. Woody 3-5’ shrub<br />
with pungent, finely-cut feathery green foliage, often used for<br />
structure in herb garden, moth repellant.<br />
lactiflora ‘Ghuizo’ Burgundy tinted foliage, great contrast with<br />
white plume flowers. 4-5’ tall, August bloomer that is greatly<br />
underappreciated for the late summer garden. Great cut flower,<br />
tolerates partial shade or full sun.<br />
‘Powis Castle’ 30" upright globe of silvery feathered foliage, an<br />
upright ‘Silver Mound’, one of the best foliage plants. DO NOT<br />
CUT THIS PLANT BACK UNTIL SPRING.<br />
schmidtiana ‘Nana’ (Silver Mound) 8-10" mounds of finely-cut<br />
silver foliage; cut plant back as it starts to bloom (yes, that means<br />
don’t let it flower!) to encourage tight, compact growth all<br />
summer. If you don’t do this, you will have open plants with<br />
unsightly centers instead of cut, fluffy, round domes.<br />
stellariana ‘Silver Brocade’ Perennial Dusty Miller, great edger.<br />
Livehead this one too so the caterpillars don’t find it. Ideal plant<br />
for extreme seashore or roadside conditions. Cut any long, leggy<br />
ground-hugging stems back in spring and throughout the<br />
summer to encourage bushiness.<br />
Aruncus GOATSBEARD<br />
aethusifolius Very frilly, fern-like foliage and creamy white<br />
delicate flower spikes growing only to 12" tall; a wonderful<br />
dwarf plant with an interesting texture, great edger.<br />
<br />
Aruncus dioicus<br />
If I had to narrow down the best shade plants to ten,<br />
this plant would make the list. It's amazing! It can<br />
grow under maple trees (i.e. dry shade) and look great,<br />
reaching 2-3' tall. If in a shady and moist spot, it can<br />
expand to 4-5’ tall or more, and at least 4-5' wide!<br />
Soft, white astilbe-like plumes appear in June; after<br />
blooming, the foliage remains attractive<br />
all summer long.<br />
dioicus Large white flowers for shady spots. June blooming;<br />
will reach 2-3’ tall in drier shade, 4-5’ tall in moist spots.<br />
‘Kneiffii’ I absolutely fell in love with this plant in the<br />
summer of 2004. This is distinctively different from the<br />
straight species with finely-cut foliage, adding an airy texture<br />
to this shade garden workhorse. Grows only 24" tall, great for<br />
small gardens.<br />
sinensis ‘Child of Two Worlds’ A slightly later bloomer, just<br />
following A. dioicus (excellent to assure succession of bloom in<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 7
those tricky shady spots). Creamy white, slightly drooping<br />
plumes 4’ tall in early July.<br />
Asarum GINGER<br />
If you are looking for an elegant ground cover for your shade garden,<br />
look no further. Most are evergreen; we now offer some rare varieties.<br />
Slow growing but worth the wait.<br />
europeaum European Ginger Very shiny rounded evergreen<br />
leaves grow 3-4", an excellent ground cover for shade. Slow<br />
growing but worth it; one of the premier foliage structure plants<br />
for a shady garden. Mix with dwarf ferns; use to underplant<br />
Hellebores or miniature Astilbes.<br />
shuttleworthii ‘McCues Strain’ Very rare foliage plant; 2-1/2"diameter<br />
glossy evergreen leaves are marked with creamy veins.<br />
Connecticut grown, a selection from the species.<br />
splendens ‘Quicksilver’ This is a rare and valuable foliage<br />
accent plant for the shade garden. The foliage is broadly arrowshaped<br />
and heavily marked with silver. Leaves can grow up to<br />
7" long. I imagine this paired with ‘Ghost’ painted ferns to add a<br />
silvery glow to any shade garden. Evergreen leaves take on<br />
gorgeous burgundy markings in cold weather.<br />
Design tip: Since Asclepias sprout very late, they<br />
leave a visual gap in the early spring garden. This<br />
provides a perfect place to plant spring blooming<br />
bulbs. Surround Asclepias and other late sprouters<br />
such as Platycodon, Hibiscus, and Eupatorium with<br />
clusters of tulips, daffodils, or minor bulbs. As the<br />
foliage of the bulbs starts to look unsightly, the<br />
perennials will be up and growing, hiding the<br />
ripening bulb leaves.<br />
Asclepias BUTTERFLY WEED<br />
Attract butterflies to your garden! Two distinct species with different<br />
cultural requirements means that there is a Butterfly Weed for every<br />
garden. Great mid- to late-summer bloomers. Late-sprouting, plants<br />
arrive in late May or early June.<br />
incarnata Pink flowers, 4-5’ in July/early August, tolerates<br />
moist soil, tolerates sun or part shade.<br />
‘Ice Ballet’ Same as above in white.<br />
tuberosa Orange flowers, needs good drainage and full sun,<br />
attracts butterflies, late June/July/early Aug., 2’, great accent<br />
color. I combine this with drumstick allium bulbs dug in around<br />
around the plants in the fall. They end up blooming at the same<br />
time. WOW!<br />
‘Clay’ Strange name, but for a reason. 3' tall orange flowers<br />
tolerate clay soil much more so than the species. Don't plant in<br />
wet sites.<br />
‘Gay Butterflies’ Excellent seed mix of yellow, orange or red<br />
flowers. (I’m always on the lookout for the reds...)<br />
‘Hello Yellow’ This name was bound to turn up in the trade<br />
eventually! A pure golden yellow form of Asclepias.<br />
Asphodeline KING’S SPEAR<br />
A dramatic plant, much admired in our demonstration gardens.<br />
Flowers soar above the leaves, very delicate spikes, one of our most<br />
asked-about plants, unusual. Foliage goes dormant in August,<br />
reappears in fall. Nearly impossible to find in the trade lately, but I<br />
continue to list it and keep looking.<br />
liburnica Very architechtural, 4’ tall spikes of soft yellow<br />
tubular flowers over blue green tufts of thin willowy foliage;<br />
July-blooming, rare.<br />
lutea Broad blue-green leaves and amazing yellow spikes 4’ tall;<br />
try Asphodoline interplanted with Asiatic lilies . . . striking!<br />
Aster<br />
We carry both late spring blooming and fall<br />
blooming asters. The spring bloomers sell in<br />
flower during the busy season. The fall asters<br />
demand faith from the spring gardener. You<br />
plant a nearly invisible tuft of foliage. But the<br />
rewards are GREAT! If you want a fabulous,<br />
colorful fall garden, filled with butterflies the<br />
first year, and you want to establish it<br />
inexpensively, plant asters in the spring. They<br />
grow FAST. You will thank me in September.<br />
alpinus<br />
Great plant for the front of the border in June. When they bloom on our<br />
benches, they fly out the door. I am starting to use these as well as<br />
Aster amellus much more often in my designs as I begin to appreciate<br />
their value. Sun/part shade.<br />
‘Dark Beauty’ 15" tall dark bluish purple daisies, rich color<br />
amellus ‘Violet Queen’ A July bloomer with masses of deep<br />
violet flowers with yellow centers on 2’ tall plants. This will<br />
come in very handy in the front of the border to add rich color,<br />
blends well with bright yellows such as ‘Happy Returns’<br />
daylilies.<br />
divaricatus ‘Eastern Star’ A superior hybrid of our native white<br />
wood aster. September blooming, 12" compact shrublets with<br />
mahogany stems are covered with hundreds of tiny white<br />
flowers. Great for naturalizing at wood’s edge.<br />
dumosus ‘Alert’ 12-15" tall mounds of deep "red" (really<br />
dayglow cerise pink) flowers in September.<br />
‘Woods Light Blue’ Superior variety that blooms in<br />
September. Forms an 18" tall mounded plant, gorgeous color<br />
blue color.<br />
‘Woods Purple’ 18" tall purple flowers cover this mounded<br />
plant. Completely different look than ‘Purple Dome’.<br />
<br />
Aster dumosus Woods Series<br />
The “Woods” series is new. They are dwarf plants<br />
that are very mildew-resistant with exceptionally large<br />
and abundant flowers. All are September bloomers.<br />
laevis ‘Bluebird’ Wonderful. 3-4’ spikes of soft blue flowers add<br />
a cottage look to the garden in September. Easy to grow, clean<br />
Page 8 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
foliage. A native prairie plant that really stands out as a superior<br />
garden perennial for the fall. Should be used more often.<br />
lateriflorus ‘Lady in Black’ Foliage has a deep purple cast. The<br />
plant is covered with hundreds of tiny white daisies with a<br />
raspberry center in October, grows 3-4’ tall. Lightens the fall<br />
border. Always asked about on our walks.<br />
‘Prince’ Similar to ‘Lady in Black’ but on a smaller scale--well-branched<br />
shrublets with small, burgundy foliage covered<br />
with the same white and raspberry flowers in the fall. The little<br />
brother to the lady above!<br />
novae-angliae<br />
New England Asters cover the fields and roadsides with color each<br />
autumn. In our perennial gardens, we use these wonderful hybrid<br />
varieties. The taller forms (3-4’) MUST be given a hard cut back in<br />
June or they will be floppy.<br />
‘Alma Potschke’ Screaming hot pink flowers, 3-4’ tall.<br />
‘Fanny’ Looking for color in October, November, possibly<br />
even December? I kid you not, this lovely aster is the latest<br />
flower in our gardens. It is also unbelievably fast and easy to<br />
grow in full sun or plenty of shade. Pinch it hard once in June<br />
and that’s it. Lovely delicate blue daisies, thousands of them,<br />
cover the 2-3’ plants. A must for every garden.<br />
‘Harringtons Pink’ Clear pink daisies on 4' plants A<br />
screaming fall accent.<br />
‘Hella Lacy’ 4’ rich purple, amazing butterfly plant.<br />
‘Honeysong Pink’ FRAGRANT! Soft pink daisies, 4’ tall.<br />
‘Purple Dome’ This is the first dwarf New England aster.<br />
Most other dwarfs have tiny flowers---‘Purple Dome’ has<br />
enormous royal purple flowers on truly dome-shaped 18-24"<br />
plants. I use this plant in almost every garden design for easy<br />
care, guaranteed fall excitement.<br />
tartaricus<br />
And now for something completely different . . . a giant aster to wow<br />
visitors in your fall garden. Plant with Helianthus (perennial fall<br />
sunflowers) for a striking combination. Fast-spreading; excellent cut<br />
flowers. Migrating butterflies love them. One of the last cutting flowers<br />
to bloom in our gardens.<br />
6-7’ lavender daisies in October! Dramatic.<br />
‘Jindai’ Very rare "dwarf" form of the above; same blue daisy<br />
flowers, grows only 3-4’ tall. A FABULOUS long bloomer for<br />
the late fall garden.<br />
x ‘Frikartii Monch’ This is one of the longest-blooming<br />
perennials, with soft lavender-blue daisy flowers. Pinch back in<br />
June for fuller plants, or allow to ramble through the middle of<br />
the border. Blooms July through September, possibly beyond.<br />
Astilbe<br />
Astilbes prefer a soil rich with humus and tolerate part shade. They are<br />
June bloomers unless otherwise noted. Great cut flowers. No shade<br />
garden should be without them. By choosing different varieties you can<br />
achieve bloom in June, July, and August. (See accompanying box for<br />
succession of bloom). Water thoroughly in a drought. I am using<br />
Astilbes more and more as they are DEER RESISTANT and thrive in<br />
yards with shade and abundant moisture– if you have an automatic<br />
watering system, these plants are perfect.<br />
arendsii ‘Bridal Veil’ 18" tall, very fluffy and thick white<br />
plumes in June/early July.<br />
Do you want to create<br />
gardens that bloom every month of the<br />
growing season?<br />
Announcing a wonderful<br />
book for Connecticut<br />
gardeners!<br />
Succession of Bloom in the<br />
Perennial Garden<br />
By Nancy DuBrule-Clemente<br />
A reference manual for garden designers,<br />
students, educators, professional<br />
landscapers, and avid gardeners.<br />
Based on over 20 years experience in<br />
Connecticut gardens, this long-awaited book<br />
illustrates, in easy-to-navigate chart form, the<br />
bloom periods of your favorite perennials,<br />
flowering shrubs, ornamental grasses, and<br />
vines. With information on plants that provide<br />
foliage structure, fall fruit, winter interest, and<br />
plants that are summer dormant. Complete<br />
with deadheading and mid-summer cutting<br />
back guidelines to prolong bloom. This book is<br />
NOT meant for the entire country, it is written<br />
for Connecticut gardens!<br />
$19.95 plus tax (Available at our store or it<br />
can be mailed to you or a gift recipient -$5<br />
shipping and handling)<br />
‘Elizabeth Bloom’ Very showy, exceptionally large, fluffy<br />
pure pink plumes over very shiny foliage. 24" tall.<br />
‘Erika’ Distinctive red foliage in the spring combines with<br />
mammoth pink flowers. 30" tall. June blooming.<br />
‘Fanal’ 24" blood-red, June, featured in our shade gardens.<br />
‘Flamingo’ Flamingo pink flowers on 18" long arching stems.<br />
‘White Gloria’ Very showy white variety, popular in Europe<br />
for its enormous, blocky, 24" plumes.<br />
bumalda Pure white flowers 15-20" tall over bronze foliage that<br />
stays colorful all season. A nice contrast.<br />
chinensis<br />
Very different from other astilbe species, ground cover, spreads rapidly,<br />
late-blooming, late July/early August. You will notice many new<br />
varieties—I use these a lot to add late summer color to the shade<br />
garden. Easy to grow.<br />
‘Christian’ Very vigorous ground cover form, August<br />
blooming. Flowers are purplish/red color, 12" tall.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 9
‘Pumila’ A vigoruous and floriforous ground cover with stiff<br />
15" lavender spikes. Foliage is fuzzy and distinctive. Easy to<br />
grow, really covers the ground. A very old-fashioned variety<br />
that has stood the test of time---I still use it a lot. The most<br />
drought tolerant astilbe you can plant.<br />
‘Purpurkerze’ Tall, narrow, vertical accent spikes of<br />
purple/rose 36" tall. Late and striking.<br />
‘Veronica Klose’ A superior chinensis form . . . spreads<br />
rapidly, a great ground cover, late July and August rich<br />
magenta pink spikes to 28" tall! Excellent late-blooming shade<br />
plant.<br />
‘Visions’ 15" lilac-purple spikes and FRAGRANT!<br />
‘Visions in Pink’ Wonderful color! Soft peachy pink flowers<br />
simply glow, 18' tall, lovely AND fragrant (smells just like<br />
Grape Knee-Hi!) Spreads easily. A must-have.<br />
‘Visions In Red’ Flower buds are deep red and open to a<br />
pinkish/red flower spikes reaching 15" tall in July and August.<br />
Foliage has bronze highlights if grown in shade.<br />
Astilbe Bloom Times<br />
June Bloomers<br />
all arendsii varieties<br />
all japonica varieties<br />
Late June/early July<br />
Peaches and Cream<br />
Red Sentinel<br />
July<br />
Drum and Bass<br />
Rhythm and Blues<br />
Rock and Roll<br />
crispa Perkeo<br />
Late July/August<br />
all chinensis varieties<br />
all simplicifolia varieties<br />
all taquetii varieties<br />
‘Cotton Candy’ What a perfect<br />
name for this variety! Pink fluffy,<br />
full plumes in June---better yet, the<br />
foliage is burgundy and remains<br />
so all summer!<br />
crispa ‘Perkeo’ A very neat dwarf<br />
with leathery, shiny, tidy foliage<br />
that hugs the ground; thin flower<br />
spikes are soft pink, 6" tall. Great<br />
edging plant to mix with dwarf<br />
hostas or European ginger in the<br />
front of a shady border.<br />
‘Drum & Bass’ Huge FAT flowers<br />
of vivid deep pink grow 14-20"<br />
tall, bloom in late July and August.<br />
japonica ‘Ellie’ Huge white<br />
plumes, 24" tall.<br />
‘Peachblossom’ 24" soft peachypink<br />
plumes. This color adds an<br />
irresistible softness to the June<br />
garden. My favorite marriage is<br />
to combine it with blue<br />
Campanula percisifolia.<br />
‘Red Sentinel’ Striking 28" tall deep red plumes, an<br />
exceptional, very late-blooming red variety.<br />
‘Professor Van Weilen’ This is a white form of ostrich plume.<br />
The arching, graceful habit of the 3' tall flowers offers an<br />
unusual contrast in form for the shade garden.<br />
‘Rasberry Kane’ A CT hybrid with enormous, very fluffy<br />
raspberry-rose plumes to 24" tall.<br />
‘Rhythm and Blues’ A gorgeous new patented hybrid with big,<br />
fat, fluffy clear pink plumes; 24" tall. July blooming.<br />
‘Rock and Roll’ Second in this series, white flowers with red<br />
stems over deep green foliage. Grows 20" tall, July blooming.<br />
simplicifolia<br />
This species has excellent foliage, a great edger. Late July-blooming.<br />
‘Hennie Graafland’ I have fallen in love with this plant! Very<br />
shiny, ferny foliage is deep, dark green and always looks good<br />
in the front of the border. The late July/August flowers are 16"<br />
tall, a nice clean pink, fluffy and slightly arching at the tips.<br />
‘Inshriach Pink’ An excellent improvement over ‘Sprite’.<br />
Abundant 10" delicate pink spikes over very ornamental<br />
bronze-green crinkled foliage. July/early August bloomer.<br />
‘Key Biscayne’ I really noticed this plant in bloom last year.<br />
Soft pink, delicate spires 12-18" tall very late in the season, in<br />
August. Foliage is deep green and shiny. A great addition to<br />
the late summer garden.<br />
‘Key Largo’ Very bright magenta pink narrow spikes over<br />
excellent finely cut foliage. Fabulous introduction for August<br />
blooms. 12-15" tall.<br />
‘Key West’ Burgundy, lacy foliage that stays colorful all<br />
summer. Deep lavender-magenta flowers are a good contrast.<br />
15-18" tall. Same late bloom period.<br />
‘Pink Lightning’ A wonderful patented variety. Showy airy,<br />
soft pink plumes are very floriferous; foliage is deep, dark<br />
green. A stunning contrast.<br />
‘William Buchanan’ Often referred to as "false goatsbeard",<br />
this late summer blooming miniature has deep, dark green<br />
crinkled foliage topped by white to very pale pink flower<br />
spikes. Some red venation in leaves and red tinge to flower<br />
stems. Great foliage plant for the border's edge.<br />
taquetti ‘Superba’ This is a very late-blooming form, late<br />
July/early August, that spreads rapidly along the ground with<br />
stiff, upright flower stalks 3-4’ tall. Dramatic.<br />
thunbergii ‘Straussenfeder’ Also called "ostrich feather", this<br />
variety has an unusual flower form with arching bright pink<br />
plumes give a totally different look, and a sense of movement to<br />
the shade garden. 3' tall.<br />
Astilboides<br />
tabularis Large, broad, heavy-textured rounded leaves, 3-1/2’<br />
tall white plumes in June/July. Prefers partial shade and moist<br />
soil. A real dramatic plant.<br />
Astrantia MASTERWORT<br />
This is a much-underused but quite lovely shade plant that is very<br />
popular in England. Grows best in partial shade or full sun. Great cut<br />
flowers that feel papery. Blooms June/July. Somewhat slow to establish,<br />
but well worth the wait.<br />
major ‘Claret’ Named after the wine, you can probably guess<br />
that the flowers are a deep, dark red; so are the stems! 30" tall.<br />
‘Magnum Blush’ Terra Nova introduction with exceptionally<br />
large flowers 24" tall. Deep pink buds open to large pinkblushed<br />
ivory flowers.<br />
‘Sunningdale Variegated’ Rare form with green and creamy<br />
yellow variegated foliage, deep purple flowers 24" tall in early<br />
to late summer.<br />
Aubrieta PURPLE ROCK CRESS<br />
‘Blue Cascade’ Excellent rock garden plant for hot, sunny sites.<br />
Grows 3" tall with purplish-blue flowers in April.<br />
‘Dr. Mules’ Great new trough plant with purple flowers in<br />
April/May. Rock cress needs excellent drainage.<br />
Page 10 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Aurinia BASKET OF GOLD<br />
(also known as Allysum)<br />
saxatilis ‘Compactum’ A compact form of basket of gold, with<br />
bright yellow flowers in April and May. Grows 8-10" tall, foliage<br />
is silvery grey and attractive all season. Be sure to provide full<br />
sun and excellent drainage.<br />
‘Sulphurea’ (Citrinum) The palest of pale yellows, rare.<br />
‘Summit’ A very compact variety, growing 6-8" tall.<br />
Baptisia FALSE INDIGO<br />
Baptisias are old-fashioned garden flowers. In addition to their<br />
beautiful blooms, their blue-green, pea-like foliage is superb all season,<br />
forming large, shrub-like bushes once mature. They take a few years to<br />
get to size, but are worth the wait.<br />
australis Blue lupine-like flowers, 3-5 ft. late May through June,<br />
excellent blue-green foliage.<br />
‘Alba’ Pure white, thick, upright flower stalks on 3’ tall plants.<br />
The flowers can be 4-5 times thicker than the old-fashioned<br />
blue form once established. Same blue-green, excellent pea-like<br />
foliage.<br />
‘Caspian Blue’ A white and blue bicolor; 40" tall.<br />
‘Carolina Moonlight’ Tired of struggling with growing lupines?<br />
Try this cool yellow Baptisia instead! Very vigorous, with the<br />
clump spreading 3’ wide; flowers are bright yellow and form<br />
spikes 4-5’ tall. May bloomer.<br />
leucantha This is a prairie native with beautiful white flower<br />
spikes 3-4’ tall in July.<br />
leucophaea 20" spikes of pure white. Compact.<br />
pendula (alba) Pure white flowers that arch over; nice unusual<br />
form for a Baptisia. 30" tall.<br />
sphaerocarpa ‘Screaming Yellow’ Okay, I admit that the name<br />
caught my eye, drama queen lover that I am... Lemon yellow,<br />
rigid and upright flower spikes 2-3’ tall with blue green foliage.<br />
June blooming, possible rebloom if deadheaded.<br />
x ‘Purple Smoke’ Indescribable smokey violet flowers with a<br />
purple eye; grows 4’ tall. Once mature, each plant can have over<br />
50 flower spikes!! Stems are charcoal grey, foliage is grey-green,<br />
habit is vase-shaped. Will live forever in your garden once<br />
established. A selection of the native Baptisia australis ‘Alba’.<br />
x varicolor ‘Twilite Prairieblues’ Were you among the lucky<br />
ones to snag one of these last fall? We had them for a short<br />
while. A fabulous new introduction, bred at the Chicago Botanic<br />
Garden, this is a cross between our common garden-variety B.<br />
australis and the yellow B. sphaerocarpa. The result is truly<br />
gorgeous-purple and yellow bicolor flowers, 32" tall. Once<br />
established, expect up to 100 flower stalks on a 3 year old plant!<br />
Late May/June blooming.<br />
Begonia HARDY BEGONIA<br />
These sprout in late May, so stock won’t be ready until then. Reserve<br />
them in advance by placing an early order. Probably the most asked<br />
about shade plant in our September garden.<br />
evansiana A HARDY BEGONIA! Great shade plant with<br />
burgundy leaves and pink flowers, blooms in<br />
August/September.<br />
grandis ‘Alba’ Extremely rare white-blooming hardy begonia.<br />
Belamcanda BLACKBERRY LILY<br />
chinensis Iris-like foliage with orange speckled flowers in July-<br />
Aug. and black seed pods, 3-4’ tall. This plant is the talk of the<br />
garden when in bloom!<br />
‘Hello Yellow’ Same iris like foliage and flower form as the<br />
orange variety, but the flowers are a soft yellow color. Useful<br />
for you folks who don’t use orange in the garden!<br />
Bellis ENGLISH DAISY<br />
I consider English Daisies to be short-lived perennials. BUT, they<br />
bloom longer than any spring flower, all of April and May. Allow seed<br />
pods to form in June and expect them to self-sow. I love Bellis in Easter<br />
baskets!<br />
perennis Single flower mixed colors.<br />
‘Rominette Mix’ Gigantic double flowers in mixed colors.<br />
Showy and very long-blooming.<br />
Bergenia PIGSQUEAK<br />
Bergenias are spring bloomers for shade. They have heavy-textured,<br />
shiny, evergreen foliage that turns bronze in winter. Excellent plants to<br />
provide foliage structure year-round in the shade garden. Lime lovers.<br />
cordifolia ‘Bressingham Ruby’ A real showstopper---bold,<br />
green, rounded leathery leaves give rise to pink flowers in early<br />
April. Fall and winter foliage show is deep maroon; 12-18" tall.<br />
‘Bressingham White’ A rare white-flowering form, 12-18" tall.<br />
This plant is the first to sell out of all our Bergenia offerings<br />
because white simply glows in the shade.<br />
‘New Hybrids’ A nice selection of pink, rose, and white<br />
upfacing flowers.<br />
‘Rosi Klose’ Large rounded clusters of clear pink flowers<br />
resemble flattened clusters of hyacinths in May. Excellent<br />
foliage, very compact grower, good red winter color.<br />
x ‘Britten’ This is truly a favorite of mine. Broadly oval leaves<br />
give a much more linear, less clunky appearance. Easy to grow,<br />
very clean and vigorous. Waxy white flowers fade to pink.<br />
x hybrida ‘Baby Doll’ A dwarf, compact form with very clean,<br />
smaller leaves. Flowers are clear pink and may throw out some<br />
repeat blooms in fall.<br />
Boltonia BOLTONIA ASTER<br />
Boltonias bloom in fall with hundreds of dainty white or pink daisies on<br />
upright plants. Plant early to enjoy a magnificent fall show!<br />
asteroides ‘Jim Crocket’ A true dwarf, only 12" tall, with pale<br />
lavender flowers. Compact growing.<br />
‘Pink Beauty’ Pink flowers, blue-green foliage, on somewhat<br />
wispy 4-5’ plants. These do best with a June hard pinch.<br />
Brunnera PERENNIAL FORGET-ME-NOT<br />
Brunnera is one of the most durable shade plants (It also takes full<br />
sun). The foliage lasts all summer, is large and heart-shaped. The<br />
flowers are very dainty and provide an excellent textural contrast. No<br />
garden should be without them.<br />
macrophylla Clear blue forget-me-not flowers April and May,<br />
15". Self sows to give you welcome free plants.<br />
‘Jack Frost’ In the space of three short years, this variety has<br />
become a mainstay in our shade garden designs. It’s silver<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 11
foliage simply glows. The flowers are the same delightful<br />
shade of sky blue in the spring. The combinations are<br />
endless--- combine with silver painted ferns, Tiarellas,<br />
Heucheras, and a host of other excellent shade plants.<br />
‘Langtrees’ The large, heart-shaped leaves are silver-spotted,<br />
similar to a Pulmonaria. The silver markings become much<br />
more pronounced in the late summer and fall. Same beautiful<br />
blue flowers, same exceptional hardiness. Match this with<br />
Liriope ‘Silver Dragon’ or painted ferns.<br />
‘Looking Glass’ A rare sport of Jack Frost with an overall<br />
silver patina to the leaves as well as silver markings. Flowers<br />
are a very pale, soft sky blue. Very limited.<br />
‘Variegata’ Cream and green foliage appears white and is<br />
very striking, same blue flowers. The bold variegation doesn’t<br />
have a drop of silver in it.<br />
Calamintha CALAMINT<br />
Calamintha is an herb widely used in Europe. We grow it because of its<br />
dainty habit, its long bloom period, and for foliage interest. Lightens up<br />
the look of the garden. Deer-resistant aromatic herb.<br />
grandiflora ‘Variegata’ 2’ bushy plant with white variegated<br />
foliage, covered with lavender flowers summer and fall, tastes<br />
similar to oregano. Great in container gardens.<br />
nepeta ssp. nepeta This is a cottage garden delight---abundant,<br />
pale lavender flowers for 3-4 months, July-Oct.; grows 12-15' tall.<br />
Soft, delicate, a real interweaver, lightens the look of the garden.<br />
Aromatic, deer-resistant.<br />
‘White Cloud’ I love this plant! Clouds of soft white flowers<br />
over blue green foliage adds a delicate texture to the sunny<br />
garden. Better yet, it blooms June thru the fall! Try<br />
underplanting roses with this beauty.<br />
<br />
Callirhoe - Wine Cups<br />
I discovered this plant years ago, realizing it could<br />
bloom all summer and beyond. Turns out it’s native<br />
to the American prairie floor. It spreads and sprawls,<br />
weaving amongst plants and doubling the bloom in<br />
that spot in the garden. Marry it with more upright<br />
plants, and let it poke its bloomin’ arms out in<br />
unexpected places.<br />
.<br />
Callirhoe<br />
involucrata Very unusual mallow-like bright pink flowers with<br />
white centers, all summer/fall. This plant resembles a cranesbill<br />
geranium in habit and a poppy in flower! Incredibly long bloom<br />
period.<br />
Caltha MARSH MARIGOLD<br />
palustris This is one of my favorite spring wildflowers. Bright<br />
yellow single buttercups on glossy, rounded foliage appear in<br />
April, bloom with the bulbs, and then conveniently disappear in<br />
the early summer, making way for the next succession of flowers<br />
that can grow right in the same place. They thrive in moist<br />
places, but average soil will do in sun or shade.<br />
‘Multiplex’ Rare double yellow form.<br />
Campanula BELL FLOWER<br />
Campanulas must have alkaline soil—if you<br />
have had trouble with them in the past, take a<br />
soil test and add lime as needed. Most prefer<br />
excellent drainage and will tolerate full sun or<br />
dappled shade.<br />
carpatica ‘Blue Clips’ This perennial has<br />
stood the test of time. Clumps grow 15-18"<br />
tall and are covered with a seemingly<br />
endless display of clear blue cup flowers. I<br />
have seen this bloom from June through<br />
August. Don’t forget the lime!<br />
collina This has really large, deep purple bell flowers arising on<br />
6-8" thin stalks.. An ideal trough plant, must have very well<br />
drained, gritty soil. Summer blooming.<br />
glomerata ‘Caroline’ Beautiful white flowers with purple fluted<br />
edges.<br />
‘Joan Elliot’ This is the longest-blooming cultivar. Intense<br />
purple bells, great cut flowers on 15-18" stems. Blooms late<br />
May-June.<br />
‘Superba’ This species is one of the easiest bellflowers to<br />
grow. It spreads very quickly in sun or partial shade. The<br />
flowers are rich purple bells, reaching 15-18" tall, blooming in<br />
late May and June.<br />
‘Kent Belle’ 30" tall stalks with rich, royal purple glossy<br />
nodding bells in June/July. Flowers are enormous! True purple<br />
is a great accent color, quite hard to find in the garden. This<br />
plant should be pinched or it may be a bit floppy. My technique<br />
is to weave it up through stiffer plants. In our gardens, it grows<br />
in combination with Artemesia arbrotanum.<br />
lactiflora ‘Loddon Anna’ Soft pink clusters of bell flowers on<br />
24-30" shrubby plants in June/July and often longer. A hard cut<br />
back to the base encourages a fabulous fall rebloom.<br />
‘Pouffe’ Soft blue clusters of bell flowers June/July and often<br />
longer. Deadheading spikes to base encourages a reliable fall<br />
rebloom.<br />
‘Prichards Variety’ Taller than 'Pouffe', growing 3-4'. Flowers<br />
are a deeper bluish-purple. Same long bloom habit, same<br />
reblooming capacity.<br />
latifolia ‘Brantwood’ Excellent cottage garden flower with deep<br />
purple flowers June/July. Basal clumps of deep green foliage.<br />
Self-sows easily.<br />
‘Mystic Bells’ Huge royal purple dangling, elongated bell<br />
flower, similar to ‘Kent Belle’ but on very compact, 15-18" plants.<br />
Wow, what a fabulous accent flower! If deadheaded, this can<br />
repeat bloom from June until August. Place it in the front of the<br />
garden where it will glow.<br />
persicifolia ‘Chettle Charm’ White flowers are edged with blue.<br />
Sturdy, strong 3-4’ stems provide excellent, very long-lasting cut<br />
flowers in June and July. Foliage is dark green, basal clumpforming.<br />
‘Grandiflora Blue’ Sky blue spikes, great for cutting,<br />
June/July blooming, lasts almost 2 weeks in a vase, 2-3’ tall.<br />
Page 12 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
‘Grandiflora White’ (alba) Same as ‘Grandiflora Blue’ in<br />
white.<br />
‘Powder Puff’ A Terra Nova introduction with large, fluffy,<br />
double white flowers. Strong stems can reach 2' tall. Excellent,<br />
long lasting cut flower.<br />
‘Takion Blue’ A new dwarf hybrid form with blue flowers on<br />
very strong 16-20" tall stems.<br />
‘Takion White’ Same as above in white.<br />
‘Telham Beauty’ Light lavender blue flowers on 3' stems.<br />
portenschlagiana ‘Resolts Variety’ Large, bright purple bell<br />
flowers 3-5" tall; excellent repeat bloomer for the rockery or<br />
trough.<br />
poscharskyana Low-growing, vigorous rockery plant with soft<br />
lavender-blue bell flowers, May-June. Will clamber over rocks<br />
and is fast-spreading. Easy-to-grow plant! This is one of my<br />
favorites for edging gardens along walkways---it doesn’t have to<br />
be limited to a rock garden site! Works well in borders too.<br />
‘Blue Waterfall’ Superior Blooms of Bressingham hybrid.<br />
Deep blue flowers with a white heart are much darker and<br />
larger than the species. Can spread over 24" in diameter. This<br />
is one of my top ten perennials for sunny edges along a front<br />
walk.<br />
‘E. H. Frost’ An exciting new color for this garden<br />
workhorse--- white flowers smother this plant. Same long<br />
bloom period and habit.<br />
punctata ‘Cherry Bells’ The good news is that this flower is<br />
gorgeous---deep purplish-rose long dangling bells on 28” stems.<br />
The bad news is that this plant is a vigorous spreader.<br />
June/early July blooming.<br />
‘Little Punky’ Cool name for a cool new alpine/trough<br />
garden plant. From low clumps of serrated foliage arise 8-10"<br />
red stems with dangling oversized bells of white speckled<br />
cherry red in July.<br />
rotundifolia ‘Alba’ The white form of the popular bluebells of<br />
Scotland never stops blooming, repeating all summer long.<br />
Showy and easy to grow.<br />
‘Samantha’ A low spreading ground cover with fragrant violetblue<br />
cup-shaped flowers starting in June, repeating all sumer. 8"<br />
tall.<br />
‘Sarastro’ An interspecific cross between C. punctata and C.<br />
trachelium. Bred in Austria, this has the large, dangling deep<br />
purple bells of Kent, but is only 18' tall, well-branched, a much<br />
more manageable plant.<br />
trachelium ‘Bernice’ I LOVE THIS PLANT! Beautiful and totally<br />
unique double star shaped flower form, very hardy and<br />
drought-tolerant. June/July flower spikes grow 22" tall. Very<br />
limited, we haven’t offered this in a few years, reserve if you<br />
want it.<br />
Caulophyllum BLUE COHOSH<br />
thalictroides This is a native wildflower. The flowers are loose<br />
panicles of yellow-green, not showy at all. The foliage is also<br />
nothing of note, appears in the spring, and is summer dormant.<br />
The purpose of growing this plant is that it forms extremely cool<br />
deep blue berries in late summer that remain erect and showy<br />
into the fall. Perfect for a partially shaded, moist woodland<br />
garden.<br />
Centaurea CORNFLOWER<br />
dealbata ‘John Coutts’ Lavender-pink thistlelike<br />
flowers in June/July and reliably again in<br />
the fall. This variety is much more compact<br />
than the species, growing to 18" tall; flowers<br />
are enormous. Very easy long-bloomer.<br />
‘Rosea’ This is the pink thistle-like flower<br />
that is so admired in our gardens (no one<br />
knows it's a bachelor's button at first glance).<br />
Cut the flower stems right to the base in late<br />
July and give it a mid-summer feed. It will<br />
bloom all over again within 3-4 weeks. 30"<br />
tall.<br />
macrocephala Yellow thistle-like flowers, striking, good cut or<br />
dried, 3-4’. Late June & July, coarse foliage, buds resemble<br />
artichokes.<br />
montana Bachelor's Buttons (perennial form) have blue thistlelike<br />
flowers in May/June; cut back hard in July and it usually<br />
repeats in fall, 18" tall, part shade or sun, self-sows. One of my<br />
favorite plants to "bulk up" the spring garden, filling in space<br />
and blooming long before the summer bloomers get going.<br />
‘Alba’ This is a variety that I love. It looks like a delicate white<br />
thistle flower and has the same habit as the blue form.<br />
‘Amethyst in Snow’ I may be the only one who uses the white<br />
Centaurea montana; now Blooms of Bressingham plant<br />
breeders have introduced a white blossom with a purple<br />
center that looks like a gorgeous starburst. Yes! Reserve this as<br />
I will use it in my plans and every plant we got in sold within<br />
48 hours on our benches, so they don't last in the retail yard<br />
either! All Centaurea montana hybrids are very drought<br />
tolerant and take a wide range of light levels.<br />
‘Gold Bouillon’ A fabulous Blooms of Bressingham hybrid<br />
with golden/chartreuse foliage topped by blue flowers. What<br />
a striking accent plant! Grows only 15-18" tall, great for the<br />
front of the border. Combine with variegated Carex grass or<br />
contrast with hostas. Hardy to zone 3.<br />
nigra This is a great cottage garden form of bachelor’s buttons.<br />
Each year it blooms in our gardens from July until early fall.<br />
Shaggy violet flowers on multi-branched stems 18" tall. Finelycut<br />
foliage. Watch out— as it self-sows like crazy; best in wild<br />
gardens or meadows.<br />
Centranthus VALERIAN, JUPITER’S BEARD<br />
Centranthus is very popular in England. It definitely prefers LIME<br />
and must have an alkaline soil. A great butterfly nectar plant, self-sows<br />
readily.<br />
ruber ‘Coccineus’ 2-3’ plumes of fragrant, deep pink flowers<br />
late May/June and again in late August/September. (flowers<br />
smaller in late summer), good cut flower, self-sows, tolerates sun<br />
or part shade.<br />
Cephalaria GIANT SCABIOSA<br />
gigantea A true drama queen. 6-8’ stems are topped with soft<br />
yellow flowers resembling Scabiosas in July. Leave at least two<br />
feet in width for this plant! Flowers are small, but there are lots<br />
of them on each stem and the height creates the effect.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 13
Cerastium SNOW-IN-SUMMER<br />
Snow-in-Summer is featured in our rock garden. The flowers are<br />
beautiful in June, the rest of the year the silvery leaves are very<br />
attractive. I let all kinds of Centaureas, Geraniums, and more self-sow<br />
into it for a wild look.<br />
alpinum ssp. Lanatum Wooly gray, felt-like foliage forms<br />
spreading mats; white star flowers in June. 2-8" tall.<br />
biebersteinii Tight mats of soft, silver, fuzzy foliage covered<br />
with white flowers. This variety is less invasive than the straight<br />
species in our rock garden and a superior choice.<br />
tomentosum Vigorous spreading species. 4-5" tall, smothered in<br />
white flowers in June. We grow lots of other self-seeding<br />
perennials through this plant on our hillside rock garden. The<br />
silver foliage remains attractive all summer.<br />
Ceratostigma LEADWORT<br />
This plant sprouts late so it won’t be in stock until late May. Plant it<br />
then and you can expect good coverage and a mass of the deepest blue<br />
flowers imaginable in late summer and fall. I use it to edge most<br />
gardens.<br />
plumbaginoides (Plumbago) Rich cobalt blue flowers in late<br />
summer and fall; foliage turns burgundy as temperatures get<br />
colder, a striking contrast with flowers; vigorous sun/part shade<br />
groundcover.<br />
“An agricultural adage says the tiny animals<br />
that live below the surface of a healthy pasture<br />
weigh more than the cows grazing above it. In<br />
a catalogue selling composting equipment I<br />
read that two handfuls of healthy oil contain<br />
more living organisms than there are people on<br />
the earth. What these beings are and what they<br />
can be doing is difficult to even begin to comprehend,<br />
but it helps to realize that even<br />
though they are many, they work as one.”<br />
Chelone TURTLEHEAD<br />
- Carol Williams<br />
Bringing a Garden to Life, 1998<br />
I couldn’t design shade gardens without Chelone lyonii. It is lateblooming,<br />
just when you need it the most. The foliage is glossy green.<br />
The plants are upright and don't need staking. Easy to grow, quick to<br />
spread, one of the best shade perennials.<br />
lyonii ‘Hot Lips’ An excellent, improved hybrid of the straigh<br />
species with deep green foliage, deeper pink flowers than the<br />
species. An exceptional shade plant (will also take full sun),<br />
blooms in September and early October with clean pink spikes,<br />
3’ tall, foliage is attractive all summer, very durable and easy to<br />
grow. Tolerates moist soil but will also grow under trees.<br />
Chrysogonum GOLDEN STAR<br />
I think everyone should grow this native plant. It is not fancy, but<br />
what a workhorse! Spreads easily, not fussy, smothers weeds, has<br />
cheerful flowers. Tolerates partial shade, tree roots, difficult spots OR<br />
full sun. Try it.<br />
virginianum Yellow star flowers on 12" tall plants. Blooms late<br />
April/May with possible fall rebloom.<br />
‘Gold Star’ Yellow star flowers on 12" plants, a great<br />
groundcover for sun or part shade; long-blooming April thru<br />
June, sporadically inl summer and in fall.<br />
‘Pierre’ Hybrid form, very large flowers, spring and early<br />
summer blooming.<br />
var. australe Darker green, glossy foliage, low-growing, 4-6",<br />
good repeat-bloomer.<br />
Cimicifuga SNAKEROOT<br />
Snakeroot needs a moist, rich soil and tolerates shade. They are native<br />
plants that provide a dynamic vertical accent in the back of the late<br />
summer and fall shade garden.<br />
acerina I grow this plant outside our shop door in lots of shade.<br />
4-5’ tall spikes arise from a clump of basal foliage in late<br />
summer. Flowers are leafless and see-through; you can place<br />
them near the foreground.<br />
racemosa 4-5’ thin white spires in July, great for naturalizing.<br />
‘Cordifolia’ Fragrant white flowers on 5-6’ stems a bit later, in<br />
August and September.<br />
ramosa The species form of our favorite late fall shade flower. 6’<br />
tall fragrant white spikes over green foliage, October blooming.<br />
The burgundy-leaf form is fairly pricey, but you can get the<br />
same fragrant tall flowers at a reasonable price if you are willing<br />
to settle for the green foliage!<br />
‘Atropurpurea’ Rare variety with burgundy foliage and very<br />
fragrant white flowers 4-6’ tall in October. This is the plant that<br />
attracts so much attention in our demonstration deep shade<br />
garden. I pick blossoms and pass them around during the last<br />
garden walks of the season.<br />
‘Brunette’ A fabulous burgundy leaf form with fragrant white<br />
flower spikes in late August and September. Unlike the other<br />
dark foliage hybrids, this C. ramosa variety has the sweet scent<br />
I love! Grows 4-5’ tall.<br />
‘Hillside Black Beauty’ Perhaps the most stunning shade<br />
plant in the garden. The foliage is a deep maroon-black. The<br />
flowers are 4-5’ tall, fragrant, blooming in late August and<br />
September. Developed at Hillside gardens, it is a gorgeous<br />
addition to the shade garden. Combine with golden or<br />
variegated foliage to really show it off.<br />
‘James Compton’ Foliage is purple tinged, darker than C.<br />
atorpurpurea and not as purple as ‘Brunette’. Same wonderful<br />
late, tall white spikes. A vigorous form, grows 5’ tall.<br />
‘Pink Spike’ The first dark leaved form with pink flowers.<br />
Blossoms are 6’ tall, sweetly scented in August and September.<br />
VERY limited supply.<br />
simplex ‘White Pearl’ 6’ spikes of creamy white in<br />
Sept./Oct.;green leaves; tolerates much shade.<br />
Clematis SHRUB CLEMATIS<br />
(For all climbing varieties see the Vines section at the end of this<br />
catalog.)<br />
heracleifolia This is a shrub form of clematis with deep<br />
purple/blue flowers and lobed foliage, growing 3-5’ tall. Blooms<br />
in mid-summer and repeats again in the fall.<br />
Page 14 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
‘China Purple’ A shrub form of clematis, and probably the<br />
best for flower display. Grows 2-3’ tall, blooms in August and<br />
early September with clusters of deep purple tubular flowers.<br />
Best in sun or partial shade.<br />
recta ‘Purpurea’ A hardy, easy-care shrub that it continues to<br />
grow and prosper in clients’ gardens from plantings in the early<br />
90’s. Shrub form, upright-growing with billowing clouds of<br />
white flowers (similar in size and form to sweet autumn clematis<br />
vine) in June/July. New growth is purplish/bronze; if cut back<br />
after flowering, more colorful new growth will appear; an added<br />
bonus for the late summer garden. Slightly fragrant.<br />
Codonopsis ASIA BELL<br />
clematidea This is an ornamental version of a Chinese herb<br />
whose roots are called "Poor Man’s ginseng". This species is an<br />
upright grower that begins to sprawl as it matures in the<br />
summer. I grew this in the <strong>Natureworks</strong> gardens years ago and<br />
made a tripod of natural bamboo stakes for it to grow on.<br />
Flowers are dangling light blue bells with pretty orange centers,<br />
best viewed from below. It reaches 2-3’ tall by summer’s end and<br />
is herbaceous. Full sun to dappled shade. Don’t let the soil go<br />
dry.<br />
Comptonia SWEETFERN<br />
peregrina This is a native plant that really isn’t a fern at all! It<br />
has aromatic foliage that is long and linear. Perfect for lean,<br />
difficult soils, either dry or wet, I often see it growing along the<br />
side of the road. Grows 4’ tall and spreads easily to form<br />
colonies that will stabilize sandy banks. Catkins in spring. The<br />
herbal scent of the foliage is really a surprise!<br />
Convallaria LILY-OF-THE-VALLEY<br />
majalis An old-fashioned flower that has sentimental value to<br />
many people. The tiny stalks of white dangling bells bloom in<br />
late May/June and smell like heaven on earth. Great for tiny<br />
bedside bouquets, boutonnieres. Invasive once established. For<br />
sun or shade.<br />
‘Rosea’ Soft pale pink dangling bells, equally easy to grow.<br />
Coreopsis TICKSEED<br />
auriculata ‘Nana’ This is unlike any other<br />
Coreopsis---tidy and well-mannered, the<br />
leaves are long and lance-shaped. The<br />
flowers are a deep golden yellow, almost<br />
orange. Only 6-8" tall, a very long summer<br />
bloomer if deadheaded.<br />
‘Crème Brulee’ Move over Moonbeam,<br />
this plant has appeared on the gardening<br />
scene! Larger flowers, same buttery yellow<br />
but a bit richer color. The habit is less<br />
wispy and the flowers sprout further down the stems, making<br />
the entire clump appear more floriferous. Same excellent long<br />
bloom time, late June-early Sept.<br />
grandiflora ‘Goldfink’ Old-fashioned double dwarf golden<br />
yellow variety. 10" tall. Will bloom and bloom if you have the<br />
patience to deadhead it. Great for wild gardens---just let it selfsow.<br />
Takes very poor soil; full sun.<br />
‘Heavens Gate’ I heard about this plant a few years ago, but<br />
stayed away as I assumed it was tender. Not so... discovered at a<br />
Connecticut nursery, where it has survived a couple of very<br />
tough winters, a true zone 5. Flowers are a solid dayglow rosy<br />
magenta, an excellent addition to the palette of long blooming,<br />
threadleaf types. 24" tall.<br />
integrifolia If you are looking for really late color in an<br />
extremely hardy plant with good foliage despite rain, humidity,<br />
drought, check out this plant! An unusual member of the<br />
tickseed family. Broad, waxy leaves, semi-stoloniferous<br />
rhizomes that spread easily. Flowers are 12" tall bright yellow<br />
daisies on 12-18" tall plants from Sept.-Nov.<br />
‘Moonbeam Tubular’ This hit our benches last fall. Very<br />
unusual flower form, as each petal is tubular! Place it up close<br />
where it will be noticed. Same height and long bloom period as<br />
'Moonbeam', with slightly larger diameter flowers.<br />
pubescens ‘Sunshine Superman’ A selection of our native<br />
Coreopsis pubescens, the star or downy tickseed. Growing only<br />
10" tall, large yellow daisies keep repeating throughout the hot<br />
summer months.<br />
rosea Threadleaf form with soft pink flowers. Grows 12-18" tall,<br />
blooms late July thru Sept.<br />
‘Limerock Dream’ A sport of Limerock Ruby, same all<br />
summer bloom period, a tender perennial variety. Once you<br />
see it in bloom, you will have to have it! Flowers are salmon<br />
pink, changing to orangey pink. I can't describe it, but I know<br />
you will fall in love with it as I did.<br />
‘Limerock Passion’ A new introduction, similar in habit and<br />
bloom time to ‘Limerock Ruby’ but a completely different<br />
color. Hot lavender pink blooms, a good accent plant. A cross<br />
between ‘Limerock Ruby’, which is now considered an annual,<br />
and ‘Sweet Dreams’, which is completely hardy. I will let you<br />
know how hardy it is after a few seasons in the garden. Worth<br />
growing simply for the long bloom period and show color.<br />
‘Limerock Ruby’ This is my kind of plant! Everblooming<br />
flowers of deep ruby red with yellow centers. The color blends<br />
best with purple-reds, not orange reds for you color fanatics<br />
out there. Grows 18-22" tall. Discovered on a perennial farm in<br />
Rhode Island. The severe winter of 2003 made all of us in the<br />
industry realize that this is only hardy to zone 7. I treat it as an<br />
annual. Well worth it as it blooms June until early September.<br />
Imagine the combinations!<br />
‘Sweet Dreams’ Exciting! Wonderful! What else can I say---I<br />
love this hybrid from Blooms of Bressingham! White petals<br />
have a center of deep raspberry---the color of the flower<br />
appears pale pink from a distance. Long bloom period and<br />
vigorous spreading habit, but the flowers are 1/3 larger than<br />
‘Moonbeam’! Grows 18-24' tall and will spread up to 2’ the<br />
first year. If you try only ONE new plant for your sunny<br />
garden this year, try ‘Sweet Dreams’. Try pinching this plant<br />
when it reaches 8-10" tall in late spring for a more compact<br />
habit. Combine with burgundy Euphorbias and deep wine<br />
daylilies---they will both pick up the exact color of the center<br />
of the flower. My garden crew has deemed this a plant that no<br />
garden should be without. Totally hardy to zone 4.<br />
‘Snowberry’ New from Terra Nova! Creamy white flowers with<br />
burgundy eyes, zone 6 hardy. Sterile flowers set no seeds so<br />
blooming never stops all summer into the fall. 26" tall.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 15
‘Tequila Sunrise’ Foliage is variegated, gold and green. Flowers<br />
are large, golden yellow, blooms all summer if deadheaded, 24"<br />
tall. This plant sells even when not in bloom!<br />
tripteris An amazing variety with 6-9’ (yes, feet not inches)<br />
stems topped with soft yellow daisy flowers in clusters, rigidly<br />
upright, a striking form, A PARENT OF COREOPSIS<br />
MOONBEAM! This plant has great foliage and a real presence in<br />
the garden. August blooming.<br />
verticillata ‘Golden Gain’ Yes, my gardening fanatics, there IS a<br />
difference. This is a truly superior variety, 18" tall, and nickel- to<br />
quarter-sized golden yellow flowers. I sat this side by side with<br />
‘Golden Showers’ and took a picture---the resulting slide shows<br />
a dramatic difference in flower size.<br />
‘Golden Showers’ This is the standard 18" tall form of golden<br />
threadleaf Coreopsis that we have in many of the gardens at<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong>. Long blooming and reliable.<br />
‘Moonbeam’ The standard in the industry for long-blooming<br />
perennials. Soft buttery yellow flowers simply blend with<br />
everything. As long as you provide full sun, this will bloom<br />
from early July until early September. 15-18" tall.<br />
‘Zagreb’ Brilliant golden yellow flowers over threadleaf<br />
foliage. Blooms from late June until the end of August. If cut<br />
hard in July, it will prolong an early fall rebloom. 14" tall.<br />
x ‘Autumn Blush’ I snagged one of these last fall, and it's veru<br />
happy in my new garden! A wonderful combination of pale<br />
creamy yellow with a bugundy center, the flowers often become<br />
infused with more burgundy as the cool weather progresses. 25"<br />
tall, profuse summer/fall bloomer, zone 6 hardy. If you read<br />
ANY garden magazines this winter, you won't be able to miss<br />
this plant. A Terra Nova introduction. Reserve early.<br />
Cornus DOGWOOD<br />
canadensis Bunchberry is a native woodland wildflower with<br />
white, dogwood-shaped blossoms on 4-6" plants.<br />
<br />
Corydalis<br />
Don’t be fooled by this old-fashioned common name -<br />
many of the new hybrids come in amazing colors!<br />
Corydalis grows in sun or partial shade, blooms<br />
continuously, and self-sows readily. Watch for baby<br />
plants to appear—they will soften your gardens. My<br />
observations conclude that it must have excellent<br />
drainage; test soil each year and be sure to add lime if<br />
even slightly acidic.<br />
.<br />
Corydalis YELLOW BLEEDING HEART<br />
‘Canary Feathers’ New from Terra Nova, large bright yellow<br />
spikes 10" tall takes this genus to a new level. Foliage is feathery,<br />
and a pretty blue-green. VERY limited, reserve.<br />
elata A cobalt blue beauty with an upright habit to 12" that does<br />
not fade out in the summer---blooms May through June, and<br />
then maintains good foliage after that.<br />
flexulosa ‘Blue Panda’ True intensely blue fragrant flowers;<br />
summer dormant, then reappears and blooms again in the fall<br />
when the weather cools off.<br />
‘Purple Leaf’ WOW! This is amazing. Bronze/burgundy<br />
foliage contrasts with the intense true-blue flowers. A vigorous<br />
spreader, only 8-12” tall. Spring-blooming.<br />
lutea Yellow flowers all summer into the fall with lacy foliage;<br />
12-15" tall, self-sows, grows well in part shade but I have seen it<br />
self-sow readily in full, hot sun and rockery conditons. Sells out<br />
fast, order early!<br />
ochroleuca I first spotted this in Sydney Eddison’s famous<br />
Newtown garden. It’s a white version of C. lutea. If you look real<br />
close, there’s a dab of yellow in the center, but from a distance,<br />
it’s white, light, and very cheery.<br />
Coryphantha<br />
vivipara This is actually a cactus that can<br />
live outdoors in zones 4-5! Round ball<br />
shape eventually forms a cluster 3-4" tall.<br />
Purple/pink flowers sit on top. Full sun,<br />
gritty soil. Native to the western<br />
grasslands of the United States. Who<br />
knew? Expect more hardy cacti in years to<br />
come.<br />
Crambe SEA KALE<br />
cordifolia Huge 2’ long leaves and 4-7’ stalks of white airy<br />
flowers late spring to early summer. Good drainage, full sun.<br />
maritima Gigantic foliage resembling cabbage; sprays of white<br />
flowers 2’ tall in June. Bold and dramatic. Tolerates intense salt<br />
spray and wind.<br />
Crocosmia MONTBRETIA LILY<br />
Crocosmias grow from corms, similar to crocus. If voles are a problem<br />
for you, spread Mole Max castor oil granules in the planting area. You<br />
can also mix crushed oyster shells into the planting hole. The swordlike<br />
foliage resembles gladiolus and is a good accent foliage in the<br />
summer garden. Good cut flowers.<br />
‘Emily McKenzie’ A fabulous fall accent plant---late-blooming<br />
brilliant orange/yellow with a deep red throat. Hardy to zone 6<br />
with protection. .<br />
‘Lucifer’ (a.k.a. Red Sword) Scarlet red spray of flowers<br />
resembling tiny gladiolus, July-blooming, hummingbird plant,<br />
good foliage. Hardy to zone 5.<br />
Cyclamen HARDY CYCLAMEN<br />
coum A late winter bloomer! Growing from corms, this<br />
miniature cyclamen has green heart-shaped leaves marked and<br />
mottled with silver. The foliage lasts all winter. The familiar<br />
pink flowers appear in late winter. What a treat! Plant in a<br />
sheltered, shady spot. I saw an amazing stand of this plant<br />
spreading beneath a dogwood tree in Madison. I never forgot<br />
the site and plan on establishing my own display for my late<br />
winter garden.<br />
hederifolium Late summer and fall bloomer hardy to zone 6.<br />
Silver mottled leaves and pink flowers. 4-6" tall, self sows.<br />
Page 16 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Cymbalaria KENILWORTH IVY, PENNYWORT<br />
aequitriloba This plant is perfect to fill cracks and crevices in<br />
walls. Diminutive ivy-shaped leaves are covered with hundreds<br />
of tiny pinkish purple flowers in June/July. Once established, it<br />
will turn up in the most charming places. See p.174 of Ken<br />
Druse’s The Natural Shade Garden for a good photo of this<br />
adorable plant.<br />
Darmera<br />
peltata Meet a true drama queen. I originally thought this was<br />
marginally hardy, so I shied away. Now I’ve found out it grows<br />
in southern Vermont. 30" stems of pink star flowers emerge in<br />
April before the leaves. Gigantic, umbrella-like glossy green<br />
foliage resembles Petastites but is much shinier. For partial or<br />
full shade and moist soil. Will grow in water at pond’s edge.<br />
Leave plenty of room---this plant gets big!<br />
Delosperma PERENNIAL ICE PLANT<br />
I really learned to appreciate Ice Plants when I visited Arizona. They<br />
are great for hot, very dry areas. All are low-growing, ground-hugging<br />
succulents. Ice plants are hardy to zone 6, bloom all summer, and will<br />
self-sow. Great for troughs.<br />
cooperi Mat-forming, pinkish purple daisy flowers.<br />
ecklonis ‘Bright Eyes’ Brilliant cerise purple flowers are smaller<br />
than D. cooperi but very prolific, covering the plant. Foliage is<br />
also a finer texture. Constantly in bloom from early summer till<br />
fall, does best in troughs or rockeries with excellent drainage.<br />
floribundum ‘Starburst’ Green succulent foliage with huge<br />
brilliant hot pink flowers, white centers. 4" tall.<br />
‘Mesa Verde’ An introduction from the Denver Botanical<br />
Gardens. Brilliant salmon-pink flowers on 2" tall plants.<br />
sutherlandii Very showy flowers of cerise purple.<br />
x ‘Table Mountain’ Very vigorous ice plant, spreads quickly,<br />
blooms all summer with large fuchsia glowing flowers. Good as<br />
a ground cover or larger trough plant.<br />
Delphinium<br />
Delphiniums are the “queens” of perennial<br />
garden flowers. They require full sun, a sweet<br />
soil (add lime if needed—important!) and a<br />
very rich soil heavily amended with composted<br />
manure. 3-4 shovelfuls of compost per planting<br />
hole is NOT too much! The richer the soil, the<br />
larger and more stately the flower spikes.<br />
elatum<br />
NEW MILLENNIUM HYBRIDS: This is an<br />
exciting new development in Delphinium<br />
culture. This strain is an “English type” but bred to be very hardy and<br />
very heat- and humidity-tolerant, the bane of this plant in CT gardens.<br />
Can grow to reach 5-7’ tall—the flowers are huge!<br />
‘Blushing Brides’ Gorgeous soft pinks.<br />
‘Misty Mauves’ A mix of mauves, pinks, and lavenders.<br />
‘Pagan Purples’ Deep rich purple spikes.<br />
‘Royal Aspirations’ A mixture of nice blues and purples.<br />
‘Sunny Skies’ Light to mid blue with white bee.<br />
grandiflorum ‘Blue Butterfly’ Resembles a dwarf Larkspur;<br />
finely-cut foliage, intense blue flowers, 16" tall.<br />
‘Blue Compacta’ Dwarf chinensis sort with gentian blue<br />
flowers, 12-15".<br />
‘Blue Mirror’ Same as Blue Butterfly but 24" tall.<br />
Guardian Series<br />
This is a new group with thinner and stronger flower spikes.<br />
Exceptional vigor, very disease resistant in our hot and humid<br />
Connecticut gardens. 30-36” tall.<br />
‘Guardian Early Blue’ Beautiful blue flowers bloom two<br />
weeks earlier than standard varieties, grows 24" tall.<br />
Maintenance tip: Having trouble getting your<br />
Delphiniums to come back after the first year?<br />
These plants will “bloom themselves to death” if<br />
you let them. Believe it or not, you should remove<br />
all flower stalks for the first two years! In the third<br />
year, let half the flowers bloom. By then, you will<br />
have grown a huge crown of foliage that will be<br />
very long-lived.<br />
Magic Fountains<br />
The Magic Fountain Series is a new development in Delphiniums that<br />
is becoming very popular. They are much shorter and hardier than the<br />
Pacific Giants, growing only to 30” tall (unless noted otherwise) ,<br />
much easier to work with and manage in the garden.<br />
‘Cherry Blossom’ 5’ tall double pink flowers.<br />
‘Dark Blue, Dark Bee’ The most intense color if you are<br />
looking for a rich blue in this series.<br />
‘Dark Blue, White Bee’ Rich blue flowers accented by a white<br />
center.<br />
tricorne A wildflower for the woodland! Dark purple larkspurlike<br />
flowers, 8-10" tall in late spring.<br />
x Pacific Giant ‘Black Knight’ Dark blue, black bee. 5-6' tall.<br />
‘Blue Bird’ Med. blue, white bee. 5-6' tall.<br />
‘Blue Jay’ Med. blue with dark bee. 5-6' tall.<br />
‘King Arthur’ Purple w/white bee. 5-6' tall.<br />
‘Summer Skies’ Soft, pale blue. 5-6' tall.<br />
Dendranthemum CHRYSANTHEMUM<br />
We carry extremely hardy varieties of the fall mums, featuring oldfashioned<br />
varieties and “Korean” hybrids. Plant in early spring to<br />
establish large, blooming plants this fall! New this year– most plants<br />
we offer will be field dug from the <strong>Natureworks</strong> gardens, complete with<br />
our rich organic soil for a great start.<br />
morifolium ‘Bronze Elegans’ Double bronze button flowers in<br />
October, spreads quickly.<br />
‘Cambodian Queen’ Deep pink single daisies, similar to<br />
‘Sheffield’ only darker. Same long stems. A great addition to<br />
the late fall Korean mum color palette.<br />
‘Cotton Candy’ One of the original Korean mums, first<br />
introduced to this country by Bristol Nurseries in Connecticut.<br />
Luckily, it has survived and can now be offered in the trade<br />
once again. Clear pink daisies on long stems for cutting in<br />
October.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 17
‘Hekla’ A super hardy August/early September bloomer from<br />
our gardens. White daisy-like flowers.<br />
‘Lucie's Pink’ A late Oct./Nov.-blooming pink daisy found in<br />
a lovely cottage garden in Guilford and named for its owner,<br />
an inspirational woman! The last to bloom, a real treat.<br />
‘Mary Stoker’ I have been growing this "Korean" hardy mum<br />
in the <strong>Natureworks</strong> gardens for years. Pale yellow daisies on<br />
long stems for cutting in October. Found in most<br />
Grandmother's gardens in the early 1900's!<br />
‘Mei-Kyo’ Double purple button flowers in very late fall.<br />
Korean mums are unlike roadside mums. They are<br />
truly hardy to zone 5 (or colder) and can be<br />
expected to come back and spread vigorously in<br />
your garden for decades. Divide each spring to pass<br />
along your plants or spread them around your yard.<br />
By the fall, the clump will have grown back to full<br />
size! I am always looking for new varieties —if you<br />
(or your grandmother) have mums that have been<br />
around for as long as you can remember, let’s trade!<br />
‘Sheffield’ (a.k.a. ‘Hillside Pink Sheffield’ as it was originally<br />
discovered, or perhaps rediscovered, at the McGourty’s<br />
Hillside Gardens in Norfolk, CT.) Oct.-blooming single, fleshpink<br />
daisies on long stems for cutting, the highlight of our fall<br />
gardens here, 3’, very hardy.<br />
‘Venus’ Very hardy, late October- blooming, single pale pink<br />
daisy with a white center, 2’, good for cutting, plant early!<br />
‘My Favorite Autumn Red’ This is a series of super hardy<br />
garden mums that will tolerate cold as well as our favorite<br />
Korean mums. Bred and grown in ZONE 3, these will come back<br />
year after year. 2 1/2" diameter red daisies provide color from<br />
late September through October. 15-20" tall, with a single<br />
pinching.<br />
‘My Favorite Coral’ Coral/peach daisies on 15-20" tall plants.<br />
‘My Favorite Yellow Quill’ 3" diameter spider mum flowers;<br />
earlier blooming, late August till late September.<br />
‘Rosy Igloo’ A super hardy new fall mum; will come back in<br />
zone 5 without any problems. Forms a 2' mound with little or no<br />
pinching. Buds are a rosy-red color, opening to a paler shade,<br />
lasting for many weeks.<br />
‘Sunny Igloo’ From the hardy Igloo series, this cushion mum<br />
has bright yellow flowers, grows 2' tall with little pinching,<br />
hardy to zone 5.<br />
‘Warm Igloo’ From the Igloo series, this variety has deep<br />
orange/red buds, opening to a nice bronze color. Grows 2' tall<br />
with little or no pinching; zone 5 hardy.<br />
weyrichii ‘White Bomb’ Ground cover mum, October-blooming<br />
white daisies for full sun. Leaves are 1-2" tall, flowers are 6-8"<br />
tall. Fast-spreading, a fall treat.<br />
zawadskii ‘Clara Curtis’ I used this plant in the ‘80s, and have<br />
fallen in love with it again. Clear single pink daisies begin<br />
blooming very early, in August and September. Stays more<br />
compact than other mums, growing 18-24" tall with a single hard<br />
pinch. Good cut flower.<br />
Dianthus CARNATIONS, PINKS<br />
Dianthus need full sun, excellent drainage, and thrive in rockery<br />
situations or as a border edging. Many have excellent foliage all<br />
summer long, especially those with intense blue foliage. They bloom in<br />
June unless noted otherwise. Some are quite fragrant, all are extremely<br />
drought-tolerant. Dianthus are lime lovers. Look for new varieties and<br />
repeat-bloomers.<br />
allwoodii ‘Frosty Fire’ Low silver foliage with startling double<br />
rosy red flowers, 6" tall. Good repeat bloomer from late May<br />
until July.<br />
‘Little Blue Boy’ Low mat-forming, the bluest foliage, white<br />
flowers centered pink in June.<br />
‘Old Spice’ Old fashioned, classic pink with very fragrant<br />
fringed pink flowers, 12" tall.<br />
alpinus ‘Joans Blood’ Shocking, dayglow deep red/cerise semidouble<br />
flowers over tufts of linear foliage. The color is<br />
magnificent! A true alpine requiring alkaline soil and excellent<br />
drainage. Great for troughs and rock gardens and anywhere<br />
where you can appreciate it up close. June/July blooming.<br />
‘Artic Star’ Pure white double, fragrant flowers 6" tall over tight<br />
tufts of blue-green foliage.<br />
barbatus ‘Indian Carpet’ The classic Sweet William mixture of<br />
pinks, whites, reds, and bicolors. Long lasting cutting flowers on<br />
10-18" stems.<br />
‘Sooty’ An heirloom variety of biennial Sweet William. Deep,<br />
dark, chocolate-red flowers on long 30" stems for cutting.<br />
Some foliage has red blush.<br />
carthusianorum Very unusual. Tufts of green grass-like foliage<br />
produces long 3’ tall stems covered with brilliant cherry pink<br />
flowers; wispy, airy wands add a light touch to the garden,<br />
especially sloped rockery areas. June/July blooming.<br />
deltoides<br />
Very easy, drought-tolerant, long-blooming; most bloom in late May,<br />
before June pinks. Many keep reblooming. Prostrate growing, green<br />
foliage.<br />
‘Arctic Fire’ White flowers with a brilliant red center.<br />
‘Brilliant’ Intense, electric rose pink flowers make a strong<br />
statement in late May/early June.<br />
‘Flashing Light’ I love this color!! Deep, rich red flowers<br />
create quite an accent; pair with columbines, they bloom at the<br />
same time. Yes! Reserve; I will use lots in designs.<br />
‘Zing Rose’ Deep purple/red flowers on 6" plants in<br />
May/June and sporadically all summer. Green foliage.<br />
‘Zing Salmon’ Really salmon, but much pinker and less<br />
magenta than 'Zing Rose'. A very long bloomer, just like its<br />
sibling!<br />
‘Double North’ Fragrance is the buzzword for this new cultivar.<br />
Double white flowers, 4-6" tall over excellent blue foliage.<br />
gratianopolitanus ‘Baths Pink’ This is one of the most<br />
requested Dianthus; single flowers are very fragrant, a clean soft<br />
pink. Very hardy, 6-8" tall when in bloom, excellent blue matlike<br />
foliage that doesn't fall apart in the heat of our summers.<br />
‘Eastern Star’ New variety, dark cherry red flowers with<br />
deeper blotches and markings, brilliant blue-gray foliage.<br />
‘Firewitch’ Low-growing ground cover, good blue foliage,<br />
bright raspberry pink flower, heavy fall rebloomer.<br />
Page 18 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
‘Mountain Mist’ Very soft, shaggy, clear pink flowers over<br />
blue foliage. This is an easy-to-grow cultivar.<br />
‘Siskin Clock’ This flower will bowl you over. Pink petals are<br />
edged and centered in rich maroon/purple. The eye glows a<br />
soft pale pink. 14" tall.<br />
‘Sternkissen’ Excellent mat-forming ground cover. Blue<br />
foliage is covered with thousands of tiny pink flowers in June.<br />
A Stepable for full sun.<br />
‘Tiny Rubies’ One of the best trough plants. Double, sweetly<br />
fragrant pink flowers clothe mats of silvery blue. Long<br />
blooming and very hardy old fashioned variety.<br />
‘Hoffmans Red’ A very different variety. Green foliage is<br />
topped with single, intense, pure red single flowers not just in<br />
June, but all summer long. 12-15" tall. Deadhead regularly; cut<br />
back hard in the heat of the summer and feed for best fall bloom.<br />
Great in containers. Unlike all other Dianthus we carry.<br />
plumarius<br />
Dianthus plumarius varieties are the most fragrant!<br />
‘Essex Witch’ There are hundreds of new hybrids, but this is<br />
the standard---extremely fragrant, shaggy, double clove pinks<br />
with icy blue foliage. 18-24" tall, great for miniature bouquets,<br />
border edging.<br />
‘Ian’ Hard to find, not always available, reserve early. Dark<br />
red double flowers continue from June thru the end of<br />
summer!! 15" tall, silver foliage,exceptional red color.<br />
‘Laced Hero’ Double white flowers with deep purple<br />
markings in the center, rosy edge to the petals. 8-12" tall.<br />
‘Spangled Star’ New! Pink and white flowers 4" tall. Very<br />
vigorous grower. Gorgeous.<br />
‘Raspberry Swirl’ Brilliant magenta flowers with a white eye,<br />
14" tall. June blooming with a likely repeat throughout the<br />
summer.<br />
‘Rosish One’ Blooms of Bressingham introduction with deep<br />
rosy red, double flowers lightly edged in white, clove fragrance.<br />
10" tall, long repeat bloomer from June throughout the summer<br />
and fall. Excellent bright blue foliage.<br />
‘Tatra Fragrance’ Fringed flowers of white with a showy deep<br />
crimson/magenta pinwheel radiating from the center. Very<br />
powerful fragrance, 9" tall, silvery blue foliage. This one is really<br />
gorgeous. Deadheading prolongs blooming past June.<br />
Dicentra BLEEDING HEART<br />
cucularia Dutchmen’s Britches Fringed foliage and white<br />
flowers in early spring in shade; great for naturalizing, seeds<br />
and spreads easily; summer-dormant. One of the first plants to<br />
bloom in spring.<br />
‘White Mountains’ This is a distinctively different variety.<br />
Flowers are smaller but more plentiful; spreads by everincreasing<br />
clumps; a smaller-scale plant, delicate and beautiful<br />
for the woodland garden. First collected in the White<br />
Mountains on paper pulp land before all the trees were<br />
stripped and all the wildflowers were killed by resulting<br />
sunlight. Now this plant will be saved and grow on.<br />
eximia ‘Snowdrift’ White dwarf bleeding heart; 12", blooms<br />
heavily in May/June and continuously thru the fall, VERY longblooming,<br />
tolerates full sun or full shade.<br />
formosa ‘Aurora’ A white everbloomer bred in Holland, has<br />
received rave reviews in Europe. Foliage is very blue in color<br />
and stands out all season as a foliage accent plant.<br />
‘Luxuriant’ A classic plant that has stood the test of time. 15"<br />
tall, repeat blooming from early spring until the weather gets<br />
hot, only to bloom again in the fall when it's cool.<br />
Pinkish/lavender flowers, blue-green foliage. Self sows, grows<br />
in sun or shade.<br />
‘Ivory Hearts’ An exciting breakthrough: ‘King of Hearts’ in<br />
white! This will become a very valuable shade plant. Long<br />
blooming and excellent blue ornamental fringed foliage.<br />
‘King of Hearts’ A dwarf, only 8" tall. The flowers are truly<br />
heart-shaped, pink, sweet and irresistable! This is a great<br />
improvement in flower form. The foliage is delicate, very lacy,<br />
greyish-green. Same long bloom period. This will win your<br />
heart. This is WORTH the extra cost, truly superior. It looks<br />
good all the time as long as you don’t overwater it. Keep this<br />
and all dwarf Dicentras away from lawn pop-up sprinkler<br />
systems.<br />
spectabilis Old-fashioned bleeding heart<br />
is a favorite flower for spring; combine<br />
with bulbs for an unbeatable effect.<br />
Surround with late bloomers and good<br />
foliage plants as they go dormant by late<br />
July. I plant them under butterfly bushes to<br />
fill in the gap when the Buddleias are cut<br />
back in early spring. Tolerates sun or<br />
shade. Great cut flower.<br />
‘Alba’ The white form of old fashioned bleeding heart is<br />
perfect to pair with variegated plants, or when pink doesn't<br />
work with bright yellow spring bulbs.<br />
‘Goldheart’ The foliage of this old-fashioned bleeding heart is<br />
a bright golden yellow and DOESN’T GO SUMMER<br />
DORMANT! Flowers are pink the same as the species. What a<br />
standout in the shady spring garden. Rare.<br />
Dictamnus GAS PLANT<br />
If you have ever seen an old, established gas plant, you will be<br />
impressed. I was amazed! The foliage is thick, leathery, citrus-scented.<br />
The flower spikes are strong and sturdy. They are an investment for<br />
your garden that will outlive you—if you have the patience to get them<br />
established. Two-year-old plants in 5 pt. pots will be small and take a<br />
while to grow to a noticable size, but they are worth the wait, a real<br />
choice and valuable perennial for the garden.<br />
albus Oddly enough, this is the lavender pink form of gas plant.<br />
3-4’ tall.<br />
‘Albiflorus’ Pure white flowers.<br />
Digitalis FOXGLOVE<br />
Great shade plants! Both the biennial and the many perennial forms<br />
thrive in shade or in sun. Great cutting flowers. All self-sow easily to<br />
offer you free plants, gifts of nature. DEER-PROOF!<br />
Camelot Series<br />
These are the first F-1 Hybrid Foxgloves. Spectacular plants that flower<br />
reliably in the first year, with another heavy flush of flowers in the<br />
second year. Uniform plants offer a rich carousel of color as the<br />
speckled, jewel-like blooms open all around the stout stems. Prefers part<br />
shade and works well in beds and borders.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 19
‘Camelot Cream’ Huge creamy dangling bells with black<br />
speckled throats.<br />
‘Camelot Rose’ Huge rosy pink dangling bells, deep<br />
black/maroon spotting.<br />
ferruginea ‘Gigantea’ 4’ cream spikes with gold throat, very<br />
stately. Perennial.<br />
grandiflora (ambigua) Soft yellow spikes 3’ June/July, a true<br />
perennial, one of the absolute best shade plants, foliage is<br />
excellent even after blooming, self-sows easily, the creamy color<br />
blends with all plants and brightens dark spots.<br />
‘Carillion’ Dwarf variety, 10" tall.<br />
‘John Innes’ A perennial form, cross of D. lanata and D.<br />
grandiflora. Creamy yellow bells are tinged with apricot/burnt<br />
orange. Grows 24" tall.<br />
lutea Similar to grandiflora, a pale creamy yellow, true<br />
perennial form. Flowers are taller, 4’, and each "glove" is smaller<br />
and more delicate; thin, airy spikes also self-sow.<br />
parviflora ‘Milk Chocolate’ Perennial form with 40" tall spikes<br />
of deep chocolate purple, a very unusual color. Individual<br />
flowers are tiny, over 100 per spike! I would pair this with<br />
golden or variegated foliage plants to make the color really<br />
stand out. For full sun/partial shade.<br />
Design tip: The farther away you will view your<br />
garden, the larger the drift. If you plant a single<br />
perennial in a border far away from your house, it<br />
will disappear in the distance. A basic principle of<br />
perennial garden design is the plant in drifts or<br />
groupings. Train yourself to do this when planning<br />
your garden. When you fill out the order form, ask<br />
yourself—do I have enough of that variety to really<br />
make a statement? It is better to buy less variety and<br />
more of each plant—your garden will be much<br />
more effective. Need help? Ask for our handout<br />
Basic Principles of Perennial Garden Design or<br />
access it online at our website naturework.com.<br />
purpurea<br />
The D. purpurea varieties listed below are true biennials. To obtain<br />
flowers every year, plant blooming-sized plants (5 pt., 1-2 gal.), starter<br />
plants (3”) AND seed the same year, then let the flowers self-sow (i.e.<br />
don’t deadhead). You may want to add a few starter plants each year<br />
for a while until you have a good stand established.<br />
‘Alba’ Popular old-fashioned biennial form, white.<br />
‘Foxy’ Very popular for those wanting the large, dramatic<br />
flowers of old fashioned foxgloves without the need for<br />
staking. Grows only 2’ tall, strong stems, mixed colors.<br />
‘Pam's Choice’ White flowers, maroon throats, speckled with<br />
cranberry. This is one of the new darlings of the plant world.<br />
‘Snow Thimble’ Purest white bell flowers, no spots or<br />
markings, simply glows in the shade. 36-40" tall.<br />
stewartii The tallest of them all, 6-7’ thin, delicate spikes of large<br />
flowers. They are a very unusual color--- orange bronze with<br />
brown veins. A true perennial.<br />
x Cross between biennial and perennial foxgloves; lasts for<br />
many years. 2-3’ stems, same huge and glorious pink flowers in<br />
June/July as biennial forms. I am using this plant more and<br />
more in my designs, the foliage is truly superior.<br />
‘Spice Island’ The darling of the 2004 Chelsea Flower Show in<br />
England, this is a wonderful, hardy (zone 4) perennial<br />
foxglove of a completely new color- salmon/peachy/yellow<br />
with russet freckles. Long, sturdy 3-4' flower spikes are<br />
hummingbird magnets. All summer bloom, starting in June<br />
and continuing until the end of August! Very limited.<br />
Diphylleia<br />
cymosa Move over drama queens, there's a new plant in town!<br />
Large leaves can grow enormous; related to our native<br />
mayapple, this plant forms it's flowers on top of the 2' tall<br />
foliage. In late summer, an unusual blue fruit forms.For partially<br />
shaded gardens with enriched organic soil. An Appalachian<br />
mountain plant.<br />
Disporum<br />
sessile ‘Variegatum’ Rarely available! A great variegated plant<br />
for shade. Green and white linear leaves, this plant grows 8-10”<br />
tall, is related to solomon’s seal, and is a great pachysandra<br />
substitute. Flowers are creamy white bells in early spring<br />
followed by blue berries. Also tolerates part sun. Use to<br />
underplant woodland shrubs or as a foreground plant under<br />
trees. Tolerates root competition, a good colonizer.<br />
Dodecathon SHOOTING STAR<br />
meadia A spring wildflower, 12" tall spires<br />
of dart-shaped pink or white flowers for the<br />
shade.<br />
Doronicum LEOPARDBANE DAISY<br />
If you are looking for showy perennials that<br />
bloom extremely early, these are tops on the list.<br />
Guaranteed to provide show-stopping color in<br />
April and May when most other perennials are<br />
just starting to appear. Great in combination<br />
with daffodils and tulips in sun OR shade.<br />
orientale ‘Leonardo Yellow’ A new,<br />
compact form with huge flowers,<br />
exceptional habit.<br />
‘Little Leo’ Double flowering form, April<br />
to mid May blooming, a dwarf reaching only 12-15" tall. Great<br />
combination with minor bulbs and dwarf tulips.<br />
‘Magnificum’ April-May blooming yellow daisies on 2’ stems,<br />
improved hybrid with larger flowers.<br />
pardalianches This plant has been admired in our shade<br />
gardens for many years. 3-4’ large yellow daisies from late<br />
April-late May, lasts two weeks as a cut flower. Spreads quickly<br />
by rhizomes, will thrive in a woodland situation and provide<br />
height early in the season. Summer-dormant. Use it at the base<br />
of late-sprouting hibiscus, ornamental grasses, and butterfly<br />
bushes to add showy early spring color.<br />
Page 20 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Dracocephalum DRAGONHEAD<br />
Have you tried this plant yet? If you love blue flowers, and you want<br />
something easy to grow in the summer months, you should!<br />
‘Fuji Blue Dragon’ 12" tall dwarf has bright blue flowers with a<br />
light blue lip. Needle-like foliage.<br />
peregrinum ‘Blue Dragon’ New! Large rich violet blue flowers,<br />
clumping form reaching 12". All summer blooming.<br />
rupestre Clear blue hooded flowers on spikes 12" tall in<br />
July/August. Forms a low, dense bush for the foreground of the<br />
garden. Linear foliage. Full sun.<br />
ruyschianum Soft, clear blue spikes 12" tall; similar to above;<br />
flower color not as intense.<br />
Dracunculus<br />
vulgaris This plant is truly amazing. Black/purple spathe<br />
surrounded by an eggplant purple spadix, it is a relative of Jackin-the-pulpit<br />
only much more exotic. 3' tall stalk is topped with<br />
an 18" flower that has a fowl aroma the first day it opens. What<br />
more can I say, this one is for the collectors out there! Tony<br />
Avent of Plant Delights Nursery (www.plantdelights.com) calls<br />
it the "Viagra Lily". If you go to his website and look at the<br />
picture, you will see why! Blooms in late spring; flowers last 7-10<br />
days.<br />
Where did these new coneflowers<br />
come from?<br />
Yellows, oranges, corals, doubles, dwarfs,<br />
variegated foliage... what happened? Once it was<br />
discovered that you can cross different species of<br />
Echinacea, two main, yet separate breeding<br />
programs in the United States spent over ten years<br />
developing what we are now planting. Dr. Jim Ault<br />
of the Chicago Botanic Garden introduced the Art ’s<br />
Pride orange and mango Meadowbrite series.<br />
Richard Saul of ItSaul Plants of Atlanta Georgia<br />
introduced the Big Sky series. Our native yellow<br />
Echinacea paradoxa was a major player in these<br />
new colors. Oh, and let’s not forget Dan Heims of<br />
Terra Nova Nurseries (who introduced the<br />
magnificent ‘Fragrant Angel’) as well as the<br />
breeding work constantly being done on our native<br />
plants by Dutch and German growers. It just keeps<br />
getting more interesting!<br />
Echinacea CONEFLOWER<br />
Coneflowers are excellent butterfly plants, cut flowers, and mid-July<br />
through August bloomers. They are extremely durable, tolerate sun or<br />
partial shade. I don’t know what these Echinacea breeders have been<br />
doing to create all this bounty, but they sure are prolific all of the<br />
sudden! Take your pick and try some new colors and forms of this<br />
mainstay of the summer garden.<br />
‘After Midnight’ A 12" tall new dwarf bred by ItSaul Plants, the<br />
folks who brought us all the wonderful new colorful peach and<br />
salmon coneflowers. Deep purple flowers, rich dark black/red<br />
center, maroon flower stems make this little guy perfect for<br />
containers. Why not combine with burgundy foliage plants?<br />
angustifolia ‘Primadonna’ E. angustifolia is the original<br />
medicinal form of coneflower. It is nice to see new hybrids of<br />
this species being introduced. The lavender blossoms are thinner<br />
in texture than E. purpurea, and enormous, 5-6" in diameter. It<br />
will grow 32-36" tall, and bloom from mid-July until September,<br />
possibly beyond. A great cut flower<br />
‘Harvest Moon’ Huge bright golden yellow flowers 4" across;<br />
the color stays bright, will not fade, even in hot summer sun.<br />
Lasts up to 2 weeks as a cut flower. Compact habit, 2' tall, well<br />
branched. Very limited, reserve early.<br />
‘Mango Meadowbrite’ What a color! That’s all I and my staff<br />
can say. We had a few in the fall of 2004 and every single one<br />
sold the minute it flowered. Brilliant mango/golden orange<br />
blossoms offer endless design possibilities for the late summer<br />
and fall garden. 30" tall.<br />
‘Orange Meadowbrite’ An exciting accent color of rich orange,<br />
sure to jazz up the summer and fall garden. It closely resembles<br />
an E. paradoxa flower form with the thinner petals; foliage is<br />
linear, strap like, and forms an upward facing clump. 26" tall.<br />
pallida ‘Hula Dancer’ An unusual flower form with very<br />
narrow white petals, tinged pink. Flowers grow 32" tall. Gives a<br />
much more delicate texture than any other summer daisies.<br />
paradoxa Unusual, unexpected bright yellow native coneflower<br />
is the darling of many native plant designers and an integral<br />
part of the breeding work done to produce all of the exciting<br />
new colors. Upright habit, 2-3’ tall on strong stems; flowers are<br />
reflexed, long blooming from July until fall.<br />
purpurea ‘Double Decker’ This is truly a<br />
unique flower form. Pinkish/purple<br />
flowers produce a second tier of petals<br />
from the middle of the raised central<br />
brown cone. A real conversation piece.<br />
Grows 24-28" tall.<br />
‘Fancy Frills’ Double rows of shaggy,<br />
fringed petals surrounding a rich redorange<br />
cone center make this new<br />
introduction different. 30" tall strong<br />
stems for cutting.<br />
‘Fatal Attraction’ Bred by one of my<br />
absolute favorite garden designers, Piet<br />
Oudolf of Holland, this new introduction features very strong,<br />
near BLACK stems topped by hot purple/pink coneflowers<br />
26" tall. Very different, very limited supply. Reserve.<br />
‘Fragrant Angel’ Absolutely amazing new plant, that’s what I<br />
concluded after observing it during 2005. This is a stately<br />
white flowering version of ‘Ruby Giant’ with huge blossoms,<br />
cones are more yellow than orange. Fragrance is subtle to my<br />
nose. 30-40" tall. You should check this plant out!<br />
‘Kims Knee High’ A fabulous variety that is dwarf and<br />
compact, 20-24" tall, ideal for smaller gardens, containers, or<br />
mid-front border. Blooms longer than the taller forms---begins<br />
in July and with deadheading, can bloom well into the fall.<br />
Later flowers are the tallest.<br />
‘Little Giant’ Another excellent new dwarf. Brilliant deep<br />
ruby-lavender blooms, large showy flowers on compact 18".<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 21
‘Rubinstern’ We accidentally got this plant in in the late fall of<br />
2000 and sold every one in two days. It clearly has eye appeal<br />
and stands out from the pack. The flowers are a distinctively<br />
darker carmine purple; the center is a pin cushion of rusty<br />
orange; flowers petals droop gracefully. 35" tall, July-early<br />
Sept. bloom. Blooms later than the species, is more compact. It<br />
has become the standard by which I judge all tall Echinaceas.<br />
‘Ruby Giant’ Found in a stand of ‘Rubinstern’, this selection<br />
has 7" diameter flowers; centers are deep ruby red. Grows 30"<br />
tall with strong, upright stems.<br />
‘Summer Sky’ Also called Katie Saul, this new introduction<br />
grows 30-36" tall. The flowers have a gorgeous bicolor effect,<br />
with petals that are rosy peach in the center, moving to coral,<br />
with golden tips. From ItSaul Plants in Georgia.<br />
‘Sundown’ The deepest orange/coral coneflower introduced by<br />
ItSaul plants yet! A rich accent color, fragrant, growing 36-40"<br />
tall.<br />
‘Sunrise’ Lemon yellow flowers are the exact same color as<br />
Coreopsis ‘Moonbeam’ and 4" across. The cone starts off green,<br />
then turns to gold as the flower matures. 28-30" + tall. The<br />
design possibilities for a coneflower of this color are quite<br />
exciting; I find myself using it in lots of plans already.<br />
‘Sunset’ Unusual color of coral orange; blossoms are 4" across!<br />
28"-30"+ tall. This seemed to be the hardiest and longest<br />
blooming in the summer of 2005. The color is absolutely<br />
amazing.<br />
tennesseensis ‘Rocky Top’ In the 60's, this plant was almost<br />
extinct. Now, a selection of the native Tenessee coneflower is<br />
being sold all over the world! Easy to spot, very different flowers<br />
with bright purple/pink slender ray flowers, widely spaced and<br />
turning slightly UPWARDS, the opposite of most other<br />
Echinaceas we know. The foliage is also very distinctive, long<br />
and linear. Grows 24" tall. Check this bit of trivia out: the flowers<br />
always face east!<br />
‘Twilight’ The flowers on this new introduction are a bright<br />
cherry rose with an orange cone! 26-30" tall. The petals overlap<br />
slightly, giving each one a very full look.<br />
‘Vintage Wine’ Piet Oudolf introduced this new variety as well.<br />
Deep rich purple/fuchsia flower petals are shortened, and fan<br />
out around a prominent center cone, creating a very crisp and<br />
perky effect. Strong stems reach 35" tall.<br />
Echinops GLOBE THISTLE<br />
A great fresh-cut or dried flower for sun.<br />
Blooms in late July and AUGUST. Adds a<br />
totally different shape to the border AND to a<br />
vase full of flowers<br />
bannaticus ‘The Giant’ New! 5-7' tall<br />
stems are topped with globes of pale<br />
silvery blue. What a magnificent cut flower<br />
specimen, adding drama and a unique flower form to bouquets.<br />
Very limited, reserve early.<br />
‘Veitchs Blue’ A hard-to-find hybrid 3’ tall with numerous<br />
smaller globes per branched stem, great for cutting.<br />
ritro Lavender blue globes 5’ plants, the most vigorous.<br />
ruthenicus ‘Platinum Blue’ Fabulous hybrid with intensely blue<br />
flowers on multi-branched 4-5’ silver stems. Foliage is very<br />
finely divided and shinier than other globe thistles. An excellent<br />
addition to the cut flower garden. I fell in love with this plant in<br />
the summer of 2003 and couldn’t get enough stock. Reserve.<br />
“I've made an odd discovery. Every time I<br />
talk to a savant I feel quite sure that happiness<br />
is no longer a possibility. Yet when I<br />
talk with my gardener, I'm convinced of the<br />
opposite.”<br />
-Bertrand Russell<br />
Epigaea<br />
repens Trailing Arbutus is a very fragrant spring wildflower.<br />
Loves shady rocky hillsides in the woods, sandy well-drained<br />
soil that is enriched with pine needle or oak leaf mulch.<br />
Epimedium BARRENWORT<br />
I have increased our Epimedium offerings as I feel it is vital to include<br />
many different varieties in every shade garden. Excellent shade<br />
groundcover; very hardy and drought-tolerant. Beautiful flowers in<br />
late April and May. Slow to establish but well worth the wait. One of<br />
the “Cadillacs” of shade flowers. Once established, it spreads slowly to<br />
form dense clumps, smothering weeds, with good foliage all growing<br />
season. Pairs well with hostas. DEER-PROOF!<br />
grandiflorum ‘Lilafee’ 12" tall, lavender purple flowers with<br />
white spurs.<br />
‘Orion’ Enormous rose pink flowers with long spurs. 10-12".<br />
‘Rose Queen’ Low-growing, fast-spreading ground cover<br />
with bicolor flowers of pink and deep rose, very long spurs.<br />
The color is the most showy of the epimediums, quite rare.<br />
‘Madame Butterfly’ A new patented variety. Introduced by<br />
Future Plants, the foliage is green with brown mottling. The<br />
flowers are white with a pink center that changes to purple as<br />
the plant ages. Very floriferous, distinctly different. The flowers<br />
are graceful, the petals are elongated, the center looks like a star.<br />
14" tall.<br />
niveum ‘Yenemoto’ A rare and beautiful white epimedium with<br />
short spurs.<br />
perralchicum ‘Frohnleiten’ Yellow flowers on 12" stems cover<br />
this robust, vigorous evergreen variety. Flowers really stand out<br />
above the foliage and make a showy display. Leaves are edged<br />
and tinted red in spring and in winter.<br />
pinnatum ‘colchicum’ Bright yellow short-spurred flowers that<br />
look like dainty butterflies held well above the foliage, 12" tall.<br />
Evergreen broad foliage.<br />
pubigerum ‘Orange Queen’ A very rare variety with soft<br />
orange flowers, rounded flower petals, and a clear yellow center.<br />
Spreads easily, grows 10-12" tall.<br />
versicolor ‘Sulphureum’ Yellow flowers, very shiny green<br />
foliage, grows 8-10" tall.<br />
x rubrum This is a wonderful evergreen variety---cut the foliage<br />
back in late winter to make way for fresh new growth that is<br />
red-veined in cool weather. Pink flowers are 12" tall.<br />
youngianum x ‘Roseum’ From Japan, this grows 9" tall, is semievergreen,<br />
has very large soft lavender pink flowers.<br />
Page 22 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Erigeron FLEABANE<br />
Most people don’t think about Erigeron daisies until they spot them in<br />
bloom on our benches, and then they can’t resist. The blue colors are so<br />
beautiful early in the season . . . they combine well with all other<br />
June/July blooming perennials, especially all of the hybrid Achilleas.<br />
Great butterfly flowers as well, good for cutting, long-blooming and<br />
easy to grow.<br />
hybrida ‘Prosperity’ Large single lavender-blue daisies in late<br />
May/June and sporadically all summer on 18" plants.<br />
‘Sea Breeze’ I discovered this variety in the fall of 2002 when<br />
it was still blooming. Multiple layers of pink petals form a<br />
semi-double flower; June-blooming with regular rebloom on 6-<br />
8" plants. Excellent for the front of the border.<br />
scopulinus A new Stepable with a fun name: Sunny-Side Up<br />
Fleabane! Very tight mats of deep green foliage are topped with<br />
miniature white daisies with yellow centers. Late May/early<br />
June blooming, 6" tall. Very hardy and easy to grow.<br />
trifidus A Stepable that grows 2" tall and has tufts of white/pale<br />
lavender daisies in mid-summer.Wiry grey/green foliage.<br />
Eriophyllum OREGON SUNSHINE<br />
lanatum ‘Bella’ Excellent plant for full sun and dry conditions;<br />
Silver foliage growing 1-2’ tall, topped with bright yellow daisies<br />
in June/July. "Bella" means pretty, and the contrast of the silver<br />
and yellow just glows. Vigorous and durable, heat tolerant.<br />
Eryngium SEA HOLLY<br />
Sea Hollies are unusual flowering perennials with blue “thistle-like”<br />
flowers that are excellent fresh cut or dried. They bloom in July and<br />
August. An unusual, striking form in the garden that is asked about<br />
and admired on every summer garden walk. Very drought-tolerant and<br />
easy to grow. Full sun. Will tolerate dry, lean soil and salt spray.<br />
alpinum ‘Blue Jackpot’ New! Enormous flowers have pointed,<br />
raised blue cones surrounded by deeply cut, frilly blue bracts. 2'<br />
tall flower stems over basal, heart shaped green foliage.<br />
Patented.<br />
amethystinum This is the variety that we have in our borders.<br />
Profuse sprays of smaller flowers, blue stems, very longblooming.<br />
30-36" tall, self-sows easily.<br />
planum ‘Alpinum’ Dwarf form, 18" tall, deep blue flowers.<br />
‘Blue Cap’ A dwarf form of the sea holly so admired in our<br />
gardens. Grows 2' tall; blue flowers, bracts, and stems.<br />
‘Sapphire Blue’ A Blooms of Bressingham introduction. The<br />
entire plant has a blue cast---foliage, stems, bracts, and flowers.<br />
It grows 28" tall, very erect and well-branched. The flowers are<br />
an intense steely-blue color and much larger than many other<br />
varieties.<br />
tripartitum Enormous metallic blue flowers on 3-4’ stems.<br />
Dramatic and showy fresh or dried.<br />
x zabelii ‘Donard Variety’ Enormous 3-4" diameter blue conelike<br />
flower heads 2’ tall in July and early August.<br />
yuccifolium A native prairie plant commonly known as<br />
rattlesnakemaster. It looks more at home in the desert than a<br />
Connecticut border but it is totally hardy to zone 4. Interesting<br />
shiny evergreen foliage forms a rosette resembling a yucca. Tall<br />
and stately flower spikes rise up 3', but are creamy in color, not a<br />
showy blue like some of those grown for cut flowers. This is an<br />
architectural foliage plant, meant to add form and texture to the<br />
garden.<br />
Erysimum WALLFLOWER<br />
kotschyanum ‘Orange Flame’ Same as above, orange flowers<br />
‘Wenlock Beauty’ Classified as a tender perennial, this plant<br />
blooms for many months in spring and early summer. The color<br />
is a fascinating blend of purple, brown, and orangish-mauve.<br />
Sounds weird, but everyone notices it. Hardy in Zone 6 in a<br />
sheltered spot, otherwise grow as an annual for long bloom.<br />
Erythronium TROUT LILY<br />
Trout lilies (also called Dogtooth Violets) carpet<br />
the woodlands, blooming in springtime. They<br />
spread easily.<br />
albidum Rare, large white flowering form.<br />
Grows 5" tall.<br />
descanis New from Japan. An assortment of<br />
pink and purple flowers that are large and<br />
showy, 8-10" tall. Spotted foliage.<br />
‘Pagoda’ A large flowering selection of the<br />
native wildflower that carpets the woods<br />
with beautiful clumps of large pale yellow<br />
flowers in early spring.<br />
Euonymus<br />
fortunei ‘Kewensis’ A teeny-tiny evergreen ground cover with<br />
deep green foliage. Great texture for shade, between stepping<br />
stones. I find myself using this more and more to add another<br />
layer of evergreen groundcover close to the walkways of shady<br />
foundation plantings. Very hardy, great textural contrast.<br />
Eupatorium AGERATUM, JOE PYE WEED<br />
coelestinum Perennial ageratum with blue fuzzy flowers on 2-3’<br />
stems in fall; invasive; good late cut flower; I grow this in<br />
combination with oriental poppies; as the poppies go dormant in<br />
July, the Eupatorium is just getting started; helps to fill the gap.<br />
‘Corey’ Excellent hybrid with much larger flowers. Shorter,<br />
more compact habit, less rangy.<br />
maculatum ‘Gateway’ Outrageous hybrid of our native plant, 5-<br />
6’+ stems topped with bushel basket-sized lavender flowers, a<br />
great August-September bloomer, good cut or dried.<br />
‘Little Joe’ This is a shorter, fuller version of it’s giant older<br />
sibling ‘Gateway’, growing only 3’ tall with showy lavender<br />
flowers in compact clusters. A true "dwarf" Joe Pye. A perfect<br />
answer to the August flowering gap, especially if you have a<br />
smaller garden. This plant is becoming VERY popular.<br />
purpurescens ‘Joe White’ A take off on Joe Pye weed, this<br />
relative is a variety with large white flower heads on 6-7’ stems<br />
in late summer. Stems also have a whitish cast. Cool down your<br />
late summer garden with this plant that tolerates wet feet or<br />
average garden conditions in full sun. My staff has encouraged<br />
me to use this plant more as it really makes quite a statement<br />
when combined with perennial sunflowers and ornamental<br />
grasses in August and September.<br />
rugosum ‘Chocolate’ Late season bloomer for the back of the<br />
garden! A variety of the native white boneset, clusters of white<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 23
flowers in September and October; the stems are shiny deep<br />
purple and the leaves have a purplish "chocolate" cast, creating a<br />
wonderful contrast; 2-3’, tolerates moist soil and will grow up to<br />
6’ when situated there; great butterfly plant.<br />
Maintenance tip: Spring-blooming Euphorbias<br />
should be sheared back HARD immediately after<br />
blooming, in early summer. This will produce a<br />
much fuller, denser plant which will offer superb<br />
foliage structure for the rest of the season. Do not<br />
cut E. dulcis ‘Chameleon’ in the fall and it will<br />
remain evergreen in a mild winter.<br />
Euphorbia SPURGE<br />
Euphorbias offer invaluable foliage structure to the garden all season<br />
long. Many have colorful leaves and quite a few are very earlyblooming.<br />
They are the ultimate low-maintenance plant and one my<br />
favorite plant species. Watch for them to self-seed.<br />
amygaloides It took me a long time to discover this plant’s true<br />
name. Great jade green foliage spreads rapidly as a ground<br />
cover; flowers are a pale yellow in early spring. 12" tall. Heatand<br />
drought-tolerant, will even grow and spread in poor soil.<br />
Always noticed on our garden walks. This is quickly becoming<br />
very popular as a pachysandra substitute for deep shade.<br />
‘Purpurea’ An excellent purple-leaved foliage plant, 12" tall,<br />
yellow flowers in May and June, full sun. I use this plant<br />
constantly in my designs when I want to build reliable<br />
burgundy foliage structure into the garden.<br />
‘Despina’ A Proven Winners perennial introduction, this has<br />
lovely blue green leaves that always look good, spring, summer<br />
and fall. In sheltered locations (zone 6), they are also evergreen.<br />
Like other burgundy leaf types, the sulphur yellow bracts<br />
appear in April and May. Excellent container accent plant as<br />
well. 12-18" tall, dwarf mounding habit.<br />
dulcis ‘Chameleon’ Intensely purple/burgundy foliage, less<br />
compact and brighter color all summer than E. amygaloides<br />
‘Purpurea’. Yellow flowers in May and June, a striking foliage<br />
accent plant. Leaves have a thinner, more delicate texture.<br />
epithymoides (a.k.a. E. polychroma) April/May blooming<br />
bright yellow, good foliage, 2’ bushy clumps, striking color for<br />
accent in early spring, great with bulbs, self-sows. An excellent<br />
plant for dry spots. Avoid automatic lawn sprinklers on this one!<br />
‘Bonfire’ New from Blooms of Bressingham. Long narrow<br />
foliage turns bright burgundy red after emerging and stays<br />
that color all summer. An exciting new foliage plant in this<br />
species. Bright yellow spring flowers. 12" tall.<br />
‘Excalibur’ New! 3 foot tall clump former with long-lasting<br />
yellow bracts in summer. A patented hybrid form.<br />
‘First Blush’ A gorgeous variegated Euphorbia with green,<br />
creamy white, and pink blushed foliage. Patented variety,<br />
forming mounds 15-18" tall topped with yellow bracts in late<br />
spring/early summer. Avoid automatic watering systems with<br />
all Euphorbias, especially these. Loves those dry places.<br />
griffithii ‘Fireglow’ This plant jazzes up our orange garden<br />
with its subtle beauty. Orange stems 20" tall and deep green<br />
foliage are topped with orange flower bracts that last all<br />
summer. The color gets even better in the fall. A great foliage<br />
accent plant, very unusual.<br />
lathyrus Gopher Spurge Tall, linear blue-green foliage topped<br />
with sulphur yellow flowers---many claim this really helps deter<br />
moles and voles in the garden. I find this is a dramatic, tall,<br />
foliage plant that keeps it’s leaves in a mild winter. Everyone<br />
asks me about it (I planted it all around my yard, wherever the<br />
woodchuck trails led). "Woody" is still around, but now I have<br />
latched onto this plant to use in garden designs!<br />
myrsinites Donkey Tail Spurge. Unusual succulent with blue<br />
foliage, trailing habit, yellow spring flowers with long-lasting<br />
flower bracts of pale peach. If you enjoy the bracts, it will self<br />
sow, a habit I welcome in our rock gardens.<br />
x ‘Blackbird’ A gorgeous foliage plant, one of the darkest<br />
broadleaf burgundy Euphorbias that keeps its color into the<br />
summer season. Compact, 2-3' tall, chartruese bracts. An English<br />
introduction, zone 6.<br />
Fallopia<br />
japonica ‘Variegata’ Striking white variegated foliage splashed<br />
pink, coral new growth; 3-4’ tall. Tolerates partial to full shade,<br />
great ground cover, attractive, not invasive, great as a cut foliage<br />
and wonderful all season as a foliage accent in containers.<br />
Ferns<br />
(see separate section at back of catalog)<br />
Filipendula MEADOWSWEET<br />
Filipendulas are native plants. Many grow in meadows and most will<br />
tolerate a fairly moist soil as well as partial shade.<br />
hexapetala ‘Floroplena’ Finely-cut foliage resembles a low fern<br />
rosette, very frilly and delicate, great for edging. Flowers are<br />
double creamy white sprays, 15-18" tall, in June/July.<br />
‘Kakome’ 8-12" tall dwarf mounded plant with rosy pink<br />
flowers in July and early August, resembles a dwarf F. purpurea<br />
‘Elegans’, very useful addition to the Filipendula offerings.<br />
palmata ‘Nana’ A delightful dwarf meadowsweet, growing 12"<br />
tall with bright lavender pink flowers. Bold leaves.<br />
purpurea ‘Elegans’ a.k.a. Filipendula vulgare ‘Purpureum’) 2-3’<br />
feathery plumes of deep rose-purple in June/July; tolerates<br />
partial shade.<br />
rubra ‘Venusta Magnifica’ Martha Washington’s Plume 4-6’<br />
tall, pink flat topped plumes, dramatic!<br />
ulmaria ‘Aurea’ Golden yellow foliage simply glows in semishade.<br />
Flowers are 27" tall, creamy white fluffy spikes at the end<br />
of long stalks in late June/July. Best in partial shade.<br />
‘Variegata’ The foliage is very showy---deeply serrated green<br />
with a bright yellow variegation. Same flowers as above. Note:<br />
Despite the height of the flowers, locate both of these last two<br />
showy foliage accent plants in the foreground so the foliage,<br />
which is low-growing, shows up.<br />
Foeniculum FENNEL<br />
vulgare ‘Purpureum’ (aka Rubrum) Bronze Fennel A great<br />
burgundy foliage plant that self-sows once established. Lacy,<br />
edible leaves to 3’ tall, soft yellow flower umbels with delicious<br />
Page 24 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
licorice-like seeds soar 6’ tall in August, very attractive to<br />
beneficial insects.<br />
Fragaria ALPINE STRAWBERRY<br />
vesca ‘Golden Alexandria’ New! A golden leaved form of<br />
alpine strawberry. Soft yellow leaves show off the delicious tiny<br />
red fruit. Try this in containers or windowboxes.<br />
rugen Alpine strawberries are ideal garden edgers. The berries<br />
are small and very sweet; the plants form clumps without<br />
runners. The white flowers are followed by the delicious red<br />
fruit all summer long. Great to entice children to explore the<br />
garden!<br />
Gaillardia BLANKET FLOWER<br />
aristata ‘Oranges and Lemons’ A new hybrid that I believe will<br />
have the same amazing flower power of 'Summer Kiss'. 24" tall,<br />
2" diameter flowers of cantaloupe orange with yellow tips,<br />
plants bloom all summer into fall. Reputed to be able to support<br />
up to 75 flowers on one plant!<br />
‘Burgundy’ Large rich red daisies all summer, 2’, full sun. This<br />
is a hard to find color--- I weave this plant into many cottage<br />
garden designs for that extra punch in the summer heat.<br />
‘Fanfare’ This is a beauty with tricolor red, yellow, and salmon<br />
orange daisies with tubular petals creating a neat effect.<br />
Constant summer bloom if deadheaded. 12-15" tall.<br />
‘Summer Kiss’ A wonderful new color---soft apricot daisies<br />
with a gold blush. Compact mounding habit, constant blooming<br />
if deadheaded, 18" tall. This plant is truly amazing, it never stops<br />
flowering from late spring until fall. Reserve, these are going<br />
into lots of my designs for full sun!<br />
Galax<br />
“I call Gauras “bee dancers” because the bees<br />
land on the thin flower spires and then ride them<br />
in the wind. I admit I love to sit and watch this<br />
when I take a break in my home garden– I find it<br />
very relaxing!”<br />
Nancy<br />
aphylla The foliage of this plant is the mainstay of flower<br />
arrangers. Thick, rich leathery leaves, green in summer,<br />
burgundy in fall. Flowers are tall white, thin spires. A great<br />
woodland plant. Establish some for foliage structure and to<br />
harvest!<br />
Galium SWEET WOODRUFF<br />
aristata This plant was given to me by<br />
someone who called it "baby's breath". I<br />
knew it wasn't, but didn't know the real<br />
name until someone on a CHS tour<br />
identified for me. It looks like a cloud of<br />
white mist 2-3' tall, with finely cut foliage<br />
that resembles a lacy sweet woodruff leaf.<br />
It flowers all summer and into the fall,<br />
offering filler flowers for fresh cut bouquets on a constant basis.<br />
We have been growing it for many years in the gardens, and can<br />
finally offer a few of our own field-dug plants this spring.<br />
Reserve, supply very limited.<br />
odoratum Sweet woodruff is easy to grow and very cheerful in<br />
the deepest shade. It has rooted and spreads under the benches<br />
in our lathe house! The leaves are added to chablis wine and<br />
soaked overnight to create May wine on May Day. Float Johnny<br />
Jump Ups in it, and a few sprigs of mint, for a treat to welcome<br />
May. An excellent shade ground cover, soft and lovely. The<br />
delicate flowers are a carpet of lacy white in May. Not<br />
evergreen.<br />
Gaultheria WINTERGREEN<br />
procumbens I see this native woodland plant when I go hiking.<br />
The leaves and red berries taste and smell like Necco wafers!<br />
Small white flowers in late April/May produce the showy fruits.<br />
An evergreen carpet, the deep glossy green foliage turns<br />
burgundy in winter, setting off the red berries at Christmas! 12".<br />
‘Very Berry’ A variety of wintergreen with exceptionally large<br />
and prolific red berries.<br />
Gaura<br />
Maintenance tip: Gauras are hardy to zone 6—be<br />
sure to offer winter mulch in exposed spots. They<br />
bloom from June until frost, often blooming<br />
themselves to death. To ensure longevity, cut off<br />
new flowers spikes from late September on to allow<br />
the plant to put its energies into leaf growth. This<br />
will encourage a strong crown of viable foliage<br />
going into the winter. Gauras prefer lean, welldrained<br />
soil and are very drought-tolerant.<br />
Gauras are one of the longest-blooming perennials! They add a light,<br />
airy cottage garden effect to the garden. Very easy to grow as long as<br />
you keep the soil LEAN and don’t add too much compost. Sandy soil is<br />
best. Plant early for a lovely effect the first year. Pinch Gaura flower<br />
stems in June, again in early August to assure a dense, full-flowering<br />
habit. The newest hybrids are very compact and tidy.<br />
lindheimerii White thin spikes from late June ‘til frost, thin,<br />
airy, reach 3’ by end of season, self-sows.<br />
‘Crimson Butterflies’ Foliage is dark crimson, 18' red stems<br />
are topped with hot pink flowers AND it never stops<br />
blooming. What a flower machine! Dwarf habit makes it easy<br />
to use.<br />
‘Passionate Pink’ Bright pink, large flowers on upright, 3'<br />
stems cover maroon foliage all summer and fall- no kidding!<br />
Much showier and larger than the popular dwarf 'Crimson<br />
Butterflies'.<br />
‘Siskiyou Pink’ Pretty pink form creates a sensation in our<br />
gardens each year. Blooms and blooms, the color is bright and<br />
clear, goes until late fall.<br />
‘Whirling Butterflies’ (a.k.a. ‘Patriot’) 24" sterile selection that<br />
doesn’t self-sow, white airy wands of flowers.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 25
Gentiana GENTIAN<br />
andrewsii This is the closed or "bottle" gentian that I seek out<br />
when walking in moist woods in the fall. Brilliant cobalt blue<br />
flowers form upright buds that never fully open, 1-2’ tall.<br />
August and September blooming. A native wildflower. See p.<br />
203 of Ken Druse’s The Natural Shade Garden for a picture<br />
illustrating this plant’s true blue beauty.<br />
dahurica One of the absolute easiest to grow. Acidic soil lover,<br />
tubular purple/blue flowers on 10" leafy stems in August. Best<br />
in partial shade.<br />
‘Nikita’ A late May/early June bloomer that is very vigorous<br />
(for a gentian). From basal foliage emerge 16" long stems with<br />
whorls of showy blue, upfacing flowers along every leaf node.<br />
A good cut flower.<br />
gracilipes Spring blooming gentian with deep solid blue<br />
flowers; grows 6" tall.<br />
makinoi ‘Royal Blue’ An excellent variety to use as a cut<br />
flower. Rich cobalt blue flowers in clusters atop 18-24" stems.<br />
August through late September blooming. I am in love with this<br />
plant and added a mass of it to my new border. I combined it<br />
with Coreopsis integrifolia; they bloom at exactly the same time.<br />
septemfida 8" tall mounds of foliage with soft blue flowers in<br />
mid-summer.<br />
var. lagodechiana An unusual fall bloomer, intense true blue<br />
flowers, prostrate, good for rockeries, sun to part shade,<br />
blooms August and September, unusual and rare.<br />
triflora var. japonica Late summer and early fall beauty with<br />
brilliant blue flowers atop 24-30" upright stems. Native to Japan;<br />
grows best in acidic, lime-free soil in full sun to partial shade.<br />
verna It is impossible to describe the pure blue color of this<br />
European alpine. Intense clear blue flowers only 3-4" tall for sun<br />
or dappled shade. An ideal candidate for a trough garden, sure<br />
to draw raves. Blooms in late spring/earlyl summer. Must have<br />
good drainage.<br />
var. angulosa New! An easy to grow spring blooming gentian.<br />
Deep blue star flowers in April/May on 3-4" compact plants.<br />
Foliage is very tidy, glossy green. Ideal in sun or partialy<br />
shaded rockeries or troughs.<br />
Summer Blooming Cranesbills<br />
In the olden days (a couple of years ago),<br />
cranesbill geraniums were primarily late<br />
May/June bloomers. Cutting back and feeding G.<br />
sanguineum would cause re-bloom, but nothing<br />
to write home about. NOW, there are fabulous<br />
summer and fall blooming cranesbills:<br />
‘Rozanne’<br />
‘Anne Folkard’<br />
‘Jolly Bee’<br />
psilostemon<br />
wlassovianum<br />
Geranium CRANESBILL GERANIUM<br />
Cranesbill Geraniums tolerate sun (in rich soil) or partial shade. There<br />
are now many exciting varieties that bloom well into the summer and<br />
fall. Now you can choose cranesbills to extend your season of bloom in<br />
sun or in the partial shade garden.<br />
‘Anne Folkard’ Brilliant golden foliage with vivid magenta<br />
flowers. This weaves through the garden and blooms from May<br />
until mid-late summer. 7' tall, can spread 84"wide! Interweave<br />
this with burgundy Heucheras---use your imagination! It will<br />
add sunshine to any shade garden.<br />
‘Brookside’ The true blue color is clear and rich, the center is a<br />
paler color and stands out. More vigorous, less floppy, better<br />
color, and longer-blooming than older ‘Johnson’s Blue’.<br />
cantabrigiense ‘Biokova’ 12" ground-cover form, white flowers<br />
tinged pale pink in June/July; good foliage, very deer-resistant.<br />
This is one of the best landscape plants, easy to grow, always<br />
looks good, tidy mounding habit. Fabulous red fall color.<br />
‘St. Ola’ Pure white flowers on 8-12" plants in late May and<br />
June. Foliage is aromatic, evergreen. Excellent ground cover,<br />
very drought tolerant.<br />
clarkei ‘Kashmir Purple’ This variety turns my head. Flowers<br />
are a really bright purple and the leaves are deeply-incised and<br />
quite attractive all summer. Late May/June blooming.<br />
‘Jolly Bee’ Similar to the wonderful, long blooming ‘Rozanne’,<br />
this jolly variety has masses of clear blue flowers with white eyes<br />
from early June through September. Each individual flower is<br />
huge (for a cranesbill), almost 3" in diameter. Allow a 3’<br />
diameter circle for a mature plant. Grows 24" tall.<br />
macrorrhizum Bigroot geranium is the best for deep, dry shade.<br />
Good foliage all summer smells of oil of geranium when<br />
crushed. Flowers are really true magenta in June and July,<br />
spreads quickly, easy to grow.<br />
‘Album’ Hmmm... White flowers, tolerates deep shade and<br />
root competition, glows in the darkness under a maple tree,<br />
could we ask for anything more?<br />
‘Bevans Variety’ Hybrid form with deeply-cut foliage, large<br />
magenta flowers.<br />
‘Ingwersens Variety’ Soft pale pink flowers brightens the<br />
shade, same tolerance for growing under trees, softer color.<br />
‘Spessart’ This color of the bigroot geranium is very useful--soft<br />
pink, almost white flowers brighten the shade. Same<br />
excellent semi-evergreen, aromatic foliage.<br />
‘Variegatum’ Green and cream variegated foliage with the<br />
same magenta/pink flowers. Not as vigorous, but a good<br />
foliage accent for dry shade.<br />
maculatum ‘Espresso’ The maculatum geraniums are our native<br />
woodland wildflowers with rather coarse foliage and magenta<br />
flowers. This hybrid is a fabulous breakthrough. The foliage is<br />
mahogany-colored, contrasting nicely with the soft pink flowers.<br />
8" tall. Forms a tidy mounded plant, not rangy. Sun brings out<br />
more of the color, so do the cool temperatures of spring and fall.<br />
‘Helen Gallagher’ A pure white form of our native woodland<br />
cranesbill. Great choice for difficult, dark woodland areas.<br />
‘Orion’ Dutch hybrid, similar to 'Brookside'. Intense blue<br />
flowers cover compact, non-floppy bushes 20-30" tall from late<br />
May through June. Tolerates heat without get ratty looking.<br />
phaeum ‘Sambor’ The foliage is outstanding. Deep green leaves<br />
with large chocolate blotches adds great color and structure to<br />
the garden. The flowers are a deep wine purple, almost black.<br />
Color deepens as weather cools. Self sows.<br />
pratense ‘Dark Reiter’ This variety is the most vigorous of the<br />
purple-leaved forms. Plum foliage is streaked with green, lilac<br />
Page 26 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
flowers grow 10" tall and bloom in June, with a likely rebloom<br />
throughout the summer. More subtle foliage accent, but a lot<br />
easier to grow than Midnight Reiter.<br />
psilostomen Striking plant with dark raspberry flowers with<br />
black basal spots in June/July. Leaves deeply-lobed. The most<br />
amazing characteristic is its size . . . it grows to 3’ tall! When I<br />
first spotted this, my eyes popped out of my head, had to have it.<br />
‘Rozanne’ Every once in a great while, a plant comes along that<br />
becomes indispensable. ‘Rozanne’ is simply amazing. Her<br />
sprawling habit forms a ground-hugging mass of very attractive<br />
foliage in sun or partial shade. Brilliant blue/purple flowers<br />
with white centers continue from June, all summer, and into<br />
October. This is one of the longest-blooming perennials I have<br />
ever seen! It will spread 30" wide and grow 20" tall.<br />
sanguineum One of my favorite cottage garden flowers.<br />
Brilliant purple flowers over tidy, low-growing plants bloom<br />
from late May thru July and repeatedly all summer; self-sow<br />
easily, creating marvelous interweavings, 8-10" tall.<br />
‘Album’ 15" tall, fine-textured leaves, pure white, same longblooming<br />
habit on a taller plant, great softener.<br />
‘Elke’ Magenta flowers with white centers and a subtle white<br />
edge to each petal. Showy new hybrid with the same longblooming<br />
flower power. Neat mounding habit to 8".<br />
‘Max Frei’ This is a compact hybrid of my favorite long<br />
blooming cranesbill. Magenta purple flowers on 10-15" plants<br />
repeat bloom in fall if you shear the plant back in mid-July.<br />
‘New Hampshire Purple’ This is the hybrid of choice for the<br />
standard purple flowers that spread and seed into our rock<br />
garden. Easy and essential for cottage gardens.<br />
var. striatum (a.k.a. ‘Lancastriense’) Soft pink flowers bloom<br />
May-early July, 8-10", great repeat bloomer in fall if cut back, a<br />
soft and pretty old time standard.<br />
wlassovianum A wonderful variety. The foliage turns<br />
heads—smoky, soft dark grey, hairy leaves with purple<br />
markings in the center. The flowers are a heavily-veined<br />
magenta purple. This plants spreads quickly, forming an<br />
excellent ground cover. Best of all, it blooms all summer and into<br />
the fall. Like ‘Rozanne’, I am using this in partially-shaded<br />
woodland gardens, interspersing upright accent plants within<br />
the drifts.<br />
x ‘Katherine Adele’ An excellent introduction from<br />
Heronswood Nursery. Deeply-incised leaves marked with<br />
burgundy. Enormous light pink flowers with purple veins. Late<br />
May/June blooming. Best foliage color in full sun; will tolerate<br />
dappled shade.<br />
yoshinoi ‘Confetti’ A pretty Terra Nova introduction, this plant<br />
features variegated green and cream splashed foliage on 6-8" tall<br />
plants. Delicate pink flowers. This plant will self sow, which<br />
may be a welcome treat for partially sunny cottage gardens.<br />
Geum<br />
Fill the late May gap with beautiful Geum flowers, great accent color.<br />
chiloensis ‘Mrs Bradshaw’ The classic Geum with bold red,<br />
semi-double flowers 2' tall. Great in combination with rich<br />
purple dwarf irises in the early June garden.<br />
coccineum ‘Borisii’ Brilliant orange single flowers, 12-18" tall. A<br />
very hardy variety, deeply cut leaves.<br />
‘Fire Opel’ Exceptional hardiness, extremely heavy blooming<br />
variety with red/orange flowers 18" tall.<br />
flore plena ‘Blazing Sunset’ A great cutting flower and a<br />
screaming accent color in the late May/June garden, this is a<br />
semi-double red form that grows 12-18" tall. Imagine it with<br />
deep purple Campanulas and purple irises. Wow!<br />
‘Mango Lassie’ Double flowers of a really pretty<br />
mango/yellow/orange color; grows a whoppipng 18-20" tall,<br />
excellent for cutting. An ususual shade, this will pop against soft<br />
blues.<br />
‘Princess Juliana’ An apricot orange color one shade lighter<br />
than butterfly weed. Very hardy to zone 4, grows 18" tall with<br />
long stems for cutting.<br />
rivale ‘Flames of Passion’ Intense red flowers grow 12-15" tall.<br />
This is one of the hardiest forms of Geum.<br />
triflorum Known as Prairie Smoke, this is a native plant.<br />
Growing 9-12" tall, the flowers appear in threes and are<br />
pinkish/red nodding balls, never completely opening, creating<br />
an unusual effect in the very late June garden. The seed pods<br />
that follow are soft and fluffy, thus the name prairie smoke.<br />
Does best in full sun with soil that is not too rich.<br />
Gillenia BOWMAN’S ROOT<br />
trifoliata I love this plant! 3-4’ tall, masses of tiny, white, starshaped<br />
flowers float above wiry red stems in early to midsummer.<br />
Fall foliage is red. For sun or partial shade, a nice<br />
textural contrast with hostas. Provide acid soil.<br />
Goodyera<br />
pubescens A Ct wildflower, the Downy Rattlesnake Plantain<br />
gets its name from its evergreen oval burgundy leaves with<br />
silver markings. Not a plantain at all, but really an orchid that<br />
blooms with white flower spikes 15-18" tall in July/August. A<br />
great woodland wildflower. My supplier told me he used to<br />
plant up "Christmas Bowls", terrariums with this plant,<br />
Mitchella repens, and princess pine (which is now illegal to pick<br />
in CT)<br />
Grasses<br />
(see separate section at back of catalog)<br />
Gypsophila BABY’S BREATH<br />
Provide excellent drainage and alkaline soil for the best results. If you<br />
are growing baby’s breath for cutting, add grow-thru grids in early<br />
summer to keep the stems from bending. Taproot resists transplanting.<br />
‘Festival Star’ A wonderful new compact dwarf form of baby's<br />
breath, growing only 10" tall, yet having the same amazing fluffy<br />
mounds of foliage you expect. A great little cut flower that won't<br />
need staking.<br />
Helenium HELEN’S FLOWER<br />
I love Heleniums. They are native plants, easy and care free, butterfly<br />
magnets. Besides being absolutely tolerant of CT summers, they<br />
BLOOM IN AUGUST, a definite plus. I use them constantly in my<br />
designs and am thrilled to see lots of hybridization and new, compact<br />
varieties being introduced.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 27
Maintenance tip: If you are on vacation in August,<br />
prune your Heleniums hard (by at least ½) in June –<br />
they will branch and bloom 2-3 weeks later.<br />
Pruning also helps to prevent flopping. For more<br />
information, refer to the wonderful book The Well-<br />
Tended Perennial Garden available at the store.<br />
Call to reserve a copy.<br />
bigelovii ‘Tip Top’ New! A compact dwarf only 24" tall will<br />
never need staking. Cheerful yellow flowers with slightly frilled<br />
edges on each petal surround raised brown cone centers. An<br />
excellent August bloomer for mid-border. This plant is the result<br />
of 7 years of breeding by Jelitto Seed Company.<br />
‘Coppelia’ A butterfly magnet. The flowers are a coppery red<br />
color, add heat and accent to the summer garden. 40" tall. Good<br />
cut flower. This is one of my "signature plants" to jazz up the late<br />
summer. Easy-care native, superior hybrid.<br />
‘Kanaria’ Giant yellow flowers with raised centers glow in the<br />
heat of August. 3-4’ tall if pinched, 5-6’ if not!<br />
‘Mardi Gras’ This is one of the longest blooming new perennial<br />
introductions that I have come across, flowering from July until<br />
October and beyond. 2" diameter flowers are yellow splashed<br />
with orange; center cones are dark brown. Grows 3’ tall, not<br />
leggy, very low maintenance plant.<br />
‘Red-Gold Hybrids’ If you are looking for traditional hot<br />
summer colors, this variety is for you. 3-4' tall sturdy stems with<br />
red and gold bicolor flowers.<br />
‘Rubinzwerg’ A great new compact,<br />
rounded form that only grows 3’ tall. Red<br />
flowers with a slight touch of gold create a<br />
fabulous late summer accent. Limited.<br />
‘Ruby Tuesday’ I'm in love! I use rich, red<br />
Heleniums all the time in my late summer<br />
designs. Now, a Dutch flower grower has<br />
bred a true dwarf, growing only 20" tall,<br />
the perfect plant for the foreground of the<br />
garden. Of course, you never need to stake<br />
or pinch it. Very limited, reserve early.<br />
‘Sahins Early Flowerer’ You guessed it,<br />
starts in July and keeps on going until fall arrives. 2" diameter<br />
daisies are yellow and bronze. Strong, upright plants grow 30-<br />
36" tall and never need staking or pinching. Good cut flower.<br />
Bred in the Netherlands where they love our native flowers.<br />
‘Waldraut’ New! An indescribable color of smokey, muted<br />
peachy/coral; close up they have streaks and markings that are<br />
quite unique. Petals are fringed. Grows 4-5’ tall, benefits from a<br />
June pinch.<br />
Helianthemum SUN ROSE<br />
Helianthemums are sub-shrubs forming a 12” woody trunk after a few<br />
years. They are great in rock gardens and in the front of a sunny<br />
border. They hold their foliage well all season, and are semi-evergreen<br />
in a mild winter. As the years go by, I am more and more impressed<br />
with how hardy these plants are.<br />
nummularium ‘Annabel’ Double pure pink flowers contrasts<br />
with deep green foliage, 12" tall.<br />
‘Cheviot’ Hooray, it’s back! This variety captured my heart<br />
with silky thin flowers of delicate peach contrasting with silver<br />
leaves. I LOVE this plant! Great with Campanula ‘Blue<br />
Waterfall’ for the softest of June marriages.<br />
‘Dazzler’ A brilliant accent color of dark cerise red, simply<br />
glows in June. Green foliage, trailing habit.<br />
‘Firedragon’ Striking orange/red flowers contrast with silver<br />
foliage.<br />
‘Raspberry Ripple’ Dark pink streaked white flowers.<br />
‘Sunny Side Up’ New! Variegated green and creamy yellow<br />
foliage topped by brilliant yellow flowers. This plant will<br />
really look great in a trough, even after blooming.<br />
‘Wisley Pink’ Silver foliage and the softest of pink flowers, a<br />
delicate color. Not always available, rare and lovely.<br />
‘Wisley Primrose’ This plant has been in our rock garden by<br />
the driveway for 15 years---snow banks and road sand don’t<br />
phase it. Clean, sunny yellow flowers and green foliage<br />
combine with so many June bloomers.<br />
Helianthus PERENNIAL SUNFLOWER<br />
Indispensible for late summer and fall color. Native prairie plants.<br />
Pinch tall late fall-blooming Helianthus hard, 1/3 of the way back, in<br />
late June/early July to achieve compact bushy plants later on. This<br />
helps avoid staking chores in the fall.<br />
decapetalus ‘Capenoch Star’ This is a very showy late<br />
July/August/ Sept. bloomer that always draws the eye when in<br />
flower. Single bright lemon yellow flowers have a ruffled center<br />
ring of petals; grows only 3-4’ tall. Great cut flower.<br />
‘Lemon Queen’ I purchased this plant as a tiny sprig from a<br />
mail-order nursery many years ago, looking for something<br />
different in perennial sunflowers. It has become one of my<br />
absolute favorite late bloomers. It starts in late July/early August<br />
and continues well into the fall months. The flowers are a very<br />
pale, soft yellow, 2" in diameter. They grow on well-branched<br />
stems 5-6’ tall and are great for cutting. They continue to set<br />
buds and bloom for many months! Be aware it will self sow.<br />
maximilliana 8-12’ stalks with yellow daisies in October,<br />
elongated foliage, very dramatic and very late-blooming.<br />
microcephalus Late summer/fall sunflower that grows at the<br />
edge of the woodland and by the side of the road. Buttery<br />
yellow daisies on 5-6’ stems; a fine textured plant for sun/partial<br />
shade.<br />
mollis An August bloomer with fuzzy light green leaves and<br />
large single yellow daisies on 3’ stems.<br />
multiflorus ‘Floro-Plenus’ (a.k.a. decapetalus ‘Plenus’) A<br />
mainstay of our August garden, 5’ double gold flowers, great for<br />
cutting and drying; easy, fast-growing.<br />
salicifolius ‘First Light’ Foliage is delicate and elongated. 44"<br />
tall stems are covered with soft yellow daisies in October. Good<br />
for the back of the border, excellent cut flower. Don’t deadhead<br />
to provide seed for the winter birds. Blooms of Bressingham<br />
introduction, very limited. A crew favorite.<br />
‘Low Down’ Narrow linear foliage topped with masses of<br />
yellow daisies that hide the plant in October! Grows only 12"<br />
tall, great for front of the border in combination with grasses.<br />
Good cut flower. Blooms of Bressingham introduction.<br />
tuberosus Jerusalem artichokes are actually a tuberous root that<br />
is eaten in many cultures around the world. You can cook them<br />
Page 28 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
like potatoes or grate them and eat them raw. There is even an<br />
entire line of pastas made from Jerusalem artichoke flour. They<br />
are INVASIVE, so be aware that they will spread when you<br />
plant them. Ornamentally speaking, they grow 6-8’ tall and are<br />
topped by showy yellow sunflowers in September. Great cut<br />
flowers.<br />
Heliopsis SUMMER SUNFLOWER<br />
Heliopsis provide good yellow color just as the<br />
summer is heating up in July and early<br />
August. Moderate height, 3-4’, easy to use in<br />
the border. Try pinching half the plant for<br />
twice the flowering period.<br />
‘Bressingham Doubloon’ Fabulous new<br />
long-bloomer, July-Sept. 4’ tall stems<br />
topped with golden yellow semi-double<br />
daisies. Easy to grow. Blooms of<br />
Bressingham introduction.<br />
helianthoides ‘Asahi’ Fully double golden yellow flowers<br />
completely hide the center of the flower, giving it a three<br />
dimensional look. A compact plant reaching only 2' tall. A great<br />
addition to our selection of Heliopsis.<br />
‘Karat’ Clear, exceptionally large yellow flowers, strong<br />
stems. Grows 3-4’ tall. July blooms continue through mid-<br />
August, possibly beyond.<br />
‘Prairie Sunset’ This is a very different variety---golden<br />
yellow flowers with red markings in the center of each petal.<br />
Foliage is dark purplish/green with burgundy stems. Very<br />
bushy, compact grower, 4-5’ tall. Long bloom time from late<br />
June until the end of August.<br />
‘Summer Nights’ Deep golden yellow flowers with<br />
mahogany centers. Dark red stems, red tinged foliage. Grows<br />
3-4’ tall and blooms from late June through early August.<br />
‘Summer Sun’ Single golden yellow flowers, 3-4’, an old<br />
fashioned standard.<br />
‘Venus’ Huge bright yellow flowers are up to 3" across.<br />
Grows 40" tall.<br />
‘Loraine Sunshine’ This is one of the most exciting variegated<br />
plants I’ve seen in years. The foliage is startling---a vivid pattern<br />
of green and white variegation that turns heads. Growing 3’ tall,<br />
large golden yellow daisies provide a warm contrast.<br />
“Goodness gracious, if you’re not using<br />
Hellebores, there had better be a good reason!”<br />
Helleborus<br />
Alan Armitage, exclaimed at a<br />
perennial lecture, summer 2006<br />
Did you know that the world is now brimming with<br />
“Helleboriholics”??? Suddenly, there are amazing strides being made<br />
to introduce Hellebores to the gardening trade. Winter gardening will<br />
NEVER be boring again! Spring is the best time to get all the rare<br />
varieties and the best deals in starter plants. A shade garden is not<br />
complete without Hellebores. Their exceptionally early flowers are a joy<br />
to gaze upon as winter is melting away. Their foliage is clean and<br />
gorgeous from spring until early winter.<br />
argutifolius Very unusual hellebore, foliage is deeply cut,<br />
resembles holly! Grows to 15" tall, flowers are early springblooming,<br />
chartreuse streaked with purple.<br />
foetidus 24" late winter-blooming, pale green-edged maroon<br />
flower; lovely deeply-cut dark evergreen foliage, the very best<br />
hellebore for winter structure. Buds are set by late fall on the top<br />
of the stems. Surround with evergreen branches for the first half<br />
of winter; remove in late Feb./March. Self-sows readily.<br />
‘Wester Flisk’ A cultivar that is a bit more dignified than the<br />
straight species; deep, dark green foliage with stems tinted<br />
red. Flowers are greenish yellow (almost cream) with maroon<br />
edges.<br />
niger The Christmas Rose blooms in December in England, but<br />
here in Connecticut it blooms in March/ April (unless the winter<br />
is exceptionally mild, as the winter of 2002 was! Mine was in<br />
flower at Christmas and still had dozens of buds ready to pop in<br />
late January.) Pure white flowers; excellent evergreen foliage.<br />
orientalis The Lenten Rose Truly amazing plants, very earlyblooming<br />
(late winter thru May), flowers are mauve-pink,<br />
foliage is evergreen, leathery. Every garden should have some to<br />
welcome in the spring!<br />
‘Blue Lady’ Enormous flowers up to 4" in diameter. No,<br />
they’re not quite blue, but are a bluish/purple color that is<br />
very unusual and rare. 12-15" tall.<br />
‘Blue Metallic Lady’ Deep bluish-purple with a silvery sheen<br />
to each blossom. 24" tall flower stems.<br />
‘Double Queen’ A fabulous mixture of mixed double in colors<br />
of white, pink and red, many of them spotted. Introduced by<br />
Thompson and Morgan seed company as the first double<br />
hellebore that can be grown from seed. 18" tall.<br />
‘Mrs. Betty Ranicar’ Fully double, pure white flowers on 12"<br />
tall plants. A gorgeous variety from Tasmania.<br />
‘Pink Lady’ Large single pink flowers, a majority of the<br />
flowers on the Lady series are upright, not dangling.<br />
‘Red Lady’ Large deep red flowers, 20" tall.<br />
‘Royal Heritage’ From world-famous Hellebore breeder John<br />
Elsley, these fabulous hybrids are a result of years of crossing.<br />
Will form vigorous and long-lived clumps 18-24" tall and 2-3’<br />
wide. Flowers are enormous"2" in diameter---and very longblooming.<br />
Available in the following colors:<br />
‘White Spotted Lady’ White flowers with deep red spots and<br />
markings.<br />
‘Winter Joy Bouquet’ These new hellebores were developed<br />
by Terry Hatch of Joy Nurseries in New Zealand. The colors<br />
range from creamy yellows to pale pinks to deepest reds; the<br />
flowers are larger and brighter; the plants are very robust,<br />
growing 16-25" tall.<br />
‘Yellow Lady’ Soft yellow flowers with a red center. Unusual<br />
and useful flower color in hellebores to add elegance to the<br />
shade garden.<br />
purpurescens Compact form with muave/pink to maroon<br />
flowers. Bracts can remain till May. 12-15" tall.<br />
x ‘Double Melody’ New from the Immanence series, this is a<br />
fabulous mixture of double flowers in a wide range of colors. 12-<br />
18" tall compact plants with upfacing flowers.<br />
‘Empathy’ A pink form of the new Immanence series; 12-18"<br />
tall compact plants, pink upfacing flowers.<br />
‘Immanence’ A new series of hellebores, compact plants 12-<br />
16" tall, flowers are multicolored and face upwards.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 29
‘Ivory Prince’ Creamy white flowers<br />
offer a different shade in the winter<br />
garden, large flowers are more upright.<br />
This is an absolutely MAGNIFICENT<br />
plant. Reserve early, I will use lots of<br />
them in my shade garden designs.<br />
‘Optimism’ A dark red form of the new<br />
Immanence series; 12-18" tall compact<br />
plants, dark red upfacing flowers.<br />
x ericsmithii A new hybrid from England<br />
with gorgeous foliage, deep green with<br />
lighter green/silver marbled venation. The creamy white<br />
flowers last for 2-3 months. Grows 12-18" tall, up to 30" across at<br />
maturity. Very rare.<br />
x sternii ‘Blackthorn Strain’ New, from England. Flowers are<br />
outward facing, chartreuse with crimson undersides and<br />
crimson stems. Foliage is serrated, gray-green. April/May<br />
bloomer. An excellent hybrid.<br />
Hemerocallis DAYLILY<br />
Daylilies are one of the best-known and most-loved perennials. They are<br />
easy to grow, multiply rapidly, the flowers are edible, and they will<br />
tolerate a wide range of soil conditions. They thrive by the sea, on rocky<br />
slopes, or in good old-fashioned perennial borders. The number of new<br />
daylilies introduced to the trade each year is mind-boggling. How do<br />
you choose? We look for long- or repeat-bloomers, interesting dwarfs,<br />
fragrant varieties, unusual colors, and striking accent colors such as<br />
pure red. We are forever in search of good, true pinks and the elusive<br />
white-flowered forms. Daylilies will grow in full sun or partial shade.<br />
In deep shade, the flowers are minimal. In a dry season, if you do not<br />
water them foliage will turn yellow. Simply cut it back to the ground<br />
and when the rains return, new foliage will grow. Divide daylilies<br />
every 4-5 years, more often for the repeat bloomers.<br />
‘Apricot Sparkles’ WOW! Nine generations of crosses with<br />
‘Happy Returns’ has yielded a deep apricot, almost dayglow<br />
flower with diamond dusting! Extremely heavy-blooming, high<br />
bud count, flowers 4" diameter on 15" dwarf plants. Constant<br />
REBLOOMER, June-Oct. It "sparkles" in our orange garden.<br />
‘Atlanta Moonlight’ A chance seedling of the old fashioned and<br />
still popular ‘Mary Todd’. The color is a soft creamy yellow;<br />
flowers are huge, up to 6" across. Grows 27" tall. Reblooms!<br />
‘August Flame’ A fall bloomer that extends the bloom season<br />
for daylilies. A hybrid first introduced in the 1960's, it grows a<br />
stately 30-40" tall with bright red flowers with a golden yellow<br />
center.<br />
Daylilies: The TALL and short of it<br />
Check out the following Hemerocallis species and<br />
varieties to see the wide range available!<br />
‘Autumn Minarette’ 6 feet<br />
‘Challenger’ 5-6 feet (bred from Hemerocallis altissima)<br />
‘Eenie Weenie’ 10-12”<br />
‘Penny’s Worth’ 5-6”<br />
‘Autumn Minarette’ I had this daylily in my cottage garden and<br />
it was the very last one to bloom. Very tall (to 6’ or more!) long<br />
flower stalks topped with golden yellow flowers brushed with<br />
bronze markings. Blooms in September and sets up buds<br />
throughout the fall.<br />
‘Awesome Blossom’ Repeat bloomer with peachy-rose flowers<br />
trimmed with plum edges and a deep wine eyezone. 24" tall, 5”"<br />
diameter flowers.<br />
‘Barbara Mitchell’ A true pink color with a light green throat,<br />
slightly ruffled edges, 20-24" tall.<br />
‘Bela Lugosi’ New! Deep, rich purple flowers that don't bleach<br />
out in the sun. Center of the flower is yellow, edges are slightly<br />
ruffled. July blooming, fragrant flowers on 32" stems; each<br />
blossom can be up to 6" across.<br />
‘Bertie Ferris’ Hot color creates sizzling summer accent.<br />
Persimmon orange, profuse smaller flowers, repeat and repeat.<br />
Try this with blue Platycodon for a wonderful contrast.<br />
“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy;<br />
they are the charming gardeners who make our<br />
souls blossom.”<br />
- Marcel Proust<br />
‘Big Time Happy’ Bred from ‘Happy Returns’, this daylily has a<br />
slightly more lemony yellow ruffled flower that is MUCH larger<br />
(4" in diameter) on a compact, 18" tall plant. The foliage is deep<br />
dark green, broader and more leathery. Blooms constantly from<br />
spring until hard frost. It will become one of the most useful<br />
low-maintenance, long-blooming perennials in your garden.<br />
‘Challenger’ Bred from H. altissima, the flowers reach 5-6' tall!<br />
They are brick red with a yellow throat, have a spidery form,<br />
and bloom for an extended period in late summer. A Stout<br />
hybrid, a real good old fashioned variety that is dramatic and<br />
very unusual.<br />
‘Cherry Cheeks’ A beautiful rich coral pink flower, 6" diameter<br />
bloom! Grows 28" tall. This color really stands out when in<br />
bloom. I combine it with Pennisetum ‘Karley Rose’.<br />
citrina This is an old-fashioned species daylily that is quite<br />
unusual. Lemon yellow, very fragrant, it is a vespertine flower.<br />
That means that the flowers open in the early evening and close<br />
in the morning. Locate this by your screened porch---ideal for<br />
those who work all day and relax in the garden in the evening.<br />
Grows 24-36" tall.<br />
‘Daring Deception’ This is one of my absolute favorites that I<br />
find myself using again and again. Pale, soft lavender-pink<br />
flowers almost appear cream-colored; a thin filigree maroon<br />
edge on each petal combined with a deep purple eyezone makes<br />
this stand out. I combine it with burgundy foliage plants,<br />
Knautia, and Achillea ‘Summerwine’ for amazing marriages. 24"<br />
tall.<br />
‘Ed Murray’ Winner of the Stout Medal and many other awards;<br />
an excellent daylily! Deep, rich burgundy red, with ruffled<br />
petals. Grows 30" tall.<br />
‘Edge of Darkness’ This flower is PURPLE, not pink in the least!<br />
It has a deeper purple halo in the throat and deep purple edge<br />
with a silver picottee ruffling. It is truly beautiful.<br />
Page 30 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
‘Eenie Weenie’ We’ve propagated this plant from our<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> gardens. It is a miniature plant growing only 10-<br />
12" tall. Flowers are very prolific, a soft, buttery yellow. Plant<br />
stays very low and keeps a nice mound of foliage.<br />
‘Fairy Tale Pink’ Always in demand, this gorgeous pink daylily<br />
has ruffled, diamond-dusted blossoms in July, 24" tall. An old<br />
fashioned favorite.<br />
‘Frankly Scarlet’ All-American winner. Intense red flowers keep<br />
their brilliant color even in the heat of the day into early evening.<br />
Repeat blooms for up 125 days or more per year! 24-30" flowers;<br />
very heat- and drought-tolerant. A much brighter red rebloomer<br />
than ‘Pardon Me’, which is a deeper, darker red and much<br />
shorter with smaller clusters of flowers.<br />
‘French Tudor’ An irresistable repeat blooming pink<br />
introduction. 6 1/2" diameter flowers, up to 25-30 buds per<br />
scape once the plant is mature! Gorgeous rich pink flower color<br />
with a creamy throat.<br />
fulva ‘Kwanso Flore Pleno’ This is also a species daylily,<br />
commonly known as double orange. Our stock plant was given<br />
to me by my friend Ruth Kurle, a pass-along plant to her, and<br />
we now have plants to divide and "pass-along" to you. Long<br />
blooming, for 2-3 weeks beyond the traditional July daylily<br />
season, it is a workhorse.<br />
‘Grape Magic’ A lavender/purple dwarf, excellent repeat<br />
bloomer that only reaches 14" tall for the front of the border.<br />
‘Grape Velvet’ Deep dark velvety purple, the color of grape<br />
jelly. 4-1/2” bloom, 24” tall, July bloomer, very long lived.<br />
‘Happy Returns’ A yellow ‘Stella D’Oro’. Same all-season<br />
bloom, a much easier color to use in the garden, 18" tall.<br />
‘Hyperion’ A classic, old-fashioned variety, lemon yellow, very<br />
fragrant, early bloom. 3’ tall.<br />
‘Joan Senior’ Creamy white flowers glow in the summer time. I<br />
use this all the time in combination with gold flowers to cool<br />
them down. Begins blooming in June with occasional rebloom<br />
throughout the summer. 24" tall.<br />
‘Just Plum Happy’ Go to HappilyEverAppster.com to see<br />
pictures of this and many more patented daylilies from Dr.<br />
Darrel Apps. Related to ‘Happy Returns’, this variety has<br />
salmon/pink flowers with a large plum violet eyezone. Of<br />
course, it is a rebloomer with color in June and continuing into<br />
September and into the fall.<br />
‘Leider Will Let Us Know’ Really pretty apricot tricolor with<br />
very ruffled petals, 26" tall. Buy it for the name alone, then figure<br />
out why it was called that!<br />
lilioasphodelus (a.k.a. flava) The true "Lemon Lily" has<br />
wonderfully fragrant yellow flowers in late May, the earliest<br />
bloomer we carry! Delicately-textured flowers.<br />
‘Lullaby Baby’ All Connecticut gardeners should make the<br />
pilgrimage to Sydney Eddison’s magnificent garden in<br />
Newtown if you ever see it open to visitors. This wonderful<br />
woman is a master of design and color and literally "wrote the<br />
book" on daylilies. When I visited with her a few years ago, she<br />
shared with me that this is her favorite daylily---a top<br />
recommendation, I must say! Now an All-American award<br />
winner, this beauty offers fragrant, soft, creamy-pink diamonddusted<br />
blossoms with ruffled edges. It begins to flower early and<br />
continues for 90-110 days in our area! Plant habit is compact;<br />
flowers reach 18-24" tall.<br />
‘Mallard’ Intense brilliant red blooms, 6" diam., 26" tall. This is<br />
featured in our garden by the driveway and when it is blooming,<br />
everyone asks about it.<br />
‘Marys Gold’ An amazing new color- huge GLOWING gold<br />
flowers, very heavy-blooming, wide-branching, high bud count.<br />
A superior variety. 34" tall, 6-1/2" diameter bloom! This one has<br />
turned my head two years in a row.<br />
‘Mildred Mitchell’ The keyword here is lavender. Lavender<br />
pink flowers, darker lavender/purple eyezone; darker still<br />
purple edge; yellow throat. 26" tall; enormous 6-7" flowers. Late<br />
June/early July bloom with a good rebloom.<br />
‘Nonas Garnet Spider’ Spider daylilies have narrow, spider-like<br />
flower petals, giving them a completely different, more delicate<br />
look. ‘Nona’ has garnet red flowers with a golden eye,<br />
individual flowers are huge. Grows 36" tall.<br />
‘Northport’ Gorgeous soft pink flowers with a cranberry wine<br />
throat and matching deep wine edges on all the ruffled petals.<br />
26-28" tall with a good possibility of a rebloom.<br />
‘Pardon Me’ A real long bloomer; begins in June and keeps on<br />
repeating. A tidy dwarf, 15" tall; deep, rich red color.<br />
‘Pennys Worth’ A teeny-tiny dwarf daylily, cuter than a button.<br />
Golden yellow flowers only 5-7" tall; reblooms too!<br />
‘Prairie Blue Eyes’ Clusters of numerous small plum-purple<br />
flowers on 24" plants. Very floriferous.<br />
‘Raspberry Pixie’ A wonderful repeat bloomer featured in our<br />
rock garden; 12-15" tall, rich raspberry rose flowers.<br />
‘Red Hot Returns’ Intense brilliant, cherry red flowers are huge,<br />
up to 5" across, accented with a bright yellow throat. Grows 24"<br />
tall. Repeat blooms from late June until the end of the summer.<br />
An excellent accent plant; good foliage too.<br />
‘Requited Love’ Very ruffled flowers of light rose pink, 23" tall.<br />
Just beautiful.<br />
‘Rosy Returns’ Eight generations of crosses from ‘Happy<br />
Returns’ have resulted in this beautiful PINK dwarf rebloomer<br />
with a yellow eyezone, 14"tall, flowers 4" in diameter. It starts<br />
early and repeats until frost.<br />
‘Ruby Stella’ From the name, you can tell this is a repeat<br />
blooming semi-dwarf. The color is deep scarlet with a yellow<br />
throat. Grows 18" tall, each flower is 3" across. Very limited<br />
supply.<br />
‘Scentual Sundance’ Related to ‘Stella D’Oro’, a golden-peachyorange<br />
color, only 18" tall, but the flowers are TWICE as big, up<br />
to 4" in diameter. Better, broader foliage, stays cleaner and<br />
greener in the summer. Very fragrant, constant REBLOOMER<br />
from June until hard frost. This may well become the standard in<br />
the industry for constant bloom.<br />
‘Siloam Byelo’ This variety graces our main border, blooming<br />
in combination with sea holly. It is always admired. A cute<br />
dwarf with bright salmon/rose pink flowers, a deep red eye, 18"<br />
tall.<br />
‘Siloam Double Classic’ 16" tall, soft pink double flowers with a<br />
ruffled edge. Pretty and sweet.<br />
‘Siloam Little Girl’ A very unusual color of shrimp pink with a<br />
rose red halo. Plants grow only 20-24" tall but the flowers are<br />
enormous, 5-6" in diameter. A real knockout for the front of the<br />
border. Try it in foundation plantings.<br />
‘Siloam Ury Winniford’ Cream flowers with stunning<br />
black/purple eyezone. 26" tall.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 31
‘Sir Modred’ Fragrant brick red flowers with a yellow throat,<br />
24" tall.<br />
‘South Seas’ Really pretty color<br />
combination of coral/tangerine Repeat Blooming<br />
with a reddish band and a yellow Daylilies<br />
throat. Each petal has ruffled<br />
<br />
edges. Flowers grow 30"tall. A<br />
vigorous hybrid.<br />
‘Space Wars’ Apricot Sparkles<br />
Flowers are cream<br />
with peach overtones, petals are Atlanta Moonlight<br />
edged in red. The center eyezone Awesome Blossom<br />
is red with a chartreuse throat.<br />
Bertie Ferris<br />
Grows 28" tall. It’s a beauty.<br />
Big Time Happy<br />
‘Spacecoast Scrambled’ Pale Bridgeton Celebrity<br />
cream, almost white flowers with Court Troubadour<br />
intricate ruffled edges of golden Druid’s Chant<br />
yellow. Repeat bloomer, flowers Frankly Scarlet<br />
up to 6" in diameter, grows 20-26" Grape Magic<br />
tall. One look at the flower and I Happy Returns<br />
thought of an ice cream cone,<br />
Indian Giver<br />
don't ask me why!<br />
Just Plum Happy<br />
‘Spider Miracle’ The spider form Lullaby Baby<br />
of daylily flowers is very<br />
Mildred Mitchell<br />
unique---long, thin petals give a Moonlit Masquerade<br />
delicate effect. Center of flower is Pardon Me<br />
chartreuse, petals are soft yellow. Penny’s Worth<br />
Grows 32" tall; July blooming.<br />
Pygmy Prince<br />
Very unusual. This is very similar Raspberry Pixie<br />
to ‘Lady Fingers’ and can<br />
Red Hot Returns<br />
basically be used interchangably. Rosy Returns<br />
Limited. Reserve early.<br />
Royal Frosting<br />
‘Stella Supreme’ Don't be fooled Royal Occasion<br />
by the name, this new variety is<br />
Ruby Stella<br />
NOT gold, it is the softest lemon-<br />
Scarlet Orbit<br />
yellow with a citrus fragrance<br />
Scentual Sundance<br />
you will love! 20" tall. Consistent,<br />
Scintillation<br />
heavy bloom.<br />
Stella Supreme<br />
‘Stephanie Returns’ Named for<br />
Stephanie Returns<br />
Stephanie Cohen, author of my<br />
new favorite book The Perennial Strawberry Candy<br />
Gardener's Design Primer. This Sue Rothbauer<br />
Happily Ever Appster variety is a Tuscawilla Tigress<br />
beautiful peachy-pink with<br />
Variety is the Spice<br />
ruffled edges and pronounced<br />
deep coral veins. Only 16" tall, it<br />
repeats and repeats from July until late fall.<br />
‘Sue Rothbauer’ What a color---clear rose pink blossoms; huge<br />
flowers 6-1/2" in diameter. Blooms for 6-8 weeks starting in July<br />
with a reliable heavy fall rebloom. This is quickly becoming one<br />
of the most popular repeat blooming dwarf pink daylilies that<br />
we carry. 15" tall.<br />
‘Sunday Gloves’ Extremely fragrant, almost pure white flowers.<br />
Very ruffled petals make this a graceful, gorgeous find. 26" tall. I<br />
use this a lot in my design work.<br />
‘Tranquil Double Rose’ Incredible vigor, and the most<br />
gorgeous 5" diameter pale peach double blossoms. Plant a small<br />
plant this year and within a year, you will have a large,<br />
blooming clump. Combine with Platycodon for a gorgeous<br />
combination.<br />
TROPHYTAKER DAYLILIES<br />
This line of daylilies is truly superior. Many years ago, our supplier<br />
sent us free samples and told us to give them to all of the staff. The<br />
following year, everyone came back and said that they were<br />
AMAZING! I tried them in the gardens and they lived up to all that<br />
they were supposed to be: blooming for six weeks or more (as opposed to<br />
3 weeks for the average daylily), good foliage retention in stressful<br />
weather, and a very high bud count. Many also repeat bloom over and<br />
over again. They are worth the extra dollars that they cost.<br />
‘Aztec Priestess’ A brand new Trophytaker for <strong>2007</strong>. 6"<br />
diameter flowers are brilliant reddish gold with a deep red<br />
eyezone. Each petal is slightly ruffled, edged with amber<br />
yellow. 26" tall.<br />
‘Bridgeton Celebrity’ Each year, I am convinced to try a<br />
couple of new, irresistible Trophytakers. This one is gorgeous-<br />
5" diameter rich salmon/peach flowers with a deep burgundy<br />
center and burgundy edges on every ruffled petal. 25" tall. July<br />
bloom, reblooms throughout August.<br />
‘Chesapeake Crablegs’ I can't resist spider daylilies, they offer<br />
such a different texture in the summer garden. This one<br />
reblooms! 7" diameter flowers, 36" tall. You guessed it, they<br />
are bright reddish orange. Unique and different, reserve if you<br />
want this plant, I'll be working them into my designs.<br />
‘Condilla’ Very showy, dayglow yellow/orange double<br />
blossoms are enormous, with frilly edges. Blooms for 6 weeks<br />
or more starting in July. 20" tall.<br />
‘Court Troubadour’ Enormous 6-7" diameter apple-red<br />
flowers with a yellow line down the center of each flower. 27"<br />
tall. Reblooms well into late fall; it was the very last daylily to<br />
bloom in the fall of 2006, just finishing the week before<br />
Thanksgiving!.<br />
‘Druid's Chant’ 7" diameter lavender flowers with a purple<br />
eye grow 23" tall. Blooms early in the daylily season and is an<br />
excellent rebloomer.<br />
‘Indian Giver’ A striking shade of "purple"---not royal purple,<br />
but a brilliant accent fuchsia color, shown off by a bright<br />
yellow throat. Each petal has a white edge. An early bloomer<br />
that has an excellent rebloom, 20" tall. One of my very<br />
favorites.<br />
‘Jungle Beauty’ Wow! An almost black flower, really a deep,<br />
dark red, imagine the possibilities with burgundy foliage<br />
plants, or to tone down a hot color scheme. Grows 30" tall, a<br />
mid-season, VERY long bloomer.<br />
‘Justin George’ This is kind of different; large clusters of<br />
smaller orange-gold flowers, ruffled and very pretty atop 3’<br />
stalks. Possible fall rebloom.<br />
‘Lady Fingers’ I love this plant! We have it growing in our<br />
rock garden, and it blooms and blooms all summer long. The<br />
flowers are a soft, lemon yellow. The flower petals are a<br />
"spider" form---deeply cut and twisted. It grows 32" tall.<br />
Because my supplier has decided to stop carrying this fine<br />
variety, we will occasionally dig a few <strong>Natureworks</strong> divisions,<br />
complete with our fabulous organic soil. Supply is limited so<br />
place an early order if you want some.<br />
‘Miss Quinns World’ Plum violet pink flower 6" across with a<br />
violet eyezone. 26" tall. 6 weeks of bloom.<br />
‘Moonlit Masquerade’ This flower is exquisite---a soft cream<br />
blossom, edged in purple, with a deep purple eyezone. It<br />
grows 26" tall, starts flowering early and has a good rebloom.<br />
Page 32 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
‘Moses Fire’ Wow, ruffles like you've never seen! Orange-red<br />
petals with a yellow picotee edge. 20" tall.<br />
‘Nosferatu’ A deep, dark purple that approaches black in its<br />
intensity. Fragrant flowers 6" across grow to 26" tall. A real<br />
accent plant.<br />
‘Pygmy Prince’ Bred from the wonderful repeat bloomer<br />
‘Pardon Me’, this is fragrant with 4" red flowers up to 25" tall<br />
that bloom and bloom.<br />
‘Royal Frosting’ A pure white Trophytaker with fragrant,<br />
ruffled flowers 6" across; grows 3’ tall and reblooms in the fall.<br />
A whiter color than ‘Joan Senior’.<br />
‘Royal Occasion’ Once I discovered this plant, I used it in just<br />
about all of my designs. The flower is a rich, deep burgundy<br />
and blends with EVERY color scheme. It blooms and blooms,<br />
beginning in mid-season and reblooming late summer and fall.<br />
5" diameter flowers on 26" tall stems.<br />
‘Scarlet Orbit’ Red---we’re talking really red---enormous<br />
flowers that are fragrant. This is the ultimate accent plant, 22"<br />
tall, one of the earliest to bloom and reblooms often, flowers 6"<br />
across!<br />
‘Scintillation’ Wow! Clear and bright pink and very ruffled, is<br />
offset by a soft yellow throat. 34" tall, enormous flowers,<br />
repeat bloomer. A real looker.<br />
Design tip: Create a simple, easy-to-manage, three<br />
season flower border by planting 3 varieties of<br />
Trophytaker Daylilies combined with tall, fallblooming<br />
asters such as ‘Hella Lacy’ or<br />
‘Honeysong Pink’. Add lots of spring-blooming<br />
daffodil bulbs between the crowns of the<br />
perennials! The perennials hide the ripening bulb<br />
foliage. The Trophytakers will bloom in summer<br />
and many into the fall. Be sure to give the asters a<br />
hard pinch in June and they will not need staking<br />
and will provide a brilliant display of fall color.<br />
‘Sounds Of Silence’ Very late-blooming, well into the fall.<br />
Another mislabeled "mistake" we discovered and HAD to<br />
know the name of the daylily that bloomed so late (into<br />
October) and so long. Yellow, creamy flowers, ruffled, subtle<br />
white markings, 26" tall.<br />
‘Spiritual Corridor’ Wow, this plant is stunning. Flowers are<br />
bright, clear pink with a light lemon yellow throat and yellow<br />
ruffled edges to all the petals. Fragrant too! Grows 24" tall and<br />
blooms early, in late June, for 6 weeks or more.<br />
‘Strawberry Candy’ Strawberry rose blushed with melon, rose<br />
eye. REBLOOMS. 26" tall.<br />
‘Strutters Ball’ Great color---cranberry purple is the best way<br />
to describe it, with lemon throat. 28" tall, floriferous.<br />
‘Tuscawilla Tigress’ A bold, intense, brilliant orange that<br />
glows with color well into the evening; flowers are 7" in<br />
diameter! 25" tall. Starts blooming in July and reblooms in fall.<br />
‘Variety Is The Spice’ This new introduction has double<br />
benefits. The flower is a rich coral color, double during the first<br />
blooming cycle, single as it reblooms throughout the summer.<br />
Each scape is well branched with a super-high bud count, 24"<br />
tall. The second benefit is that $1 from every plant sold is<br />
donated to Variety-The Children's Charity, a nationwide<br />
group that helps children with disabilites.<br />
‘Woodside Ruby’ Fabulous accent color, dayglow, electric<br />
cherry red, with paler pink midribs, ruffled, 34" tall.<br />
‘Zella Virginia’ A gorgeous color, soft, delicate creamy melon<br />
flowers are 6" across and fragrant. Growing 26" tall, it begins<br />
blooming in mid season and reblooms well.<br />
Hepatica LIVERWORT<br />
americana Round-lobed hepatica is a spring ephemeral, a<br />
woodland wildflower of exquisite beauty. I have come across<br />
native stands of this plant, fallen down on my knees and<br />
admired them. Consider establishing them in YOUR woodland<br />
garden. Delicate leaves and flowers of white, pink or pale blue;<br />
April blooming.<br />
Herbs<br />
Because we carry hundreds of herb plants, it is impractical to list them<br />
all here. Ornamental herbs often used in perennial gardens are listed.<br />
Refer to Agastache, Allium, Calamintha, Hyssopus, Nepeta,<br />
Origanum, Tanacetum, Thymus and more. Please inquire for culinary,<br />
tea, and medicinal herbs and edible flowers. We probably have what you<br />
are looking for.<br />
Hernaria BURSTWORT<br />
glabra ‘Green Carpet’ A Stepable evergreen ground cover that<br />
turns bronze in the winter. Excellent between stepping stones.<br />
Heuchera CORAL BELLS<br />
There has been amazing hybridization in Heucheras in the past ten<br />
years and every year wonderful new varieties are introduced.<br />
Heucheras offer long-lasting foliage structure to the front of a perennial<br />
garden as well as attractive flowers that are good for cutting. They will<br />
grow in sun or shade.<br />
‘Amber Waves’ Amber-gold, highly-ruffled foliage is blushed<br />
with pink. Who cares about the flowers? (they’re light rose)--this<br />
is a stunning foliage accent plant that compliments just<br />
about any shade plant you can think of. I’ve seen it thrive in full<br />
sun.<br />
americana ‘Velvet Night’ Foliage is slate black with metallic<br />
purple overlays. Foliage is 7" tall; creamy flowers are 26' tall in<br />
June/July.<br />
‘Beauty Color’ This variety has pewter leaves etched in silver<br />
and edged in stunning copper/orange. 15-18" pale creamy pink<br />
flowers in early summer.<br />
‘Black Beauty’ Exceptionally large, deeply lobed, deep, dark<br />
purple ruffled leaves with red undersides.<br />
brizoides ‘Magic Wand’ Tall, stately wands of brilliant<br />
coral/red flowers are thicker, showier, and far superior as a cut<br />
flower to any of the sanguinea types. I have a cluster of 3 in my<br />
own garden and the hummingbirds adore them. Flowers are 29"<br />
tall in May and June and possibly beyond. Nice tight rosettes of<br />
green foliage. Place in the front of the border despite the flower<br />
height.<br />
‘Can Can’ Gorgeous foliage, rich burgundy veins, silver and<br />
burgundy color, deeply cut and ruffled. New growth and fall<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 33
color is blushed a very showy pinkish purple. Another fabulous<br />
introduction from Terra Nova plant breeders.<br />
‘Chocolate Ruffles’ Heavily ruffled foliage is burgundy-brown<br />
on top, burgundy on bottom, lavender purple flowers!<br />
‘Crimson Curls’ Highly ruffled and serrated foliage is a striking<br />
raspberry rose color on the back side. 10" tall.<br />
‘Dolce Crème Brule’ A Proven Winners introduction. The<br />
leaves are the color of the carmalized top of that famous desert,<br />
different from any others. 8-12" tall.<br />
‘Dolce Key Lime Pie’ A Proven Winners introduction. Lime<br />
green foliage is very showy, blends with all colors. 8-12" tall.<br />
‘Dolce Peach Melba’ A Proven Winners introduction. Foliage is<br />
peachy/bronze/with a touch of golden. 8-12" tall.<br />
‘Ebony & Ivory’ This plant struck me so that I included it in my<br />
small shady foundation planting. Deep purple/ebony ruffled<br />
foliage is covered with contrasting large ivory white 22" tall<br />
wands of flowers in June and July. Thank you, Stevie Wonder,<br />
for inspiring the name of this fabulous foliage and flowering<br />
shade plant!<br />
‘Helen Dillon’ Named for a famous Irish plantswoman, this<br />
variety has very showy, large coral-pink flowers over heavily<br />
silver veined foliage. Very limited.<br />
‘Lime Rickey’ The color is just as it sounds--- lime green, NOT<br />
yellow. This really accentuates the shade garden. Flowers are<br />
pure white in the spring. Excellent container specimen as well.<br />
‘Marmalade’ This is a completely different color from ‘Amber<br />
Waves’- curly foliage, shiny, and an indescribable marmalade<br />
color. It’s not orange, for sure, but it’s not golden either. Great<br />
accent plant for containers. Flowers are a rusty red shade that go<br />
surprisingly well with the unusual leaves.<br />
micrantha ‘Plum Pudding’ A very compact form with<br />
distinctive shimmering and showy plum purple foliage, very<br />
shiny, grows 12" tall. A tidy edger of a smaller scale than most.<br />
‘Purple Petticoats’ A magnificent multi-colored form!<br />
Chocolate foliage overlayed with silver, lavender, pewter, and<br />
charcoal grey. Leaf edge is heavily ruffled. Grows 12" tall.<br />
‘Molly Bush’ Deep dark burgundy glossy foliage is completely<br />
sunproof. This makes it a VERY useful plant for designing<br />
borders; will not fade in the heat.<br />
‘Obsidian’ You can’t miss this one--- the deepest and darkest<br />
"black" (really the darkest purple you can imagine) foliage is<br />
stunning. NOT marbled or marked, simply smooth, shiny and a<br />
solid statement in the garden. Need I say gold foliage combo?<br />
‘Peach Flambe’ Dan Heims, owner of Terra Nova plant<br />
breeders, says this is one of his top favorites for <strong>2007</strong>. Peach<br />
colored foliage lightens to a unique accent color in summer,<br />
turns back to deep peach in fall, burgundy in winter. White<br />
summer flowers. Great in shade containers.<br />
‘Prince of Silver’ This is a standout! Glowing silver foliage is<br />
marked with deep plum veins. 12" mounds of foliage are topped<br />
with creamy PINK flowers on 2' stems in May and June.<br />
sanguinea<br />
These Coral Bells have low basal foliage and abundant thin sprays of<br />
flowers in May and early June. Flowers grow 18-24” tall. They tolerate<br />
sun or partial shade. These are excellent to fill the late May and early<br />
June flower gap and are among the earliest hummingbird flowers.<br />
‘Adriana’ New! Marbled foliage topped by bright red flowers<br />
15-18" tall. Very hardy, reliable variegation, great accent plant.<br />
Late May/June blooming.<br />
‘Chatterbox’ Excellent mix of coral pinks.<br />
‘Mt St Helens’ Large dark red flowers.<br />
‘Ruby Bells’ The flowers of this new introduction are deep<br />
ruby red. You will be drawn to their subtle, sweet fragrance.<br />
Hummingbirds and butterflies love them. 15" tall, a tidy<br />
clumper.<br />
‘Sashay’ New foliage color---olive green, very ruffled edges,<br />
purple undersides. Coral flowers 18" tall, June/July.<br />
‘Sparkling Burgundy’ When you see this foliage, you will see<br />
why it is very different from any others. The red and white<br />
netting effect really pops out at you, offering a really neat<br />
textural contrast. White flowers 18" tall in summer. A Terra<br />
Nova introduction.<br />
‘Swirling Fantasy’ Rich red flowers atop purple leaves<br />
overlayed with silver. A breakthrough combination that will<br />
attract hummingbirds in May and June; summer foliage is a<br />
standout. Very limited.<br />
‘Vesuvius’ A stunner. Deep purple foliage and really showy<br />
cherry red flowers in late spring and summer. Floriferous, one of<br />
the best Terra Nova introductions to hit the garden.<br />
villosa ‘Caramel’ The straight species is native to southern U.S.<br />
This amazing variety emerges golden in the spring and changes<br />
to an apricot/caramel color in summer. It is one of the last<br />
Heucheras to bloom, with 18" tall foamy white flowers in<br />
August, persisting into early fall. Tolerates heat and humidity<br />
well.<br />
x ‘Strawberry Candy’ A very pretty clear pink, large flowering<br />
form of old fashioned coral bells hybridized by Terra Nova. 18"<br />
tall sprays in late May through June. Foliage is a tidy basal<br />
clump of deep green leaves, lightly marked with silver.<br />
Heucherella FOAMY BELLS<br />
Why don’t more people know this plant? A cross between Heuchera<br />
and Tiarella, Heucheralla has beautiful ornamental foliage and<br />
abundant, profuse blooms. All forms are sterile, making the flower<br />
display long and prolific—no seed pods! Grows best in partial shade.<br />
Flowers can be cut for the house.<br />
‘Burnished Bronze’ Very rare and hard to get but well worth<br />
the wait. Very shiny deep bronze foliage glows in the shade. The<br />
soft pink 18" wands of flowers make an exciting contrast.<br />
Combine with dwarf, tightly textural ferns for an amazing<br />
combination. Very limited, reserve.<br />
‘Chocolate Lace’ Gorgeous, showy, lacy dark leaves; flowers are<br />
strawberry-pink. The contrast is a stunner.<br />
‘Dayglow Pink’ Grow this plant for its showy (you guessed it)<br />
brilliant hot pink, large flowers on strong 16" stems. Foliage is<br />
deeply cut, green with chocolate brown markings with a good<br />
late fall color. This plant is a real breakthrough in Heucherellas.<br />
‘Party Time’ Heucherellas keep getting better and better, and<br />
this is one of the best yet! Dense, full flower spikes 18" tall are<br />
bright, vivid pink and white. Spring blooming. Foliage is green<br />
with bronze markings and a silver overlay. If you try just one<br />
Heucherella for you shade garden, this should be it.<br />
‘Silver Streak’ The foliage is drop-dead gorgeous, palm-shaped,<br />
pure silver streaked with metallic purple. The flowers are white<br />
Page 34 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
tinged with pink. Summer-flowering with a good fall rebloom.<br />
Foliage 6" tall, flowers 20" tall.<br />
‘Stoplight’ Another amazing shade accent plant from Terra<br />
Nova breeders. Glowing golden foliage marked with large,<br />
blood red centers. Flowers are white and spring blooming. Color<br />
tones down a bit in the summer to lime green with red centers.<br />
The Hibiscus Sawfly<br />
Something bugging your giant hibiscus plants?<br />
Notice the leaves looking like Swiss cheese?<br />
This is the hibiscus sawfly, a sneaky little devil<br />
that hides on the leaves by being the same color<br />
green, skinny, and nearly invisible until you<br />
look closely. BT will not work on sawflies (I<br />
found out way too late last year) but Neem will.<br />
Repeat the sprayings weekly if you have a<br />
persistent population. Scout for this pest early.<br />
The <strong>Natureworks</strong> email newsletter will inform<br />
you when we first spot it.<br />
Hibiscus ROSE MALLOW<br />
moscheutos ‘Anne Arundel’ Giant hot pink flowers, cut leaves.<br />
‘Blue River II’ Pure white flowers on 4-5’ tall plants.<br />
‘Bordeux’ I have actually carried this compact, dwarf group of<br />
hardy hibiscus plants for a few years, but they haven't made it<br />
into the catalog. Named after various wines, the Carafe Series<br />
form dense plants reaching only 3' tall, literally smothered in<br />
blossoms up to 10" across. You guessed it, Bordeaux is a deep,<br />
rich red.<br />
‘Disco Belle Red’ Rounded leaves, not cut-leaf. This is the red<br />
plant we have in our architectural garden. Shorter than ‘Lord<br />
Baltimore’; HUGE pure red flowers. They are hard to get as a<br />
single color, usually sold as part of the ‘Disco Belle’ seed mix<br />
and you have to wait for them to bloom.<br />
‘Fantasia’ VERY ruffled, huge lavender flowers on 3’ tall<br />
plants. Foliage is very thick, maple-shaped, and offers a very<br />
bushy and full look.<br />
‘Fireball’ Brilliant red flowers are similar to ‘Lord Baltimore’<br />
but the foliage has the same purplish cast as ‘Kopper King’.<br />
I’ve died and gone to heaven.<br />
‘Giant Maroon’ Just as it sounds, this is a completely new<br />
color that goes with everything in the late summer garden.<br />
‘Grenache’ Another great 2-3' plant from the Carafe series,<br />
this one has bright rose pink blooms.<br />
‘Kopper King’ White flowers with a red eye are beautiful--but<br />
the FOLIAGE---burgundy deeply-cut leaves make this<br />
plant a MUST-HAVE for the summer garden.<br />
‘Lady Baltimore’ Pink with a red center.<br />
‘Lord Baltimore’ Brilliant rich red. This is still one of my<br />
favorite choices to jazz up the late summer garden. Somehow,<br />
the deep red just makes everything dance.<br />
‘Old Yella’ Very unusual form. The buds are a soft, pale<br />
yellow. The flowers open up to a creamy white with a pink<br />
center. A narrow, upright conical habit to 3-1/2’.<br />
‘Pink Champagne’ Huge blush-pink flowers with a darker<br />
rosy red eye.<br />
‘Plum Crazy’ A wonderful patented variety with huge purple<br />
flowers, darker veins and---yes---purple foliage. It keeps<br />
getting better, all these purple-leaved hybrids.<br />
‘Sweet Caroline’ Pale pink with darker veins and an even<br />
darker eyezone. Ruffled edges.<br />
‘White Beauty’ White flowers with a red center. Combine<br />
with burgundy Sedums or red Helenium for a marriage made<br />
in heaven.<br />
Hosta PLANTAIN LILY<br />
Hostas are the ultimate shade plant and the ultimate foliage plant. We<br />
carry many rare varieties for the collector. Featured are white blooming<br />
and fragrant cultivars, as well as some tidy dwarfs, strikingly colorful<br />
variegated varieties, and the "giants" in either leaf or flower stalks.<br />
‘Big Daddy’ Corrugated blue foliage forms large mounds 25"<br />
tall, will spread 3’ or more. White July flowers.<br />
‘Blue Angel’ Gigantic blue leaves, heavily-textured, form<br />
enormous 40" tall clumps; very tall white flowers, my grower<br />
claims it’s "bigger than Big Mama."<br />
‘Blue Dimples’ A blue dwarf with thick, slug-resistant, wavy,<br />
oblong leaves, forms a mound 15" tall. Pale lavender flowers in<br />
July. Excellent front of the border edger.<br />
‘Blue Mouse Ears’ Aptly named, this plant forms a perfect, tidy<br />
clump of waxy blue leaves only 6" tall. Short spikes of lavender<br />
summer flowers.<br />
‘Brim Cup’ Deep dark green heart shaped leaves with bright<br />
creamy white edges; foliage is slightly cupped. Grows 14" tall<br />
and approx. 40" wide. Flowers are almost white, 20" tall in late<br />
June. Try this in shady containers. It glows.<br />
‘Cascades’ I love ‘Jade Cascade’- this is a variegated plant of the<br />
same style. Upright growing mound; deep green leaves with<br />
white centers cascade over at the tips. Flowers are pure white.<br />
‘Chartreuse Wiggles’ An adorable golden dwarf with wavy<br />
leaves, 12" tall. Flowers are white and purple striped.<br />
‘Cherry Berry’ Linear leaves are creamy white edged dark<br />
green; the leaf petioles are red. Purple flowers have red flower<br />
stems. A stunning medium-sized plant, fabulous foliage accent<br />
with endless possibilities for creative combinations.<br />
‘Diana Remembered’ This is a stunning hybrid from the late<br />
summer bloomer H. plantaginea. Large, flaring, powerfully<br />
gardenia-scented flowers on 2’ stalks will knock you out. Foliage<br />
is shiny, a dark blue-green, with a wide and showy creamy<br />
white border. Grows 15" tall and 2-3’ wide. Tolerates sun or<br />
shade.<br />
‘Earth Angel’ I love Blue Angel, a giant blue-leaved form. This<br />
is a sport from that wonderful variety with huge blue-green<br />
leaves edged in creamy white. Flowers are also creamy white. It<br />
will grow 30" tall and spread to 4’ wide! Give this specimen<br />
plenty of room!<br />
‘El Nino’ Another sport of 'Halcyon', one of my absolute<br />
favorite and slug resistant hostas. Foliage is a nice blue with a<br />
bright white edge; same waxy, thick substance. Flaring flowers<br />
of lavender blue in mid-summer. Can reach 20" tall and 3' wide.<br />
‘Fire and Ice’ "Flashy" is how this is described---deep dark<br />
green edges, pure white centers, the leaves simply glow.<br />
Lavender flowers.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 35
‘Fire Island’ Brilliant yellow leaves, red petioles and a red flush<br />
extending up into the leaf really makes this foliage accent plant<br />
stand out. Color is brightest in the cool spring weather.<br />
‘Fireworks’ An excellent miniature, perfect for shady troughs or<br />
smaller gardens. Upright, narrow white and deep green foliage<br />
only 8-10" tall.<br />
‘First Frost’ Once I heard this<br />
was a creamy yellow variegated<br />
sport of Halcyon, I had to have it.<br />
12" tall, creamy white flowers, a<br />
real classy dwarf hosta. VERY<br />
limited.<br />
‘Fragrant Blue’ One of the few<br />
blue hostas with fragrant flowers.<br />
Growing 12" wide and 8" tall, the<br />
pale lavender, almost blue<br />
flowers will fill your garden with<br />
their subtle perfume.<br />
‘Fried Bananas’ I fell in love with<br />
this during a fall nursery tour<br />
when it was still in bloom in<br />
Fragrant Hostas<br />
Diana Remembered<br />
Fragrant Blue<br />
Fried Bananas<br />
Guacamole<br />
plantaginae<br />
plantaginae ‘Aphrodite’<br />
plantaginae ‘Venus’<br />
Royal Standard<br />
So Sweet<br />
Stained Glass<br />
Summer Fragrance<br />
White Trumphator<br />
September. I should have guessed that it is related to that other<br />
late, fragrant bloomer ‘Guacamole’. The foliage is glowing<br />
chartreuse yellow with a thick substance. Fast growing, reaching<br />
24" tall by at least 4’ wide in a few years. Flowers are large,<br />
showy, and flaring, almost pure white. I will work this into<br />
many of my gardens.<br />
‘Gingko Craig’ The ideal edging plant. Tidy mound of narrow<br />
foliage is edged in pure white. Grows 14" tall. Flowers bloom in<br />
late summer, purple with subtle stripes and a white throat.<br />
‘Golden Tiara’ One of the prettiest small-sized variegated<br />
hostas. 15" tall, 20" wide, the neat green foliage is edged with a<br />
nice chartreuse border that glows in the shade.<br />
‘Guacamole’ This plant really impresses me. Fragrant flowers,<br />
huge, almost white, blooming in August and Sept. (maybe<br />
beyond ) Chartreuse foliage with wide green edge---bold and<br />
beautiful. Can grow 2’ in diameter.<br />
‘Halcyon’ Small blue-green leaves, 15" near-white flowers, a<br />
good semi-dwarf edger, mainstay of our shade garden. Slug<br />
resistant.<br />
‘Hope’ I am starting to carry a lot more miniature hostas, as I<br />
am suddenly enamored of the idea of planting up trough<br />
gardens for shady nooks. This little guy grows a mere 5" tall,<br />
spreads only 8" wide. The purple flowers have white stripes and<br />
reach 11" tall.<br />
‘Jade Cascade’ In the fall of 2002 I visited John O’Brien’s hosta<br />
nursery and learned a LOT. This stood out as a different form--long,<br />
LINEAR leaves with ruffled edges reach straight up, a la<br />
‘Krossa Regal’, giving a vertical accent; they then cascade over at<br />
the tips. Foliage is deep, rich glossy green, reaching 32" high.<br />
Now this is planted in the <strong>Natureworks</strong> newly-redesigned front<br />
foundation planting.<br />
‘Jimmy Crack Corn’ Gorgeous wavy, golden foliage, 18-24" tall.<br />
June flowers are almost white.<br />
‘June’ This is a sport of one of my absolute favorites, ‘Halcyon’.<br />
Same thick substance, same blue powdery blue underpinnings to<br />
the leaves BUT they are splashed with creamy white centers and<br />
markings which gradually evolve to become chartreuse as<br />
summer progresses. Grows 3’ wide; violet early summer flowers<br />
20" tall. This plant is all the rage in England.<br />
‘Krossa Regale’ This plant has a distinctive 36" tall upright vaseshaped<br />
habit, making it very slug-resistant. The foliage is frosty<br />
gray-blue color. The flowers are soft lavender, soaring 5-6’(!!)<br />
above the leaves. Great cut flowers.<br />
‘Lakeside Elfin Fire’ Another miniature with showy petite<br />
foliage. White with a deep green edge and interesting green<br />
speckled markings. Petioles are red at base; flowers are dark<br />
purple, 12" tall in June/July. Jazz up a shady trough with this<br />
beauty!<br />
‘Lakeside Zinger’ Cute 6-10" tall dwarf form, good edger,<br />
excellent in a shade container. Oval leaves, green with cream<br />
margins and unique speckling.<br />
lancifolia ‘Louisa’ This has always been my favorite miniature.<br />
Linear leaves, pure white and green, are topped with white<br />
flowers in late summer. Give this is a special spot where it can be<br />
appreciated up close---it’s a sweetie! Limited.<br />
‘Lemon Lime’ It was love at first site in the fall of 2005 when I<br />
wandered upon this adorable miniature with wavy, chartreuse,<br />
linear foliage and the cutest purple flowers that flare open and<br />
back. The plant grows 12-15" tall. July flowers reach 15-2" in<br />
height and will most likely rebloom in the fall.<br />
‘Liberty’ Thick, dramatic leaves with a wide yellow margin that<br />
fades to cream; lavender flowers 15" tall. This plant is all about<br />
texture.<br />
‘Mohegan’ An old Connecticut variety that is being<br />
reintroduced to the trade. July flowers are white on very short<br />
stems, almost resting on the foliage. Very different.<br />
‘Northern Exposure’ My suppliers asked...why aren't you<br />
carrying this hosta?! A sport of H. sieboldiana 'Elegans', the<br />
enormous blue-green leaves have creamy yellow margins. Can<br />
reach 3' tall and wide.<br />
‘Orange Marmalade’ A patented hybrid, a sport of Paul's Glory,<br />
with a bright gold center and a wide blue green margin.<br />
Lavender flowers 20" tall are an afterthought to the stunning<br />
foliage.<br />
‘Pandoras Box’ This plant just may hold the honor of being the<br />
smallest variegated hosta in existence. Tiny blue green leaves<br />
have a glowing white center. Diminutive sprays of delicate<br />
lavender flowers appear in mid-summer. Only 8" tall. Try this in<br />
a shady trough garden. Cute, cute, cute.<br />
‘Patriot’ I had to list this plant because it has the brightest,<br />
whitest, showiest variegation of them all. 24" tall by 50" wide at<br />
maturity. 30" lavender flowers in early August.<br />
‘Paul's Glory’ Another plant I HAD to carry. It just glows in any<br />
landscape with chartreuse/creamy foliage edged with blue.<br />
Yum! Reaches 2’ tall and at least 50" across in just a few years.<br />
Soft lavender flowers up to 40" tall. Use this as a specimen in<br />
your shade or partial sun garden. It will turn heads.<br />
plantaginea Green leaves, large, white very fragrant tubular<br />
flowers on 3‘ stalks in August; affectionately known in oldfashioned<br />
gardens as "the August lily." Flowers open at<br />
sundown and stay open until sundown of the following day.<br />
Fragrance is very strong at night, so locate near a screened porch<br />
or bedroom window.<br />
‘Aphrodite’ A double flowering form, same late bloom, same<br />
alluring sweet fragrance. Bred in China where it’s name is<br />
Yae-no-Maruba Tama-no-Kanzashi (!)<br />
Page 36 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
SLUG-RESISTANT HOSTAS<br />
Check it out! These hostas are quite slug-resistant<br />
due to either the thick waxy coating on their leaves<br />
or their vase-shaped habit. Try them and let us know<br />
if it proves true for you.<br />
‘Blue Dimples’ ‘Love Pat’<br />
‘Cascades’ ‘Regal Splendor’<br />
‘Halcyon’ ‘Sagae’<br />
‘Jade Cascade’ ‘Sum and Substance’<br />
‘June’ ‘Sunpower’<br />
‘Krossa Regal’ ‘Twilight’<br />
Slugs got you down? We offer a very effective slug<br />
repellant made of iron phosphate called Sluggo. It<br />
won’t hurt your pets or the birds– it’s perfectly safe<br />
to use. Also, try side dressing your hostas with used<br />
coffee grounds. The grounds stick to the slug’s slime<br />
coating, and... well, I don’t really care what happens,<br />
I just know it seems to help keep the population<br />
down. Maybe they just slither away really fast!<br />
‘Venus’ This is a sport of the already magnificent double<br />
flowering 'Aphrodite'. Twice double flowers (described by<br />
some as "triple layered") create an amazing flower form; can<br />
easily provide cut flowers for the house in the late summer<br />
and early fall. Fragrant and beautiful. Very limited.<br />
‘Queen of the Seas’ Large heart shaped blue leaves with a<br />
decorative wavy "piecrust" edge. Forms a large clump quickly,<br />
growing 32" tall. Lavender flowers in summer.<br />
‘Red October’ Rare and very showy. Leaf petioles and the base<br />
of each leaf are red; leaves are green, backside is silver. LATE<br />
blooming October flowers 2’ tall have reddish/purple flower<br />
stalks with lavender blossoms. Foliage grows 2’ wide, 12" tall.<br />
Very limited supply for this fall bloomer.<br />
‘Regal Splendor’ Upright vase-shaped growth habit; frosty blue<br />
green leaves edged with cream. 4 foot tall lavender flowers shoot<br />
high in the air in mid-summer for a little added drama.<br />
Remember---vase-shaped forms are very slug-resistant. THE<br />
2003 HOSTA OF THE YEAR!<br />
‘Royal Standard’ I thought this was basically the same plant as<br />
H. plantaginae, but I was wrong. This is the first patented hosta,<br />
developed by Wayside Gardens in 1963. It is a cross between H.<br />
plantaginae x H. sieboldiana. That tells you that the foliage has a<br />
very thick substance. According to the book The Hosta Finder,<br />
by Mark Zilis, "a mature clump . . . can produce more than 1000<br />
flowers during the 3-1/2 week flowering period." Wow! I have<br />
seen this, as this plant is always found in older gardens. The<br />
blossoms are large, flaring, pure white, and equally as fragrant<br />
as H. plantaginae on 36" stems. I guess I have to plant them both!<br />
Tolerates full shade or a half day of sun.<br />
‘Sagae’ Foliage is large, upright vase-shaped, heavily-textured<br />
blue and green with a creamy yellow margin. Flowers are pale<br />
lavender, up to 60" tall in July. Great for cutting and THE 2000<br />
HOSTA OF THE YEAR!<br />
‘Satisfaction’ Stunning is an adjective that I keep seeing<br />
describing this plant. A sport of 'Piedmont Gold', the yellow,<br />
pointed foliage has deep green centers. The gold bands can take<br />
up 1/3 of the entire leaf. Grows to 28" tall and 4' wide! Flowers<br />
are almost white, very attractive, mid-summer blooming.<br />
sieboldiana ‘Elegans’ This is the ultimate giant blue hosta.<br />
Corrugated, thick, dusty blue leaves can form a clump 5’ across<br />
in a few years. Short and full flower spikes of the palest<br />
lavender, almost white, have larger-than-average flowers.<br />
‘Frances Williams’ A hybrid form with gigantic blue foliage<br />
edged in cream, flowers are off-white. Plant can grow 3’ tall!<br />
‘Great Expectations’ This is a fabulous plant. A sport of the<br />
large, dramatic H. sieboldiana ‘Elegans’ so admired in our<br />
gardens. Blue green leaves have a bright golden yellow center<br />
in the spring which turns to almost white in the summer.<br />
Provide only dappled shade---morning sun is ideal. White 18"<br />
tall flowers in the summer.<br />
‘So Sweet’ Soft green foliage edged with creamy white; very<br />
fragrant white flowers in late summer. Beautiful variety and<br />
something to look foward to!<br />
‘Stained Glass’ A sport of Guacamole, with lovely golden<br />
yellow variegation and green veination inspiring its name. Same<br />
very fragrant near-white flowers in late summer fill the garden<br />
with their sweet scent. Leave room, this grows 15" tall but 3-4'<br />
wide!<br />
‘Stilleto’ Very rippled, narrow, wavy foliage of white and green<br />
forms a dense mound very quickly. Grows only 12" tall, spreads<br />
to 32" wide. August flowers are medium purple with white<br />
stripes, 25" tall.<br />
‘Sum and Substance’ Enormous foliage, chartreuse-green, thick<br />
and rounded, each leaf up to 2’ across, clumps may reach 6-9’ in<br />
diameter! Pale lavender flowers in summer. 30" tall. There is NO<br />
substitute for this hosta, it is absolutely the toughest plant. Our<br />
experience last year proved that it was very slug-resistant. The<br />
color really glows in the shade. I now use it in all my designs.<br />
‘Summer Fragrance’ If you are looking for sweet lilac fragrance<br />
in August, this plant will enchant you. My grower claims that<br />
you will smell this from 10’ away! Green foliage with a broad<br />
creamy white band, flowers are light purple with dark purple<br />
stripes, 30" tall. Avoid sun on this variety.<br />
‘Sunpower’ Upright vase-like habit with pointed foliage that is<br />
bright golden in color---really glows in partial shade. Tolerates<br />
half day of sun. 22" tall, 3’ wide clump is topped with 3’ spikes<br />
of light lavender in early summer.<br />
‘Sweet Tater Pie’ A descendent of ‘Golden Tiara’, this has thick,<br />
waxy (read slug-resistant) golden foliage. The flowers are an<br />
unusual star shape, light purple. Grows 12" tall, 2’ wide. A<br />
gorgeous specimen.<br />
‘The Hulk’ As you can imagine, this is one BIG hosta. Huge<br />
rounded green leaves can each be 12" across. The plant can grow<br />
to beocome 30-36" tall and 5-6 feet wide.<br />
‘Tom Schmid’ A sport of my favorite upright grower, Krossa<br />
Regal. Steely blue foliage, white edges, grows 36" tall.<br />
ventricosa ‘Aureo-marginata’ 40" tall really PURPLE flowers<br />
(striped with white, no less) are the trademark of this variety.<br />
Combine the colorful July blossoms with the showy creamy<br />
white and variegated bold foliage and you can see why this is a<br />
classic. Can reach up to 4’ across, 22" tall.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 37
venusta This is one of the smallest hostas---10" clump of deepest<br />
green heart-shaped foliage. Summer flowers are a nice deep<br />
purple, 12" tall. Absolutely charming. Adds color to the front of<br />
a shade garden just when you need it the most.<br />
‘White Triumphator’ New! A fabulous addition to our<br />
collection of fragrant hostas. Upright, vase-shaped habit with<br />
long, heart shaped green leaves. Pure white, extremely fragrant<br />
flowers grow on stalks up to 50" tall!<br />
x ‘Queen Josephine’ A specimen hosta with very shiny, thick<br />
green foliage edged in cream, turning almost white in late<br />
summer. Grows 17" tall, 4' wide. The glossy sheen really turns<br />
heads.<br />
‘Zounds’ Wow, what a color! Startling gold, very rippled leaves<br />
are still one of the brightest accent plants I know of for the shade<br />
garden. VERY slug-resistant. Grows 22" tall by at least 4’ wide.<br />
Flowers are pale lavender, 24" tall, but who cares---it’s the<br />
foliage you grow this one for!<br />
"When gardeners garden, it is not just<br />
plants that grow, but the gardeners<br />
themselves."<br />
- Ken Druse<br />
Houstonia BLUETS<br />
caerulea Tiny pale blue star-shaped flowers with a white heart<br />
that self-sow in many lawns in the spring. Great in troughs or<br />
for a naturalized ground cover, or plant directly into your lawn!<br />
Delicate and sweet.<br />
Hutchinsia<br />
alpina Described by the Stepables folks as looking like a<br />
flattened candytuft hugging the ground, this ground cover has<br />
teeny-tiny leaves and small white flowers in springtime. Hardy<br />
to zone 3, this sun lover will crawl between rocks in a walkway<br />
or a trough.<br />
Hydrocotyle PENNYWORT<br />
sibthorpioides Whew, what a mouthful for a ground hugging,<br />
diminutive Stepable. Variegated and scalloped leaves of cream<br />
and green cover the ground with a sweet carpet of foliage.<br />
Particularly good for damp spots in partial shade. Flowers are<br />
not significant, the foliage is the main event here.<br />
Hypericum ST. JOHNSWORT<br />
St. Johnswort is a workhorse in the summer garden. THIS PLANT IS<br />
NOT EATEN BY DEER.<br />
olympicum This is NOT a shrub, but instead a prostrate ground<br />
cover. The flowers are yellow with the same pronounced<br />
stamens. Very drought-tolerant for sun or dappled shade. Late<br />
May/June blooming.<br />
perforatum This plant is used as an herb for depression. Hardy<br />
to zone 3, it is not as showy as the garden-cultivated varieties<br />
but is included in all herbalist's gardens.<br />
reptans Ground cover reaching only a few inches tall. Same<br />
distinctive yellow flowers with the protruding, long stamens<br />
makes you realize it is related to the shrubs and the medicinal<br />
plant. Hugs the ground, summer-blooming, tolerates hot sun<br />
and difficult spots.<br />
Hyssopus<br />
officinalis This is a woody herb with<br />
green foliage forming a low sub-shrub.<br />
The flavor is strong, similar to<br />
marjoram/thyme, and it has been used as<br />
a cooking herb for centuries. I love it<br />
because it is a very easy-to-grow hedging<br />
plant with purplish blue flower spikes that<br />
are often mistaken for lavender and bloom<br />
for 4-5 weeks in the heat of the summer.<br />
Everyone asks about this plant on the<br />
garden walks.<br />
‘Roseus’ Same as above with pink<br />
flowers.<br />
offinalis ssp. aristatus Very deep, dark blue flower spikes on<br />
12" tall plants. A nice new compact form.<br />
Iberis CANDYTUFT<br />
Candytuft is a wonderful early spring bloomer with pure white flowers<br />
and glossy evergreen foliage. Prune only after blooming in late spring.<br />
Adds terrific foliage structure to the front of the garden.<br />
aurosica ‘Sweet Heart’ I didn't realize that there was a perennial<br />
pink candytuft. 6-10" tall, soft lavender pink flowers are really<br />
pretty in April.<br />
saxalis ‘Pygmy’ 1-2" tall miniature candytuft. Very tightgrowing,<br />
same white April/May flowers and evergreen foliage.<br />
sempervirens Wonderful evergreen perennial with huge white<br />
flowers. Grows 12" tall.<br />
‘Alexanders White’ Large white flowers, 10", fast-growing.<br />
‘Golden Candy’ Imagine a chartreuse evergreen foliage that<br />
anchors the border all year. Then imagine it tipped with pure<br />
white flowers in early spring. THEN, imagine it in<br />
combination with burgundy foliage plants. Grows 10" tall and<br />
12-15" wide in a compact form. This really stands out in the<br />
winter garden. Rare and not often available.<br />
‘Little Gem’ A very tight and tidy dwarf form.<br />
‘Purity’ A fine hybrid with pure white flowers over 8" tall<br />
compact evergreen plants.<br />
‘Snow Cushion’ Use this one for containers and rock gardens.<br />
Small, neat mounds of tiny oblong leaves and densely<br />
crowded corymbs of snow white flowers. 6".<br />
‘Snowflake’ Exceptionally large flowers over a 2 month<br />
period in spring.<br />
Inula ELCAMPANE<br />
From short to tall, Inula is a very interesting genus to know.<br />
ensifolia ‘Sunray’ Long-blooming, masses of yellow daisies on<br />
16" bushes, good edging plant, reliable all summer color.<br />
helenium A dramatic yellow daisy growing on stiff stalks to 5-6'<br />
tall. Flowers in the heat of the summer. Coarse, broad foliage.<br />
Primarily used in herbalists gardens; has been considered a<br />
healing herb for centuries. I love all drama queens and find it<br />
bold and interesting. Native to Europe.<br />
Page 38 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Iris<br />
cristata Crested Iris 4-6" SHADE TOLERANT, blue May flowers,<br />
a real gem of a wildflower for woodland garden.<br />
‘Eco Bluebird’ A new and much-improved hybrid of the<br />
woodland iris. Compact plants, yet very vigorous, reach 8-10"<br />
tall, flowers are blue with gold markings, very heavy<br />
bloomers. If you haven’t tried crested iris in your shade<br />
garden yet, WHY NOT?! It’s really wonderful.<br />
‘Navy Gem’ From stock collected from the famous Redfield<br />
garden in CT, this is a diminutive deep blue flowering form of<br />
our native crested iris. Grows 3-4" tall; place it where you will<br />
see it up close. Why not in a shady trough garden?<br />
‘Sky Blue Giant’ Developed in a CT nursery, the flowers on<br />
this selection are 4-5" across and very showy.<br />
‘Tennessee White’ Where have I been? I guessed I never<br />
thought of crested iris as white. But what a great plant to<br />
brighten up the woodland shade garden, especially in<br />
combination with painted ferns or dwarf hostas. Flowers are<br />
exceptionally large in diameter, and grow 6" tall.<br />
ensata<br />
(kaempferii) Japanese Iris I use these plants constantly in my designs<br />
because they take completely different conditions . . . moist acid soil and<br />
partial shade, making them ideal for the edge of woodland gardens,<br />
foundation plantings, and other places where the sun lovers won’t<br />
grow. They don’t NEED moisture, but they certainly can tolerate wet<br />
feet. Flowers are large and open, very ruffled, with delicate markings.<br />
Always admired when in bloom. Foliage stays nice all summer, thin<br />
and upright.<br />
‘Caprician Butterfly’ New! Huge double white flower with<br />
purple veins. Gorgeous, blowsy effect. 32" tall.<br />
‘Double Delight’ One of my favorite old-time bulb suppliers,<br />
who taught me a lot about this business, is now importing<br />
very rare Japanese irises from Japan. This is one of his choice<br />
selections, with 6-7" diameter double dark blue flowers on 28-<br />
30" stems that will knock your socks off.<br />
‘Gusto’ Double ruffled purple flowers with striking white<br />
centers. 3-4' tall.<br />
‘Imperial Magic’ Wow! Gorgeous bicolor of deep purple and<br />
white, 3' tall.<br />
‘Jocasta’ Another of John's Japanese imports, this is a rose<br />
flower with amazing ruffles, a dark edge and a blue halo.<br />
Huge flowers on 34" tall plants.<br />
‘Oriental Eyes’ Tri-color variety of blue, violet and yellow.<br />
Wow! Grows 34" tall.<br />
‘Periwinkle Pinwheel’ These plants are huge! I saw them in<br />
the field last fall, and couldn't believe the quality. Ruffled<br />
periwinkle blue blossoms on 26" tall stems. Another Japanese<br />
import, unique color selection.<br />
‘Rakka No Utage’ New! Rare double, very ruffled pink<br />
blossoms with a hint of pale lilac; yellow streaks on the falls,<br />
24" tall. Very limited.<br />
‘Royal Banner’ A real accent color, dark wine red, 36" tall.<br />
This will really turn heads . . . .<br />
‘Royal Robe’ Deep dark purple flowers, marked with yellow<br />
signals surrounded by white and even darker purple. A<br />
striking flower, 24-36" tall.<br />
‘Sensation’ Purple-red flowers with small yellow signals. A<br />
rich color! Grows 32" tall.<br />
‘Speckled Geisha’ 6-7" diameter flowers, white with amazing<br />
speckling of mulberry rose. 26-28" tall, another Japanese<br />
import selection.<br />
‘Variegata’ Foliage has white edge; wine-purple flowers in<br />
July, one of the very best foliage plants for part shade, also<br />
grows in sun. This is a <strong>Natureworks</strong> signature plant.<br />
germanica<br />
German or Bearded Iris Late May-blooming, blue-green foliage, needs<br />
sun and well-drained, alkaline soil. Each year we increase our selection<br />
to include some spectacular new varieties as well as many more repeat<br />
bloomers! Foliage provides excellent foliage accent in the garden all<br />
season long. A structural plant that is NOT EATEN BY DEER.<br />
‘Autumn Circus’ You guessed it, another new repeat bloomer!<br />
White standards and falls with violet edges, 34" tall.<br />
‘Batik’ Imagine the scenario, everyone tugging and fighting<br />
over the one plant we had of this---purple with tie-dye swirls<br />
of white, what a gorgeous flower. 2’ tall.<br />
‘Beverly Sills’ Incomparable soft peachy pink, much admired<br />
in our gardens, reserve early. May have a sporadic repeat<br />
bloom once established. Fragrant.<br />
‘Breakers’ Rich blue color; 37" strong stalks can each support<br />
8-10 flower buds. Ruffled petals. Repeat bloomer.<br />
‘Champagne Elegance’ A few years ago, this was the most<br />
sought-after iris we had. Year after year, it is the last to<br />
bloom---in late October! White with apricot/pink falls and of<br />
course it REBLOOMS!<br />
‘Chasing Rainbows’ A new, irresistible variety. Rich<br />
apricot/peach ruffled petals graced with lilac falls and deeper<br />
purple midribs. 35" stems. Award winner.<br />
‘China Dragon’ New! Great accent color to go with all of the<br />
June blooming purple campanulas---apricot orange with dark<br />
orange beards.<br />
‘City Lights’ A new rebloomer with deep violet blue flowers<br />
sprinkled with white, very ruffled. Grows 38" tall.<br />
‘Earl of Essex’ A REPEAT BLOOMER, white with orchid<br />
plicata, orchid falls, pale orange beards tinged violet.<br />
Absolutely breathtaking.<br />
‘Edith Woford’ This is in our rock garden and when in bloom,<br />
everyone wants her! Blue and yellow flowers, old-fashioned<br />
favorite. Very ruffled, 40" tall.<br />
‘Feedback’ FRAGRANT and reblooming---what more can you<br />
ask? 3’ tall blue-violet flowers.<br />
‘Gnus Flash’ Impossible to describe, impossible to pass up<br />
when you see these flowers... Purple and white streaked<br />
standards and falls, fuzzy yellow beard, 36" tall.<br />
‘Gypsy Romance’ A NEW deep, dark purple rebloomer.<br />
Grows 30" tall. Stunning.<br />
‘Harvest of Memories’ Another FRAGRANT REBLOOMER.<br />
Bright yellow blossoms 38" tall.<br />
‘Immortality’ This is still the best and most reliable repeat<br />
blooming bearded iris. Pure white, with enormous flowers<br />
reaching 29" high, this plant was unbelievable once again last<br />
fall, blooming for many weeks. It is simply a "must have"<br />
perennial for the sunny garden.<br />
‘Jurassic Park’ Award winning bicolor with soft creamy<br />
yellow ruffled standards, purple falls, silver beards. 36" tall.<br />
‘Mary Frances’ This has won many awards for its captivating<br />
beauty. Silvery lavender flowers are gigantic. 32” tall.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 39
REPEAT-BLOOMING IRISES<br />
These wonderful new hybrids bloom at iris time<br />
(in June) and again in late summer through the<br />
fall.<br />
German Irises:<br />
Autumn Circus<br />
Beverly Sills<br />
Breakers<br />
Champagne Elegance<br />
City Lights<br />
Earl of Essex<br />
Feedback<br />
Gypsy Romance<br />
Harvest of Memories<br />
Immortality<br />
Total Recall<br />
Siberian Iris: Welcome Return<br />
‘Savannah Sunset’ Huge 6" diameter flowers, orange petals<br />
with tangerine beards. High bud count on every 38" stem.<br />
‘Spin Out’ New! Purple flowers with black raspberry pink<br />
ruffled edges, 26" tall.<br />
‘Stairway to Heaven’ A gorgeous bicolor, medium blue with<br />
white standards, 34" tall. High bud count, very vigorous.<br />
‘Swingtown’ Deep, rich, purple-red with purple beards, very<br />
fragrant, 36" tall.<br />
‘Tennison Ridge’ A wonderful shade of grape/mulberry<br />
purple. White in the center, marked and streaked out to the<br />
ruffled edges of each petal. Very fragrant. 32" tall.<br />
‘Total Recall’ White falls bordered with a lemon edge.<br />
Another new repeat bloomer; 34" tall.<br />
louisiana ‘Charjoy Jan’ Folks have been asking me to carry<br />
Louisiana iris for a long time. June-blooming, the flowers are<br />
large and showy. They tolerate full sun and moist soil and reach<br />
20-30" in height. This variety is blue/purple with an exquisite,<br />
delicate yellow center.<br />
‘Kissie’ This variety is a very pretty pink with a golden center.<br />
pallida ‘Albo variegata’ A rare selection with pure white<br />
vertical stripes; looks great paired with other white flowers,<br />
cools off the summer heat with its excellent foliage.<br />
‘Variegata’ Green and cream variegated foliage with<br />
purple/blue flowers in June, an excellent foliage plant.<br />
pumila ‘Baby Blessed’ A beautiful soft, pale yellow flower<br />
reaching only 8-10" tall. Every reference I have read says it<br />
reblooms in the summer, but I will plant one in my own garden<br />
to be sure. I never knew Iris pumila could rebloom!<br />
‘Pastel Charm’ The leaves look like miniature bearded iris<br />
leaves. The flowers are good sized for a short plant and a rich,<br />
royal purple. Iris pumila blooms in mid-late May, combining<br />
well with Jacob’s ladder, Iberis, Geum, and dwarf bleeding<br />
hearts. Try something new this year!<br />
setosa var. artica Native to Alaska and Asia, this is a dwarf iris<br />
reaching 12" tall. Prefers full sun and fairly moist soil. June<br />
blooming soft blue flowers.<br />
sibirica<br />
Siberian Iris June-blooming, sun/part shade and average soil.<br />
‘Baby Sister’ The sweetest June bloomer for the front of the<br />
border, only 12" tall and very blue.<br />
‘Coronation Anthem’ One of the prettiest Siberian irises I've<br />
ever seen! Soft, clear blue flowers have ruffled edges; the<br />
signals are a creamy white with delicate blue venation. An<br />
award winner. 32" tall.<br />
‘Dear Diane’ Very ruffled flowers, purple with white edge.<br />
Grows 27" tall. Really beautiful new variety.<br />
‘Ego Super’ Soft clear blue bicolor, 3’.<br />
‘Ruffled Velvet’ A large-flowering, deep purple Siberian iris,<br />
28" tall. A classic to combine with peonies.<br />
‘Welcome Return’ WOW!!!! A repeat-blooming Siberian iris!<br />
Yes, you heard me right. Deep purple blossoms in June and in<br />
the fall. Grows to only 24" tall. Rarely available. If it is listed on<br />
the order form, reserve it NOW!<br />
versicolor Blue Flag Iris Grows in wet areas, native iris, 3’.<br />
‘Gerald Darby’ New! Flowers are a violet color, signals are<br />
striped with yellow, foliage has a purple tinge, 3' tall.<br />
Isotoma BLUE STAR CREEPER<br />
(formerly called Laurentia)<br />
fluvatilis This is the most popular Stepable that we sell.<br />
Ground-hugging mats of tiny leaves are covered with the<br />
sweetest blue star flowers in spring and early summer. Great<br />
between stepping stones or in rock gardens. It’s that blue color<br />
that make everyone want this adorable little plant. For sun or<br />
partial shade.<br />
Jasione SHEEP’S BIT<br />
laevis ‘Blaulicht’ Pretty blue, powder puff-shaped flowers on<br />
16" tall stems. Repeat blooms throughout the summer in full sun;<br />
excellent trough subject, especially if you are looking for blue<br />
flowers.<br />
Jeffersonia<br />
diphylla Twin leaved, lavender-pink flowers, 12-15".<br />
Kalimeris JAPANESE ASTER<br />
This is a real workhorse in the garden—nothing fancy, just a lovely<br />
white flower that is always in bloom! A great filler plant, adds a cottage<br />
garden, soft look to any border. When it slows down in flowering, give<br />
it a shearing back, feed with Sea Mix, and it will rebloom within weeks.<br />
incisa ‘Blue Star’ A new and exciting addition to this longblooming,<br />
easy-care genus. Single lavender-blue flowers on 24"<br />
plants offers the same long bloom time. Wow!<br />
integrifolia Single white daisy flowers---hundreds of them---on<br />
3’ tall plants. Foliage is delicate and narrow. A real garden<br />
workhorse.<br />
pinnatifida ‘Hortensis’ 3’ tall, with narrow serrated foliage. The<br />
plant is covered with thousands of tiny double white daisies all<br />
summer and fall. Often nicknamed "summer Boltonia."<br />
Page 40 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Kirengeshoma<br />
Yellow Waxbells<br />
If you have a shade garden and you haven’t grown this plant,<br />
get with the program. It is stately, dramatic, and so welcome<br />
with it’s late season flowers. The palmate leaves on large<br />
shrub-like bushes contrast with giant hostas and ferns. I<br />
grow ‘Casa Blanca’ lilies up through it. Provide soil highly<br />
enriched with compost and soak deeply once a week if we<br />
have a dry summer. Avoid full sun! Everyone asks about<br />
this plant in our demonstration gardens.<br />
Kirengeshoma<br />
koreana A rare variety introduced from Japan that blooms in<br />
August and Sept. with soft yellow flowers on 3-5’ upright stems.<br />
The flowers flare outward.<br />
palmata A great late-blooming shade plant; 3’ bushes with<br />
interesting lobed leaves, soft yellow dangling bells in September;<br />
this is one of the "Cadillacs" of shade plants. Allow at least 3 feet<br />
in diameter for this plant in the garden.<br />
Knautia<br />
Allow me to gush a moment . . . Knautia is an underused, fabulous<br />
perennial: starts blooming in June, goes until fall, self-sows, butterflies<br />
love it! Either regularly deadhead or better yet, cut entire stalks to the<br />
base from time to time; give it a second feeding in July to keep it going.<br />
A “must-have” plant for the sunny cottage garden.<br />
macedonica 12-15" stems with flowers of a striking maroonmagenta,<br />
blooms continuously from June until October!!<br />
Kniphofia RED HOT POKER<br />
These plants stop traffic (and almost cause<br />
accidents) when they are blooming in our<br />
garden by the road. Nothing is more striking<br />
and dramatic in July. They have excellent, deep<br />
green, strap-like foliage all season. Very<br />
popular in England, the hottest new varieties<br />
are finally becoming available here in the<br />
United States. In late fall, don’t cut the foliage<br />
down. Instead, gather it together with twine and lay it down in the<br />
garden for the winter. This keeps the water from running down the vshaped<br />
leaves and rotting the crown. In spring, cut the foliage to the<br />
base. These plants will then live for years!<br />
‘Bressingham Comet’ A vigorous variety with brilliant<br />
orange/red spikes 24" tall. Superior flower form.<br />
citrina Very different-soft lemon yellow flower spikes, 20" tall.<br />
Blooms late, starts in July and usually repeats in the fall. All the<br />
drama of red hot pokers but a subtler color.<br />
hybrida ‘Little Maid’ Unusual dwarf form, narrow creamy<br />
white flower spikes, 20" tall, July/August.<br />
‘Pfitzer Flame’ Bicolor orange and yellow spikes 30" tall. This is<br />
a very dramatic flower that turns heads.<br />
‘Shining Sceptre’ A Blooms of Bressingham introduction with<br />
showy apricot yellow flowers 4-5' tall. A mass of these will<br />
command your attention in the summer garden. Pair with<br />
purples to really make a statement!<br />
uvaria ‘Primrose Beauty’ Unusual late bloomer, Aug./Sept.,<br />
primrose-yellow flowers.<br />
Lamiastrum FALSE LAMIUM<br />
gaboebdolon ‘Hermans Pride’ Clump-forming shade plant<br />
with silver and green variegated foliage, small yellow flowers; 1-<br />
2’.<br />
Lamium DEAD NETTLES<br />
Great ground cover for shade or sun, spreads quickly, long-blooming,<br />
variegated foliage is semi-evergreen and really adds color to the garden<br />
year round. Shear back in midsummer, feed, and it will rebloom<br />
through late fall! Lamium is also a great addition to shady container<br />
planters, including window boxes.<br />
maculatum ‘Anne Greenway’ This variety just glows. The<br />
darling of the world of Lamiums has silver centers to the leaf,<br />
surrounded by a band of olive-green, surrounded by chartreuse<br />
leaf edges. Excellent in containers as well as in partially shaded<br />
gardens. Flowers are lavender spikes.<br />
‘Aureum’ Bright yellow leaves with silver spots, lavender<br />
flowers, must be in shade or it will burn. Really adds color and<br />
interest all season, order early.<br />
‘Orchid Frost’ This is a real beauty. It’s distinguishing<br />
characteristic are leaves with extreme silver markings in the<br />
center with blue green edges. Orchid pink flowers.<br />
‘Pink Pewter’ White and green colorful variegated foliage,<br />
with 6" tall good pink flowers on and off all season long!<br />
‘Shell Pink’ Clean pink flowers, not magenta, blooms all<br />
spring and summer into the fall!<br />
‘White Nancy’ White leaves edged green, white flowers.<br />
Lathyrus PERENNIAL SWEET PEA<br />
This is one of my top ten favorite shade plants. It<br />
has performed well for us under the trees in our<br />
deep shade garden—I absolutely love it.<br />
vernus Clump-forming, 10" tall, bright eyecatching<br />
magenta/purple pea-like flowers in<br />
April and May, something truly different.<br />
Prefers partial shade! Very limited. Reserve<br />
early.<br />
‘Rose Elf’ Soft pink flowers, very rare. Of course, I snagged<br />
one for my shady cottage garden the minute the first plant in<br />
the flat came into bloom--- it’s now been thriving in the roots<br />
of a hickory tree for years!<br />
Lavatera TREE MALLOW<br />
One of the longest-blooming summer flowers. Resembles hollyhocks but<br />
the foliage and habit are superior.<br />
‘Summer Kisses’ A Future Plants introduction, this is a<br />
Lavatera that is hardy to -20 degrees. June-early Septemer silky<br />
pink, cup shaped flowers on well branched, 3-5' compact plants.<br />
Lavatera has always been an excellent long bloomer; hardiness<br />
has been it's downfall. It's about time a zone 5 variety arrived!<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 41
Lavendula LAVENDER<br />
Lavenders need full sun, excellent drainage, a sweet soil, and some<br />
prefer winter protection. They are good fresh-cut or dried flowers,<br />
bloom almost all summer, and have attractive silvery-grey foliage all<br />
season long.<br />
angustifolia (vera) This is the straight species from whence<br />
most of the exciting hybrids come. This is totally hardy and the<br />
flowers are very long, to 2’, good for cutting.<br />
‘Blue Cushion’ A tight and tidy dwarf from Blooms of<br />
Bressingham with deep blue flowers on compact 15-18" plants.<br />
‘Hidecote’ Dwarf form, 12", probably the hardiest and most<br />
reliable. Deep purple flowers.<br />
‘Hidecote Giant’ Larger leaves, longer flowers, same excellent<br />
hardiness.<br />
‘Munstead’ A very compact and very hardy form of lavender,<br />
growing to 15" tall with deep purple flower spikes.<br />
x intermedia (Lavandin) This is the original hybrid, reputed to<br />
be a cross between L. angustifolia and L. latifolia. Long, narrow<br />
spikes are perfect for drying, growing 24" tall.<br />
‘Dilly Dilly’ I began incorporating this plant into my designs<br />
a few years ago and now it has become a mainstay. Hardier<br />
and more vigorous than straight intermedia, this forms a 12"<br />
high dense ball of foliage with tall, soaring lavender spikes<br />
that are perfect for cutting. Place it near the front of a sunny,<br />
dry border for a dramatic effect.<br />
‘Grosso’ Called "Lavandin" in Europe, this lavender is grown<br />
for its essential oil as the 2’ tall flowers are highly fragrant, fat<br />
and full of blossoms on long stems for harvesting. A strong allsummer<br />
bloomer.<br />
Leontopodium EDELWEISS<br />
alpinum Silvery-grey basal rosettes of attractive foliage,<br />
greyish-white long-lasting flower bracts, a true alpine.<br />
Leptinella BRASS BUTTONS<br />
potentillina A different form of brass buttons, with green<br />
ground hugging ferny foliage and soft yellow button flowers in<br />
spring.<br />
squalida ‘Platt's Black’ Foliage is deep purple, almost black,<br />
holding its unusual color all summer long.<br />
Leucanthemella<br />
serotina ‘Herbststern’ Experience a great LATE fall bloomer. 5’<br />
tall stalks topped with large white daisies from mid-October into<br />
November. Imagine this combined with perennial sunflowers<br />
and Aster tartaricus ‘Jindai’ in an autumn cottage garden. A new<br />
favorite of my crew.<br />
Leucanthemum CHRYSANTHEMUM<br />
‘Broadway Lights’ A new, patented hybrid from Proven<br />
Winners. Billed as the first "yellow" Shasta daisy, the flowers<br />
actually open a bright yellow, fade to creamy yellow, and then to<br />
white. Profuse blooms cover the plant in all three colors at the<br />
same time. Great cut flowers, 18-24" tall, mid-June through July.<br />
maximum ‘Highland Dream’ Excellent foliage (a la ‘Becky’) and<br />
the prettiest semi-double white flowers 4-5" across. Stems are<br />
stiff and straight to 36", making it a superior cut flowers.<br />
superbum ‘Aglaia’ I grew this plant years ago, and now I’ve<br />
discovered it again. There is no substitute for this unusual, semidouble,<br />
frilled and shaggy flower form. Much fuller than<br />
‘Snowdrift’ but not as rounded as ‘Summer Snowball’. Grows<br />
18-24" tall and is superb in fresh bouquets.<br />
‘Alaska’ Old-fashioned, long-stemmed, super-hardy variety<br />
for June/early July cut flowers. 30-36" tall single, large white<br />
daisies.<br />
‘Becky’ If you have to have ONE new perennial for your<br />
summer sun garden, pick ‘Becky’. She has a superior form<br />
with thick, rich glossy-green foliage that holds up well in<br />
summer. She blooms later than the old-fashioned Shasta<br />
daisies, starting in July and continuing until the end of August<br />
if deadheaded. Grows 40" tall with huge flowers for cutting.<br />
This is one of the best new plants to come along in years!<br />
‘Crazy Daisy’ I got hold of this plant in the spring of 2001 and<br />
really enjoyed watching it bloom. Flowers are very fringed<br />
and shaggy, 18-24" tall. Unusual form.<br />
‘Snowcap’ A superior dwarf, raised by tissue culture to assure<br />
uniformity. 12" tall with large white daisies. Great edger for<br />
the front of the border.<br />
‘Sonnenschein’ Meaning "sunshine" in German, this is a new<br />
pale lemon yellow Shasta daisy with large, 3-4" diameter<br />
single, double, and semi-double flowers on strong 30-36"<br />
stems. July blooming. Best color shows when flowers first<br />
open and if you can provide a bit of hot afternoon shade.<br />
‘Sunny Side Up’ Very showy golden yellow center, raised<br />
like an egg yolk!<br />
‘Switzerland’ Many of my customers request this hybrid--exceptionally<br />
large white daisies on sturdy 30" stems, a great<br />
performer in the garden. June to mid-July<br />
‘Wirral Pride’ This is a large white semi-double daisy with<br />
heavy white fringed inner petals surrounding a big yellow<br />
center. Long stems that are great for cutting form a clump to 3’<br />
tall. Very vigorous, profuse blooms in late June, July, into<br />
August. Thick, sturdy foliage.<br />
vulgare ‘May Queen’ Ox-Eye Daisy Late May-blooming<br />
"roadside" white daisy that spreads rapidly by self-sowing, 3’<br />
tall. Perfect for meadow mixes.<br />
Lewisia<br />
cotyledon Pink, orange or white flowers, low-growing alpine<br />
flowers are very beautiful and attract much attention!<br />
Liatris GAYFEATHER<br />
A great butterfly plant, meadow plant, or border plant providing<br />
vertical accent in mid-summer. Great cut flower too! Native.<br />
microcephala Very different. Clusters of thin, multi-branched,<br />
delicate spikes create a softer, less stiff look. Late blooming, from<br />
late August through the end of September. 12-15" tall. Soft<br />
magenta color. Great cut flower for smaller arrangements.<br />
punctata A late bloomer, August/Sept. with 20" magenta-purple<br />
flower spikes.<br />
pycnostachya ‘Eureka’ A wonderful new selection of this native<br />
species bred by the University of Nebraska. Thick bright<br />
Page 42 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
magenta flower spikes 5' tall are stately, making excellent cut<br />
flowers. August blooms continue for many weeks; exceptional<br />
long bloom period for this species.<br />
scariosa ‘White Spires’ Very unusual flower<br />
form, individual flowers are like fuzzy<br />
rounded buttons up and down 3-4' stalks.<br />
Native prairie plant offering August and<br />
September cut flowers for the sunny garden.<br />
spicata ‘Floristan Violet’ 3-4’ tall purple<br />
spikes, the classic cut flower.<br />
‘Kobold’ 2’ purple spikes, a wonderful<br />
dwarf variety.<br />
Ligularia<br />
Excellent foliage plants, broad and bold and<br />
striking. Flowering time ranges from July thru<br />
September. Must grow in shade and prefer a rich,<br />
moist soil.<br />
dentata ‘Marie Britt Crawford’ A<br />
showstopper. Deep, dark, rich<br />
burgundy/purple rounded foliage all<br />
season, topped by loose sprays of golden yellow daisies in<br />
August and early September. 40" tall. Match with burgundy leaf<br />
Cimicifugas and combine with the new red-stemmed painted<br />
ferns. Wow!<br />
stenocephala ‘Little Rocket’ Dwarf version of 'The Rocket',<br />
same clear yellow flowers, 20" tall spikes are almost black in<br />
color; blooms in July. Excellent vertical accent; needs afternoon<br />
shade and moist soil. A Future Plants introduction.<br />
‘The Rocket’ 4’ dark yellow dramatic spikes in July over<br />
broad, glossy foliage; moist soil, afternoon shade.<br />
tanguitica 4’ tall fine-textured clear, soft yellow, very feathery<br />
spikes in late September. Green deeply-cut foliage. Invasive,<br />
spreads fast.<br />
tussilaginea ‘Aureomaculata’ (a.k.a. Farfugium) This is a very<br />
fun tender perennial Ligularia relative. Huge rounded green<br />
leaves are spotted with yellow. It is fun and festive. I keep a<br />
plant in a pot in my shade garden and bring it in each fall. Very<br />
easy and interesting shade accent plant. Grows 24’ tall.<br />
Lilium<br />
Plant clusters of 3-5 lily plants between the<br />
crowns of the perennials and your garden will<br />
be much more colorful and fragrant in the<br />
summer. Asiatic Lilies are upright-facing and<br />
bloom in June. Pixie lilies are dwarfs, only 12-<br />
15” tall, and never need staking!<br />
asiatic ‘Black Jack’ New! Deep, dark red<br />
flowers on 2’ stems. Very high bud count.<br />
‘Laetitia’ Bright red flowers, 30" tall.<br />
‘Lollipop’ Lovely bicolor with white centers spotted pink; the<br />
tip of every petal is a broad band of showy rose. 20" tall.<br />
‘Monte Negro’ This is one of my favorite accent flowers.<br />
Brilliant red-orange, large clusters of blossoms on 3-4’ stems.<br />
Ideal to combine with purple Campanulas and Salvias.<br />
‘Ruby Pixie’ Cherry red flowers, 15" tall.<br />
auratum<br />
Auratum lilies are a species lilies with enormous, fragrant flowers on<br />
dramatic tall stems. They provided the breeding stock for today’s<br />
modern orientals; they remain one of the most beloved class of lilies in<br />
the garden.<br />
‘Gold Stripe’ White flowers with a wide gold band down the<br />
center of each petal. 30" tall.<br />
‘Hearts Desire’ An Auratum lily with enormous white<br />
fragrant flowers and a melon center. An old-fashioned variety<br />
growing to 4’ tall.<br />
L.A. Hybrid<br />
L.A. Hybrid lilies are a new cross of asiatic with Easter lilies (L.<br />
longiflorum). They are heavier, stronger plants, quite tall, with large<br />
trumpet flowers that bloom over an extended period.<br />
‘Algarve’ Gorgeous, huge pink flowers, 4’ tall.<br />
‘Royal Sunset’ The color of a stunning sunset--- dark pink,<br />
bleeding to red, with a yellow/orange center. This variety is<br />
lightly fragrant. 32-34" tall. A showstopper.<br />
Orienpet Lilies (Oriental-Trumpet crosses)<br />
Two highly fragrant lilies have been hybridized to create flowers of<br />
magnificent stature– exotic, waxy, trumpet flowers, petals recurved<br />
back to reveal a green star in the center. 3-4’ tall. Late July/August<br />
blooming.<br />
‘Avocado’ Flowers are the color of a Creamsicle popsicle and<br />
grow 30" tall.<br />
‘Conca D 'Or’ Creamy yellow flowers with a deeper yellow<br />
center. Each blossom can reach up to 10" across! 4’ tall.<br />
‘Gluhwein’ Deep rose-pink flowers, lighter pink edges to each<br />
petal. Flowers face upwards and are very fragrant. 3' tall.<br />
Oriental Lilies<br />
Oriental Lilies are late July and August<br />
bloomers with white, pink, burgundy, or rose<br />
colored flowers that are powerfully fragrant.<br />
‘Black Beauty’ Striking deep<br />
red/maroon down-facing flowers, 5-6’<br />
tall, much admired by our front door.<br />
‘Dolce Vita’ 4’ solid deep rich pink, very<br />
long-blooming. The fragrance just<br />
knocked me out last summer. Drop-dead<br />
gorgeous in combination with Echinacea.<br />
‘Little John’ A dwarf oriental lily that only reaches 15-18" tall.<br />
Soft cotton-candy pink, large fragrant flowers that bloom a lot<br />
earlier than most orientals, in late June.<br />
‘Mona Lisa’ 26" tall, a few weeks earlier than most orientals.<br />
Soft, baby pink flowers with wine spots, each petal has a soft<br />
yellow center. Lovely.<br />
‘Tropical’ Deep, rich ruby red, 4’ tall, very strong stems.<br />
tigrinum<br />
Tiger Lilies bloom in late July and August. They are fast-spreading as<br />
the little black beads in the crotches of the leaves drop and form<br />
bulblets.<br />
‘Rubrum’ Very similar to ‘Splendens’, a bit more red than<br />
orange. 4-5’ tall.<br />
‘Splendens’ 5-6’ stalks with orange-spotted flowers; great<br />
accent plant for summer gardens. No cottage garden is<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 43
complete without these mixed with blue hydrangeas. Very<br />
easy to establish, a butterfly magnet.<br />
If you are reading this catalog and you<br />
are NOT on our mailing list, you are missing out on:<br />
• Valuable information<br />
• Humor and garden talk<br />
• Sales and Special events<br />
Call us RIGHT NOW<br />
203-484-2748<br />
and put your name on the list.<br />
*Better yet, go to our website*<br />
naturework.com<br />
and sign up for our EMAIL mailing list.<br />
Then go back to<br />
STUDYING THIS CATALOG!<br />
Limonium SEA LAVENDER<br />
latifolium This is the sea lavender that grows in salt marshes<br />
(and that is illegal to pick in CT). Grow your own! Easy care for<br />
sunny spots, especially difficult areas where salt water floods the<br />
garden. 24-30" tall lavender sprays of flowers dry easily; basal<br />
rosette of leathery foliage. Place near the foreground of the<br />
garden.<br />
Linaria LINARIA<br />
Linarias are light, airy plants 2-3’ tall that bloom continuously from<br />
June through September. They resemble the wildflower “Butter and<br />
Eggs”, and are often thought of as mini-snapdragons. Needle-like blue<br />
green foliage. They self-sow readily and will reappear all over the<br />
garden! A cottage garden staple.<br />
aeruginea ‘Neon Lights’ We carried this vivid, exciting mixture<br />
of dwarf flax last year, but it didn't make the catalog. 6-8" tall,<br />
the flowers are an electric mix of neon bicolors. Everyone was<br />
snapping them up in the trough garden workshops. Long<br />
blooming, for 6-8 weeks in the spring, and repeating for the<br />
same length of time in the fall. Like all Linarias, but cut back<br />
when flowering stops to encourage a new, bushy plant.<br />
lobatus White toadflax is a sweet Stepable ground cover with<br />
leaves that look like scalloped shamrocks, white flowers that<br />
look like short, squished white snapdragons, more like a<br />
Nemesia of sorts. Spring blooming, only 2" tall.<br />
purpurea Purple flower spikes, 18-24" tall.<br />
‘Canon J. Went’ Pink flowers spikes, a rare variety, and a soft<br />
contrast with the silvery leaves.<br />
Linum FLAX<br />
flavum ‘Compactum’ I have always liked this oddball plant.<br />
Needle-like foliage is tipped by soft, buttery-yellow, waxy,<br />
shallow cup-shaped flowers; 8-12" tall. June/July bloomer for<br />
the front of the border. As with all Linums, shear back<br />
immediately after flowering for rebloom and foliage<br />
rejuvenation.<br />
perenne Blue flax, a classic old-fashioned garden flower. 14-16"<br />
tall needle-like foliage is topped by clear sky blue flowers to die<br />
for. Shear back after blooming.<br />
‘Nanum Sapphire’ 8-10" tall compact plants with the same<br />
lovely blue flowers.<br />
Lithodora<br />
Talk about fighting over a plant! The clear, intense, rich blue of this<br />
flower makes it irresistable! They sell out as soon as they hit the<br />
benches and everyone asks. If you want Lithodora, order it early.<br />
diffusa ‘Grace Ward’ This variety has rich colbalt blue flowers.<br />
‘Heavenly Blue’ 6" tall semi-evergreen woody sub-shrub,<br />
slow-growing ground cover with pure blue flowers. Prefers<br />
dappled sun, acid soil. May/June bloomer, often repeats in<br />
summer/fall. Does best in sheltered spot with evergreen<br />
boughs as a winter mulch. Prune and reshape each spring.<br />
Lobelia<br />
Lobelias are late summer bloomers, adding much-needed color in<br />
August. They will grow in shade and moist areas but will tolerate any<br />
enriched garden soil that is not allowed to dry out. Native. Tremendous<br />
hybridization is being done to increase the good garden varieties<br />
available. No shade garden should be without MANY of these varieties.<br />
Excellent hummingbird nectar flowers.<br />
cardinalis Native August-blooming 4-5’ tall red spike found<br />
growing in the woods, along the edges of streams. A magnet for<br />
hummingbirds in the late summer shade garden. A brilliant<br />
accent plant.<br />
‘Fan Cinnebar Pink’ 30" tall deep pink large flower spikes.<br />
‘Gladys Lindley’ The first creamy white hybrid, 4’ tall, a MUST<br />
to brighten late summer shade. I find this plant to be truly hardy<br />
and a long bloomer, 4-6 weeks, just when you need it most.<br />
Reserve, I will use many in designs!<br />
‘Grape Knee High’ Great variety with deep, rich purple<br />
flowers. A dwarf reaching only 22" tall, spikes are fat and thick.<br />
Good glossy foliage. Sterile—no self-seeding keeps the energy in<br />
the plant, making it a long-lasting, vigorous perennial.<br />
‘Ruby Slippers’ Super hardy, easy to grow, even in average<br />
soil. Dark velvety ruby red, great color for blending. 3’tall.<br />
siphilitica Very thick, fat, rounded blue spikes 2-3’ in<br />
July/August, moist shade. Self-sows readily.<br />
‘Sparkle Devine’ Deep cranberry red flowers, an ever so<br />
slightly different shade than ‘Ruby Slippers’.<br />
Lotus BIRD’S FOOT TREFOIL<br />
corniculatus ‘Pleniflorus’ A wonderful Stepable that spreads<br />
quickly. Small, dense green foliage is covered with double bright<br />
yellow flowers. Loves hot sun.<br />
Lupinus LUPINE<br />
Lupines need full sun, good drainage, and dislike being moved once<br />
established. Will self-sow if not deadheaded. The good Lupine plants<br />
sell out immediately in the spring so reserve yours now.<br />
Page 44 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
‘Gallery Blue’ The Gallery hybrids have dense, compact spikes<br />
15-18" tall. We carry the always-popular purple form. Reserve<br />
this plant; all purple lupines sell out.<br />
polyphyllus<br />
These are the 3-4’ tall lupines so much admired<br />
in Maine!<br />
‘Chandelier’ Pale yellow.<br />
‘Chatelaine’ Pink/white.<br />
‘My Castle’ A rich red.<br />
‘Noble Maiden’ Pure white.<br />
‘The Governor’ Bluish-purple spikes--sells<br />
out fast.<br />
‘The Pages’ This is a very different red from ‘My Castle’more<br />
of a deep coral/brick color.<br />
‘Tutti Frutti’ A patented hybrid bred for strong, thick flower<br />
stems. Flowers in a wide range of colors, including bicolors.<br />
How to Establish Lupines<br />
Lupines can be a devil to get going. An old time<br />
gardener shared her secret with me -she mixes up<br />
legume innoculant (sold on seed racks with peas and<br />
beans) with water and waters her lupines with this<br />
once a week for the first 4 -6 weeks after planting.<br />
I’ve tried this and it seems to help. Also, remember<br />
that Lupines HATE our CT summers and melt down.<br />
Cut back the yucky leaves and let them be-don’t<br />
overwater them. They will come back healthy and<br />
happy the following spring when the weather is cool.<br />
In Maine, where they grow wild on the side of the<br />
road, the highway crews MOW them in the summer!<br />
Lychnis<br />
arkwrightii ‘Orange Pygmy’ If you are looking for a good<br />
orange accent plant, this is it! The foliage has a purple cast that<br />
helps tone down the brilliant orange flowers. 12-15" tall.<br />
‘Vesuvius’ Brilliant reddish-orange flowers on 8-10" plants.<br />
chalcedonica A hummingbird magnet in June. Clusters of<br />
brilliant orange-red flowers on 24-30" stems create a fabulous<br />
accent flower--- combine with deep purple Campanulas.<br />
Deadhead and secondary flowers will continue for a few extra<br />
weeks.<br />
‘Carnea’ 2-3' tall brilliant orange red flowers in June.<br />
coronaria Old-fashioned, magenta-pink flowers, 24", silver<br />
foliage, self-sows, June and July, sun and GOOD drainage.<br />
‘Alba’ A cool combination---same silver foliage, pure white<br />
flowers.<br />
‘Angel's Blush’ Silver foliage and white flowers with a pale<br />
pink eye---delightful! This has seeded in all over our gardens.<br />
‘Gardeners World’ A Blooms of Bressingham hybrid with<br />
large clusters of double flowers that stand upright on strong<br />
stems 24" above the foliage and resemble miniature carnations;<br />
brilliant cerise-red color. The flowers are sterile, eliminating<br />
the self sowing of the species. Same attractive silver foliage.<br />
This plant will bloom 4-6 weeks.<br />
flos jovis nana ‘Peggy’ A great little alpine with brilliant cerise<br />
hot pink flowers, 10" tall, in May/July over silvery foliage. A<br />
good hummingbird plant.<br />
haageana Large clusters of flowers top 16-18" stems in June. The<br />
species offers a wide range of drop-dead gorgeous colors<br />
including rich orange, soft coral, peach, and red.<br />
Lysimachia<br />
congestiflora ‘Persian Chocolate’ A 2" tall, burgundy-leaved<br />
ground cover. In late spring, it is covered with soft yellow<br />
dangling bells, a wonderful contrast to the chocolate colored<br />
foliage. Spreads fairly fast, forming a 3' clump in a couple of<br />
years. Try weaving this into container gardens! Good for<br />
sun/part shade.<br />
japonica ‘Minutissima’ Teeny tiny leaves forming dense,<br />
creeping mats make this an ideal candidate for growing between<br />
stepping stones in a walkway. Try it in partial shade.<br />
nummularia ‘Aurea’ Yellow-leaved "Creeping Jenny" ground<br />
cover for moist semi-shade. I use this to layer the garden,<br />
weaving it into the edges, underplanting heucheras and dwarf<br />
hostas; a fabulous golden accent!<br />
punctata Circle Flower Invasive, easy to to grow, yellow flowers<br />
in whorls, 15-20", late May/June, sun/shade.<br />
‘Alexander’ Fabulous cream and green variegated, pink blush<br />
in spring and fall---gorgeous! Same clear yellow flowers. I feel<br />
this is one of the best new shade plants to arrive in years. I’ve<br />
grown it in my own garden---easy, drought-tolerant, not<br />
invasive, always interesting in three seasons.<br />
Macleaya PLUME POPPY<br />
cordata A true drama queen. 6-8’ tall plumes of airy white<br />
flowers in July and August over scalloped foliage. Self-sows.<br />
Adds an instant eye-catching mass to any large border.<br />
Malva MALLOW<br />
alcea ‘Fastigiata’ 4-5’ plants, pink flowers all summer.<br />
moschata Pink flowers on 3’ bushes all summer.<br />
‘Alba’ White flowers on 3‘ bushes all summer.<br />
Mazus<br />
I’ve begun to really use this plant a lot in my designs. It forms a dense<br />
mat quickly, great for covering ground. The flowers are quite unusual.<br />
Tolerates sun, shade, extreme conditions. Easy, easy, easy!!!<br />
reptans An indestructible creeping ground cover with lavender<br />
flowers in May and June; fast-growing, can be walked on.<br />
‘Alba’ A white form of the above.<br />
‘Purple’ A purple form of the above.<br />
Meehania CREEPING MINT<br />
cordata A wonderful shade ground cover growing 6-10" tall.<br />
Late May/early June blue flowers with spotted throats.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 45
Mentha<br />
Besides these ornamental forms, we also carry many varieties of<br />
culinary mints. Please visit our herb bench or inquire for specific<br />
varieties you are interested in.<br />
pulegium Pennyroyal is a creeping herb, excellent for partiallyshaded<br />
gardens; will grow between stepping stones. A minty<br />
herb that is a popular insect repellant.<br />
requienii Corsican Mint is a true delight! Totally prostrate mats<br />
of the sweetest-smelling mint, grows best if kept evenly moist in<br />
a partly shaded spot. Great between cracks of rocks, in step<br />
stones. Pet this plant, take a sniff, and you will have to have it!<br />
Mertensia VIRGINIA BLUE BELLS<br />
Mertensia is my favorite shade-tolerant spring<br />
wildflower. I can’t imagine any garden without<br />
it! It flies out of here once in bloom. Establish a<br />
stand of it in your woodland garden by<br />
reserving your plants early. NOTE: One of my<br />
favorite perennial suppliers put a new spin on<br />
summer-dormant plants for me . . . She said “I<br />
love spring-blooming plants that disappear<br />
after flowering because they give me room to<br />
layer!” After contemplating this, I realized that I agree. Our shady<br />
border has lots of Nicotianas, unusual Coleus, and Monarda<br />
‘Mahogany’ which take over when the Mertensia dies down. We just<br />
label it well!<br />
virginica Blue drooping bells on 2’ stems April and May, a great<br />
shade wildflower in combination with bulbs. A native plant.<br />
Mitchella PARTRIDGE BERRY<br />
repens This is a wonderful evergreen ground cover for shady<br />
woodland situations. A native plant, it has small, round leaves<br />
dotted with red berries in fall and winter. Do partridges eat the<br />
berries? Probably. I remember using these to make woodland<br />
terrariums as a kid. Slow-growing but ideal mixed with moss or<br />
along walkways and edges of shady beds.<br />
Monarda BEE BALM<br />
July-Aug, sun, moist, 3-5’ tall, invasive, edible flowers, hummingbird<br />
plants! Spray the plants with the oil/baking soda mixture (as described<br />
in the Phlox paniculata section) to totally prevent powdery mildew or<br />
better yet, purchase some of the new MILDEW-RESISTANT<br />
VARIETIES! Flowers are edible! Very deer-resistant.<br />
bradburiana Very unusual native species from the Ozark<br />
mountains. Blooms earlier than all others, in May-June and<br />
grows only 18" tall. The large flowers are lavender with<br />
distinctive purple spotting and very shaggy, making quite a<br />
display.<br />
‘Colrain Red’ 3’ tall plants topped with scarlet red flowers<br />
marked with a touch of yellow. The form is a bit more open, the<br />
bracts below the flowers are very colorful. Highly mildewresistant.<br />
My crew took note of this variety and asked me to<br />
stock it. They really like this color.<br />
‘Coral Reef’ This is a brand new color. I saw it in bloom in the<br />
fall and it really caught my eye. Not pink, definitely not orange,<br />
a good coral color that will "sing" together with blue balloon<br />
flowers or... I’m sure you can think of some great combinations.<br />
Grows 30" tall.<br />
‘Fireball’ A great dwarf, red flowers on 16" tall plants.<br />
‘Jacob Kline’ Enormous brilliant red flowers, fairly mildewresistant.<br />
This is the most amazing red bee balm I’ve seen yet.<br />
The flowers are gigantic, the color is brilliant; rip out all of the<br />
old-fashioned varieties and plant this one!<br />
‘Little Siberia’ Very different. Clusters of much smaller, clean<br />
pink flowers on 30" tall plants. This gives a totally unique effect.<br />
A chance seedling discovered in a Vermont nursery.<br />
‘Mahogany’ A deep wine red color! This plant is featured in our<br />
borders and blooms longer than any others, much admired.<br />
‘Marshall's Delight’ 4-5’ rose pink, most mildew-resistant pink.<br />
Unusual flower form with raised center, striking.<br />
‘On Parade’ Deep, dark, velvety deep maroon flowers are<br />
arranged in rows, symmetrically on the plant. 30" tall. July<br />
blooming. Excellent mildew resistance.<br />
‘Petite Wonder’ Teeny tiny . . . 9-12" tall front of the border<br />
plant, spreads to only 18" wide. Clear pink flowers in July. Good<br />
mildew resistance. I can think of lots of places where this frontof-the-border<br />
plant will be useful. Patented.<br />
punctata I love this plant. Unusual bracts in whorls up the stems<br />
are soft pink, spiny looking. Flowers are yellow with purple<br />
spots, in the heart of the bracts. Grows 3' tall, and is very<br />
different from any other bee balm you will see on our benches.<br />
Muehlenbeckia CREEPING WIRE VINE<br />
axillaris nana This is a very durable Stepable that grows only 2-<br />
4" tall and tolerates hot sun and difficult conditions. White fruits<br />
have black seeds. As they age, they become translucent and the<br />
berries look like little stars.<br />
Myosotis FORGET-ME-NOT<br />
Forget-me-nots prefer partial shade and moist soil, self-sow readily.<br />
These are the biennial forms, very delicate, great for underplanting<br />
bulbs. Irresistable in combination with pansies.<br />
alpestris ‘Rosea’ Soft and delicate pink flowers.<br />
‘Bobo White’ Soft clouds of white delicate flowers on 6-8"<br />
plants. Spring-blooming.<br />
sylvatica ‘Victoria Blue’ Excellent variety featuring true blue<br />
flowers on rounded, 8" tall, compact plants. Will self sow freely;<br />
a biennial.<br />
Myrrhis SWEET CICILY<br />
odorata I now use this plant in many of my shade designs.<br />
Finely-dissected lacy foliage is topped with white umbel flowers.<br />
The look is very delicate. It is an aromatic herb, popularized by<br />
interweaving with hostas at Hillside Gardens. Try it in your<br />
shade garden! (I combined it with Hosta ‘Sum and Substance’ in<br />
mine.)<br />
Nepeta CATMINT<br />
Nepeta are very drought- and heat-tolerant; they bloom heavily in late<br />
May, June and July. Then, cut them back and feed them and they will<br />
repeat bloom in fall. Very easy to grow. Because DEER WON’T EAT<br />
THEM, I am thrilled to see so many new varieties to add diversity to<br />
the sunny garden in deer country.<br />
Page 46 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
mussini<br />
(a.k.a. faassenii) Silver foliage, lavender-blue flowers May-Sept.<br />
‘Blue Wonder’ Larger flowers and foliage than the species,<br />
15".<br />
‘Kit Kat’ A super-compact, dwarf form growing only 15" tall.<br />
Short, dense flower spikes of purplish-blue. Excellent choice to<br />
tidy up the front of a perennial border.<br />
‘Six Hills Giant’ 2-3’ plants with larger foliage and flowers<br />
than the species. A good weaver.<br />
‘Walker's Low’ An exceptional variety introduced from<br />
Europe. Grows only 18-24" tall, forms a billowing mound of<br />
flowers. Foliage is gray-green, flowers are soft lavender blue.<br />
Same all-season bloom period. The Perennial Plant of the Year<br />
for <strong>2007</strong>.<br />
racemosa ‘Little Titch’ A fabulous true dwarf that is very<br />
popular in England. Growing only 6-10" tall with bright blue<br />
flowers. Blooms June thru fall if spent flowers are sheared back.<br />
Excellent anchor for border edging.<br />
subsessilis 15" tall spikes are thick and showy; each spike is<br />
covered top to bottom with 2" long, deep bluish/purple flowers!<br />
A late spring/early summer garden delight that I find myself<br />
using in many sunny borders I design.<br />
<br />
Nepeta subsesslis<br />
If you are looking for an easy-care plant that deer don’t<br />
eat, check this species out. Unlike its cousins, Nepeta<br />
subsessilis has thick and showy upright spikes. It makes a<br />
real statement, is not rangy, and will keep on blooming<br />
if you deadhead it. Great for the second layer back in a<br />
sunny border. I use it a LOT in my designs; most people<br />
don’t know it’s a Nepeta when they first see it.<br />
‘Sweet Dreams’ Soft pink flowers, 30" tall.<br />
Nipponanthemum CHRYSANTHEMUM<br />
nipponicum Montauk Daisies are 3-4’ bushes with thick green<br />
leaves and large white daisies in Sept./Oct.; substantial foliage<br />
all season. Cut plants back to 12" and remove any old wood in<br />
early spring; in June, pinch back hard again for compact<br />
growth.Totally deer proof, tolerates drought, salt water flooding<br />
to the roots and severe salt winds.<br />
Oenothera EVENING PRIMROSE<br />
berlandier ‘Siskiyou’ Pink blossoms all summer on compact,<br />
low-growing plants; self sows readily.<br />
fremontii ‘Lemon Silver’ Enormous, thin (like tissue paper)<br />
clear lemon yellow flowers over ground-hugging silvery lanceshaped<br />
foliage, grows 6" tall, blooms in the day time. Longblooming,<br />
June thru Sept. Great color, excellent for rockeries or<br />
hillsides. Clump-forming, not invasive. A native plant. Needs<br />
good drainage and NO automatic watering systems please!<br />
fruticosa ssp. glauca An old-fashioned form with red flower<br />
buds opening to large sunny yellow flowers. Grows 24" tall, June<br />
blooming.<br />
ssp. Spring Gold Whew, what a name. Let me simplify this<br />
and tell you it’s a green and white VARIEGATED evening<br />
primrose. Yes! Golden yellow buttercup flowers in June.<br />
Spring and fall foliage gets a pink tinge, just like Lysmachia<br />
‘Alexander’. 15" tall. Needs full sun and good drainage.<br />
ssp. youngii Mexican evening primrose grows 2' tall and has<br />
large, buttery yellow flowers over long, narrow foliage.<br />
glazoviana ‘Tina James’ This is an amazing biennial form of<br />
evening primrose that all of us at <strong>Natureworks</strong> affectionately call<br />
POPPERS! The enormous yellow flowers open right before your<br />
eyes at sunset. It is fun to sit and wait for them; as soon as they<br />
start to unfold, it only takes a few seconds for them to "pop". It is<br />
such a cool thing, that Tina James, the writer, used to have<br />
popper parties. Now we all do it. The first year plants are a<br />
boring rosette of green leaves. It isn't till the second year that<br />
they produce 3-6' tall flower stalks, which by the end of the<br />
summer, are literally clothed in flowers. Leave the flowers to set<br />
seed, let the seed drop, and you will have hundreds of plants the<br />
following year. This plant is just so much fun to share with<br />
children, neighbors, and anyone who has never actually seen a<br />
flower open before.<br />
‘Lemon Drop’ I received a large shipment of this plant in midsummer<br />
of 2005. It is an award winner in the Proven Winners<br />
line. I was quite impressed. Erect 12" shrubs with thin, linear<br />
leaves are covered with typical yellow evening primrose flowers<br />
for most of the summer. I tried cutting some back, and they<br />
rebloomed. A good filler, great to clothe the bottom of taller<br />
plants with bad "legs"; also a nice addition to container gardens.<br />
macrocarpa It took me all summer to find out the name of this<br />
very old-fashioned species that I found growing in the garden of<br />
my new home. Gigantic lemon yellow flowers continue to open<br />
from June through the end of the fall. Prostrate and spreading<br />
with long, linear green leaves. I figured out what it was, found a<br />
source, and now can offer it to you. Much more vigorous than O.<br />
fremontii ‘Lemon Silver’, yet somewhat similar in form.<br />
‘Silver Wings’ A new form of my favorite evening primrose.<br />
Giant clear yellow flowers emerge from very narrow, linear<br />
foliage and reach only 4-6" tall. Be sure to provide sandy, well<br />
drained soil.<br />
ssp. incana This subspecies has a silvery foliage and huge<br />
lemon yellow flowers that open late in the day and stay open<br />
all night. Called Bigfruit Evening Primrose because the seed<br />
pods are large and visible as the summer progresses.<br />
tetragona ‘Fireworks’ Cheerful, sunny clear yellow flowers on<br />
18" plants in June. Invasive. Tolerates sun and SHADE. Easy to<br />
grow. This plant will even grow well with tree root competition.<br />
Omphalodes<br />
cappadocica ‘Parisian Skies’ Rich azure-blue flowers growing<br />
on rounded bushes only 5" tall. May-early June blooming. Loves<br />
filtered shade, an excellent woodland plant. Combine it with<br />
Corydalis lutea for an unbeatable spring garden.<br />
‘Starry Eyes’ A great shade plant resembling forget-me-not.<br />
Rounded, broad lance-shaped foliage covered with clouds of<br />
soft lilac blue flowers with light centers. Blooms all spring.<br />
Zone 6.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 47
Opuntia PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS<br />
humifusa A hardy cactus! Yellow flowers<br />
and red edible fruit, needs full sun and<br />
excellent drainage.<br />
Origanum OREGANO<br />
There are many outstanding ornamental oreganos that deserve a place<br />
in perennial gardens. They have excellent foliage, are sun- and<br />
drought-tolerant, and have fantastic flowers which dry well. One of the<br />
best butterfly nectar flowers. We of course will also carry many<br />
oreganos for culinary purposes and these are all edible as well,<br />
including the delicious flowers! Not eaten by deer.<br />
laevigatum ‘Herrenhausen’ 30" stems with dark greenish<br />
purple foliage and lavender-pink showy flowers in late summer.<br />
‘Hopley's Purple’ 18", stems, leaves, and flower bracts all<br />
have a deep wine purple cast. Very long- and late-blooming.<br />
Great foliage anchor.<br />
onites ‘Thumbles’ (Aureum) Startling golden foliage, lavender<br />
flowers. I use this plant constantly to add a glow to the edge of<br />
sun-dappled shade gardens in deer country. Zone 6.<br />
rotundifolium ‘Kent Beauty’ This is a very unusual ornamental<br />
oregano with oval blue foliage and long bracts of pinkish<br />
flowers all during the late summer and early fall. I have had this<br />
in a very dry spot in my own garden and everyone always asks<br />
about it---very unique. Limited.<br />
Orostachys<br />
fimbriata Tall stacks of gray succulent foliage erupt from basal<br />
rosettes and bloom in autumn. I will say no more-it’s just plain<br />
weird and wonderful. Of course, they were snapped up by my<br />
crew if that tells you anything…<br />
furusei Very interesting grey succulent rosettes that send out<br />
runners to form babies, similar to hens and chicks; 4" tall.<br />
iwarenge A really neat succulent with fleshy silvery foliage in<br />
rounded whorls; yellow flowers in summer. Great for troughs or<br />
crevices in rock gardens.<br />
spinosa New and very unusual. This succulent plant resembles<br />
a spiny hens and chicks, with a new twist.<br />
Oxalis SHAMROCK PLANT<br />
crassipes ‘Garden Hardy Pink’ This is a perennial shamrock<br />
plant! Green foliage topped with 5-8" tall pink flowers. The<br />
breeders claim that because this plant is sterile and produces no<br />
seed, it constantly blooms all summer long. Grow in sun or<br />
partial shade; great in containers.<br />
Pachysandra SPURGE<br />
procumbens This is our native pachysandra and it is nothing<br />
like the boring evergreen groundcover you know. Foliage is<br />
large matte green, very deeply cut, and mottled silver---when I<br />
first saw it I had no idea what it was! White flowers in<br />
April/May are 12" tall. But it’s the leaves you grow this for.<br />
Herbaceous. NOT an aggressive spreader, this clumping plant<br />
needs moist soil high in organic matter and shade. If you plant<br />
this in the foreground of a shade garden or along a path,<br />
everyone will ask about it.<br />
Paeonia PEONY<br />
We are proud to offer an outstanding selection<br />
of fine Peony varieties. Contrary to popular<br />
belief, Peonies can be planted in the spring as<br />
long as they are in containers. Our plants will<br />
most likely bloom within two years. Never use<br />
manure with peonies. Plant in 6 hours of full<br />
sun. Allow a three foot diameter circle for each<br />
plant, even if it takes a few years to reach that<br />
size (you can fill the space temporarily with annuals). Put peony hoops<br />
on early to support them. (Single Peonies are much lighter-weight and<br />
do not flop like the doubles.)<br />
hybrid ‘Early Scout’ Rare cut leaf form, a P. tenuifolia hybrid.<br />
Deep dark red single flowers. Reaches only 18-24" tall, blooms 1-<br />
2 weeks earlier than the others, in late May. Very limited,<br />
reserve.<br />
lactiflora<br />
June-blooming, standard old-fashioned varieties:<br />
‘Bowl of Beauty’ Non-floppy single clear pink with a frilly<br />
center. Softly fragrant, 24" tall.<br />
‘Buckeye Belle’ Semi-double deep maroon flowers.<br />
‘Coral Fay’ A rich and wonderful clear coral pink, semidouble,<br />
30" tall. Foliage is finely-cut and unusual (it has P.<br />
tenuifolia blood from the fern leaf peony). I love this plant! It<br />
truly stands out in my cottage garden.<br />
‘Doreen’ Deep rich pink singe flowers, very showy fringed<br />
yellow center. 30-40" tall.<br />
‘Henry Bockstoce’ Very fragrant, very rich red double<br />
flowers, an old fashioned variety first introduced in 1955.<br />
Grows 28" tall.<br />
‘Honey Gold’ Pure white with raised yellow stamens,<br />
incredible sweet fragrance. Single flower form. This variety is<br />
very hard to get. Reserve, supply very limited.<br />
‘Kansas’ Double carmine-red, very fragrant, 32".<br />
‘Lillian Gumm’ From our heirloom collection. Blowsy, huge<br />
soft double pink flowers, 28" tall. Very fragrant, with a hint of<br />
lemon; introduced in 1922.<br />
‘Monsieur Martin Cahuzac’ Introduced in 1899, this is a<br />
classic double rosy-red fragrant double flower. 3' tall, one of<br />
the most popular cutting varieties for over a century.<br />
‘Nancy Nora’ Recently introduced from Europe, this has<br />
billowing soft pink double flowers with a scent reminiscent of<br />
rose geranium leaves. Nice strong stems.<br />
‘Paula Fay’ Brilliant hot pink flowers, semi-double. A gold<br />
medal winner growing 34" tall.<br />
‘Pink Jazz’ Brilliant, dazzling hot pink flowers with an<br />
intoxicating, powerful fragrance, on 32" plants. Blooms in late<br />
June. This is an intense accent color.<br />
‘President Roosevelt’ If you are looking for fragrance, this is<br />
the peony for you. Deep, rich scent and enormous cherry red<br />
double flowers, 32" tall.<br />
‘Prince of Darkness’ Deep dark maroon flowers; double with<br />
a bit of center showing. Introduced in 1907. What a golden age<br />
of gardening that must have been! 30" tall.<br />
‘Raspberry Sundae’ Very fragrant bicolor, 34" tall. The center<br />
looks like a dollop of pure whipped cream surrounded by<br />
fluffy petals of varying degrees of pink and raspberry. Delicate<br />
and lovely.<br />
Page 48 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
‘Red Charm’ Very rare true, deep, rich red without a hint of<br />
blue in the color. Combine with royal purple irises. Supply<br />
limited, reserve.<br />
‘Scarlett O Hara’ Brilliant single scarlet red flowers with a<br />
yellow center. 36" tall, doesn’t flop.<br />
‘Sorbet’ A new, beautiful white and pink bicolor.<br />
‘Walter Faxon’ From our heirloom collection. Very pretty soft<br />
pink double with a light fragrance. Introduced in 1904.<br />
officinalis ‘Mollis’ Earlier-blooming, right around Memorial<br />
Day. This variety has single soft pink flower with a yellow eye,<br />
20" tall.<br />
‘Rubra Plena’ Deep rosy red flowers, earlier-blooming, the<br />
"Memorial Day Peony", 2’.<br />
“Peonies, the Mae West of perennialssensuous,<br />
perfumed, and top heavy.”<br />
Richard W. Brown<br />
My Kind of Garden, 1997<br />
suffruticosa<br />
Tree Peonies are actually woody shrubs which take many years to<br />
develop. They do not die back to the ground in the fall. An old tree<br />
peony can be worth hundreds of dollars! The flowers are large and<br />
dramatic. The foliage is very attractive and different from herbaceous<br />
peonies. Give them the place of honor in your perennial garden. Ours<br />
are at least two-year-old grafted plants.<br />
‘High Noon’ A lovely bright yellow flower.<br />
‘Kamatafuji’ Double dark pink flowers.<br />
‘Kamatanishiki’ A lovely lavender wisteria blue color, double<br />
flowers.<br />
‘Pink’ Gorgeous clear pink flowers.<br />
‘Rimpoh’ (Feathers of a Heavenly Bird) Double deep red<br />
blossoms.<br />
‘Sedei’ Soft, delicate peach pink with ruffled edges.<br />
‘Shima-Nishiki’ The Japanese name is Fire Flame. Amazing<br />
red and white striped bicolor flowers.<br />
‘Taiyo’ Meaning "the sun", Taiyo has very deep, dark red<br />
flowers, semi-double and ruffled.<br />
‘Yachiyotsubaki’ The name means "Eternal Camellia". This<br />
variety has very pretty, soft pink, semi-double ruffled flowers.<br />
Papaver POPPY<br />
We carry plants of many kinds of perennial poppies as well as the seed<br />
of all sorts of annual poppies including breadseed poppies. Sow the seed<br />
on frozen ground in March. Self-seeding.<br />
alpina This plant is for hot, sandy soil sweetened with lime.<br />
Great in trough gardens. It resembles a miniature Iceland poppy,<br />
growing 8" tall with paper-thin flowers of white or yellow.<br />
Finely-cut silvery gray foliage and summer blooms.<br />
atlanticum Delightful papery orange small flowers 2’ tall that<br />
bloom for weeks and weeks beginning in May; blue basal<br />
foliage; rockery plant. Let this self-sow!<br />
nudicaule ‘Champagne Bubbles’ The Arctic poppy has crepe<br />
paper flowers in enchanting colors of salmon, apricot, orange,<br />
pale yellow, white, and pink on fuzzy, long, wiry stems. Will<br />
bloom from late May until July or beyond. Flowers are 14-18"<br />
tall. Must have excellent drainage.<br />
‘Garden Gnome’ A 12" tall dwarf with smaller flowers than<br />
the species in intense deep colors.<br />
orientale<br />
Oriental poppies, June-blooming, 3’ tall, summer-dormant, use them in<br />
drifts behind late-bloomers to add drama to the June garden. Oriental<br />
poppies in pots can be planted in the spring; those in the ground should<br />
only be transplanted in the fall. The pinks sell out very early.<br />
‘Allegro’ 18" dwarf with brilliant red<br />
flowers.<br />
‘Brilliant’ 6" diameter fiery orange-scarlet<br />
flowers with a black eye grow 30-36" tall.<br />
Superior cultivar.<br />
‘Coral Reef’ Beautifully soft coral flowers,<br />
not a bright color, but pretty as a picture,<br />
especially with very blue irises and Nepeta<br />
nearby. 28" tall.<br />
‘Forncett Summer’ New and very showy<br />
huge salmon flowers with deeply fringed<br />
edges to the petals and a deep dark center.<br />
3' tall.<br />
‘Garden Glory’ An exceptional hybrid<br />
form the Netherlands. Double fringed<br />
salmon pink flowers, 3' tall.<br />
‘Papillon’ Single pale blush pink flowers with a deep red<br />
center.<br />
‘Patty's Plum’ I have been trying to procure this plant for<br />
many seasons. A very unusual color of dark plum. Reserve in<br />
advance, supplies limited.<br />
‘Pink Ruffles’ Stunning deeply-fringed clear pink flowers<br />
with a black blotch at the base of each petal and a fuzzy black<br />
eye. Compact grower, 14-16" tall. Superior new hybrid that<br />
stands up well to the weather.<br />
‘Pinnacle’ Intense, fabulous accent flower of glowing orange,<br />
white eye ring, black center. 30" tall. Wow!<br />
‘Princess Victoria Louise’ Giant salmon pink flowers.<br />
‘Raspberry Queen’ Smoky raspberry pink, unusual color.<br />
‘Royal Chocolate Distinction’ Deep dark chocolate purple, a<br />
truly unique and new color. Very limited. 28" tall.<br />
‘Sunset’ Large orange/red flowers, compact plants grow 22"<br />
tall when in bloom.<br />
‘Tiffany’ Beautiful soft ruffled pink variety; edges of the<br />
petals are a paler pink creating a lovely effect. 24" tall.<br />
‘Turken Louis’ 30", fiery orange red with fringed petals.<br />
Stands up better in rain than any other variety. This is the<br />
classic flower I would team up with purple bearded or<br />
Siberian irises.<br />
‘Warlord’ The most intense, large, true red.<br />
Patrinia<br />
A great plant for partial shade (although I saw it thriving in hot sun<br />
during the drought when I visited Chanticleer in Pennsylvania).<br />
Flowers resemble a sulphur-yellow Queen Anne’s lace, foliage is a low<br />
rosette of serrated leaves. Blooms July onward. When flowers are<br />
finished, the seed pods retain their yellow color and are quite showy.<br />
It’s hard to find this color in the late summer in the shade!<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 49
gibbosa Yellow flowers only 1-2’ tall over a rosette of oval<br />
leaves.<br />
scabiosifolia Large flowers on 3-4’+ plants. Foliage is finely-cut<br />
and lacy.<br />
Penstemon BEARD TONGUE<br />
Penstemons are one of the most underused perennials that deserve a lot<br />
more attention from the serious gardener. These varieties have excellent<br />
foliage and/or a very long season of bloom in the garden. Try some!<br />
barbatus ‘Coccineus’ Glossy dark-green foliage and spikes of<br />
deep rich coral from mid-June thru early August, great cut<br />
flower. One of the longest bloomers, good hummingbird plant,<br />
and a unique color in the garden. Reserve early, don’t miss out.<br />
digitalis ‘Huskers Red’ PERENNIAL PLANT OF THE YEAR<br />
FOR 1996!!!! Beautiful burgundy foliage and 2-3’ long-lasting<br />
spikes of white bell flowers in July/August, good cut flower, full<br />
sun to light shade, a native plant cultivar. The foliage is<br />
outstanding and evergreen in a mild winter.<br />
‘Elfin Pink’ Clear pink tubular flowers on 14" stems. Reblooms<br />
if deadheaded. Great front of the border plant.<br />
mexicale ‘Sunburst Amethyst’ Purple tubular flowers, 18" tall<br />
in July over very glossy foliage.<br />
‘Sunburst Ruby’ A hummingbird magnet with ruby red<br />
flowers on 16" stalks mid June-late July with excellent repeat<br />
bloom if deadheaded. A cross between a Mexican species and<br />
a native American species, hardy to zone 6. Very bushy habit,<br />
excellent glossy, linear foliage and prolific flowers make this<br />
an excellent new introduction.<br />
‘Prairie Dusk’ Soft purple spikes, unusual color, 12" tall.<br />
virgatus ‘Blue Buckle’ Easy to grow, drought tolerant, dwarf<br />
variety with dense clusters of 15" blue/purple flower stalks from<br />
July to early September if deadheaded. Great for the front of the<br />
border to combine with yellows (try with Inula ensifolia or<br />
Oenothera macrocarpa). Zone 6, sunny, well drained soil.<br />
Maintenance tip: When you first buy a Russian<br />
sage, give it a hard clipping to encourage a low and<br />
bushy framework right away. If you do this regularly<br />
for the first few seasons, you will be rewarded with a<br />
plant that is very sturdy and does not flop. If you<br />
can ’t be bothered, grow the variety ‘Longin’ which<br />
is naturally stiff and upright!<br />
Perovskia RUSSIAN SAGE<br />
Russian Sage is an excellent choice for the late summer garden. Foliage<br />
is a soft grey color and attractive. Flowers are a lovely lavender purple.<br />
It blooms July-September and beyond. Good for cutting. Excellent<br />
foliage. Full sun and lean soil. Young plants should be cut back often in<br />
their first two years to establish a low woody framework. This plant<br />
proved to be totally drought-tolerant in 1995 and especially in 1999.<br />
Deer-proof!<br />
atroplicifolia Blue grey finely-cut foliage and 3’ lavender blue<br />
spiky flowers from mid-July thru Sept.<br />
x ‘Little Spires’ This is exciting! A dwarf Perovskia, growing<br />
only 25" tall, upright and never floppy. Deep violet flowers and<br />
grey foliage, same long bloom period. After a few years of<br />
growing this plant, I have to say, I am impressed. It has the same<br />
broad gray foliage of my other favorite variety ‘Longin’---the<br />
same stiff habit, excellent flowers.<br />
x ‘Longin’ Deeper violet spikes, broader, greyer leaves, upright.<br />
I prefer this variety as it is easier to use, doesn’t need constant<br />
pinching, is never floppy.<br />
Persicaria SMARTWEED<br />
amplexicaulis ‘Firetail’ This truly is one of my favorite plants.<br />
Thin, graceful scarlet spikes (with overtones of deep coral)<br />
weave upward 4’ tall. Extremely long-blooming, from late June<br />
well into the fall. Tolerates sun but grows well in light shade.<br />
Awesome in combination with other plants---it’s a real weaver.<br />
Must have water in a dry spell; if it does dry out, cut it back,<br />
water it, and it will rejuvenate and bloom until frost. Very hard<br />
to get, rarely available. I have planted some stock plants in my<br />
own gardens to build up supply.<br />
microcephala ‘Red Dragon’ Foliage plant with deep burgundy,<br />
arrow-shaped leaves marked with silver. The color brightens<br />
with the cold. Sprays of tiny white flowers in late summer and<br />
fall, 3’ tall. A sought-after foliage accent for the sunny garden. I<br />
trim this plant back regularly to keep it bushy, otherwise it will<br />
weave throughout the garden (that’s nice too, in the right<br />
combination!) This plant sprouts VERY late, it’s a "sleeper."<br />
Petrorhagia TUNIC FLOWER, TUNICA<br />
This is one of the LONGEST-BLOOMING front-of-the-border plants I<br />
know of. Very light and airy texture, resembles a low Baby’s Breath.<br />
EVERYONE asks about this plant when they see it in our gardens yet<br />
very few nurseries carry it.<br />
saxifraga Single pink flowers over lacy foliage from July thru<br />
September, good front of the border plant, supply limited.<br />
‘Lady Mary’ Double flowers are a bit more showy; same long<br />
bloom time as the species. Also very limited supply.<br />
‘Peter Pan’ Soft pretty pink flowers.<br />
Phlomis JERUSALEM SAGE<br />
russeliana A dramatic, easy-care plant for full sun and dry<br />
conditions. Green heart-shaped leaves form a clump 1’ tall and<br />
2’ wide. July flowers are very distinctive---soft yellow hooded<br />
flowers in whorls around the 3’ tall stems make a striking<br />
vertical accent. Always commented upon when in bloom.<br />
Phlox<br />
Phlox is an enormous genus, with plants for sun or shade, for early-,<br />
mid- and late-season. Note the arendsii and maculata varieties to add<br />
July color and mildew-resistance to the border.<br />
adsurgens ‘Wagon Wheel’ My eye was drawn to this like a<br />
magnet as I walked my grower's fields in the late fall of 2005<br />
selecting plants for the CHS booth at the flower show. I noticed<br />
the interesting, layering habit of the ground-hugging foliage.<br />
Turns out the flowers are quite lovely, with deeply cut petals of<br />
salmon pink. A spring bloomer for partial shade. Native to<br />
wooded hillsides on the west coast.<br />
arendsii ‘Early Star’ Profuse blooms of cheery, blush-white<br />
flowers with a fading red eyezone. 15-20" stems.<br />
Page 50 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
carolina ‘Miss Lingard’ Early-blooming, late June/July,<br />
excellent cut flower, 30" pointed panicles of pure white, very<br />
mildew-resistant, a must-have for every border. If you deadhead<br />
and summer feed Carolina phlox, it will often continue<br />
blooming all summer.<br />
divaricata<br />
Canadian Phlox A very underused spring<br />
shade plant, native. All are fragrant. Grows<br />
12” tall, April/May, great to combine with<br />
spring bulbs. I have recently gardened in yards<br />
with incredible, old, magnificent stands of<br />
Phlox divaricata. I am hooked on this plant.<br />
‘Blue Elf’ I am very excited to finally be<br />
carrying this superior hybrid of<br />
woodland phlox. An extremely compact<br />
dwarf, growing only 6" tall, it spreads<br />
slowly by creeping rhizomes. Beautiful<br />
blue flowers in May. Tidy and neat, this<br />
patented form is a breakthrough in native phlox breeding.<br />
‘Blue Moon’ Very fragrant, gorgeous blue flowers. Compact<br />
plants, 8-12" tall. A vigorous spreader.<br />
‘Clouds of Perfume’ Soft, clear powder blue flowers are very<br />
fragrant. This plant flies off our benches when in bloom.<br />
‘Eco Texas Purple’ Imagine masses of deep purple fragrant<br />
flowers intermingling with your May blooming woodland<br />
wildflowers and bulbs. Combine with Doronicum for a real<br />
treat.<br />
‘London Grove Blue’ Blue spreader for shade. Compact<br />
plants with foliage turning red in autumn for an added bonus.<br />
‘Montrose Tricolor’ Variegated pink, white and green<br />
foliage---that’s a plus. But the flowers---smoky lavender blue<br />
and fragrant!<br />
‘Parksville Beach’ A nice new color for our native woodland<br />
phlox. Discovered by Tony Avent of Plant Delights Nursery,<br />
this variety has soft pinkish-purple flowers that completely<br />
cover the foliage, growing only 6-10" tall when in bloom.<br />
Spreads easily to form a 2' diameter clump.<br />
‘Plum Perfect’ Add this variety to your shade garden plant<br />
palette---fragrant flowers of soft plum-purple with a dark<br />
purple eye provide another color to marry with woodland<br />
wildflowers. Spreads easily.<br />
ssp. laphamii Very fragrant blue flowers 12-15" tall in late<br />
April and May.<br />
douglasii<br />
Dense spreading mats, good foliage, heavy-blooming in early May and<br />
June. These are much less rangy than Phlox subulata. Flowers are more<br />
tidy, star-shaped. Full sun. 4-6" tall.<br />
‘Blue Eye’ White flower, blue eye. A subtle marking to show<br />
off in the front of the border or by a sunny walkway.<br />
‘Coral Eye’ I love this plant, and it has been hard to find.<br />
White flowers have a pure coral eye. Place it so it can be<br />
appreciated up close.<br />
‘Crackerjack’ Mound-forming, compact cherry red color.<br />
glaberrima ‘Morris Berd’ I use this plant it in almost every<br />
partial shade garden that I design. A May-June bloomer, this<br />
beauty has large pink flower heads 18" tall over mounds of deep<br />
green, mildew-free foliage. Native, hardy, very reliable, not a<br />
bad looker in the summer months either, foliage is clean and<br />
attractive once the flowers are cut back.<br />
maculata<br />
Earlier-blooming than Paniculata types, late June/July, flowers more<br />
pointed, 2’ tall. Highly mildew resistant, narrow, deep green foliage.<br />
‘Flower Power’ Similar to ‘Natasha’, but a different color--creamy<br />
white flowers flecked with pink. Grows 42" tall.<br />
‘Natasha’ Everyone comments on this plant when it is in<br />
bloom. It has a lovely flower panicle, brilliant hot fuchsia pink<br />
with perfect white stars in the center of each flower<br />
‘Minnie Pearl’ A plant found in North Carolina, believed to be a<br />
cross between P. maculata and P. glaberrima. Pure white flowers<br />
cover 12" tall plants in May. Very vigorous, hardy, and mildew<br />
free.<br />
Maintenance tip: For really healthy Phlox<br />
paniculata, be sure your soil is rich in organic<br />
matter—sidedress with compost every year. Test the<br />
pH and lime as needed—avoid acid soil. Remove all<br />
phlox stalks and foliage in late fall—don’t let it stay<br />
in the garden over the winter. Mulching with gravel,<br />
stone dust, or even marble chips helps keep the<br />
mildew spores from splashing back onto the plants.<br />
Divide Phlox paniculata every three years. Each<br />
spring, thin the clumps, removing all but 5-7 of the<br />
most vigorous stalks—this will increase air<br />
circulation.<br />
To control mildew: Spray with a solution of 3 tsp.<br />
baking soda and 2-1/2 tbsp. UltraFine Spray Oil in 1<br />
gal. water once a week.<br />
paniculata<br />
Garden Phlox The mainstay of the August garden. Flowers are in huge<br />
clusters, fragrant, good cut flowers. There are now many wonderful<br />
varieties that are highly mildew-resistant. Rip out the old-fashioned<br />
and self-sown phlox that drives you crazy and replace them with<br />
modern hybrids; save time and labor!<br />
‘Becky Towe’ A gorgeous variegated form with green and<br />
creamy yellow foliage that emerges bronze in the spring.<br />
Flowers are a deep salmon, excellent mildew resistance, 30"<br />
tall.<br />
‘Blue Paradise’ A very mildew-resistant variety with vivid<br />
violet blue flowers in the morning, transforming to smoky blue<br />
in the afternoon, back to bright blue the next day! 30" tall, with<br />
large flowers. A lime lover. Very limited.<br />
‘Bright Eyes’ I carry this old-fashioned variety because it has<br />
stood the test of time. Long blooming and very mildew<br />
resistant. Robust, large flowers of very pale pink with a<br />
brilliant deep rosy/crimson eye. 3’ tall.<br />
‘David’ The best pure white variety with excellent mildew<br />
resistance. Giant rounded panicles of flowers 4’ tall. This has<br />
become a mainstay in all of my designs. You can’t beat it.<br />
‘Davids Lavender’ Yes! A lavender sport of 'David', exhibiting<br />
excellent mildew resistance. Same stately trusses of flowers,<br />
36" tall. Reserve.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 51
‘Eva Cullum’ Clear pink with red eye. Very mildew-resistant<br />
in many trials, 2-3’ tall.<br />
‘Harlequin’ An excellent variegated form with green and<br />
white foliage that is showy on its own topped by vibrant, hot<br />
pink flowers. All I can say is WOW! 3’ tall.<br />
‘Laura’ A great purple phlox with a white eye. Very fragrant<br />
and the most mildew-resistant of all of the tall purple varieties.<br />
3’ tall. Flowers are enormous.<br />
‘Lilac Flame’ Very fragrant lilac flowers with a white eye, 12-<br />
18" tall<br />
‘Lizzy’ I love this color! Day-glow coral/orange/cerise red<br />
with pink overtones absolutely GLOWS in my seaside garden.<br />
Reaches only 20" tall. Reblooms well into October. Mildewresistant.<br />
Hummingbird magnet.<br />
‘Miss Mary’ Brilliant cerise-red flowers on 22" stems for the<br />
foreground of the late summer garden. Excellent mildew<br />
resistance.<br />
‘Nicky’ 4’ tall deep purple with reasonably good mildew<br />
resistance. The deepest purple accent color you can get.<br />
‘Nora Leigh’ A startling variegated form with cream and<br />
green foliage and whitish/lavender flowers with a pink eye.<br />
‘Orange Perfection’ I have to carry this, the color is unique.<br />
Not pumpkin orange at all; instead, an indescribable dayglow<br />
orange with tones of purple and red highlights---looks orange<br />
from a distance, but blends with all sorts of weird colors. 3-4’<br />
tall.<br />
‘Pink Flame’ 12" dwarf with huge heads of deep magenta<br />
pink flowers with a darker pink eye.<br />
‘Purple Flame’ Dwarf plants grow only 12" tall. Flowers are<br />
brilliant, showy purple. Ideal for the front of the summer<br />
border. Try combining with Inula ensifolia ‘Sunray’.<br />
‘Red Riding Hood’ Cute, 20" dwarf with cerise dayglow red<br />
flowers. Combine with Veronica ‘Sunny Border Blue’ for a<br />
startling combination in late summer.<br />
‘Sandra’ A semi-dwarf cherry red variety with enormous<br />
flowers on 24" stems.<br />
‘Shortwood’ In the summer of 2003 I visited Stephanie<br />
Cohen’s Pennsylvania garden named Shortwood. This phlox<br />
was named for her and she is a fabulous gardener, so I am<br />
very excited. Extremely mildew-resistant, 3’ tall.<br />
‘Tracys Treasure’ Named after (you guessed it) Tracy<br />
DiSabato-Aust of The Well-Tended Perennial Garden fame. If<br />
she thinks this is super disease-resistant with profuse blooms<br />
and very vigorous, who am I to question my perennial hero?<br />
Very pretty soft pink flowers reach 4’ tall.<br />
‘Volcano Pink’ A new, excellent patented hybrid with better<br />
mildew resistance than any other. Introduced to satisfy the<br />
needs of today’s gardeners who can’t be bothered with<br />
spraying, even organic solutions! Huge panicles of bright pink<br />
flowers with white eyes. Very strong stems, never need<br />
staking, grow only 2’ tall. Fragrant. My crew loves the Volcano<br />
series, and they should know-when I see them snapping up a<br />
plant as soon as it arrives, I know it’s a winner.<br />
‘Volcano Purple’ Another great color in this series, rich<br />
glowing purple, white eye.<br />
‘Volcano Red’ I am very excited as I count on red phlox for<br />
screaming accent flowers in the August garden. Grows only 2’<br />
tall with enormous panicles that attract butterflies. Strong<br />
stems never need staking, a great cut flower. Limited supply.<br />
‘Volcano White’ This useful color completes the series.<br />
stolonifera<br />
Woodland Phlox May-blooming, vigorous shade ground-cover, great<br />
for difficult areas, easy to grow, fast to establish. This is one of the best,<br />
most under-used shade plants!<br />
‘Blue Ridge’ Lavender blue, quick spreader.<br />
‘Frans Purple’ A compact new variety of woodland creeping<br />
phlox growing only 6-8" tall with beautiful lilac purple<br />
flowers. Excellent edging plant for woodland walkways or<br />
borders.<br />
‘Home Fires’ Carpet the woodland floor with masses of<br />
brilliant clean pink flowers.<br />
‘Sherwood Purple’ Very fragrant deep purple/blue flowers.<br />
subulata<br />
Creeping Phlox, “May Pinks” Brilliant-colored low-growing mats,<br />
great for rock gardens, a most popular early bloomer, interplant with<br />
tulips, it wouldn’t be spring without them. We offer a superior<br />
selection of the best varieties in the trade. Full sun.<br />
‘Allegheny Smoke’ A very pale blue flower, approaching<br />
gray gives a subtle, soothing feel to the spring garden. The<br />
next step down from Emerald Cushion Blue, which I use all<br />
the time.<br />
‘Betty’ I discovered this gem last year in a flat of mixed<br />
alpines. It is the teeny tiniest creeping phlox I have ever seen,<br />
with rosy pink flowers on 1-2" TALL compact little mats; it<br />
spreads only 4" wide! Ideal for miniature gardens.<br />
‘Candy Stripe’ Striking pink with purple line on each petal<br />
and a yellow center.<br />
‘Emerald Cushion Blue’ Soft lavender blue carpet. I can never<br />
stock enough of this variety as I find it so useful. It never<br />
clashes with spring bulbs of red, orange and yellow like all the<br />
bright pink varieties.<br />
‘Fort Hill’ Superior habit, deep green foliage is not rangy. The<br />
flowers are shocking pink and very FRAGRANT! A real<br />
improved form.<br />
‘Millstream Daphne’ When I am looking for a tight mat of<br />
brilliant pink, I specify this superior variety. Excellent foliage<br />
habit, stays very thick and dense.<br />
‘Nettleton Variation’ Pretty tricolor foliage of cream, pink,<br />
and green; dark pink flowers, 4" tall ground cover.<br />
‘Snowflake’ If you want the very early spring color, but all<br />
your bulbs are hot colors, this white variety is the answer.<br />
Underplant red tulips for a crisp look. VERY fragrant!<br />
Physalis<br />
alkekengi var. franchetii This old fashioned plant is called<br />
Chinese lanterns. White flowers form bright orange paperlantern<br />
seed pods that are picked and hung to dry for fall<br />
decorations. Very vigorous once established, this 24" tall<br />
spreading plant will cover a lot of ground in sun or shade.<br />
Physostegia<br />
virginiana ‘Miss Manners’ A clump-forming variety with white<br />
flowers 2’ tall. Not invasive, very useful for the late summer<br />
garden. I now use it in many of my designs for the pure white<br />
spikes late in the season.<br />
Page 52 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
‘Variegata’ Green/white variegated foliage, pink flowers late<br />
Aug./Sept. 2’ tall, a great late-bloomer with cheerful, colorful<br />
leaves. Gets tinted lilac-pink in late fall, a bonus!<br />
‘Vivid’ Dwarf form, 15", purple/pink flowers in August and<br />
September. Good front of the border plant, combine with<br />
dwarf phlox.<br />
Platycodon BALLOON FLOWER<br />
Flowers are cup-shaped with balloon-like buds; bloom July/Aug. or<br />
longer if deadheaded. Sun/part shade. Slow to emerge in spring;<br />
surround with bulbs! Try a mid-summer pinch on the taller varieties<br />
when 12-15” tall to reduce staking and create more flowers on shorter,<br />
branched plants. Or pinch the front half of the plant to double the<br />
bloom time. See the indispensable book The Well-Tended Perennial<br />
Garden to better understand these techniques.<br />
grandiflorus ‘Astra Double Blue’ Yes! A wonderful new variety<br />
with double blue flowers on short, 6-8" tall plants. No pinching<br />
needed here, just enjoy the show. Everyone will comment on the<br />
star-shape of this cool double.<br />
‘Astra Rose’ A new, wonderful dwarf pink variety; 6-8" tall,<br />
large outfacing flowers; very long-blooming plant for the<br />
foreground of the late summer garden.<br />
‘Double Blue’ Unusual, striking double blue flowers, 24". You<br />
really should give this a hard pinch in June or it will flop; if<br />
pinched, it is a fabulous, much talked about flower.<br />
‘Hakone Blue’ Double star flowers of blue/purple on 18-24"<br />
stems.<br />
‘Hime Murasaki’ Deep, dark blue/purple flowers with violet<br />
veins; 15-18" tall.<br />
‘Mariesii’ Still a favorite, this classic old-fashioned variety has<br />
blue flowers on 24-30" stalks.<br />
‘Sentimental Blue’ Very dwarf form, 8-10" tall, deep and<br />
vivid blue flowers. Very heavy-flowering.<br />
Podophyllum MAY APPLE<br />
peltatum Great shade ground cover with<br />
enormous bold green leaves to 18", small<br />
white flowers and insignificant "apple"type<br />
fruit (poisonous), very invasive for<br />
tough shady spots.<br />
Polemonium JACOB’S LADDER<br />
Jacob’s Ladder adds that hard-to-find blue color in the spring. They will<br />
grow in full sun or partial shade. Long-blooming. The foliage is<br />
nothing to write home about in the summer, so plant among Hostas or<br />
significant late-bloomers. Excellent flower to fill the late May gap in<br />
the garden.<br />
caeruleum ‘Brise D'Anjou’ This is a variegated Jacob’s Ladder<br />
with gorgeous green and creamy yellow finely-cut variegated<br />
foliage that will make you swoon. The flowers are 12" tall and<br />
medium blue. This plant will jazz up the garden every month of<br />
the growing season. Place it right in the foreground. Hardy only<br />
to zone 6, protect it and provide perfect drainage.<br />
reptans I still think the straight species is a great garden plant.<br />
Reliable, hardy, and a prolific self seeder. A native wildflower,<br />
the best for cottage gardens or woodland gardens. Try letting<br />
them sprinkle in amongst yellow primroses and Doronicum<br />
pardalianches.12-14" tall.<br />
‘Stairway to Heaven’ This plant was introduced by Bill<br />
Cullina of the New England Wildflower Society and author of<br />
the FABULOUS book on propagating wildflowers. I have seen<br />
him speak, and I was enchanted with his knowledge. Very<br />
unusual as the leaves are huge, bold with cream variegation.<br />
True blue, compact and showy blue flower spikes in late May<br />
and June, 10" tall. Expect this plant to turn heads all season<br />
long. P. reptans is notoriously hardy in the garden.<br />
Polygonatum FALSE SOLOMON’S SEAL<br />
gigantium Giant Solomon’s Seal A dramatic addition to the<br />
woodland garden. Solid green arching stems with white bell<br />
flowers dangling below each branch, grows 4-5’ TALL!! Try<br />
mixing it with rhododendrons, laurels, or azaleas; add an<br />
upright accent to hosta plantings. Very limited supply.<br />
humile Another Solomon’s seal that I have seen on garden tours<br />
and always wanted. A true dwarf, reaching only 4-6" tall. Deep<br />
green, solid foliage, same white flowers.<br />
odoratum ‘Variegatum’ Variegated foliage 2’ tall, white tubular<br />
drooping bells, an excellent shade foliage plant, arching stems.<br />
Tolerates serious root competition.<br />
x hybridum ‘Striatum’ I have been seeking this plant for a long<br />
time. White spots and streaks create a very unusual effect.<br />
Foliage is deep, dark green, glossy, and a bit crinkly. Only<br />
reaches 15" tall. Slow growing, a classy addition to the shade.<br />
<br />
Herbaceous Potentillas<br />
Most folks think of Potentillas as durable, sunloving shrubs.<br />
They are. But there are OTHERS to consider for the<br />
perennial garden. Herbaceous varieties are very long<br />
blooming and take the same hot, dry, difficult conditions.<br />
Some make good ground covers. Others are adorable in<br />
alpine troughs. I love to weave the billowing Potentilla<br />
‘Monarch’s Velvet’ into the front of my borders to soften<br />
them. Everyone asks- “what is that”? I love it!<br />
Potentilla BUSH CINQUEFOIL<br />
The following varieties are herbaceous perennials, not shrubs.<br />
crantzii ‘Pygmaea’ Excellent alpine or trough plant. Cheerful<br />
yellow flowers on 2" tall tufted plants. Tolerates very poor soil<br />
and extremely hot conditions.<br />
neumanniana ‘Nana’ Alpine cinquefoil is a very drought<br />
tolerant ground cover. 1-2" tall, yellow flowers, semi-evergreen<br />
leaves. Great lawn substitute when soil is lean. Spring/early<br />
summer blooming.<br />
thunbergii ‘Monarchs Velvet’ Deep, dark red flowers with<br />
maroon centers. 15" tall mounded plants weave through the<br />
front of the July/August border. Light texture assures this plant<br />
adds a soft quality to the garden. I am using this more and more<br />
in my designs. Reserve early.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 53
tonguei Low-growing rockery plant with large apricot cupshaped<br />
flowers with a rose center, almost everblooming, very<br />
special.<br />
Pratia<br />
pendunculata ‘County Park’ A new Stepable with fragrant,<br />
deep blue flowers in summer.<br />
Primula PRIMROSE<br />
Primroses bloom in late April, May and June.<br />
They need shade and moist soil.<br />
aucalis ‘Double Blue Sapphires’ The bluest<br />
flowers of any primrose to date, double<br />
hose-in-hose blossoms, 4-5" tall.<br />
beesiana This is called bee’s primrose. 24-<br />
30" whorls of rosy red flowers with yellow<br />
eyes flower heavily in June/July, later than most. Slightly<br />
fragrant.<br />
bullesiana For moist spots, 20" stalks of brilliant yellow, orange,<br />
red, pink, or purple in whirls up the flower stalk all during the<br />
months of spring.<br />
bulleyana Candelabra primroses 2' tall in shades of orange,<br />
gold, and red.<br />
capitata ‘Noverna Blue’ New! Similar to a denticulata primrose,<br />
with ball-shaped flowers on 8-12" stalks. The flowers are a lovely<br />
shade of lilac/lavender/blue with silver dusting, impossible to<br />
describe. Spring bloomer.<br />
denticulata ‘Blue Selection’ Drumstick primrose with rounded,<br />
ball-shaped flowers on 6-12" stalks. Very easy to grow; April<br />
blooming. This variety has vivid blue/violet flowers and is<br />
always admired.<br />
‘Rubin’ Deep carmine/red flowers.<br />
japonica ‘Apple Blosssom’ I like to be able to choose the colors<br />
of my Japanese primroses when I do a design. This is a soft,<br />
pretty light pink with a deeper pink eye.<br />
‘Carmina’ Same vigorous habit as Miller's Crimson, but a<br />
brighter, more dayglow color of rosy red.<br />
‘Miller's Crimson’ Whenever I see a patch of Redfields in<br />
bloom, I always want to select a specific coral/red variety.<br />
This is it---identified by name, this candelabra type is a<br />
fabulous accent color. Limited.<br />
‘Redfield Hybrids’ These are the most vigorous Primroses I<br />
have ever seen, with sturdy foliage, candelabra-type flowers<br />
on 3’ stems in mixed colors in May/June; bred in CT, best<br />
summer foliage of all primroses.<br />
veris Cowslip primrose is found growing wild in the meadows<br />
and woods of England. Soft, pale yellow flowers 8" tall. A great<br />
naturalizer.<br />
‘Cabrillo’ This variety has pale yellow flowers 6-8" tall.<br />
This is called the orchid primrose. Purple/pink conical flowers<br />
are a very unusual form. A BUTTERFLY plant that is rare. Early<br />
summer blooming.<br />
vulgaris ‘Ken Dearman’ Pale apricot double flower with a<br />
deeper salmon edge; has overtones of pale creamy yellow. This<br />
is beautiful!<br />
All brilliant colors, exciting for spring shade gardens, foliage is a<br />
lot deeper green than all others.<br />
Pulmonaria LUNGWORT<br />
Pulmonarias emerge from the ground flowers-first, one of the earliest<br />
spring bloomers. They have terrific, long-lasting, attractive foliage all<br />
season long and are on my top ten list of plants with “leaves, beautiful<br />
leaves.” Great to anchor the front of the border. One of the only silverleaved<br />
shade plants. Incredible breeding has taken place in the last few<br />
years resulting in a breathtaking array of new varieties.<br />
angustifolia ‘Azurea’ This is not a fancy new hybrid, yet I love<br />
it so and have had it in my garden for years. Foliage is plain<br />
green. The flowers are intense, brilliant, pure cobalt blue. I<br />
wouldn’t be without it.<br />
‘Blotches’ An excellent hybrid, bred in CT. Grows 10-12" tall,<br />
very clean silver spotted foliage and blue flowers.<br />
‘Dark Vader’ Patented new variety with silver spotted foliage<br />
and dark PURPLE flowers that fade to pink. 11" tall.<br />
‘Diana Clare’ New from England, this variety is stunning. Silver<br />
leaves, green edges, and sporadic green spots at the leaf edges.<br />
Flowers are huge, violet/blue, with purple stripes---totally<br />
different. Best yet, no pruning is needed to renew this plant after<br />
blooming; the foliage stays clean at 8-10" tall.<br />
‘Excalibur’ I have this in my deep shade garden at home and it<br />
GLOWS! Stunning white foliage edged in deep green. Blue<br />
flowers. Very rare and mildew resistant.<br />
‘Leopard’ Flowers are a brilliant coral red, foliage is silverspotted.<br />
The markings are very distinct and showy.<br />
‘Little Star’ The flowers are enormous and a very rich blue, on<br />
short stems, only 6" tall. The foliage is compact and silver<br />
spotted. A nice clump-forming variety with a huge flower<br />
display.<br />
longifolia ‘Coral Springs’ A wonderful color, pure coral (a<br />
hard-to-find color in the garden) contrasting with silver-spotted<br />
lance-shaped foliage.<br />
ssp. cevennensis This French variety is very different. The<br />
foliage is quite long and linear, very silver, adds a different<br />
foliage texture to the shade garden. Large blue flowers.<br />
‘Majeste’ This is a stunning leaf---all silvery-grey, with the<br />
faintest of a narrow green edge. A ghostly presence in the shade<br />
garden. Very heat-tolerant, does not summer scorch. Blue<br />
flowers fading to pink.<br />
‘Opal’ These flowers are exquisite, very pale blue, almost white<br />
that simply glow against the silver spotted leaves.<br />
‘Salmon Beauty’ The color on this flower is so striking--- pure<br />
coral, not pink. The foliage is green, but who cares? Where else<br />
can you get such a great color in April. Combine with Primula<br />
japonica ‘Miller’s Crimson’, then add blue Polemonium. Wow.<br />
‘Silver Lance’ Long, linear, lance-shaped foliage that is almost<br />
pure silver. Flowers are coral red.<br />
‘Trevi Fountain’ Many in the field feel this is a the best of the<br />
best of the newest introductions for summer disease resistance.<br />
The blue flowers are in tight clusters that really show up; the<br />
long leaves are silver spotted. Compact grower to 12" tall.<br />
‘Victorian Brooch’ Very long-blooming, April-June, possibly<br />
longer. The color is unique, magenta coral with ruby red calyces.<br />
Grows 8" tall. Foliage is compact, linear, and silver spotted.<br />
Page 54 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Pulsatilla PASQUE FLOWER<br />
The old name for this plant was Anemone pulsatilla.<br />
patens Native to the midwest, this species blooms a bit earlier,<br />
in March/April. Purple flowers, yellow centers, 8" tall.<br />
vugaris ‘Heiler Hybrids’ If you love Pasque flowers like I do,<br />
you will fall in love with these new hybrids. The color range<br />
includes deep red, pink, burgundy, and white. The flowers are<br />
upward facing on 10-15" stems.<br />
vulgaris Blooms April, 8-10", fuzzy buds, delicate lavender<br />
flowers, a spring gem.<br />
‘Rubra’ A bright wine red flower.<br />
Pycnanthemum MOUNTAIN MINT<br />
muticum Green leaves covered with a silver cast, flowers form<br />
silver bracts which last late summer until fall; sweet mint<br />
fragrance; 2-3’ tall, great cut flower, good foliage structure.<br />
Robust spreader, divide every 3 years. Interplant with daylilies<br />
to confuse the deer by introducing a mint scent to the garden. I<br />
make herbal wreaths out of this plant.<br />
Ratibida PRAIRIE CONEFLOWER<br />
pinnata This plant is also called "Mexican Hat". A comical<br />
flower that makes you smile, this has an exaggerated raised,<br />
pointed cone and yellow/red flower petals. Stems are long and<br />
wiry, the plant can reach 3-5’. Foliage is finely-cut and divided.<br />
This is best in a fairly wild border or meadow-type garden.<br />
Everyone will comment on this prairie native.<br />
Rhazya BLUE STAR<br />
orientalis Soft clusters of beautiful steel-blue flowers on 24"<br />
plants in June. Foliage is linear and nice all summer, good fall<br />
color. Very vigorous spreader.<br />
Rheum ORNAMENTAL RHUBARB<br />
palmatum ‘Atrosanguineum’ Broad, dramatic green foliage is<br />
red when it first emerges in the spring. This drama queen has 6’<br />
tall deep cherry red flowers on stout stalks in May/June; seed<br />
pods are also very decorative.<br />
Rodgersia<br />
I have really come to appreciate Rodgersias after going on many<br />
Garden Conservancy tours and admiring their dramatic form on the<br />
edges of shady ponds and wet areas. They make a bold statement and<br />
are a terrific alternative to Hosta, a different, stronger look.<br />
aesculifolia Leaves look like the horse chestnut tree, thus the<br />
name. Huge, fluffy, dramatic white flowers in July, to 2’. Foliage<br />
is bold and dramatic.<br />
‘Big Mama’ Reaches enormous proportions, 5’ tall. Pink flowers<br />
in June are very showy.<br />
henrici ‘Hybrida’ Bold, course-textured bronze foliage topped<br />
with 3-4’ dark pink flower spikes in July and August. Needs<br />
partial shade and rich soil. Dramatic.<br />
pinnata ‘Chocolate Wings’ New! Looking for something<br />
dramatic and different for dappled shade and rich, moist soil?<br />
Called featherleaf Rodgersia because the foliage is so deeply cut,<br />
new leaves emerge chocolate brown, then change in color from<br />
green to bronze to red and back to chocolate again in the fall!<br />
The flowers open pink, then darken to burgundy-red. 4' tall.<br />
‘Hercules’ This featherleaf Rodgersia has bold foliage and<br />
rosy red flowers. It will spread up to 5’ wide, forming a<br />
dramatic and bold clump. Very limited quantities. Foliage is<br />
very glossy and textured dark green. Bright clear pink flowers<br />
reach 40" in June/July.<br />
‘Superba’ Foliage is tinged bronze, 40" tall bright pink spikes.<br />
Rubus<br />
IF YOU HAVE A<br />
PERENNIAL GARDEN,<br />
YOU MUST<br />
HAVE THIS BOOK!<br />
The Perennial Gardener’s<br />
Design Primer<br />
a wonderful new book by Stephanie Cohen and<br />
Nancy Ondra<br />
$24.95<br />
available at <strong>Natureworks</strong> and<br />
at our classes!<br />
pentalobus ‘Emerald Carpet’ This is a very interesting ground<br />
cover. Textured semi-evergreen foliage grows only 6" tall.<br />
Yellow flowers in July and August. When we have stocked these<br />
plants, people took notice because of the unusual foliage texture.<br />
Good for sun or partial shade. Related to raspberries.<br />
Rudbeckia BLACK-EYED SUSAN<br />
fulgida ‘Goldsturm’ TOLERATES PARTIAL SHADE!!! A true<br />
perennial form, very hardy, blooms July-Aug. One of our top<br />
late-summer perennials. 24-30" tall with basal foliage making it<br />
suitable for the front of the garden.<br />
var. fulgida A selection that starts in September (just as R.<br />
‘Goldsturm’ is finishing) and continues through until late fall.<br />
Terrific late-bloomer---graces my gardens with color every<br />
year until late November. Don’t overlook this great perennial!<br />
I grow it in partial shade and it thrives. Foliage is very glossy<br />
and attractive.<br />
hirta ‘Becky Cinnamon’ New! Huge 4-6" diameter flowers are<br />
bicolored rusty red with golden edges. Very long bloom period,<br />
June through August, possibly beyond. 9" tall, dwarf, wellbranched<br />
plants.<br />
‘Becky Orange’ Same as above, flowers are orange gold in the<br />
center, golden yellow on the edges.<br />
laciniata ‘Goldquelle’ This is good old fashioned Golden Glow,<br />
found in many ancient cottage gardens. Cut leaves on 5-6’ stems<br />
are topped with double, fringed, double golden yellow pom<br />
pom flowers in August. Great cut flower. If you want it to be<br />
shorter and later blooming, give it a hard cut back in mid-late<br />
June.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 55
maxima A very dramatic plant! Huge SILVERY BLUE basal<br />
leaves and 6-8’ spikes of light yellow daisies with large brown<br />
conical centers. Blooms in late summer. Outrageous!<br />
nitida ‘Herbstsonne’ (‘Autumn Sun’) Many requests have<br />
forced me take a second look at this workhorse of the late<br />
summer garden and I like what I see! Clear yellow daisies with<br />
raised centers on 6-7’ stalks bloom from August through<br />
September and beyond. Cut back hard in late May/June to<br />
encourage shorter, bushier plants that won’t need staking.<br />
speciosa ‘Viettes Little Suzie’ A dwarf, compact form of blackeyed<br />
Susan growing 12-14" tall. Every aspect of this plant is<br />
denser, great for the front of the border. Blooms from late July<br />
until early September.<br />
triloba Millions of tiny black-eyed Susan flowers mid-summer<br />
until fall with interesting lobed leaves. 5’ tall, flowers are smaller<br />
and daintier, creating a soft, wild look; self-sows. Tolerates part<br />
shade.<br />
Ruellia WILD PETUNIA<br />
humilis Somehow, I ended up with this plant growing in our<br />
front garden. It took me a long time to identify it, and everyone<br />
asked about it. Flaring trumpet flowers of lavender blue on 1-2’<br />
stems for six weeks in July and August. A native wildflower for<br />
full or part sun and dry soil.<br />
Rumex ORNAMENTAL DOCK<br />
sanguineus var. sanguineus M.J. McCabe turned me on to this<br />
plant; she uses it in container gardens. I stuck one in our border<br />
a few years ago and couldn’t get stock afterwards when<br />
EVERYONE admired and wanted it! Basal clumps of green<br />
foliage, brightly-veined in red all season. Very hardy perennial.<br />
Sagina PEARLWORT<br />
(a.k.a. Arenaria)<br />
subulata (verna) A great moss substitute for moist shade. 2"<br />
mat-forming moss-like foliage and tiny white spring flowers.<br />
‘Aurea’ Same as above with golden moss-like foliage.<br />
Salvia SAGE<br />
Easy to grow, love full sun, drought-tolerant, butterfly nectar flowers,<br />
most are repeat-blooming, great front of the border plants, good in<br />
cottage gardens, what more can you ask of a perennial? Because they<br />
are DEER-PROOF, I am especially thrilled to see so much breeding<br />
and so many unusual new forms being introduced. Expand your<br />
horizons and try something new.<br />
argentea Highly ornamental biennial with broad silver basal<br />
foliage forming dramatic rosettes. Second year produces white<br />
flowers on 2-4’ stalks in August/Sept. Great for dry areas and<br />
lean soil.<br />
farinacea x longispi ‘Indigo Spires’ TENDER PERENNIAL<br />
True, deep, violet-blue dramatic spikes, each reaching at least 2’<br />
above 4-6’ tall plants! The colder it gets, the deeper the color.<br />
Every year this plant creates quite a show, weaving among<br />
asters, late mums, and Helianthus. The number-one-selling<br />
variety and a great cut flower. If you want to plant this in any<br />
quantity, be sure to reserve them.<br />
guaranitica TENDER PERENNIAL Brilliant, intense purple-blue<br />
spikes, plants grow to 5’ tall. The flowers are at least 18-20" long,<br />
they bend and curve, creating outrageous interweavings. Blooms<br />
until the very last hard frost. Everyone wants this one when in<br />
bloom. Makes a great cut flower, blending well with cut grasses<br />
and asters.<br />
‘Black and Blue’ TENDER PERENNIAL Cobalt blue flowers<br />
with black calyx–--- very unusual flower combination. 2-3’tall.<br />
leucantha TENDER PERENNIAL Mexican Sage is a truly<br />
unusual plant. It doesn’t bloom until the fall---late September at<br />
the earliest. But boy, does it add a wild look to the late garden. 5-<br />
6’ tall plants have purple VELVET flowers—there is no other<br />
way to describe them! They are excellent fresh-cut or dried<br />
flowers.<br />
lyrata ‘Purple Knockout’ This is the purple leaved form of our<br />
native lyre leaved sage. 18-24" spikes of soft purple flowers with<br />
deeper purple calyxes; basal, serrated foliage is deep wine<br />
colored. This is an invasive, self-seeding wildflower that is at it's<br />
best in meadow gardens. If you let it go to seed, you will have it<br />
everywhere. Butterfly nectar flower in spring, the seed is loved<br />
by goldfinches in the summer.<br />
nemorosa ‘Blue Hill’ Truly blue spikes, 16", May/June.<br />
‘Carradonna’ Glowing rich purple flowers. 24-30" tall spikes<br />
are thin and delicate, a distinctly different texture in the world<br />
of hardy salvias. For the past two years, this plant has won my<br />
attention over and over again. I now use it ALL the time in<br />
designs. It makes a real vertical statement. At the same time,<br />
the thinness of the stalks is simply lovely. It is unlike any other<br />
perennial Salvia we carry.<br />
‘Marcus’ This is a true dwarf, growing only 8-10" tall with<br />
deep purple spikes. Those German breeders have done it<br />
again, offering us a plant that can be woven into the front of<br />
the border, blooming May-early July and again in the fall. This<br />
will also become a very useful container plant for sunny decks<br />
or window boxes.<br />
‘May Night’ This is a plant that has stood the test of time as I<br />
use it in designs all the time. Royal purple spikes 12-14" tall in<br />
great abundance---not as thin as ‘Carradonna’, very prolific,<br />
super hardy. Blooms late May-early July with a definite fall<br />
rebloom if cut back hard and fed. The Perennial Plant of the<br />
Year for 1997, and for good reason!<br />
‘Pink Friesland’ A fabulous new introduction. Extremely<br />
compact plants produce deep burgundy flower spikes topped<br />
with rose-pink blossoms, 16-20" tall. Reblooms well if cut back<br />
hard in late July.<br />
‘Plumosa’ We have this very unusual variety in our<br />
demonstration gardens, paired with Trifolium rubens, the<br />
giant red ornamental clover. What an odd, yet wonderful,<br />
combination. The flowers are plumed, fluffy, and a soft purple<br />
color. They really shine in cut flower bouquets. Repeat blooms<br />
in early fall if cut back hard in late July.<br />
‘Rose Wine’ Very showy color, bright magenta rose calyx, soft<br />
pink flowers on 2' tall dignified spikes.<br />
‘Royal Distinction’ This is a patented variety that is deep pink<br />
to dayglow crimson---a new color in the perennial types that<br />
really pops! June/July blooming, grows 16" tall.<br />
‘Senation Rose’ New! A pink sport of the wonderful dwarf<br />
Marcus. Soft lilac-pink flowers grow only 12" tall. A perfect<br />
front of the border plant.<br />
Page 56 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
pratensis ‘Pink Delight’ Excellent new hybrid from Piet Oudolf.<br />
Salvia pratensis blood makes the flowers larger and more open.<br />
Soft lavender pink, a great cottage garden flower. Good repeat<br />
fall bloom. Bold masses of basal foliage.<br />
‘Rhapsody in Blue’ Another in the Rhapsody series. Brilliant<br />
bluish/purple open spikes, densly packed over basal foliage.<br />
24-30" tall, excellent rebloom.<br />
‘Rose Rhapsody’ Deep, dark rose hooded flowers on 24"<br />
spikes. Gorgeous, rich color in this series.<br />
uliginosa TENDER PERENNIAL The Willow Salvia has flowers<br />
of the clearest blue, like the sky on a beautiful summer day. The<br />
spires are long and thin, willowy in appearance, growing to 5’<br />
tall. Fine in any garden soil, but will also tolerate wet feet, unlike<br />
any of the others listed above. An added bonus: it self-sows, so<br />
you will find babies in the garden. A great informal, cottage<br />
garden plant.<br />
verticillata ‘Purple Rain’ Very unique and unusual Salvia<br />
which blooms all summer and again in the fall. Smoky purple<br />
flowers on 20" long stems; coarse, long-lasting foliage.<br />
Sanguinaria BLOODROOT<br />
canadensis Pure white flowers in April with unique lobed<br />
leaves. Native woodland wildflower. Summer-dormant.<br />
‘Southern Form’ A vigorous selection with a longer bloom<br />
period.<br />
"The philosopher who said that work well<br />
done never needs doing over never<br />
weeded a garden."<br />
- Ray D. Everson<br />
Sanguisorba BURNET<br />
I love Sanguisorbas. They are weird, easy to grow, and I have recently<br />
discovered them in partial shaded gardens—I always assumed they<br />
needed full sun. The books say moist soil, but I grow them in normal<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> border conditions. The cut flowers add a long-lasting,<br />
unique form to bouquets. Everyone asks about them. Lots of new<br />
varieties becoming available.<br />
canadensis Overlooked North American native plant for sun or<br />
part shade. 4-5’ tall white, long, linear bottlebrush spikes in late<br />
summer. Foliage is finely cut, bluish/green. Great unusual<br />
vertical accent for the back of the garden.<br />
menziesii This new introduction has deep green, scalloped<br />
foliage and 32" tall maroon flowers in August and September. A<br />
very long-blooming selection.<br />
‘Dali Marble’ When fall arrives, this plant looks good and<br />
kept blooming for almost 3 months. Native to China, this is a<br />
showy variegated form with red flowers. Grows 4’ tall.<br />
obtusa ‘Alba’ This Japanese plant is very showy. White<br />
bottlebrush flowers are long, slightly drooping, on 3-4' plants.<br />
August/September blooming.<br />
officinalis ‘Lemon Splash’ Foliage is splashed with creamy<br />
yellow variegation, flowers are deep maroon, August to<br />
November blooming. Grows only 2' tall, a much shorter variety<br />
than all the others. What a very cool new plant for the late<br />
season garden!<br />
tenuifolia ‘Atropurpurea’ 5’ burgundy red bottlebrush flowers<br />
last from early Sept. through late October, vertical accent, always<br />
commented upon in our north border, very unique; good foliage<br />
too. Will tolerate quite a bit of shade as well as full sun. Excellent<br />
cut flower, adds a totally unique form for bouquets.<br />
Sanicula<br />
caerulescens And now for something completely different! Blue<br />
Sanicle is a rare plant from China's Panda Preserve. For the<br />
woodland garden, delicate sprays of blue flowers 6" tall rise<br />
above compact, cut bronze-green foliage. Blooms for many<br />
months in the spring. Very rare.<br />
Santolina LAVENDER COTTON<br />
Fine foliage plants form small woody shrubs, good for low hedges or to<br />
provide foliage structure. Pungent herbal aroma. Yellow button flowers<br />
in July. Must have excellent drainage. Prune only in spring. Not eaten<br />
by deer. Totally drought-tolerant.<br />
incana 15-18" tall shrubs of strongly aromatic gray foliage.<br />
Golden yellow button flowers in July.<br />
‘Lemon Queen’ A silver santolina with pale creamy yellow,<br />
almost ivory button flowers. A nice, soft contrast with the<br />
silver foliage, less garish than the species. 24" tall.<br />
rosmarinifolia This is a distinctive variety. The foliage is soft,<br />
pale green, very light-textured, resembling an airy rosemary of<br />
sorts. The flowers are a very pale creamy yellow. Grows to 2’<br />
tall, takes easily to spring shearing.<br />
Saponaria SOAPWORT<br />
lempergii ‘Max Frei’ An upright soapwort with large pink<br />
flowers in late June/July on 12-15" tall plants. Full sun and welldrained<br />
soil make this a great candidate for the rock or trough<br />
garden.<br />
ocymoides Rockery plant, bright pink flowers in June/July.<br />
‘Snow Tip’ Constantly requested after it was sold out: pure<br />
white flowers, very lovely trailing plant.<br />
Scabiosa PINCUSHION FLOWER<br />
Pincushion flowers are very LONG bloomers. Great cut flowers and<br />
butterfly plants. Must have lime in the soil.<br />
caucasica ‘Fama’ This is an excellent variety for cutting---3’-long<br />
wiry stems have deep blue flowers. If deadheaded, can repeat<br />
bloom all summer.<br />
columbaria ‘Butterfly Blue’ One of the longest-blooming<br />
perennials, from late May until October if deadheaded! 20" tall<br />
plants, good for front of border, soft lavender-blue flowers are<br />
good for cutting for miniature bouquets.<br />
‘Misty Butterflies’ Soft pink flowers are enormous, an<br />
improvement over Pink Mist.<br />
‘Nana’ Similar to ‘Butterfly Blue’, but much more compact,<br />
doesn’t tend to get leggy as it blooms out.<br />
japonica ‘alpina’ This plant has been around long before<br />
'Butterfly Blue' and many think it is better. 15-18" tall, wiry stems<br />
are covered with 2" diameter flowers for most of the summer if<br />
deadheaded. Deeply cut foliage is forms a low clump only a few<br />
inches tall. Best in dry conditions, well drained soil.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 57
ochroleuca Unusual pale creamy yellow, blooms all summer,<br />
hundreds of small flowers constantly produced on long wiry<br />
stems, lightens up a border, 3’ tall, self-sows, invasive.<br />
perfecta ‘Alba’ Large white florist’s flowers for cutting. Pure<br />
white flowers on 24-30" stems.<br />
Scutellaria SCULLCAP<br />
I have started to pay attention to these plants, mainly because they<br />
bloom with very pretty miniature snapdragon-like, pouched flowers in<br />
late summer and fall. Happiest in full sun, they spread by rhizomes.<br />
Locate them where they can be viewed up close (ideal for troughs on the<br />
terrace) and where the drainage is good. Native to limey, rocky soils. I<br />
add them to the edges of front walkways to embellish foundation<br />
planting designs.<br />
arcobaleno A lovely alpine plant, mixed colors, blooms entire<br />
summer in hot sun. 6-8" tall.<br />
‘Moonbeam’ Late July and August flowers, creamy yellow<br />
short spikes similar to little snapdragons, the same shade as<br />
Coreopsis Moonbeam. Hmm, maybe this could carpet its feet?<br />
Grows 10-12" tall.<br />
baicalensis I discovered this plant blooming in September. I was<br />
enchanted by the 15" blue flowers, a color and form rarely seen<br />
at that time of year.<br />
pontica Stepable for full sun forming tough mats of deep green<br />
foliage covered with 4-6" tall spikes of magenta purple in midsummer.<br />
Sedum<br />
Are you worried about watering? Are you seeking totally droughttolerant<br />
and carefree plants? Is your garden lacking in all-season<br />
foliage structure and interest? Sedums are the answer!<br />
‘Abbeydore’ Very compact form with many smaller, deep rose<br />
flowers over very dusky blue-geen foliage. Compact, only 16"<br />
tall. Blooms late August-early September. Texture of the clusters<br />
of smaller flowers is different than other varieties in the trade. It<br />
caught my eye.<br />
alboroseum ‘Medio-variegatus’ 18" tall yellow and cream<br />
variegated leaves and pale pink flowers in Aug./Sept., a terrific<br />
foliage accent plant all season.<br />
album ‘Baby Tears’ Teeny tiny tear-shaped succulent leaves; a<br />
green summer ground cover turning red in winter. White<br />
flowers in early summer. An excellent and very durable Stepable<br />
for hot, dry spots.<br />
‘Coral Carpet’ Rounded foliage looks like tiny jelly beans or<br />
balls stacked on top of each other. Foliage turns coral red<br />
when it’s cold, in spring and fall. White summer flowers.<br />
anglicum ‘Loves Triangle’ Neat little ground cover for troughs<br />
or rockeries. Forms a mat of blue-gray succulent foliage that<br />
looks like little jelly bean clusters. Pale pink flowers in late<br />
spring. 1-2" tall.<br />
‘Bertram Anderson’ New! Foliage is purple overlaid with dusty<br />
lilac. Hot rose-pink flowers in August on compact plants 12" tall.<br />
Great for the front of a sunny border. Great foliage plant.<br />
‘Blade Runner’ New! 14" tall serrated green foliage topped with<br />
red/purple florets, late summer.<br />
cauticola ‘Lidakense’ Rounded blue-grey foliage (similar to S.<br />
sieboldii), called the "mouse ear" sedum. Has showy burgundy<br />
markings. Rosy pink flowers in Aug./Sept. Great rockery or<br />
trough plant.<br />
cauticolum Blue green rosettes of foliage are topped with rosepink<br />
flowers in September. Grows 6-8" tall.<br />
cyaneum A good fall bloomer with showy blue/grey foliage.<br />
Grows 3-4" tall, flowers are soft pink. Great for sunny, hot spots.<br />
‘Diamond Edge’ This is exciting! Diamond Edge is a mutation<br />
from Sedum Matrona, with green and cream variegated foliage<br />
and a touch of burgundy near the petioles. It is very stable and<br />
does not revert. Compact plant habit, good upright stems, soft<br />
pink flowers in August. Grows 18" tall.<br />
erwersii ‘Homophyllum’ An adorable dwarf with rounded<br />
succulent foliage that is deep red in spring and looks like little<br />
raisins on the ground! Leaves later fade to a beautiful blue.<br />
Grows 2" tall, pink flowers in the fall.<br />
floriferum ‘Weihenstephaner Gold’ Excellent, durable ground<br />
cover with succulent green foliage and golden yellow June<br />
flowers followed by attractive red seed heads; 8" tall.<br />
‘Frosty Morn’ WHITE and green variegated foliage, very showy<br />
and attractive all season, upright 12-15" tall. Slow-growing; for<br />
mass effect, plant 3-5 per drift, space 12" apart. Flowers are very<br />
pale pink in late summer.<br />
glaucophyllum The cliff stonecrop is native to the Appalachian<br />
mountains. Growing only 1-2" tall, it has intricate rosettes of<br />
blue/green foliage that gets red edges when grown in full sun.<br />
White flowers in mid-summer.<br />
hispanicum Excellent rock garden plant with compact mounds<br />
of bluish/gray succulent foliage tipped in pink. Mid-summer<br />
flowers of pinkish-white.<br />
‘Purple Form’ Foliage changes to purple in the cold weather.<br />
An excellent Stepable for sunny, dry spots.<br />
humifusum Tiny succulent ground cover with a neat texture.<br />
Foliage looks like little rosettes, resembling a sea of tiny bluegreen<br />
balls covering the ground. They turn red in full sun;<br />
flowers are yellow in summer. Excellent textural plant to use as<br />
a Stepable or in trough gardens.<br />
japonica senanense Tiny 1" tall mats of succulent foliage turns<br />
bright red in the summer sun. Excellent accent plant to carpet<br />
troughs.<br />
kamtschaticum ‘Variegatum’ A great foliage ground cover,<br />
green serrated foliage edged creamy yellow; showy yellow<br />
flowers. This is a very easy-to-grow, durable plant for hot sunny<br />
spots that I use all the time in my designs to anchor the front of<br />
the garden. It always looks good.<br />
lydium The ideal lawn substitute for hot, sunny areas. Creeping<br />
green succulent foliage is durable and tough where traffic is<br />
high. Leaves turn red in fall, flowers are yellow in summer.<br />
‘Matrona’ This is perhaps the most useful hybrid sedum<br />
introduced to the trade in decades. Thick leathery leaves of pale<br />
grey-green with a deep wine edge and a red midrib. Flowers are<br />
large pink flat clusters, similar to ‘Autumn Joy’, not as rounded,<br />
Aug/Sept. Very compact and upright, never floppy. An<br />
indispensible foliage structure plant.<br />
middendorfinum Unusual 4-6" tall ground cover with semievergreen<br />
foliage that is red in spring and fall, green in summer.<br />
Yellow flowers are followed by red seed pods that look like<br />
berries.<br />
‘Purple Emperor’ The new darling of the sedum world. 16" tall<br />
strong stems clothed in purple foliage topped with dusty red<br />
Page 58 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
flowers from late July-early September. This is going to be a very<br />
important foliage accent plant in the years to come. Don’t even<br />
THINK of putting this plant anywhere near a pop-up automatic<br />
sprinkler head. Sedums like it dry.<br />
reflexum I finally figured out the name of this plant that I like<br />
so much. The foliage looks like creeping, succulent blue spruce<br />
needles. This is really fun to use in the front of a sunny, hot<br />
border; great textural contrast.<br />
‘Blue Spruce’ Exceptional variety of this great ground cover;<br />
foliage is very blue.<br />
requieni Is it a sedum or is it a thyme? The absolute tightest and<br />
tiniest of ground cover sedums form a dense mat, making it<br />
ideal between stepping stones. Flowers inconspicuous; very<br />
slow-growing. Great in troughs. Everyone wants to touch this<br />
plant to see if it smells like thyme!<br />
rosenteppich This is an older variety, commonly referred to as<br />
"raisins" because the gray foliage, with a red edge, has a<br />
raisinesque shape. Fall blooming pink flowers, 8" tall.<br />
rubrotinctum ‘Mini Me’ Cute name, cute plant. Called "pork<br />
and beans", the foliage looks like blue-red jellybeans. Yellow<br />
flowers in summer. Grows 6-12" tall.<br />
<br />
Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’<br />
Have you met this golden lady yet? ‘Angelina’ is the coolest<br />
sedum to hit the market in years. Glowing golden needlelike<br />
foliage has highlights of pink and peach as the season<br />
progresses. In a mild winter, it stays evergreen. Perfect for<br />
containers, or to weave into the front of a sunny border. My<br />
crew loves this plant!<br />
rupestre ‘Angelina’ Picture glaring, dayglow yellow foliage,<br />
needle shaped and trailing. Native to Croatia, Angelina is a<br />
showstopper for containers or dry, sunny garden spots. 3-6" tall.<br />
‘Samuel Oliphant’ I'm real excited about this new plant. CT<br />
bred, showy variegated upright form with cream, neon-pink,<br />
and green leaves. Light pink late August-early September<br />
flowers. 30" tall.<br />
sieboldii October Sedum Very useful because of its late blooms.<br />
Blue-green foliage, rosy pink flowers, 8".<br />
spathulifolium ‘Carnea’ Unique ground-hugging rosettes of<br />
ruby foliage edged with silver; a unique, eye-catching, droughttolerant<br />
rockery plant.<br />
‘Harvest Moon’ A native of California, this variety has the<br />
same gray/purple succulent foliage; flowers are bright yellow,<br />
summer blooming.<br />
‘Pruinosum’ Blue-green, powdery looking succulent rosettes<br />
radiate out from the center of the plant, rooting when they<br />
touch the ground. 3-4" tall, soft yellow early summer flowers.<br />
spectabile ‘Autumn Joy’ Rose flowers in Sept./Oct. dry to<br />
maroon seed heads that remain showy into the winter. Succulent<br />
pale green foliage, 2’. Plant these early for huge plants this fall.<br />
Good foliage all season long. Extremely easy.<br />
‘Iceberg’ Great upright form, 26-30" tall, with pure white<br />
flowers from late July until early September.<br />
‘Indian Chief’ This is a very old variety, which, according to<br />
plant guru Alan Armitage, is an excellent cultivar. I remember<br />
carrying this over 20 years ago. Good substance, deep rosy red<br />
flowers in September, fading to rosy pink.<br />
‘Neon’ New! An improved form of ‘Brilliant’, deeper neon<br />
pink color, heavier and thicker flowers. This plant blooms in<br />
August, offering drought-proof color in a difficult month.<br />
‘Stardust’ For the white garden or when an icy, cool look is<br />
needed for the late summer garden, this unusual variety has<br />
the palest pink flowers that appear white on 18" stems.<br />
spurium Dragon's blood sedum has green foliage that hugs the<br />
ground; hot pink summer flowers. A standard, very fast and<br />
easy growing. Use this to bind the edges of gardens together as<br />
they approach a paved walkway.<br />
‘Fulda-glow’ (red-purple) a durable ground cover whose<br />
foliage remains burgundy all summer. Great for weaving<br />
among plants for foliage accent, rose red summer flowers.<br />
‘Summer Glory’ This is a very vigorous form of summer<br />
sedum with green foliage and large, hot pink flowers in midsummer.<br />
Great border edger. 6-8" tall<br />
telephium ‘Emperors Wave’ Blue-green, succulent toothed<br />
foliage with red stems is incised at the edges, offering a unique<br />
texture. Flowers are deep raspberry pink in September. Grows<br />
only 12-15" tall.<br />
ternatum ‘Larinem Park’ New! Ever think of growing sedums<br />
under trees? This is the one to choose. Native to Kentucky and<br />
Virginia, it is usually found creeeping through mossy rocks. My<br />
grower told me he has it spreading under a maple tree. One of<br />
the first to bloom, in late spring, it has dense, compact green<br />
foliage and arching sprays of tiered white star flowers.4-6" tall.<br />
x ‘Vera Jameson’ Low-growing burgundy foliage with rosy<br />
pink flowers in August and September. 15" tall.<br />
‘Xenox’ All the growers are talking about this plant! A Future<br />
Plants introduction, Xenox has deep purple foliage and is very<br />
compact, growing upright to 14" tall. The flowers are a deep<br />
pink, deepening to a burgundy pink as they age, just like<br />
Autumn Joy. Late August/ September is when the flowering<br />
begins. Of course, this variety needs full sun and lean soil.<br />
Sempervivum HENS AND CHICKS<br />
Along with mixed varieties, we carry some very special varieties that<br />
you can order individually. The absolute best choice for wedging<br />
between rocks, in cracks and crevices, in shallow-soil areas or for<br />
troughs or succulent strawberry jars.<br />
arachonoideum This is the "spider web" hens and chicks---tight<br />
clusters of green rosettes are covered with fine silver filaments.<br />
Provide excellent drainage. Locate up close.<br />
‘Ashes of Roses’ Fuzzy gray rosettes tinged pink.<br />
‘Commander Hay’ Giant green and red rosettes.<br />
‘Lavender and Old Lace’ Red and purple rosettes.<br />
‘Oddity from Albidum’ What a name! And what an unusual<br />
plant . . . the leaf petals are rounded and curved, resembling the<br />
form of a pitcher plant flower. Truly different!<br />
‘Rojin’ Deep, dark, wine red large hens and chicks.<br />
‘Royal Ruby’ Large heads of rich purple red foliage.<br />
‘Saturn’ Rings of pink and green decorate the leaves.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 59
Shortia OCONEE BELLS<br />
galacifolia A rare wildflower discovered by Dr. Charles Short in<br />
Oconee County, South Carolina, thus the name. Propagated<br />
right here in a specialty Connecticut nursery, this has waxy,<br />
fringed white bell flowers 4-6" tall over glossy evergreen foliage.<br />
Be sure to provide a soil high in organic matter, especially leaf<br />
mold that would normally be found on the forest floor. May<br />
blooming.<br />
Sidalcea MINIATURE HOLLYHOCK<br />
Sidalceas are really great cottage garden or vertical accent border<br />
plants. Their spikes are narrow and thin, they are much easier to grow<br />
than hollyhocks and NOT invasive like Malvas. A finer choice for the<br />
garden.<br />
candid ‘Bianca’ Pure white, 3’, blooms July/August.<br />
hybrida ‘Elsie Heugh’ Lacy pale pink flowers, 3’ tall.<br />
‘Little Princess’ A patented variety that has soft, frilly, pink<br />
flowers on 15" tall plants in July and early August. Another<br />
useful new addition for the front of the border.<br />
Silene CATCHFLY<br />
alpestris A very pretty new Stepable with ground-hugging mats<br />
of green foliage. Late spring and early summer double white<br />
flowers rise up 3-4"; you can put this between stepping stones or<br />
in alpine trough gardens. Place it where you can see the delicate<br />
flowers wave in the slightest breeze.<br />
dioica I discovered this plant in Lucie’s Guilford cottage<br />
garden---it came in from seed. It’s taken me years to identify it.<br />
3’ stalks with rosy pink flowers from late May through<br />
midsummer; very long-blooming, a wildflower that will soften<br />
any sunny border.<br />
‘Grahams Delight’ A new, green and white variegated form.<br />
‘Valley High’ I am thrilled to see one of my favorite cottage<br />
garden plants offered in a variegated form, bred by Terra<br />
Nova. Broad green and cream foliage and clear pink flowers.<br />
Prefers lean soil; avoid wet feet.<br />
maritima ‘Swan Lake’ This is a really neat flower---white,<br />
tubular base is topped with frilly double petals. I kept going<br />
back to look at it. Blue/green foliage, grows 5" tall. Blooms in<br />
June but I observed it in bloom last fall! Full sun.<br />
virginica Fire pinks are wildflowers that self-sow. Dayglow hot<br />
pinkish/orange blossoms, 12-14" tall. Tolerate sun or shade, salt<br />
spray, road salt, anything! May/June bloomers. Once you plant<br />
these, you will have them forever!<br />
Sisyrinchium BLUE-EYED GRASS<br />
These plants are irresistable! Tiny tufts of foliage resembles a miniature<br />
iris leaf; the flowers are the sweetest stars. Great in containers, trough<br />
gardens, rock gardens, by walkways, in sun or part shade. Locate them<br />
up close where you can enjoy them.<br />
angustifolium ‘Lucerne’ Exceptional variety with large blue<br />
flowers, almost the size of a dime. A constant bloomer from May<br />
until July, possibly beyond.<br />
‘Quaint and Queer’ Very unusual "chocolate Ovaltine"-colored<br />
flowers! Truly! I saw this a few years ago and flipped. Very<br />
long-blooming, a darling to locate where it will be noticed.<br />
Smilacina<br />
racemosa I have searched for this woodland plant for years,<br />
after admiring a huge stand in the yard of a house that I rented.<br />
Related to Solomon’s seal, this plant forms a bold clump of green<br />
arching foliage with large and showy white flower spikes in<br />
May and June. Grows 3’ tall. Prefers partial shade.<br />
"Man - despite his artistic pretensions, his<br />
sophistication, and his many<br />
accomplishments - owes his existence to<br />
a six inch layer of topsoil and the fact that<br />
it rains."<br />
- Author Unknown<br />
Spergularia RUBY SAND SPURRY<br />
rubra This is a new Stepable with fine, needle-like foliage and<br />
hot pink flowers in late May/June. Love hot sun and is perfect<br />
match to carpet the ground beneath roses. 4-6" tall.<br />
Spigellia<br />
marylandica Calling all hummingbirds! This native plant is one<br />
of our most beautiful wildflowers. For partial shade and slightly<br />
acid soil enriched with compost. 12" tall flowers are upwardfacing<br />
tubular trumpets in brilliant red with a dramatic<br />
contrasting center star of bright yellow. One speaker I heard said<br />
"it looks like a red banana peeling open". A July/early August<br />
bloomer; deadheading prolongs its bloom time and it often<br />
repeats again in the fall. Very limited.<br />
Spiranthes LADY’S TRESSES ORCHID<br />
cernua 12-18" tall thin spikes covered with small white orchid<br />
flowers that spiral around the stem. A neat plant for the<br />
woodland garden. Blooms August-October. A very wonderful<br />
late season native shade plant.<br />
Stachys LAMB’S EARS<br />
Everyone knows this as the best and most durable silver foliage edging<br />
plant. Well, wait until you see the new hybrids AND the super-hardy,<br />
long-blooming green-leaved forms. You can’t find a more durable plant<br />
for the border.<br />
byzantina ‘Cotton Boll’ This is a very unusual flower form.<br />
Stems are covered with round, fuzzy balls instead of flowers;<br />
foliage forms the same fuzzy gray ground cover. This is fun to<br />
use as a fresh cut or dried flower.<br />
‘Helen Von Stein’ Affectionately called Big Ears, this plant<br />
has enormous silver foliage, will not melt down in summer,<br />
great edging plant, gets huge!<br />
‘Primrose Heron’ Very unusual, love-it-or-hate-it type of<br />
plant! Large felty foliage is gray with a creamy yellow cast.<br />
Forms tight clumps. I use this as a foliage foil in hot color<br />
gardens (and I love it, you might have guessed!)<br />
‘Silky Fleece’ A true dwarf lamb's ear, with tight, compact 2"<br />
mounds of silvery foliage. Flowers are nice plum colored<br />
flower spikes, 10" tall in July and August. A mounded cushion<br />
Page 60 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
that will work well in the front of a smaller border, or even in<br />
an alpine trough.<br />
densiflora ‘Alba’ Crinkled green leaves give rise to 2-4" tall<br />
white spikes in mid-summer. A very durable Stepable.<br />
grandiflora ‘Superba’ Green crinkled basal foliage and giant<br />
lavender pink, thick flower spikes 18" tall. Many mistake it for<br />
some type of Salvia and always ask, "What is that?"<br />
monnieri I discovered this plant in 2001. Another in the<br />
category of super-durable green-leaved Stachys, this has glossy<br />
dark green foliage tipped with thin and graceful pink spikes on<br />
18" stems in July and early August.<br />
‘Hummelo’ If you think all lamb's ears have silver foliage and<br />
gangly flowers, think again. Stachys m. 'Hummelo' received<br />
the highest rating out of 22 stachys studied in the Plant<br />
Evaluation Trials at the Chicago Botanic Gardens from 1998-<br />
2004. Why? Excellent 2' tall upright spikes of lavender purple,<br />
drought tolerant and disease resistant bright green basal<br />
foliage, mid-summer bloom period, a very long lived<br />
perennial.<br />
Stokesia STOKE’S ASTER<br />
Stoke’s Asters are great front of the border plants. They have nice,<br />
glossy green, basal foliage all season. They are one of my top ten<br />
perennials that I use in summer garden designs.<br />
‘Colorwheel’ Exceptionally large flowers of almost pure white<br />
in June/early July fade to lavender and finally to purple! Grows<br />
24" tall and still was producing sporadic flowers in fall.<br />
laevis ‘Honeysong Purple’ Enormous purple flowers 4" in<br />
diameter, not as deep as ‘Purple Parasols’. Grows to 14" tall.<br />
‘Klaus Jelitto’ Flowers are bred to be enormous, 4-5" diam.,<br />
pale sky blue, 18" tall.<br />
‘Mary Gregory’ Soft yellow Stokesia! This color blends with<br />
everything.<br />
‘Omega Skyrocket’ A giant among Stokesias, with flower<br />
stalks growing 3-4’ tall, beautiful blue flowers are great for<br />
cutting, butterflies love them. The stems are straight and tall;<br />
foliage hugs the ground, rosette form. People that see them in<br />
bloom can’t believe they are stokesias!<br />
‘Peachies Pick’ A true dwarf, growing only 8-12" tall; very<br />
compact edging plant. Large blue flowers in July. Very useful<br />
to bind together the front of a garden by a walkway. If you<br />
deadhead this variety, it will continue blooming through the<br />
fall. Now one of my top 10 perennials for sun.<br />
‘Purple Parasols’ This variety is a FABULOUS addition to the<br />
perennial world---deep violet flowers (color similar to Salvias!)<br />
on 18-2" stems for at least four weeks in July and early August.<br />
Stylophorum CELANDON POPPY<br />
diphyllum This native plant brightens up the spring woods.<br />
Lemon yellow flowers over dissected blue green foliage, 12-18"<br />
tall. I have used it for years in Lucie’s Guilford cottage garden. I<br />
let it bloom all spring and early summer, then it goes summerdormant.<br />
It always returns, self-sows, weaving among<br />
Brunneras and Jacob’s ladders for a soft effect.<br />
Symphytum COMFREY<br />
Common comfrey is an invasive herb which we carry for medicinal<br />
purposes. The following ornamental varieties are very showy and worth<br />
considering in the garden. Easy to grow for sun or partial shade and<br />
any soil.<br />
grandiflorum We are digging some of these plants from our<br />
gardens because people asked about them when they bloomed<br />
in the spring. This is a dwarf form of comfrey, with creamy<br />
white dangling bells 12-15" high in mid May. Dwarf refers to the<br />
height, not the spread, it will grow laterally to form a large stand<br />
over the years. We have let lily of the valley weave into it, and<br />
they bloom at the same time. That really turned a few heads, I<br />
guess. I can’t think of an easier ground cover for dry shade.<br />
uplandicum ‘Variegatum’ This is a very rare shade plant that is<br />
easy to grow. The foliage is green and cream variegated. The<br />
flowers are white with a raspberry rose rim! Grows only 6-8" tall<br />
and is great at the front of the garden.<br />
Syneilesis UMBRELLA PLANT<br />
For a picture of this unusual new shade plant, see page 274 of The<br />
Explorer’s Garden by Dan Hinckley. This is a fascinating book, filled<br />
with very rare plants.<br />
aconitifolia This is called the shredded umbrella plant. It is a<br />
rare woodland perennial, native to Korea and Japan. Forms a<br />
colony 2’ wide, 18" tall within two years; spreads slowly by<br />
rhizomes. The leaves start as white, wooly foliage, gradually<br />
becoming flat topped and umbrella-like; they are finelydissected<br />
and toothed. Very unusual shape/form for the shade<br />
garden; can tolerate dry woodland soil, hillsides. Rarely stocked,<br />
worth reserving.<br />
Tanacetum PAINTED DAISY<br />
coccineum ‘Duro’ Painted or Pyrethrum<br />
Daisy Long, 32" tall wiry stems topped with<br />
deep wine-red daisies, great for cutting.<br />
‘Garden Treasure’ Beautiful semi-double<br />
daisies, rosy red with gold centers<br />
surrounded by a white showy frilled and<br />
fluffy collar. 12-15" wiry stems for cutting<br />
over ferny basal foliage.<br />
‘James Kelway’ Deep red flowers 2' tall on long wiry stems<br />
over feathery basal foliage. Great cut flower.<br />
parthenium<br />
As common and as wild as it may be, I use feverfew in most of my<br />
cottage garden and woodland garden designs. It blooms all summer,<br />
into the fall. It makes a great cut flower. It self-sows easily. In Europe,<br />
it is used as an important herb for migraine headaches. I like it because<br />
it is cheerful, happy, and speaks of country gardens! Plant them just<br />
once. They will then self-sow forever. . . . Not eaten by deer.<br />
‘Roya’ Feverfew This is the old-fashioned single daisy, but the<br />
hybrid has flowers the size of nickels. Foliage is green, lasts<br />
through hard frosts.<br />
vulgare ‘Isla Gold’ Clump-forming tansy relative with brilliant,<br />
showy golden foliage, 3’ tall and wide. This turned heads at a<br />
fall plant conference la few years ago, mine included. Full sun.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 61
Teucrium GERMANDER<br />
One of my top ten foliage plants, always looks tidy, fresh and neat. A<br />
good herbal hedge. Sheer back HARD in early spring.<br />
chamaedrys 1-2’ dark green neat foliage, often used as an herbal<br />
hedge; pink flowers in July, sun or partial shade.<br />
hyranicum A fuzzy germander---flowers are thin, elegant spikes<br />
of purplish-red. Downy foliage is full and bushy. Grows 18-24"<br />
tall.<br />
prostrata (a.k.a. canadensis) Low-growing ground cover form,<br />
carpets our hillside rock garden, a very tough spot!<br />
Thalictrum MEADOW RUE<br />
aquilegifolium Lavender sprays of delicate flowers 3-4' tall<br />
form a cloud of delicacy in late May and June. Scientific name<br />
refers to the fact that the leaves look very much like columbine<br />
foliage.<br />
‘Thundercloud’ A wonderful hybrid. Delicate yet large and<br />
very showy deep purple/lavender flowers will brighten the<br />
partial shade garden; 3-4’ tall, foliage resembles Columbine.<br />
Very limited, reserve.<br />
‘Black Stockings’ The darling of new introductions this year, I<br />
am glad to have snagged a few of these plants. The stems are<br />
dark purple, creating quite a contrast against the ferny foliage.<br />
Grows 6' tall with clouds of lavender blossoms in June/July.<br />
delavayi ‘Hewitt's Double’ Very long-blooming, July and<br />
August, 4-5’ tall double lavender flowers on finely-cut foliage.<br />
Delicate addition to the border. Sun or partial shade.<br />
‘Elin’ If you are looking for something truly different, try this<br />
dramatic plant. Straight stalks rise 8-10 feet in the air topped<br />
with bi-colored, delicate flowers of cream and smoky lavender.<br />
Foliage looks similar to Columbine, with a mahogany tinge, but<br />
bigger. The effect is stunning--- a mass of lavender flowers<br />
forming a cloud above the garden. Resembles T.<br />
rochebrunianum ‘Lavender Mist’ but taller and showier. August<br />
and September blooming. Sun or partial shade.<br />
kiusianum This is a ground cover meadow rue that grows 6"<br />
tall, forming dense clumps in partly sunny or shady woodland<br />
gardens, even with root competition. The flowers are the same<br />
soft, delicate lavender blossoms so admired in the taller<br />
varieties. Blooms June-July, possibly longer. I combined it with<br />
black mondo grass.<br />
rochebrunianum Lavender mist meadow rue has finely<br />
textured foliage resembling columbine. Flowers shoot straight<br />
up on 6' tall stalks, they are very dramatic with delicate pink<br />
flowers in July. Good cut flower, amazing vertical habit that you<br />
can sneak in narrow spaces for that soaring surprise element.<br />
For best effect, plant three plants, one foot apart, in a grouping.<br />
You will then create a 6' tall billowing cloud!<br />
Thermopsis FALSE LUPINE<br />
lanceolata This could also be called "yellow Baptisia" as the<br />
flowers closely resemble that garden favorite, only they are<br />
buttery yellow and 12-18" tall. Cut-leaf foliage is nice all season.<br />
Drought-tolerant. Needs full sun.<br />
Thymus THYME<br />
Besides the numerous culinary varieties of thyme which we carry, we<br />
also stock a good selection of fine ornamental varieties. All have the<br />
same pungent herbal foliage as well as excellent foliage characteristics<br />
and good flowers. Plant where deer will walk—the scent will confuse<br />
their sense of smell.<br />
citriodorus ‘Aureus’ Lemon-scented gold and green variegated<br />
foliage. Light lavender flowers.<br />
ssp. citriodorus Creeping lemon thyme grows only 3-4” tall,<br />
hugs the ground, excellent lawn substitute for full, hot sun.<br />
herba-baronna Caraway thyme is one of the very best prostrate<br />
forms for growing between stepping stones. Lavender flowers.<br />
praecox ‘Alba’ White flowering form of creeping thyme.<br />
‘Doretta Klaaber’ One of the tightest bun forms of thyme<br />
available, dark pink flowers. Great in troughs.<br />
‘Hall's Wooly’ 3" tall fuzzy carpets, one of the best for<br />
between stepping stones. Super-hardy, zone 3.<br />
‘Highland Cream’ Prostrate grower, beautiful green and<br />
cream variegated foliage, pink flowers.<br />
‘Minus’ Teeny tiny leaves create an adorable texture; excellent<br />
for troughs or between stepping stones.<br />
‘Nutmeg’ One of the best prostrate varieties, excellent<br />
Stepable for walking on. Crush the foliage and you will<br />
discover a nutmeg/thyme scent as you walk!<br />
‘Reiter Red’ Tiny leaves and deep pink flowers.<br />
praecox coccineus (Reiter’s Red) Low mats with rosy red<br />
flowers, great between stepping stones.<br />
pseudolanguinosis Wooly Thyme Fuzzy grey leaves, lavender<br />
flowers, one of the best for between stepping stones. Hugs the<br />
ground, only 2" tall.<br />
serphyllum ‘Albus’ White flowering form, very useful in<br />
designs where pink just won’t work.<br />
‘Elfin’ A very miniature form of creeping thyme. Leaves are<br />
closer together and tighter growing; pink flowers.<br />
‘Magic Carpet’ Excellent hybrid form, a classic Stepable.<br />
Carmine flowers.<br />
vulgaris Upright, shrubby form. The standard culinary thyme<br />
growing 12-15" tall. Prune each spring to renew young wood.<br />
Tiarella FOAMFLOWER<br />
No more whining that there are no new interesting shade plants! Get<br />
with the program and try Tiarellas. They are one of the best shade<br />
plants, very underrated, many wonderful new hybrids have recently<br />
been developed. Good for difficult areas. Native to U.S. woodlands.<br />
They bloom May/June with some repeat blooming. New hybrids have<br />
great foliage.<br />
‘Candy Striper’ This patented new hybrid has the largest leaves<br />
of any Tiarellas. Deep green, deeply lobed foliage with a rich<br />
burgundy strip down the center of each lobe; it really makes a<br />
statement as a foliage plant. Flowers are pink buds, opening to<br />
white, 10" tall. Mounding habit.<br />
cordifolia ‘Spring Symphony’ Soft green, almost chartreuse<br />
foliage with red veins. Blush pink spring flowers 7-10" tall.<br />
Flowers are very prolific. The overall effect is very pretty.<br />
Patented variety.<br />
‘Jeepers Creepers’ A well behaved creeping plant, not invasive,<br />
makes an excellent ground cover carpet in the shade. Green<br />
Page 62 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
leaves marked with burgundy, white flowers. Use this to<br />
underplant burgundy Heucheras and evergreen ferns.<br />
“There’s no such thing as a bad plant,<br />
only a bad use of a plant.”<br />
-Wayne Winterrowd, at a perennial<br />
lecture in the winter of 2006<br />
Tradescantia SPIDERWORT<br />
I never liked the old-fashioned varieties of Spiderwort because they were<br />
floppy and I chopped them back in the summer. The new hybrids, I am<br />
finally convinced, are worth a place in the shade garden. The flowers<br />
are much larger, the foliage much more interesting, will repeat-bloom 2<br />
or 3 times in one growing season if deadheaded.<br />
andersoniana ‘Bilberry Ice’ Susan and I both noted this neat<br />
variety. White flowers are splashed with soft lavender/purple in<br />
the center. 15" tall, good rebloom in fall after July cutback.<br />
longipes A true dwarf, growing only 3-5" tall. Dark blue flowers<br />
bloom on and off all summer without the traditional hard<br />
cutting back needed for the other varieties.<br />
‘Mrs. Loewer’ This variety puts the spider in spiderwort. Very<br />
thin, silvery blue foliage creates an unusual textural effect.<br />
Flowers are soft blue and they keep coming through June and<br />
July, with repeat bloom in the fall if cut back. 30" tall. This won a<br />
place in our shade garden.<br />
‘Sweet Kate’ Finally, something truly exciting and different in<br />
the world of spiderworts! Bright chartreuse/golden foliage<br />
contrasts with brilliant purple-blue flowers. An English import,<br />
this plant can be pruned back to encourage new golden foliage<br />
and fresh flowers many times during the summer. 12" tall. Best<br />
golden color in sun. Great in containers too!<br />
Tricyrtis TOAD LILY<br />
Exotic-looking but easy-to-grow shade plants with arching stems<br />
covered with flowers that resemble orchids. Great for fall color. Many<br />
new varieties are being introduced from the Orient. Give them a closeup<br />
spot in the garden!<br />
formosana 18" tall yellow lily with purple spots, fall-blooming.<br />
This species is rhizomatous, spreads quickly.<br />
‘Samurai’ Purple flowers with darker spots, foliage is green<br />
with a gold margin, grows 16" tall. A real beauty for the fall<br />
shade garden.<br />
‘Sinonome’ One of my favorites, white flowers heavily<br />
spotted with purple/blue. Grows 30" tall.<br />
‘Hatotogisa’ Drop-dead gorgeous flowers, dark blue with violet<br />
spots and white center. Grows 2’ tall.<br />
hirta The straight species is still a wonderful and easy-to-grow<br />
garden flower. Ours has graced our semi-shade garden for over<br />
ten years and requires no care. 15-20" tall clumps with white<br />
flowers spotted purple in all the leaf margins.<br />
‘Miyazaki’ A fast spreader, pure white flowers with exotic<br />
and showy lilac spotting. Grows 2-3’ tall.<br />
‘Raspberry Mousse’ Very showy deep raspberry flowers<br />
clothe the stems of the 2’ tall, arching variety. Flowers are<br />
almost solid colored, without a lot of spotting. This is a totally<br />
new look in toad lilies.<br />
‘Tojen’ NO spots is the trademark of this pale lavender<br />
variety with white throats. Fast growing, reaches 30" tall.<br />
‘White Towers’ 16" tall, pure white flowers on arching stems.<br />
Excellent fall shade plant for front of border. Try combining<br />
with truly a dwarf white variegated hosta (such as a mass of<br />
H. ‘Louisa’) or with Pulmonarias and painted ferns.<br />
latifolia Summer-blooming, yellow with purple spots, 30"<br />
tall.This is a very rare shade plant that you must try for the midsummer<br />
garden. Golden orchid-like flowers are absolutely<br />
charming. Everyone will ask about them!<br />
macropoda This is called the candelabra toad lily. Open sprays<br />
of white flowers with purple spots arise from the ends of 24-30"<br />
stems. When in bloom, they look like a two tiered candelabra.<br />
September flowering.<br />
‘Moonlight Treasure’ A new, wonderful color in fall blooming<br />
toad lilies. Large, soft yellow flowers in clusters of 2-5 blossoms<br />
emerge from every leaf axil. Thick foliage spotted silver.<br />
Compact habit, only 10" tall. Wow!<br />
‘Taipei Silk’ Lovely new Blooms of Bressingham introduction<br />
bred in Mass. Upright stems covered with soft lilac and deeper<br />
purple flowers spotted and marked with yellow. Blooms start in<br />
late August, continue through September, possibly beyond.<br />
More flowers for a longer time than most hybrids. 25" tall.<br />
Foliage is very glossy.<br />
Trifolium RED GROUND CLOVER<br />
repens ‘Dragons Blood’ An exceptionally cool new ground<br />
cover. Foliage is green and white spotted with a drop of<br />
burgundy red in the center. Not invasive.<br />
‘Pentphyllum’ (‘Atropurpurea’) A creeping ornamental form<br />
of clover with deep burgundy variegated foliage, pink flowers.<br />
Very easy to grow, only 2-3" tall, great for carpeting hillsides,<br />
rockeries, between stepping stones. Very hardy, nice for<br />
edging and color echoing.<br />
rubens Very unusual giant ornamental clover with long,<br />
pointed purple-red flowers in July/August. Grows to 2’ tall.<br />
Everyone says "What IS that?" when they spot it in our pink<br />
garden. I combined it with Salvia plumosa for a totally bizarre<br />
effect. Good cut flower to jazz up summer bouquets.<br />
Trillium WAKE ROBIN<br />
Trilliums are woodland wild flowers. They are summer-dormant.<br />
Propagated by a local Connecticut nursery.<br />
erectum Red flowers that are upright-facing and open.<br />
grandiflorum Large upfacing white flowers.<br />
sessile Red toad trillium has large red flowers and spotted<br />
foliage. This is very easy to grow.<br />
undulatum Painted trillium, a Connecticut native with large<br />
white flowers and a showy pink "painted" center.<br />
vaseyi Called "Sweet Beth", enormous flowers of deep red with<br />
showy yellow stamens. 12-18" tall. Very rare.<br />
Trollius GLOBEFLOWER<br />
Excellent plants for sun or partial shade, will tolerate moist soil.<br />
Related to buttercups, they have large, showy flowers in May and June.<br />
Great combined with Jacob’s ladder. Why don’t more people try this<br />
plant?<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 63
Woodland Wildflowers<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> carries a large selection of woodland<br />
wildflowers. Many are spring ephemerals, blooming<br />
early, then becoming summer dormant. By placing a<br />
catalog order, you can assure that the ones you want<br />
are reserved for you. A sampling…<br />
Anemone nemerosa<br />
Aquilegia canadensis<br />
Caltha palustris<br />
Dicentra cucularia<br />
Diphylleia cymosa<br />
Epigaea repens<br />
Gentiana andrewsii<br />
Geranium maculatum<br />
Goodyera pubescens<br />
Iris cristata<br />
Lobelia cardinalis<br />
Mertensia virginica<br />
Phlox divaricata, P. stolonifera<br />
Polemonium reptans<br />
Podophyllum peltatum<br />
Sanguinaria canadensis<br />
Trillium<br />
Viola labradorica, V. pubescens<br />
chinensis ‘Gold Queen’ Enormous golden, glowing flowers.<br />
Good cut flower. Looks like a giant golden-orange buttercup on<br />
steroids! Conspicuous stamens make these flowers really pop<br />
out. 2' tall.<br />
‘Fire Globe’ Vibrant orange-yellow flowers simply glow on 30"<br />
stems. Blooms a few weeks longer than the other varieties, into<br />
late June.<br />
hybrida ‘Lemon Queen’ Pale lemon yellow flowers on 30"<br />
stems. A gorgeous color.<br />
Uvularia MERRYBELLS<br />
grandiflora Woodland wildflower, clump-forming with<br />
dangling, bell-shaped, soft yellow flowers in spring. Stems grow<br />
18-30" and the tips nod over, creating an arching effect. Very<br />
lovely.<br />
Valeriana<br />
arizonica Native to (you guessed it) Arizona, this is a dwarf<br />
valerian with pretty pink flowers 2-3" tall that bloom for many<br />
weeks in late spring and summer. Great to add color to troughs<br />
or rockeries.<br />
officinalis ‘White Cloud’ Hybrid form of the herb valerian, 2-3'<br />
tall white flowers in June. Deadhead after blooming.<br />
Vancouveria<br />
chrysantha An excellent shade plant, similar to but more<br />
compact and much faster-spreading than Epimedium. The shiny<br />
foliage is attractive all summer long, anchoring the woodland<br />
garden. Combines beautifully with spring-blooming bulbs,<br />
which grow right through it. The milky white flowers bloom<br />
from May until July.<br />
Verbascum MULLEIN<br />
Extremely drought-tolerant and very dramatic vertical accent plants.<br />
June/July blooming. Deadhead immediately for possible rebloom and to<br />
assure that energy returns to the basal foliage. NEVER plant where<br />
you have an automatic watering system.<br />
chaixii This has been blooming in our <strong>Natureworks</strong> gardens for<br />
years. Buttery yellow spikes with red centers, broad green<br />
foliage. Blooms 4-6 weeks or more. 2-3’ tall.<br />
phoenicium Green basal ground-hugging foliage, very leathery;<br />
nickel sized flowers on 30" tall spikes, often repeats if<br />
deadheaded. Flowers are in a range from white to lavender to<br />
purple. The parent of all of the amazing new hybrids.<br />
‘Jackie’ Flowers are an indescribable color . . . pale peach with<br />
a purple eye, 2’ tall. Foliage is slightly wooly greyish-green.<br />
Blooms June-Oct. When we had these in stock, in bloom, they<br />
flew out the door. Full sun, good drainage, tolerates the heat.<br />
‘Rosetta’ This is the bright magenta pink cousin to Violetta,<br />
the late May/early June bloomer in our rock garden by the<br />
road. Very hardy, with green basal foliage. Grows 24-30" tall.<br />
‘Summer Sorbet’ New in 2003---gorgeous color of iridescent<br />
raspberry with deep and light pink stamens, VERY heavy and<br />
prolonged blooming, very hardy.<br />
‘Violetta’ 2-3’ thin flower spikes of a vivid, wonderful violet<br />
color; late June/July bloomer. Green basal foliage. This really<br />
turned MY head in 2000 and I planted many in our sunny,<br />
rocky hillside garden.<br />
Vernonia IRONWEED<br />
A wonderful native plant for moist areas or regular gardens soil. Easy<br />
to grow, butterfly magnet. August-blooming.<br />
glauca New! Upland ironweed is a shorter form that reaches<br />
only 3-5’. Same purple flowers in late summer.<br />
noveboracensis Deep purple cluster of flowers on 4’ stalks in<br />
August; blooms in sun and average/moist soil; a native plant<br />
that often grows combined with Joe Pye Weed.<br />
Veronica<br />
An enormous family offering many great garden qualities. Many<br />
Veronicas have true blue flowers, a color much sought-after. Others are<br />
very long- and/or very late-blooming, some into November! Many also<br />
have excellent all-season foliage.<br />
alpina ‘Goodness Grows’ Good green foliage and 12" blue<br />
spikes in July-Nov.if deadheaded; one of the latest blooming<br />
perennials for the front of the garden.<br />
austriaca ‘Trehanii’ Golden-green creeping ground cover<br />
foliage contrasts with 6" deep blue flower spikes in May/June.<br />
‘Darwin's Blue’ This wonderful hybrid resembles the old<br />
fashioned V.longifolia types but is a greatly improved garden<br />
Page 64 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
plant. Foliage is disease resistant, flowers are graceful, thin<br />
spikes of blue/violet, 18" tall, from mid-June through July. As<br />
with longifolias, if you dare to cut this back hard in late July and<br />
give it a midsummer feeding, you just might get a fall rebloom!<br />
incana Silver foliage, soft blue spikes 10" in June/July; this plant<br />
is grown for its great silver foliage.<br />
‘Minuet’ An incana hybrid featuring the same great silver<br />
foliage with 15" pink spikes; the contrast is lovely; June/July.<br />
‘Silver Slippers’ Non-flowering form with tiny silver foliage.<br />
liwanensis An excellent ground cover. Foliage is mat-forming,<br />
the flowers are short spikes in a lovely shade of cobalt blue from<br />
April through June. For a sunny spot.<br />
longifolia ‘Sonja’ New! Brilliant fuchsia pink spikes 24" tall<br />
over very glossy, dark green foliage. July blooming.<br />
‘Subbsessilis’ Old-fashioned thin blue spikes, great for<br />
cutting, 30" tall, June/July; cut back hard in late July for a good<br />
fall rebloom.<br />
oltensis A new Stepable--- tiny, lacy, scalloped foliage hugs the<br />
ground. Bright blue flowers repeat from spring through fall.<br />
pectinata ‘Blue’ A spreading Stepable with fine foliage and soft<br />
blue spring flowers.<br />
peduncularis ‘Georgia Blue’ Green foliage turns bronze in fall;<br />
flowers are true blue on 12" fast-spreading low bushes; from<br />
Russia; blooms May/June and sporadically until Sept. I love this<br />
plant and use it in all my designs. Semi-evergreen.<br />
porphyriana This is an early May blooming alpine veronica<br />
with deep, rich blue flower spikes only 4" tall. If you see this<br />
plant in bloom, you will have to have it!<br />
prostrata ‘Aztec Gold’ New! Sun-tolerant golden-leaved ground<br />
cover; May flowers are lavender-blue, 6" tall. Excellent foliage<br />
accent edger. In part sun, foliage is charteuse.<br />
‘Heavenly Blue’ Another excellent low growing veronica, this<br />
one can take a bit of foot traffic so it can not only be planted at<br />
the edge of a garden, but also between stepping stones.<br />
Brilliant blue spikes 4" tall over almost-evergreen mats of<br />
foliage. Late May/June blooming.<br />
repens 2" tall prostrate ground cover, an excellent Stepable.<br />
Dainty blue May flowers, bright green foliage.<br />
‘Sunshine’ I bought this as a substitute for ‘Trehanii’---it has<br />
the same eye-catching chartreuse foliage but is shorter, with<br />
tiny leaves, forming a very low, dense, ground-hugging<br />
carpet. This contrasts beautifully with the purple/blue flowers.<br />
Full sun or light shade; good drainage.<br />
spicata ‘Giles van Hees’ Bright rose pink spikes, 6" tall, on fastgrowing,<br />
vigorous plants. June-blooming.<br />
‘Icicle’ 2’ white spikes in July/August, late bloomer.<br />
‘Sunny Border Blue’ A late bloomer with 20" dark blue spikes<br />
from July until hard frost. One of the longest-blooming<br />
perennials!<br />
surculosa ‘Waterperry Blue’ This plant resembles ‘Georgia<br />
Blue’ but the flowers are a soft lavender color. It has the same<br />
wonderful ground-hugging foliage. The leaves turn a deep<br />
purple color, and remain semi-evergreen in a mild winter or a<br />
sheltered spot. Good for sun or partial shade.<br />
teucrium ‘Crater Lake Blue’ Brilliant blue flowers in late<br />
May/June on 12" plants; fills the late May gap.<br />
‘Ulsters Dwarf Blue’ This is an extremely long blooming dwarf.<br />
Deep purple/blue flower spikes are 6-8" tall. Blooms from late<br />
July through late fall if deadheaded regularly. An excellent,<br />
much more vigorous alternative to Veronica alpina ‘Goodness<br />
Grows’ for the front of the border.<br />
x ‘Royal Candles’ New! 15-18" tall deep violet blue spikes<br />
resemble a dwarf ‘Sunny Border Blue’. Blooms July-October, just<br />
like its parent. A lime lover for well-drained soil. Great front of<br />
the border plant for late in the season.<br />
Veronicastrum CULVER’S ROOT<br />
virginicum Very thin and tall spikes, 4-5’, white, whorled<br />
leaves, architectural form, July and August.<br />
‘Apollo’ Deep reddish-purple flower spikes 40" tall. Foliage<br />
has a subtle burgundy cast.<br />
‘Erica’ 40" tall spikes are topped with purple/red buds that<br />
open a soft pink.<br />
‘Fascination’ A beautiful variety with lilac/rose spikes up to<br />
40" tall.<br />
Vinca MYRTLE<br />
minor ‘Atropurpurea’ (also known as V. minor 'Wine' and<br />
'Rosea') I love this plant! Out of flower, it looks like plain old<br />
green myrtle. When in bloom, the flower color is like fine<br />
cabernet. It earned a place in my mossy, woodland garden, with<br />
miniature yellow narcissus.<br />
‘Illumination’ Brilliant golden yellow foliage with the<br />
thinnest of green edges simply leaps out at you. Violet flowers.<br />
Excellent showy ground cover for shade, also great in<br />
windowboxes or hanging baskets.<br />
‘Ralph Shugert’ Elegant variegated form with deep green<br />
leaves edged with a thin white line; blue flowers.<br />
‘Sterling Silver’ Variegated white-edged myrtle with blue<br />
flowers, great to brighten a shady spot.<br />
Viola VIOLET<br />
Fragrance, easy care, larval food plants for many butterflies,<br />
enchanting in tiny bedside vases, easy to force for winter flowers in a<br />
cold frame—this hand-picked selection of some of the rarest violets will<br />
make you swoon. I use them to carpet my mossy yard, creep between<br />
stepping stones, hold the hillside. They are true spring-time delights.<br />
cornuta<br />
These are dwarf pansies, may be hardy with<br />
winter protection. They are irresistible in<br />
spring gardens and containers for sun or shade.<br />
‘Bowles Black’ (also known as Viola<br />
nigra) This has deep violet, almost black<br />
tiny flowers covering 6" tall plants all<br />
spring.<br />
‘Irish Molly’ This is a very cool and<br />
funky color---everyone that works for<br />
me snagged plants when they arrived a<br />
couple of years ago. Olive green, chocolate, and yellow blend<br />
together to make a very unique spring display. Very limited.<br />
‘Painted Porcelain’ A perfect name, this truly lovely viola has<br />
soft lilac flowers brushed with pink and pale yellow.<br />
‘Rebecca’ From England, this new variety has ruffled, softlyscented<br />
white flowers with deep violet margins.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 65
‘Tiger Eye’ Gorgeous and striking orange/yellow flowers<br />
with black markings and streaks. 6" tall, early spring bloomer.<br />
‘Dancing Geisha’ Unusual foliage---silver variegated, finely-cut,<br />
and swirled. WOW! Very fragrant white or soft blue flowers, 6"<br />
tall, in May. Prefers part shade. Fabulous as a foliage plant when<br />
not in bloom, great in containers.<br />
‘Etain’ This is a knockout! Flowers are large, 1-3/4" in diameter;<br />
pale lemon yellow with soft lavender edges.<br />
koreana ‘Sylettus’ A spectacular variegated violet. Leaves are<br />
purple, silver, and green. The flowers are tiny purple woodland<br />
violets. Will self-sow. Look for tiny leaves that closely resemble<br />
cyclamen foliage!<br />
labradorica Beautiful burgundy foliage is attractive all season,<br />
adding good foliage structure to front of garden; grows in sun or<br />
shade; purple flowers are a delight; self-sows.<br />
mandshurica ‘Fuji Dawn’ A very showy variegated violet!<br />
Leaves emerge speckled bright white and green in the spring<br />
and are topped by rich purple flowers. By late summer, they are<br />
almost green, resuming their variegation in the cooler weather.<br />
Self sows, which is a real treat because they are easy to spot if<br />
you want to move them around. 4" tall, a diminutive gem.<br />
‘Mars’ Bright purple veins and center markings jump out at you<br />
from large oval leaves---this is one truly different foliage plant. If<br />
that isn’t enough, the flowers are very fragrant, a delicate<br />
lavender. 5" tall, May-blooming.<br />
‘Molly Sanderson’ Rare black viola. Strange and wonderful.<br />
odorata (Sweet Violet) This is the true sweet violet, with tiny<br />
flowers that smell like heaven on earth; pick a bouquet for<br />
someone you love!<br />
‘Rosina’ One cold January evening, a friend brought to a<br />
dinner party a vase of these that she had forced in her cold<br />
frame---and OH! the sweet, sweet scent that tiny bouquet gave<br />
off! Rose pink flowers, doesn’t self-sow, very rare.<br />
pedata ‘Eco Artists Pallette’ A bicolor form of our native bird’s<br />
foot violet. A precious miniature, 3-4" tall---the flowers are an<br />
enchanting mixture of yellow, purple and white. Grows in rocks,<br />
needs good drainage.<br />
pubescens This is a native yellow violet; it was given to me once<br />
by a friend, but I left it behind when I moved. It looks fabulous<br />
with early spring bulbs. It grows very well in dry woodland<br />
situations. April/May blooming.<br />
Yucca<br />
filamentosa ‘Bright Edge’ Very showy golden variegated<br />
foliage; leathery sword-like evergreen leaves tolerate hot sun,<br />
dry soil, difficult spots. 3’ dramatic white flower spikes in July.<br />
Believe it or not, Yucca flowers are edible!<br />
‘Color Guard’ A very showy variegated form, brilliant yellow<br />
stripes down the center of each leaf.<br />
Zanthorhiza YELLOWROOT<br />
simplicissima A native plant that caught my eye at a CT<br />
Horticultural Society auction. Yellowroot forms a woody<br />
deciduous groundcover in sun or partial shade. Growing only 2-<br />
3’ tall, it suckers easily, creating a weed-inhibiting stand. Very<br />
easy to grow. I was intrigued by the bizarre, small purple<br />
flowers that appear before the leaves in April---not showy, just<br />
very different.<br />
SHRUBS<br />
Abelia GLOSSY ABELIA<br />
Glossy Abelia is a wonderful shrub for summer and fall color. The<br />
blossoms are tubular and attract hummingbirds. The foliage is deep<br />
green and shiny, semi-evergreen along the shoreline. It has an arching<br />
habit, growing 2-3’ in one season. Hardy to zone 5, it will die back in a<br />
hard winter but quickly regrow new shoots from the base, forming a<br />
new plant by bloom time. In a mild winter in a sheltered spot, it is<br />
semi-evergreen. I usually prune Abelia hard in early spring, whether it<br />
has died back or not, to renew the new, current year’s flowering wood<br />
and create a graceful shape. Grows in full sun or partial shade.<br />
grandiflora Flowers are pale pink. Arching stems grow 4-5’ tall.<br />
I grew this plant in the north-facing foundation planting of my<br />
cottage. Because it was a very sheltered spot (zone 6, bordering<br />
on 7), it consistently bloomed into November and held most of<br />
its leaves in a mild winter! I wove tall, fragrant lilies through its<br />
delicate stems all summer long. Fabulous! Here at <strong>Natureworks</strong>,<br />
this plant toughs it out by the road, coming back strong every<br />
year, but is completely deciduous.<br />
‘Compacta’ This wonderful compact form, with smaller<br />
leaves, creates a tighter mound than the species, same pale<br />
pink flowers, same long bloom period. Great for the<br />
foreground of partially shaded perennial borders.<br />
‘Golden Anniversary’ New! Golden variegation makes this<br />
Proven Winners Color Choice shrub really glow. White<br />
flowers on 2-3' tall arching branches from mid-summer<br />
through the fall. For sun or partial shade.<br />
‘Silver Anniversary’ I spotted this plant a few years ago, and<br />
have been trying ever since to get my hands on it. Beautiful<br />
variegated foliage of cream and green, with a pink cast to the<br />
new growth. Compact habit, 2-3' tall, 3-4' wide. Same long<br />
blooming white tubular blossoms. Sun or partial shade, zone 6.<br />
mosanensis<br />
The following species is a spring bloomer, flowering on last year’s<br />
wood. Prune in early summer, within 6 weeks of bloom.<br />
Fragrant Abelia When I heard the word fragrant, my ears<br />
perked up. When I heard that this Abelia was a spring bloomer, I<br />
was even more intrigued. Native to northern Europe, this plant<br />
has very glossy foliage that stays on the plant until the coldest<br />
frosts with an excellent orange-red color. The late May/early<br />
June flowers are pink and sweetly scented with a fragrance<br />
reminiscent of lilacs. Grows 3-4’ tall and 4-5’ wide. Tolerates sun<br />
or partial shade and unlike its cousins, is hardy to zone 5 and<br />
blooms off old wood.<br />
Abeliophyllum WHITE FORSYTHIA<br />
distichum This isn’t really a forsythia; the flowers just resemble<br />
them. This shrub is one of the plants I anticipate most when<br />
spring is on the way. 4’ tall arching stems are covered with<br />
small, tubular white blossoms that are softly fragrant. It prefers<br />
full sun. A great shrub for winter forcing.<br />
‘Pink Form’ This is a very rare, pale pink form. We will only<br />
have a few, reserve early.<br />
Page 66 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Acanthopanax<br />
sieboldiana ‘Variegata’ Variegated Five-Leaf Aralia This is a<br />
very unusual variegated shrub for light to heavy shade. The<br />
foliage is palmate, green with showy cream edges. It is slowgrowing,<br />
very neat, not wide-spreading. Tolerates drought. It<br />
may eventually grow 8-10’ tall, but SLOWLY. I had one in front<br />
of my cottage (facing north) and kept it pruned to 4’ tall. Looks<br />
fabulous sprinkled with wild feverfew at its feet and ‘Casa<br />
Blanca’ lilies woven through! Now planted in our newly<br />
renovated front foundation planting at the shop.<br />
Aesculus<br />
parviflora A fabulous native shrub for full sun or partial shade,<br />
growing 6-10' tall and up to 10" WIDE over time. Huge panicles<br />
of white flowers in July cover this plant. Ideal to form a colony<br />
in a hedgerow, or as a specimen. A hummingbird plant, this<br />
should be used a LOT more in our quest to provide shelter for<br />
animals and eliminate lawn!<br />
Albizia MIMOSA<br />
julibrissa ‘Rosea’ This is commonly known as the Mimosa tree.<br />
It has finely cut, delicate leaves, folding when moved and at<br />
night! The flowers are the show--- pink powderpuffs in late July<br />
and August. Hummingbirds love them. Hardy to zone 6, many<br />
suffered in some of the past few cold winters, yet I am seeing<br />
them all over Middletown, in the center of the state, out in the<br />
open, in full bloom. Fast growing, a real delight.<br />
Azalea<br />
Did you know that <strong>Natureworks</strong> carries quite a few unusual Azaleas? I<br />
stock varieties that I use in my own designs and installations. But I<br />
also seek out highly fragrant deciduous varieties, true dwarf species,<br />
and exceptionally early bloomers.<br />
arborescens ‘Hot Ginger & Dynamite’ If you want late<br />
June/July fragrance, this is the shrub for you. On a summer<br />
evening, you can smell its sweet perfume from 20' away! Pure<br />
white flowers with elongated ginger colored stamens, this plant<br />
will reach 8-10' tall and wide, but slowly.<br />
atlanticum ‘Choptank River Sweet’ Bright peach buds open to<br />
peach flowers flushed with orange-red, becoming pale yellow<br />
flushed peach. Wow! Even the stamens are very showy, red and<br />
orange. Grows 4-6' tall, very fragrant, late May/June blooming.<br />
calendulaceum This is known as the flame azalea. Michael Dirr<br />
calls it "one of the finest native azaleas". Late May/June<br />
blooming flowers of orange to red, not fragrant. Deciduous,<br />
growing to 8’ tall, 12-15’ wide. Excellent fall color. Ideal for<br />
anyone creating a naturalistic woodland garden.<br />
‘Cecil’ One of the prettiest deciduous Exburies with flaring<br />
salmon pink flowers, yellow throats, in showy clusters. Can<br />
grow 8’ tall, but slowly. June blooming.<br />
‘George Reynolds’ Deciduous, upright form with brilliant<br />
yellow blossoms that are quite fragrant. Grows 5-6' tall and<br />
equally as wide. Makes a great accent plant for the late spring<br />
garden.<br />
‘Gibraltar’ A Knapp Hill Hybrid upright deciduous azalea with<br />
electric orange, fragrant flowers. Grows 8-12’ tall, but slowly.<br />
June blooming---imagine combined with purple iris!<br />
‘Girards Fuchsia’ I am constantly using this evergreen azalea in<br />
my designs, so I figured I might as well introduce you to it in the<br />
catalog. I am a sucker for intense fuchsia/purple flowers in May.<br />
I decorate my yard with lilac Adirondack chairs (chairscaping)<br />
and this variety of azalea compliments my chairs and "kicks<br />
them up a notch!" Compact, rounded form 4-5’ tall; excellent<br />
glossy foliage turning burgundy in fall and winter.<br />
‘Girards Hot Shot’ This evergreen form has red flowers without<br />
any blue in the red-perfect to use with oranges when crimson<br />
wouldn’t do. Same form and habit as above.<br />
‘Golden Oriole’ An Exbury hybrid, deciduous and upright to 8-<br />
10’ with startling golden yellow, enormous clusters of bloom in<br />
June, very fragrant.<br />
‘Kaempo’ This evergreen azalea has survived in our rock<br />
garden by the road for 16 years despite being annually buried in<br />
snow and road salt. Brilliant clear pink flowers on 2-3’ low<br />
spreading plants in late May and early June, a bit later than<br />
other evergreen types.<br />
‘Karen’ This is another evergreen azalea I constantly use. It has<br />
the softest of pale lilac flowers, double hose in hose form. Mid<br />
May blooming, grows 4’ tall. In the <strong>Natureworks</strong> gardens, this is<br />
paired with Centaurea montana and Camassia.<br />
kiusianum ‘Komo Kulshan’ I am carrying this plant because<br />
EVERYBODY inquires about it when it is in bloom in our rock<br />
garden. It has lived there, through ice, road salt, and deep cold,<br />
for 16 years. A miniature evergreen azalea in all aspects, with<br />
diminutive leaves, a tight, tidy habit, reaching only 24-30" tall.<br />
The flowers are a striking bicolor of pastel pink with darker pink<br />
edges to each petal. As Mike Johnson of Summerhill Nurseries<br />
says, "you have to see it to believe it!"<br />
‘Knap Hill Red’ Brilliant red flowers, deciduous upright form,<br />
5-6' tall.<br />
‘Millennium’ I fell in love with this deciduous azalea on a 4th of<br />
July weekend, which is when it buds up deep red, and opens an<br />
indescribable rich shade of coral/pink/red. The foliage is<br />
distinctive, green with a slight grey caste. Will reach 6' tall, and<br />
emits a wonderful perfume. This plant has already found a<br />
home by my deck in my new yard.<br />
mucronulatum What is that gorgeous, deciduous, upright,<br />
lavender purple flowering shrub that blooms at the same time as<br />
Forsythia and makes the world look like Easter? It’s the Korean<br />
azalea, one of the earliest harbingers of spring. No yard should<br />
be without this! Grows 6-8’ tall.<br />
‘Cornell Pink’ A non-magenta hybrid that is really pink, not<br />
purple. Personally, I prefer the straight species with the<br />
yellows of daffodils and forsythia, but to each his own...<br />
nudiflorum Our native Pinxterbloom azalea, another excellent<br />
plant for naturalistic woodland gardens. Fragrant pink flowers<br />
in May, before the leaves appear. Grows 6-10’ tall. Once you<br />
become aware of this plant, you will start to see it at the edge of<br />
woodlands each spring.<br />
‘Prisoner of Love’ A new hybrid that blooms in June and July<br />
with very fragrant salmon pink flowers. Grows 6-8' tall.<br />
roseum ‘Marie Hoffman’ I have known about this plant for<br />
years, but it wasn't until I saw a full grown one in bloom in a<br />
client's yard that I decided I had to use it more in my designs.<br />
Deciduous, upright growing to 6-8' tall, it forms an open, small<br />
tree-like shrub. The flowers are rich pink, in large clusters. A<br />
form of our native pinkshell azalea.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 67
‘Someday Soon’ Another new late blooming deciduous azalea,<br />
with delicate salmon peach flowers and vivid orange long<br />
stamens. Fragrant blossoms add a new dimension to the late<br />
July/August border. Grows 4' tall and 6' wide.<br />
viscosum ‘Lemon Drop’ A gorgeous variety of our native<br />
deciduous woodland azalea. Peach flower buds open to pastel<br />
yellow fragrant flowers in July. Grows 5-7’ tall with an<br />
outstanding fall color. For woodland edges; tolerates slightly<br />
moist conditions to average soil.<br />
‘Pink n Sweet’ The perfect name for a delightful plant. Pink<br />
flowers in late June fill the garden with their sweet perfume.<br />
Deciduous, grows 5-7’ tall.<br />
‘Whose Honey Are You?’ Late blooming deciduous azalea,4-6'<br />
tall and very fragrant. Pink flowers with coral/peach markings<br />
on the upper petals. Gorgeous.<br />
Baccharis GROUNDSEL BUSH<br />
halmifolia I use this plant in every seashore garden. It tolerates<br />
extreme salt spray and wind. Native, with very unusual white<br />
puffy flowers in September. Grows 1-3’ tall or more, depending<br />
on the wind! Tolerates poor, sandy soil. Needs full sun. Rarely<br />
available.<br />
Dwarf Butterfly Bushes<br />
These varieties are perfect for the smaller<br />
garden…<br />
Adonis<br />
Nanho Blue<br />
Nanho Purple<br />
Nanho White<br />
Petit Purple<br />
Purple Emperor<br />
White Ball<br />
Buddleia BUTTERFLY BUSH<br />
These plants are actually considered shrubs or small trees. Buddleia<br />
alternifolia varieties are spring-blooming on last year’s wood. They can<br />
grow 10-12’ or more. The davidii and followiana varieties will die down<br />
to ground level in CT in a severe winter; in a mild winter they will<br />
remain above ground. They grow 5-6’ in one season, and their height is<br />
controlled by spring pruning if they have not died back. They bloom<br />
from July-Sept. if kept dead-headed. All are fragrant and attract<br />
hundreds of butterflies! There are LOTS of new varieties this year.<br />
Every school yard, all children’s play areas, every convalescent home,<br />
every office picnic area should have groves of these action plants.<br />
alternifolia ‘Argentena’ A totally different kind of Butterfly<br />
Bush! Tall arching stems covered with thousands of tiny purple<br />
flowers in spring. Prune and shape right after blooming. Has<br />
very attractive silver foliage. Can reach 10-15’ tall.<br />
davidii ‘Adonis’ Recently introduced compact variety that<br />
grows at about half the rate of full sized butterfly bushes,<br />
putting on only about 4 feet of new growth per season. Dense<br />
habit; deep blue/purple flower color. A Proven Winners/Color<br />
Choice selection.<br />
‘Attraction’ A great color. Deep purple buds open to reddishpurple<br />
flowers. This is the closest to a red butterfly bush that<br />
has come along yet.<br />
‘Black Knight’ The deepest purple of them all.<br />
‘Burgundy’ Deep dark wine red/purple flowers.<br />
‘Dartmoor’ This butterfly bush truly lives up to the name of<br />
"summer lilac". The flowers are the softest shade of lilaclavender,<br />
very fragrant. What makes them truly unique is the<br />
flower size and shape: huge, blowsy, billowing clusters of<br />
blossoms droop from the plants. Mature plants are SO<br />
floriforous, literally covered with blossoms all summer.<br />
‘Dubonnet’ An intense wine color with red overtones,<br />
striking.<br />
‘Empire Blue’ An old fashioned favorite with flowers as close<br />
to blue as any butterfly bush. Full size plants, large panicles.<br />
‘Grey Goose’ Silver foliage and white flowers create a very<br />
cool contrast.<br />
‘Guinevere’ Very dark purple-black flowers, somewhat less<br />
black than ‘Black Knight’, very rich and striking. Foliage is<br />
very attractive, deep dark blue-green.<br />
‘Nanho Blue’ Similar to ‘Nanho Purple’, this variety is smaller<br />
in every way, growing 3-5’ in one season. Flowers are pointed<br />
deep purple/blue panicles, very fragrant, slightly smaller and<br />
very prolific. The Nanho series is the hardiest of all the<br />
butterfly bushes, and the only ones that didn’t die back hard in<br />
our past two harsh winters<br />
‘Nanho Purple’ One of the shortest and most compact<br />
butterfly bushes, tighter-branching, growing 3-4’ per year.<br />
Flowers are a medium purple. My maintenance crew ALL<br />
noted that this variety was the hardiest, consistently not dying<br />
back in the frigid winter of 2002.<br />
‘Nanho White’ Same dwarf habit as Nanho Purple and Blue,<br />
but with clear white flowers.<br />
‘Orchid Beauty’ Gorgeous variety with exceptionally long<br />
panicles of fragrant lavender/orchid flowers.<br />
‘Peacock’ Pink flowers on a compact, 3-<br />
4’ tall dwarf plant.<br />
‘Petit Purple’ Compact grower (2-4' tall)<br />
with very fragrant, arching deep<br />
purple/lilac flowers. Foliage is very gray and linear.<br />
‘Pink Delight’ Huge 12" long flower heads on compact plants<br />
(averaging 5’ tall by 6’ wide). Foliage has a pronounced silvery<br />
cast, making a very soft contrast with the flowers. Bred in the<br />
Netherlands. A good clear pink color.<br />
‘Potters Purple’ Deep, rich purple flowers on well branched<br />
plants. A slighter lighter shade than 'Dark Knight', with much<br />
bigger flowers.<br />
‘Purple Emperor’ A dwarf growing only 3-4’ tall. Deep purple<br />
flowers.<br />
‘Royal Red’ Reddish-purple flowers.<br />
‘Santana’ A hardy variegated butterfly bush that really pops<br />
out in the landscape. Green and bright yellow variegated<br />
foliage and brilliant dayglow magenta purple flowers. 6-8' tall<br />
and wide.<br />
‘White Ball’ An interesting dwarf, compact, growing only 3-4’<br />
in a season. Flowers are pure white and much more rounded<br />
than any other varieties. This is ALWAYS noticed when in<br />
bloom---great for the smaller garden. My unscientific but<br />
Page 68 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
constant observation over the years is that butterflies are the<br />
most attracted to the white plants. Go figure.<br />
‘White Profusion’ Huge white flowers on full-sized plants<br />
cool down the hot summer garden.<br />
followiana ‘Lochinch’ Silver foliage, soft blue flowers,<br />
significantly more fragrant! This will always die to the base each<br />
winter; thus, it will reach only 5-6 feet every summer. A very<br />
manageable habit.<br />
Buxus BOXWOOD<br />
‘Graham Blandy’ We now carry a lot of great boxwoods. Deer<br />
don’t eat them and most grow slowly, so I design them into<br />
foundation plantings and as foliage anchor plants in borders.<br />
For now, let me tempt you with this beauty--- it grows upright<br />
and rigid, just like Ilex crenata ‘Sky Pencil’. It might take 20<br />
years to reach 9’ tall--- yes, it’s slow growing! You can imagine<br />
the design possibilities.<br />
Callicarpa BEAUTYBERRY<br />
If you are looking for outrageous fall berries, on an easy to manage<br />
plant that is very hardy, look no further! Beautyberry is the most<br />
coveted plant in our fall lineup. No one pays any attention to it until<br />
the berries start to color up, then, watch out! Cut back hard in early<br />
spring to encourage new growth and heavy berry set as berries are<br />
ONLY on current year’s wood. Hint: keep plant watered in late<br />
summer when blooming for best berries! For sun or partial shade.<br />
‘Early Amethyst’ Very similar in appearance and habit to Issai,<br />
but the flowers appear a bit earlier in August, and you start to<br />
see berries forming by late August/early September. Of course,<br />
the berries are brilliant dayglow purple!<br />
japonica ‘Issai’ Striking bright purple berries in autumn stops<br />
people in their tracks! Grows 3-4’ a season, berries are in profuse<br />
clusters on upright stems.<br />
‘Leucocarpa’ Same habit as 'Issai', but the berries are white,<br />
not purple. This is really interesting as an accent plant or as a<br />
cut berry branch in the fall.<br />
Calluna HEATHER<br />
Calluna blooms in late summer on low, evergreen shrubs; needs sun,<br />
good drainage, and acid soil that is not too rich. Best on slopes. Do not<br />
add compost, keep the soil very lean for best results. Can be pruned and<br />
cut back in the spring to renew and remove winter damage.<br />
vulgaris ‘County Wicklow’ This plant continues to be one of my<br />
favorites. Lavender flowers on medium-low plants.<br />
‘J.H. Hamilton’ A favorite in our rock garden, low-growing<br />
with pink flowers.<br />
‘Maires Variety’ Excellent upright white form, reaching 24"<br />
tall, spreading up to 3' wide. Very hardy.<br />
‘Spring Torch’ Spring foliage is brilliant scarlet, changing to<br />
green in the summer. Flowers are lavender.<br />
‘Wickwar Flame’ Brilliant reddish-orange foliage makes this<br />
variety stand out. Mix with others to create a tapestry effect on<br />
a rocky hillside.<br />
‘Yvettes Silver’ Very vigorous variety with gray foliage and<br />
soft lavender foliage. Grows 14" tall and 22" wide.<br />
Calycanthus SWEETSHRUB<br />
floridus Carolina Allspice or Sweetshrub is an old-fashioned<br />
native shrub that is very unusual. Every time we have one in<br />
bloom at the garden center, it flies out of here. The flowers are a<br />
deep, chocolate red color and smell like fruit. They have frilly<br />
and elongated flower petals. You wouldn’t notice them from a<br />
distance, but up close they will enchant you. Best of all, this<br />
plant is totally hardy, often found surviving years of neglect on<br />
abandoned farms and overgrown estates---anyone can grow it in<br />
full sun or partial shade. Reaches 6-9’ high and wide, so give it<br />
room to grow. It was one of the first shrubs I added to my 1837<br />
farm house the year I moved in.<br />
Caryopteris BLUE MIST SHRUB<br />
Caryopteris is a wonderful shrub for the perennial border. The soft blue<br />
flowers add a cool feeling to the late summer and fall picture. They<br />
make wonderful cut flowers. Most will grow 3-4 feet each season<br />
(dwarfs grow 1-2’), cut back hard and thin out old wood in early<br />
spring, blooms on current year’s wood. Lovely silvery grey or golden<br />
oliage. Drought tolerant and deer proof!<br />
divaricatus A few years ago, my friend Mary showed me a<br />
weird Caryopteris she had discovered, a completely herbaceous<br />
form, with very "aromatic" foliage and strange flowers. They are<br />
very hardy, grow up to about 4-5’ each season, and bloom in late<br />
July and August. The flowers are deep blue, recurved, with<br />
stamens that stick out and roll back. They’re not big, just odd,<br />
and when the whole plant is in bloom, it’s a conversation piece.<br />
Deer won’t touch this. Flowers cover the plant from late summer<br />
through early fall. Foliage is much more rounded than the<br />
woody types. I found a source, wove it into our main border,<br />
placing it so it could be seen, and it DID attract lots of looks.<br />
‘Snow Fairy’ This plant has me really excited. Snow Fairy is<br />
the same, only the foliage is gorgeous, snowy white and green<br />
variegated. I’m in heaven!<br />
DWARF CARYOPTERIS<br />
These varieties are perfect for the<br />
smaller garden...<br />
‘First Choice’<br />
‘Grand Bleu’<br />
‘Pink Chablis’<br />
‘Sunshine Blue’<br />
‘Pink Chablis’ If you read ANY garden magazines at all, you<br />
will have seen this plant. A seedling sport of the straight species,<br />
this has beautiful clear soft pink flowers from late July until<br />
early September on 2-3' tall and wide plants. Same silvery bluegreen<br />
foliage, an excellent new late summer introduction.<br />
x clandonensis ‘Blue Mist’ 4-5’ shrub with silver foliage and<br />
sky blue flowers from late July to early Sept. The earliest<br />
blooming of them all.<br />
‘Dark Knight’ Compact form, 3’, dark blue flowers Sept./Oct.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 69
‘First Choice’ At last, a tight, compact, dense-branching<br />
variety that will grow only to 30". Flowers are deep<br />
purplish/blue dense clusters. July to early Sept. blooming.<br />
‘Grand Bleu’ Compact form with deep blue flowers, growing<br />
only 24-30" tall and wide.<br />
‘Longwood Blue’ Same as ‘Dark Knight’ with slightly darker<br />
blue flowers; blooms Sept. and October.<br />
‘Sunshine Blue’ A new, compact dwarf form. Foliage is<br />
distinctively different, golden and ruffled on the edges.<br />
Flowers are a deep blue, late September and October<br />
blooming. Height is only 30", perfect for the smaller sunny<br />
garden.<br />
Cephalanthus BUTTONBUSH<br />
occidentalis This is a very unusual native shrub called<br />
buttonbush. The name describes the flowers, which are white<br />
orbs 1" in diameter on the end of 2-3" long stems in July and<br />
early August. They really look like something from outer space<br />
when viewed up close! Butterflies adore the flowers; great<br />
habitat plant for birds (they eat the seeds when they fall to the<br />
ground) and ideal for wet areas. Grows 6-10' tall, spreads 4-7'<br />
wide.<br />
Clethra SUMMERSWEET<br />
alnifolia A native shrub with white, sweetly fragrant flower<br />
spikes in late summer. Grows in shade, tolerates moist soil.<br />
‘Ruby Spice’ A deep pink form, growing 5-6’ tall, same<br />
fragrance, same bloom time. It’s great to see such exciting<br />
breeding work done on our valuable native plants.<br />
‘Sixteen Candles’ A brand new, super dwarf form of our<br />
native summersweet. Dense, mounding habit, large flower<br />
spikes atop 2-3’ plants. Try this in the foreground of semishady<br />
foundation plantings for a late summer treat. Limited.<br />
barbinervis This is a tree form of Clethra that can grow 15'-20'<br />
tall. In July and August, it is literally covered, actually dripping,<br />
with wonderfully fragrant white flowers 4-6" long. The bark is a<br />
dark cinnamon color, and is very attractive in the winter. This is<br />
the tree I chose to plant directly next to my deck to shade our<br />
outdoor dining table in late afternoon. Once you stand beneath a<br />
mature plant in flower, you will be hooked like I was. This tree<br />
should be used a LOT more in our landscapes. Native to Japan.<br />
Cornus DOGWOOD<br />
These native shrubby dogwoods are excellent in shrub or perennial<br />
borders to add winter twig color. The best color is on young wood.<br />
Remove one third of the old wood to the base each spring if possible.<br />
alba ‘Buds Yellow’ This is a fantastic winter plant with brilliant<br />
yellow stems; foliage is green, not variegated.<br />
‘Elegantissima’ The variegated redtwig dogwood is one of the<br />
most popular shrubs we sell. The foliage is green and white<br />
variegated, very bright and showy all summer. The flowers<br />
are flat white panicles, pretty but not real noticable. The stems<br />
in the winter are brilliant intense red and THEY are very<br />
showy. This plant prefers full sun and will grow in normal<br />
garden soil or in a wet spot. Grows 8-10’ tall, but benefits from<br />
a yearly hard pruning to encourage lots of new (and the<br />
reddest) young growth.<br />
‘Ivory Halo’ This is basically the same as ‘Elegantissima’, but<br />
shorter, maximum height 5-6’, easier to keep even shorter by<br />
pruning. Limited.<br />
sanguinea ‘Midwinter Fire’ A green leaved dogwood that<br />
really puts on it's best show in the winter. Growing 4-5' tall and<br />
wide, the twigs are bright red at the base, moving up to bright<br />
yellow in the middle, topped with glowing orange at the top!<br />
Excellent for hedgerows and shrub borders, a good bird habitat<br />
plant offering berries that they love. A midwinter visit to one of<br />
our client's gardens brought my crew home exclaiming about the<br />
amazing color of this plant. VERY limited, reserve if you want it.<br />
sericea ‘Allemans Compact’ (formerly C. stolonifera) This is a<br />
superior dwarf cultivar of our native shrubby red twig<br />
dogwood. It is a great colonizer that spreads by, you guessed it,<br />
stolons. The beauty is that it stays short, growing only 3-4’ tall.<br />
Foliage is green, not variegated, and very clean. A great bird<br />
plant for thickets and hedgerows; excellent winter display..<br />
‘Silver and Gold’ I have just started using this wonderful<br />
shrub in my designs. It is a yellow twig dogwood with<br />
variegated white and green foliage. It will grow 6-8’ tall and 9-<br />
10’ wide. The best winter twig color comes from the new<br />
growth, so prune often to remove older wood and encourage<br />
young twigs. This tolerates moist soils and would look<br />
fabulous combined with black pussywillows in late winter.<br />
stolonifera ‘Arctic Fire’ An excellent, compact dwarf form of<br />
red twig dogwood growing only 3-4' tall and wide. Green<br />
foliage. Weave into your perennial borders to assure an exciting<br />
winter display of fiery red branches.<br />
Corylopsis WINTER HAZEL<br />
Winter hazels are one of the first plants to bloom in late winter/early<br />
spring. They have large, dangling flowers, very different from Witch<br />
Hazels. Plant in a semi-shady, sheltered spot. You will look foward to<br />
these every year with delight.<br />
spicata Spike Winterhazel has fragrant soft yellow racemes 1-2"<br />
long in early April. New growth is purple, fading to blue-green.<br />
Grows 4-6’ tall and 8-9’ wide. Native to Japan, zone 5.<br />
Cotinus SMOKEBUSH<br />
coggygria ‘Golden Spirit’ Fabulous foliage accent plant for the<br />
sunny garden. Brilliant yellow leaves turn to coral, then orange<br />
as fall arrives (another wonderful foliage plant for autumn<br />
arrangements). Flowers are grayish-pink plumes. Grows 10-15’<br />
tall, but regular pruning will improve its habit, keeping it full,<br />
and encouraging lots of brilliant new growth.<br />
‘Royal Purple’ This is the purple-leaf smokebush, grown in<br />
the backdrop of many English borders for its fabulous<br />
purple/bronze foliage. The more you prune this plant, the<br />
more new growth it will kick out, and the more showy the<br />
foliage will be. Of course, by pruning it, you sacrifice the<br />
flowers, which are pinkish-beige puffs of smoke. Prune some,<br />
leave some for the best of both worlds. It is one of the most<br />
asked-about plants in our north border. Will grow 12-15’ tall if<br />
left unpruned. For best color, plant in full sun.<br />
‘Young Lady’ This is a new patented variety of the old<br />
fashioned, green leaf smoke bush. Flowers are gigantic, fluffy<br />
pinkish-beige smoky plumes. They smother the plant started<br />
in June and hold their display until early fall. Plants bloom at a<br />
Page 70 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
very early age. Fall foliage is golden orange. Grows 10-15’ tall<br />
and wide. Best in sun.<br />
Cytisus SCOTS BROOM<br />
Scots brooms need excellent drainage, even sandy type soil as well as<br />
full sun. You MUST prune them hard within a few weeks of blooming<br />
in order to encourage a strong framework on a bushy plant. Do this the<br />
very first year and from then onward! Stems are green all winter, a<br />
flower arranger’s delight. Pea-like flowers are fragrant and make good<br />
cut flowers. Bloom in late May. Zone 5-6. And yes . . . brooms were<br />
made from the branches!<br />
scoparius ‘Alberts Choice’ Mottled flower with yellow, red and<br />
pink. It has an upright, open growth habit. One of our hardier<br />
varieties.<br />
‘Andreanus’ Paradise broom was originally found in France<br />
over a hundred years ago. A bicolor red and yellow<br />
showstopper. Zone 6 hardy, best along the shoreline.<br />
‘Burkwoodii’ An unusual color combination of rosy red, pink<br />
and lemon yellow---overall, this appears pink.<br />
‘Butter and Eggs’ Pale and dark yellow bicolor blossoms.<br />
‘Carla’ Red flowers with white edges. Really looks red from a<br />
distance; very showy.<br />
‘Lena’ This plant is a knockout---brilliant orange-red flowers<br />
simply glow, calling admirers from across the yard. Quite<br />
compact, stems are angled.<br />
‘Madame Butterfly’ NEW! Golden yellow with a splotch of<br />
bronze orange in the center. What an accent plant! This variety<br />
blooms 2-3 weeks later than all the others.<br />
‘Moonlight’ Soft pale yellow flowers, more compact, 4-5’ tall.<br />
‘Red and Gold’ Very showy flowers of brillant red and gold; a<br />
hardy selection.<br />
x praecox Warminster Broom Soft pale creamy yellow, 6’ tall.<br />
‘Albiflorus’ New! All white flowers. This is a fabulous<br />
addition to the species and an excellent filler for spring cut<br />
flower bouquets.<br />
‘Hollandia’ This is the "red" Warminster broom, actually a<br />
deep dark rosy pink color. One of the most popular brooms we<br />
sell, it is also the hardiest pink.<br />
Daphne<br />
transatlantica I always knew this plant as Daphne caucasica;<br />
now the name has been changed. It is still one of the longest<br />
blooming and easiest to grow Daphnes I have found. Fragrant<br />
white flowers have their heaviest bloom in late May/June;<br />
sporadic flowers keep on coming until late fall! No kidding!<br />
Grows 3-5' tall and wide. Mine is in a sheltered, semi-shady spot<br />
with excellent drainage. Hardy to zone 5. Avoid wet feet or<br />
extreme drought; shelter from excessive winter winds.<br />
x burkwoodii ‘Carol Mackie’ A powerfully fragrant plant with<br />
whitish flowers blushed pink in early spring. The leaves are<br />
variegated. NOT an evergreen! It reaches 6-8’ at maturity, but<br />
slowly. This plant can be tricky. NEVER allow it to be<br />
waterlogged, don’t use if you have a lawn sprinkler system<br />
watering your garden. Tolerates partial shade or full sun. Lean,<br />
somewhat sweet soil with excellent drainage is ideal.<br />
Foliage Structure<br />
“Foliage is your best friend when planning<br />
for color every month. Many perennials not<br />
only flower, but also have excellent,<br />
attractive foliage for the entire growing<br />
season…As the various flowers come and<br />
go, as plants bloom and are then cut back,<br />
perennials that have clean, healthy foliage<br />
will hid the gaps left… Excellent foliage<br />
structure anchors the garden.”<br />
Deutzia<br />
- Nancy DuBrule-Clemente<br />
Succession of Bloom in the Perennial Garden,<br />
2005<br />
gracilis ‘Chardonnay Pearls’ Watch for this new introduction to<br />
be highlighted in your favorite garden magazines. Foliage is<br />
bright yellow and doesn’t burn in full sun. When the white<br />
flowers open up and down the stems, it is quite a lovely sight.<br />
Grows 3-4’ tall and 3-5’ wide.<br />
‘Nikko’ This is a super-easy workhorse for the garden. We<br />
have had two of them planted in our rock garden by the road<br />
for 15 years. I doubt if I have pruned them more than twice,<br />
and even then, minimally so. They never get plagued by<br />
insects or fungus. White flowers clothe the stems in mid to late<br />
May. Grows slowly to 3’ tall, stays very compact. An ideal<br />
shrub to add to the perennial border.<br />
Euonymus WINTERCREEPER<br />
I included Euonymus in the catalog as I find it so very useful as a<br />
foliage accent plant all year round, both in shady foundation plantings<br />
and in shady perennial borders.<br />
fortunei ‘Emerald Gaiety’ This low, evergreen ground cover<br />
shrub has green and white variegated foliage which takes on a<br />
pink blush in the winter. I use it as a foliage accent plant in<br />
shady foundation plantings or perennial borders. In time it will<br />
form a mound 3’ tall. It can also be grown as a clinging vine and<br />
will attach to fences, walls, or tree trunks. Deep shade to full<br />
sun.<br />
‘Frosty Green’ Very similar to Emerald Gaiety, but the<br />
variegation is more creamy than white. Use when mixing with<br />
golden hostas and other yellow accent plants for shade.<br />
‘Moonshadow’ A striking accent foliage plant with brilliant<br />
golden yellow and rich green variegated foliage. Mounding<br />
habit, grows 2-3’ tall. Sun or part shade.<br />
‘Radicans’ Very similar to ‘Emerald Gaiety’, with green and<br />
white variegated foliage, growing to a 12" tall ground cover or<br />
as a clinging vine.<br />
japonica ‘Greenspire’ Striking! Deep green foliage on rigid,<br />
upright stems to 3’ tall, creating a vertical accent in foundation<br />
plantings and perennial borders or a formal hedge. I discovered<br />
this plant in 1998 and find myself using it more and more.<br />
Hardy to zone 6, excellent for city gardens and sheltered spots.<br />
Sun or partial shade. A National Arboretum selection.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 71
Exochorda<br />
racemosa I couldn’t wait to offer the Pearlbush to you. I have<br />
admired this plant in a client’s garden for years, and remember<br />
studying it in school. Pure white flowers first appear as rounded<br />
buds on long racemes-resembling a string of pearls. They open<br />
to form 3-5" long flowers in late April and early May, before the<br />
foliage emerges. It can eventually grow 10-15’ tall, but I would<br />
prune and shape it after blooming each year to keep it around 6-<br />
8’. Great for shrub borders, something new and different.<br />
Fargesia CLUMP BAMBOO<br />
For a few years now I have been getting in a very limited supply of<br />
clumping bamboos. These are beautiful in all seasons, including winter<br />
(some are noted as evergreens, the others retain their foliage in a beige<br />
state and the culms or canes have the distinctive bamboo look). Because<br />
they don’t run, you can plant them with a clear conscience and know<br />
they will be low maintenance. VERY LIMITED SUPPLY—ORDER<br />
IN ADVANCE.<br />
dracocephala Dragon’s Head bamboo grows 12-16’ tall, but<br />
slowly. It tolerates full sun/partial shade and is hardy to zone 5.<br />
murielae Umbrella bamboo is so called because it grows up to<br />
12’ tall and weeps over slightly. This plant prefers partial to full<br />
shade and is an excellent choice for screening purposes where a<br />
more delicate look is needed.<br />
nitida Blue Fountain bamboo is an evergreen growing to 12’ tall.<br />
Does best in partial shade.<br />
robusta ‘Green Screen’ Clumping bamboo that grows 15-18' tall<br />
and 10-12' wide. It is not invasive, but will clump up quickly<br />
where screening is needed in full sun or shade. Zone 5.<br />
rufa ‘Green Panda’ Clumping bamboo that grows 6-8' tall, 6-8'<br />
wide. Ideal for the smaller garden, it becomes a dense specimen<br />
in sun or shade. Zone 6.<br />
Forsythia<br />
viridissima ‘Kumson’ What is a forsythia doing in the<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> catalog? Well, this is not just any forsythia. The<br />
foliage is amazing with netted variegation of creamy yellow<br />
making this a back of the border foliage accent plant. Grows 5-7’<br />
tall and 6-8’ wide, so locate it where it can mature gracefully.<br />
Same gorgeous yellow bloom. Remember, deer don’t usually eat<br />
forsythia and the stems, even when out of bloom all summer and<br />
fall, make the best foliage fillers for cut flower arrangements.<br />
Fothergilla<br />
gardenii Dwarf Fothergilla is a native plant, related to witch<br />
hazels. It makes a great addition to the partially-shaded<br />
woodland garden. Every time they bloom we sell out. The<br />
flowers are white and look like bottle brushes, appearing late<br />
April and May, making a marked contrast to the azaleas and<br />
rhododendrons that fill the landscape at that time. They are<br />
slightly fragrant. The fall color is truly amazing! Grows 3-4’ tall.<br />
‘Mt. Airy’ A new selection from the famous Michael Dirr,<br />
author of the ultimate reference book, The Manual of Woody<br />
Plants. 5-6’ tall, dense, upright with a blue-green foliage and<br />
abundant fragrant white flowers.<br />
major Same white flowers, but grows vigorously to 6-10’ tall.<br />
Very limited quantities, reserve early.<br />
Gaylussacia<br />
brachycera This is a native shrub that I am just learning about.<br />
It’s common name is Box Huckleberry. An ericaceous plant, it<br />
forms a low, evergreen thicket 15-18" high in partial shade. The<br />
toothed leaves closely resemble a boxwood or dwarf Ilex<br />
crenata. The stems are arching and angled. Dark blue berries are<br />
not the edible huckleberries used for jam. Their flavor appeals to<br />
wildlife, not gardeners!<br />
Hamamelis WITCH HAZEL<br />
mollis ‘Pallida’ This is a Carey Award winning plant. February<br />
and March blooming with light yellow flowers. I stuck my nose<br />
deep into the heart of a plant that I saw forced for a winter trade<br />
show and it had a wonderfully sweet fragrance. Grows 10-15’.<br />
virginiana This is our NATIVE witch hazel that the medicinal<br />
astringent is derived from (Dickenson’s Witch Hazel is a<br />
Connecticut manufacturer that we all know). It grows on the<br />
edges of woodlands, tolerates wet feet, and is an extremely<br />
adaptable and easy care, multi-stemmed tree growing 15-20’ tall<br />
and wide. It blooms in NOVEMBER and I always bring branches<br />
into the shop and put them in a vase to see if any customers<br />
recognize it. The flowers are not as large or showy as the sexier<br />
Chinese hybrids that bloom in February and March, but you<br />
can’t beat any tree that gives you spicy, fragrant flowers at<br />
Thanksgiving. A true "American Beauty".<br />
x intermedia ‘Arnold Promise’ Bright yellow, the most fragrant,<br />
a delight growing in front of our store. Late winter shoppers<br />
hungry for spring always exclaim in delight when we tell them<br />
to look out the window at the witch hazel in full bloom while<br />
snow still carpets the ground.<br />
‘Carmine Red’ This fabulous winter bloomer has a slightly<br />
brighter red flower than Diane, with less orange in the petals.<br />
The habit is wide and spreading.<br />
‘Diane’ Deep rich coppery red. Gorgeous color, especially<br />
when blooming with snow at the base.<br />
‘Jelena’ Bright coppery orange.<br />
‘Purpurea’ Also listed as Hamamelis vernalis 'Purpurea', this<br />
winter bloomer has smaller purple tinged pale yellow fragrant<br />
flowers on rounded plants reaching only 6-10' high. A<br />
suckering, multi-stemmed tree or large shrub, very durable in<br />
a wide range of soils. Excellent deep red/wine purple fall<br />
foliage.<br />
‘Ruby Glow’ Reddish-orange flowers.<br />
Heptacodium<br />
miconioides This is a wonderful fall blooming tree. Called<br />
Seven Sons flower, it was introduced from China to America in<br />
the early 80’s. The seven sons refers to seven tiers of flowers.<br />
Large, upright panicles of white flowers are fragrant. It blooms<br />
in late August through September, after which, the calyces of the<br />
flowers turn a showy red and remain decorative for the rest of<br />
the fall. If all that wasn’t enough, the bark is exfoliating,<br />
meaning peeling, and has good winter interest. These are best<br />
grown as multi-stemmed small trees and will reach 12-15’ tall.<br />
Because they bloom on current year’s wood, you could easily<br />
shape and prune this plant and keep it even smaller. Full sun is<br />
best, but will tolerate semi-shade. Add plenty of compost to the<br />
planting hole.<br />
Page 72 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Hibiscus<br />
syriacus<br />
We carry lots of hardy hibiscus, including the herbaceous forms, Tosca<br />
and Lohengrin (a interspecies cross with huge flowers and leaves), and<br />
good old fashioned Rose of Sharon. The varieties we are listing are<br />
superior in flower color or form. When Rose of Sharon blooms, in midlate<br />
July, I know summer is on the wane. Yet, the hummingbirds adore<br />
the flowers and these small trees can be pruned and shaped to any size,<br />
perfect for the small yard or perennial garden.<br />
‘Aphrodite’ I love this classic plant, bright pink with a red<br />
throat. Hummingbirds adore it.<br />
‘Bluebird’ What a great color, the closest to blue I’ve seen,<br />
single flowers with a violet/red throat.<br />
‘Diana’ Pure white flowers, no colored center, stays open in<br />
the evening, ideal for planting by the deck or screen porch.<br />
This is a sterile variety that does not form seed pods.<br />
‘Lohengrin’ This is actually a woody hybrid, related to the<br />
Rose of Sharon tree. Size-wise, the flowers and leaves are<br />
halfway between the herbaceous hibiscus and the tree. It has a<br />
very bushy habit of growth up to 8-10’ tall. It blooms on<br />
current year’s wood and can be pruned hard in the spring to<br />
encourage a manageable sized plant to be used as a backdrop<br />
in the perennial garden. Late July and August white flowers<br />
with a deep red center.<br />
‘Tosca’ Similar in habit to ‘Lohengrin’ with even larger<br />
flowers of mauve-pink with a red center.<br />
‘Variegatus’ I discovered this plant a few years ago, and put<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> on a waiting list to get some. Finally, they<br />
arrived and I immediately planted one in our gardens. Green<br />
and white variegated foliage with deep wine red double<br />
flower that look like little pom poms in August make this a<br />
very unusual rose of Sharon. It sings out "foliage accent" when<br />
not in bloom; when it is, the contrast of the flowers and the<br />
leaves is stunning.<br />
Hydrangea<br />
Hydrangeas grow best in partial shade, will tolerate full sun if soil is<br />
rich and moist. Great plants to include in a perennial garden for<br />
cutting and drying.<br />
Maintenance tip: Ask for a copy of our Hydrangea<br />
Handout. This explains how to prune all of the<br />
different types as well as feeding and color<br />
manipulation. Better yet, check out our website at<br />
naturework.com and download a copy for yourself!<br />
arborescens I've had many requests for the straight species of<br />
our native hills of snow hydrangea. The flowers are slightly<br />
smaller, very abundant, and tend not to flop over due to their<br />
weight as 'Annabelle' does.<br />
‘Annabelle’ Pure white, 4-5’, native, super hardy, takes deep<br />
shade.<br />
‘Samantha’ This plant is actually subspecies (spp.) radiata of<br />
our native hills of snow hydrangea. It has the same habit and<br />
hardiness as the species, but the backside of each leaf is white.<br />
When the plant blows in the breeze, the effect is truly<br />
beautiful, especially in bloom.<br />
CLIMBING HYDRANGEA<br />
(Listed under VINES.)<br />
Want your Hydrangeas to BLOOM?<br />
If I had a dime for every time I have answered the<br />
question “why doesn’t my hydrangea flower?” I<br />
would be rich. There are four primary causes:<br />
1. Your hydrangea is planted in too much shade.<br />
Although they will tolerate dappled or partial<br />
shade, deep shade is too much.<br />
2. Your soil has too much nitrogen, not enough<br />
phosphorus and potassium. Nitrogen encourages<br />
leafy growth at the expense of the flowers.<br />
Phosphorus and potassium are vital for abundant,<br />
large flowers on strong stems. Take a soil test and<br />
amend the soil accordingly.<br />
3. Someone pruned the plant in late fall or early<br />
spring, thinking that the bare stalks were dead<br />
wood. Until now, all macrophylla-type hydrangeas<br />
bloomed on new shoots off of last year’s wood. If<br />
you cut off last year’s wood, you cut off all of the<br />
potential flowers for that year.<br />
4. The winter was too cold and the old wood died.<br />
Most macrophylla-type hydrangea have roots hardy<br />
to zone 5, but their tops are only hardy to zone 6.<br />
Therefore, if the winter is severe, or the plants are<br />
growing in a windy, unusually exposed spot, the<br />
old wood will die to the ground. You will still have<br />
plenty of new growth, but because it is not a year<br />
old, it will be all leaves, not flowers. You could<br />
wrap the plant in burlap or a cage of chicken wire<br />
filled with leaves or….you can plant the wonderful<br />
new Hydrangea macrophyyla varieties…<br />
‘Endless Summer’ & ‘Blushing Bride’<br />
These plants represent a breakthrough in plant<br />
breeding. They produce flowers off of old wood<br />
AND new wood! That means that even if the old<br />
wood is pruned or killed to the ground, you will<br />
still have flowers!<br />
macrophylla ‘Blushing Bride’ This is the newest in the 'Endless<br />
Summer' series of mophead hydrangeas that bloom on old and<br />
new wood. Flowers open white and change to a beautiful soft<br />
pink (or soft blue in very acidic soils). Bred by the famous Dr.<br />
Michael Dirr at the University of Georgia (author of the<br />
definitive reference book on woody plants). He describes it as<br />
"my most significant introduction to date". Very limited first<br />
year of introduction, reserve early!<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 73
‘Cityline Paris’ This is a Proven Winners introduction, a good<br />
dwarf mophead hydrangea that only grows 2-3' tall and wide.<br />
It is covered with intensely colored deep red/violet flowers<br />
from June until late summer. Hardy to zone 5. Interestingly<br />
enough, it was bred in Germany, where winters are similar to<br />
ours and was selected for exceptionally large flowers on strong<br />
stems and very compact plants.<br />
‘Dooley’ This is an exceptionally hardy variety. It is claimed<br />
that ‘Dooley’ flowers on both old and new wood and can<br />
withstand our zone 5 winters and still bloom. Plants grow 5’<br />
tall.<br />
‘Endless Summer’ This is the most exciting breakthrough in<br />
macrophylla hydrangeas---this plant blooms on both old and<br />
new wood! That means flowers EVERY year, even if we have a<br />
hard winter. This will replace all others, or else provide<br />
breeding stock for a whole new generation of easy-care<br />
hydrangeas. The bar has been raised. I always order lots of<br />
plants, but work them into many designs, so if you want one,<br />
reserve early!<br />
‘Izu No Hana’ This hydrangea is a showstopper. Technically a<br />
lacecap form, the individual double florets shoot out in various<br />
directions, creating a startling effect. Flowers are large, showy,<br />
and tend to pink unless the soil is very acidic. Grows 3-4’ tall<br />
and wide.<br />
‘Pia’ A true dwarf pink, grows only 12-18" tall and wide,<br />
wonderful for the front of the garden. I weave this into sunny<br />
or partially shaded foundation plantings to assure summer<br />
color. Because of its diminutive size, it is usually covered with<br />
snow all winter, thus preventing the old wood from dying<br />
back. A reliable bloomer.<br />
‘Purple Majesty’ Huge heads of deep royal purple blushed<br />
with shades of red and blue/mauve---best color in alkaline<br />
soils. Grows 4-5’ tall and wide.<br />
paniculata<br />
Hydrangea paniculata varieties are late summer and fall blooming.<br />
They produce flowers on current year’s wood and can be pruned in late<br />
fall or early spring. They are extremely hardy.<br />
‘Barbara’ (a.k.a. ‘The Swan’, ‘White Dome’) A new plant for<br />
Connecticut that already goes by many names. August<br />
blooming panicles of pure white feature huge individual<br />
florets, making this one of the showiest tree hydrangea yet.<br />
Grows 6-8’ tall and wide.<br />
‘Compacta’ If you want the flower power for drying of the old<br />
fashioned "P.G." but don’t have the room, this is your answer.<br />
Smaller in all ways. Grows only 6-7’ tall, with smaller flowers<br />
in profuse clusters.<br />
‘Grandiflora’ Everyone knows this as the P.G. Hydrangea.<br />
The classic tree hydrangea, it has white flowers turning pink<br />
in fall, trees can grow 10-15’ tall. The best form for dried<br />
flowers.<br />
‘Limelight’ The new rage in the hydrangea world, this tree<br />
variety has huge, rounded lime green snowball flowers from<br />
mid-August until early fall. The color enriches and deepens<br />
the yellows of the perennial sunflowers; it makes bright blues<br />
glow. 6-8’ tall and wide.<br />
‘Little Lamb’ A compact dwarf with large, cone-shaped<br />
panicles of white flowers that fade to pink on 6’ tall plants.<br />
Ideal for the smaller yard, same late season flower-power. Try<br />
working this right into the perennial border.<br />
‘Pee Wee’ As you can probably surmise, this is another good<br />
dwarf, growing to only 5-8’ tall maximum. Good sized white<br />
flowers.<br />
‘Pink Diamond’ An earlier bloomer, late July and early<br />
August , with white flowers quickly changing to a showy pink.<br />
Flowers are conical and up to a foot long, up to 8" wide. Grows<br />
6-8’ tall and wide and does fine in partial shade.<br />
‘Pinky Winky’ New! A tree hydrangea with 16" long<br />
enormous white flowers that immediately turn pink at the<br />
bottom, while the top of the flower panicle continues to open<br />
white flowers. This creates a gorgeous two-toned effect. A<br />
Proven Winners Color Choice shrub, this hardy shrub will jazz<br />
up the summer garden and provide you with armloads of<br />
flowers for cutting and drying. 6-8' tall, hardy to zone 4.<br />
‘Quick Fire’ A Proven Winners Color Choice plant<br />
introduction, this tree hydrangea grows 6-8' tall and wide. It<br />
blooms super early, in early June, with huge white panicles<br />
that quickly turn to bright pink, lasting until fall. Great, steady<br />
color interest for the backdrop of the smaller garden.<br />
‘Tardiva’ Early August blooming with upright, pointed longer<br />
flowers than "P.G."; flowers do not hang down! A definitely<br />
different variety that adds a distinctive, dramatic look to the<br />
fall garden; grows 8’ tall, up to 10’ wide. Bracts remain showy<br />
until late fall. One of the best tree hydrangeas I have ever met.<br />
quercifolia The oakleaf hydrangea is a native shrub that has<br />
unusual oak-shaped foliage, great burgundy fall color. White<br />
flowers. Takes deep shade. Grows 5-6’ tall. Flowers on the tips of<br />
one-year-old wood. Prune sparingly immediately after flowering<br />
in late summer to create a picturesque, open form that will<br />
display the exfoliating bark.<br />
‘Little Honey’ A dwarf oakleaf hydrangea with bright golden<br />
yellow new growth in the spring, fading to green as summer<br />
arrives. 3-4' tall and wide. Huge white flower panicles.<br />
‘Pee Wee’ A wonderful miniature form of our native oakleaf<br />
hydrangea growing only 2-4' tall. The leaves and the flowers<br />
are a bit less coarse, with flower panicles reaching 4-5" long.<br />
Same excellent deep red fall color that lasts until really cold<br />
weather sets in.<br />
‘Sikes Dwarf’ I consider this one of the best new shade shrubs<br />
to be introduced in years. Because oakleaf hydrangeas have so<br />
many all-season features, a dwarf form, reaching only 3-4’ tall,<br />
with a more compact habit is just the ticket for smaller<br />
gardens.<br />
‘Snow Queen’ This is an improved patented variety. Huge<br />
pure white double flowers are held completely upright. Best in<br />
dappled sun; avoid deep shade for this hybrid.<br />
‘Snowflake’ Enormous pendulous flowers are pure white<br />
when first opening; the calyxes turn to an amazing shade of<br />
wine purple that lasts well into the fall. Plants can grow 7'<br />
wide and tall.<br />
serrata ‘Bluebird’ A true zone 5 variety of lacecap with profuse<br />
blue flowers covering the plant. Grows to 5’ tall and wide with<br />
an excellent chunky habit making it a real asset to the<br />
foundation planting or the perennial border. Flower interest<br />
begins in late June and continues until October.<br />
‘Preziosa’ Wonderful burgundy foliage, deepens as summer<br />
progresses, rosy pink flowers, 4’ tall.<br />
Page 74 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Another Hardy Hydrangea!<br />
Hydrangea serrata is a species that has proven to be<br />
quite a bit hardier than the older H. macrophylla<br />
types. Experienced gardeners agree that they make<br />
it through just about any winter and still bloom. It<br />
appears that both the roots AND the tops are truly<br />
hardy to zone 5, therefore the blooming wood<br />
doesn’t get winter killed.<br />
Hypericum ST. JOHNSWORT<br />
St. Johnswort is a workhorse in the summer garden. THIS PLANT IS<br />
NOT EATEN BY DEER. Note: Refer to the Shrub Section in the back<br />
of this catalog for the woody Hypericums. We also stock the native<br />
roadside wildflower form of St. Johnswort whose flowers are used as an<br />
herbal medicine. Visit our herb benches for this and many other<br />
medicinal herbs.<br />
androsaemum ‘Albury Purple’ This is a fabulous plant to add<br />
burgundy foliage color to perennial borders or the foreground of<br />
sunny shrub borders. It has arching stems that form a 3’ mound.<br />
The leaves are a deep velvety purple, especially showy in the<br />
new growth. The June-August flowers are buttery yellow, with<br />
pronounced and showy stamens. What a contrast! In the fall, this<br />
plant has deep red berries. Zone 6, will die to the ground in a<br />
cold winter and reemerge, growing to the full 3’ in one season.<br />
kalmianum Kalm's St. Johnswort is a native plant. Growing<br />
only 2-3' tall, it needs full sun and tolerates drought well. Prolific<br />
flowers are 1 1/2" in diameter, single yellow with the typical<br />
pronounced stamens of this genus; flowers resemble a cute little<br />
powderpuff. Heavy bloomer in July and August- loves the heat!<br />
Beloved by butterflies. Linear foliage is blue-green. A neat, tidy<br />
dwarf shrub.<br />
patulum ‘Hidcote’ This plant is a great SUMMER BLOOMER,<br />
with large golden yellow flowers and long, showy stamens.<br />
Arching stems 2-3’ tall. Zone 6, dies back to the ground in a zone<br />
5 winter, but quickly grows right back to offer great summer<br />
color. Very admired in our driveway entry garden.<br />
‘Prince Flair’ This is an upright growing, summer blooming St.<br />
Johnswort. The flowers look very similar to H. Hidecote, but the<br />
stems on this plant don’t arch. 3-4’ tall, blooms on new wood<br />
each year<br />
Ilex HOLLY<br />
crenata ‘Steeds’ This is the classic plant for upright accent---not<br />
a pencil point, but rather a slow growing, broad pyramid. It<br />
reaches 6-8’ tall and 4-5’ wide, but rather slowly. Excellent for<br />
renovated foundation plantings in partial shade when the trite<br />
Alberta spruce won’t do!<br />
meserveae ‘Blue Prince/Blue Princess Mix’ Take a male and<br />
female blue holly and plant both together in one pot. You end up<br />
with a self-pollinating plant. The prince and princess have deep,<br />
dark, blue/green leaves followed by brilliant red berries. This<br />
plant will grow 8' tall and wide.<br />
‘Castle Spire’ New! Upright and narrow selection of the<br />
female holly 'Blue Princess' growing 10-12' tall and only 5-6'<br />
wide. Abundant bright red fall berries. I can think of many<br />
uses for this plant; great upright accent plant or narrow hedge.<br />
‘Castle Wall’ This is the male pollinator for 'Castle Spire',<br />
grows 6-8' tall, 4-5' wide.<br />
‘Golden Girl’ Deep green foliage 8-10' tall, broad pyramidal<br />
habit, with very showy golden YELLOW fruit. Very different;<br />
a good way to add diversity to your shrub border and great<br />
for picking.<br />
‘Honey Maid’ Slow-growing, conical-shaped variegated holly<br />
with green and cream foliage and wonderful red winter<br />
berries. Will eventually top out at 12-15’ tall and 6-8’ wide.<br />
Better yet, it’s hardy to zone 5.<br />
pedunculosa Long stalk holly is a very underused broadleaf<br />
evergreen plant that really love. Native to Japan, it has a<br />
graceful, loose, open and somewhat pyramidal form. Rounded,<br />
smooth edged leaves and red berries on long stalks. We sell both<br />
females and males (needed for pollination). Grows 20-25' tall as<br />
a multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, but can easily be kept<br />
lower by pruning. Excellent screening plant for shaded borders.<br />
‘Variegata’ Cream and green foliage makes this variegated<br />
form of longstalk holly stand out. Same beautiful red berries.<br />
verticillata ‘Afterglow’ This is a wonderful selection of our<br />
native winterberry, or deciduous holly. Huge, brilliant red<br />
berries persist on the plant throughout the winter, usually not<br />
eaten by the birds until the bitter end. Thus, it is very<br />
ornamental. Growing 7-8’ tall and wide, this plant thrives in<br />
moist, rich soil but will tolerate average garden conditions as<br />
well. ‘Jim Dandy’ is the male pollinator.<br />
‘Jim Dandy’ This male variety pollinates both ‘Afterglow’ and<br />
‘Sprite’. Grows 5-7’ tall and wide.<br />
‘Jolly Red’ Originally discovered in a CT nursery in the<br />
1960's, this variety has profuse, large red berries on 8-10' tall<br />
plants. 'Jim Dandy' is the male pollinator.<br />
‘Male/Female Combo’ New! This is a clever way to have your<br />
female without having to buy and plant a boy. ‘Berry Heavy’,<br />
a strong red fruiting variety, has been planted and raised in<br />
the same pot with a ‘Southern Gentleman’ pollinator. This<br />
male will also pollinate ‘Sparkleberry’ and other hybrids.<br />
Remember, it only takes one male to pollinate many female<br />
plants!<br />
‘Red Sprite’ Large red abundant winter fruit with dense,<br />
dwarf growing form. Matures at 3-4' tall, excellent for<br />
foundation plantings and perennial borders. Deciduous<br />
foliage is deep green and very leathery.<br />
x ‘Red Beauty’ A new evergreen hybrid that was 22 years in the<br />
making! Red Beauty grows to a conical shape, 7-8' tall, with the<br />
dark blue/green foliage of the Meserve hollies and a magnificent<br />
berry set. Totally hardy in CT. Blue Prince is an excellent male<br />
pollinator for this plant.<br />
‘Sparkleberry’ This is a hybrid deciduous form (I. verticillata<br />
x Ilex serrata) that is simply clothed in berries, more profusely<br />
than the others. The berries are a bit smaller, but their sheer<br />
numbers make up for that. Introduced by the National<br />
Arboretum.<br />
Indigofera<br />
kirilowii Another excellent member of the pea family, this<br />
shrub has arching branches that reach 30" tall by the time they<br />
burst into soft pink, pea-like flowers in late summer. Dies back<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 75
to the ground each winter, great for a sunny garden with little<br />
water or lean soil.<br />
‘Rose Carpet’ A very neat creeping ground cover variety that<br />
only grows 6-8" tall and blooms on and off all summer with<br />
deep pink flowers.<br />
Itea<br />
virginica ‘Henrys Garnet’ A Proven Winners Color Choice<br />
selection of this native plant. The flowers are slightly fragrant 5-<br />
6" long white racemes that dangle down from the 4-5' arching<br />
stems, blooming in June and July. The plant grows 3-5' tall and<br />
will spread by suckering. The BEST feature is its fall foliage, one<br />
of the most effective deep wine red leaves in the late season<br />
garden. For this alone it is worth including! Will tolerate moist<br />
or normal soils, great for massing.<br />
Kerria JAPANESE KERRIA<br />
japonica ‘Golden Guinea’ Single golden yellow flowers in May<br />
on bushy, spreading plants. The stems are green all winter,<br />
adding interest year-round. Spreads quickly, clump-forming,<br />
growing to 6’ tall. An old-fashioned favorite, yet a much more<br />
delicate variety than the double form. For sun or shade.<br />
‘Picta’ The variegated form of Kerria is a beautiful and rare<br />
shrub that I have loved for years. The foliage is white and<br />
green, small and delicate in texture. The flowers are buttery<br />
golden yellow in May and clothe the stems. I have one<br />
growing in my cottage garden in a north facing foundation<br />
planting---they will take sun or partial shade. Grows 3-5' tall<br />
and has the same green winter stems as the double forms.<br />
Rarely available.<br />
Lagerstroemia CRAPE MYRTLE<br />
Now that I know about Crape Myrtles, I am spotting fabulous, older<br />
specimens all over the shoreline. This plant is just the ticket to jazz up<br />
the late garden.<br />
indica ‘Hopi’ Enormous rounded flower heads of soft clear<br />
pink. Blooms for weeks and weeks in late summer.<br />
‘Zuni’ The hardiest of the crape myrtles, with bright fuchsia<br />
flowers in late summer and fall (they can bloom up to 100<br />
days!) This shrub will die back to ground level in a hard<br />
winter, but grow back to form a 5-6’ shrub by late summer,<br />
blooming on current year's wood. Zone 6.<br />
x ‘Center Punch’ Dwarf, compact form that has proven itself<br />
hardy in the north. Hi-C punch red flowers on 4-5’ tall plants.<br />
Leptodermis CHINESE LEPTODERMIS<br />
oblonga This is from China, first brought to the United States in<br />
1905, but still rarely seen in gardens. 3’ tall low mounding shrub<br />
has fragrant lilac flowers from July until September. Very hardy<br />
(zone 5), this is a drought-tolerant addition for mid-border or to<br />
jazz up a sunny summer foundation planting.<br />
Lespedeza BUSH CLOVER<br />
If you are looking for something truly different in the fall, this shrub<br />
will delight you. The flowers cover the plant, are pea-like and very<br />
profuse. Branches arch gracefully, creating a fountain-like effect.<br />
Everyone will ask you about this plant! Blooms on current year’s wood,<br />
so prune heavily each spring to encourage lots of new blooming wood.<br />
bicolor ‘Yakushima’ 12-18"tall plant, mounding habit. Violet<br />
purple flowers in late summer. Useful for hot sun, perfect for<br />
slopes to weave between dwarf ornamental grasses.<br />
thunbergii Pinkish-purple flower clusters. New growth reaches<br />
5-6’ in one season.<br />
‘Edo-Shibori’ 3’ tall mounding plant with pink and white<br />
bicolor flowers.<br />
Leucothoe<br />
This native plant tolerates shade and is one of my mainstays in low<br />
light designs. I have learned over the years that it likes a rich, moisture<br />
retentive soil and balks at root competition under trees. Be sure you<br />
water Leucothoe in a dry spell.<br />
axillaris The Coast Leucothoe has a mounding habit and grows<br />
3-6’ tall. Its soft, flowing form contrasts nicely with upright<br />
Rhododendrons. White May flowers; excellent burgundy early<br />
spring and winter foliage color.<br />
‘Rainbow’ Gorgeous cream, green, and burgundy/pink<br />
variegated foliage accent plant. I underplant this with<br />
Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’ and pair it with burgundy<br />
Heucheras in creative shady foundation plantings.<br />
catesbei ‘Compacta’ Drooping Leucothoe is a shrub I use in<br />
almost all of my shade garden designs. It is DEER-PROOF!<br />
Arching stems of long, pointed glossy evergreen foliage, green<br />
in summer, turning a beautiful shade of burgundy in the winter.<br />
White flowers in May. Tolerates sun, partial, or deep shade.<br />
Grows 3’ tall.<br />
‘Silver Run’ A beautiful green and cream variegated variety,<br />
brightens up the shade. Foliage gets a pink blush in the winter<br />
making it even more beautiful!<br />
Lonicera HONEYSUCKLE<br />
These two plants offer distinctively different,<br />
yet highly fragrant flowers on shrubby plants.<br />
For the climbing honeysuckle hybrids, please<br />
see the VINES section in the back of the<br />
catalog.<br />
fragrantissima Winter Honeysuckle is a<br />
rare treat. The name says it all--intoxicating<br />
fragrance in March and April;<br />
in a mild winter, it begins in late February. It is one of the<br />
longest blooming shrubs in the spring garden, blooming on last<br />
year’s wood. Arching branches are covered with thousands of<br />
tiny white flowers. They are easily forced in the house. At first,<br />
the fragrance is subtle . . . but enter a closed up room, or stroll<br />
outside on a warm spring evening, and you too will fall in love.<br />
Rarely stocked, chiefly because most of my growers haven’t<br />
discovered this plant yet. I prune mine to a 6-8’ arching<br />
specimen plant. Rounded green foliage. Rare.<br />
‘Honey Baby’ I love this plant! It has the same creamy white,<br />
fragrant flowers as the invasive vine BUT it is a shrub form! It<br />
blooms for two months in July and August, perhaps beyond,<br />
and it is a manageable-sized plant reaching 3-4’ tall. Besides<br />
incorporating ‘Honey Baby’ into perennial borders, I have been<br />
using them in sunny container plantings to add that oldfashioned<br />
fragrance to decks and patios.<br />
Page 76 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Mahonia<br />
bealei This is an amazing and dramatic plant for deep or partial<br />
shade. Hardy to zone 6, I know of many specimens that have<br />
lived for years in sheltered spots. How can I describe this... it<br />
looks like holly on steroids! Giant, glossy, pointed, holly-shaped<br />
leaves on 4-5’ plants. Sweetly fragrant sprays of pale yellow<br />
flowers in late March and April grace each growing tip. I have<br />
one in my cottage garden and have enjoyed it all winter long for<br />
many years. Very limited.<br />
Osmanthus FALSE HOLLY<br />
heterophyllus ‘Goshiki’ Called False Holly, this looks like a<br />
miniature variegated holly with cream and green variegated<br />
holly-like, prickly foliage on dense, compact plants. New foliage<br />
has a reddish cast. For sun or partial shade; zone 6 hardy, keep<br />
out of strong winter winds. Grows 8-10' tall, 6-8' wide but<br />
slowly.<br />
Oxydendrum SOURWOOD<br />
arboreum This is a native tree, called lily of the valley tree or<br />
sourwood. I love this plant! It is an August bloomer, with white<br />
dangling flowers that look to me like andromeda blossoms on<br />
steroids. After blooming, the seed pods remain and are showy as<br />
they dangle from the tree. In the fall, this tree has the most<br />
magnificent red fall color, bright enough to rival any maple you<br />
know. It is a slow grower, a great tree for the smaller yard,<br />
reaching 15-20’ over many, many years.<br />
Paxistima<br />
canbyi A low multi-stemmed groundcover. Slow growing<br />
evergreen. 12" tall. Blooms early May.<br />
Physocarpus NINEBARK<br />
Ninebark is a wonderful plant for sunny or partially shaded borders.<br />
opulifolius ‘Center Glow’ New! Foliage emerges bright<br />
yellowish-green, then turns quickly to a deep reddish-burgundy.<br />
Very compact habit, growing 7-9' tall and wide. Same white<br />
flowers as the other burgundy leaf forms.<br />
‘Coppertina’ A cross between burgundy leaved 'Diabolo' and<br />
'Dart's Gold', this has amazing copper foliage in the spring,<br />
turning burgundy-copper in the summer, back to brilliant<br />
copper in the fall; adds a new color to the landscape. Lacy<br />
white flowers stand out in June. Very vigorous, reaching 6-10'<br />
tall, 8-10' wide.<br />
‘Diablo’ If you love burgundy foliage and you want lots of it<br />
(without the thorns of a barberry) in a dense and rounded<br />
form, this is the plant for you. A European hybrid of our<br />
native ninebark, this fabulous plant grows 5-8’ tall and spreads<br />
6-9’ wide. Whitish pink flowers in May and June present a nice<br />
contrast to the foliage. Winter features a gorgeous exfoliating<br />
(peeling) bark. Best color in full sun. Try it as a colorful hedge<br />
or in a mixed backdrop for a large-scale perennial garden.<br />
Very, very durable and hardy.<br />
‘Summer Wine’ A wonderful new introduction, same<br />
excellent burgundy foliage color and flowers as ‘Diablo’, but<br />
smaller in scale, reaching 4-6’ tall and 4-6’ wide.<br />
Pieris ANDROMEDA<br />
An excellent shrub that demands shade (lacebug is a real problem if you<br />
grow them in the sun—beware!) You will now find an amazing<br />
selection of plants with colorful new growth, pink flowers, variegated<br />
foliage, and more. Deer DO NOT EAT ANDROMEDA unless they<br />
are starving to death—it is just about last on their list of broadleaf<br />
evergreens.<br />
japonica ‘Flaming Silver’ You know a plant's a hit when the<br />
first time it arrives in our yard, it sells immediately and<br />
everyone places orders for it. A vigorous variegated andromeda<br />
with green and white foliage; new growth is deep rosy red,<br />
making this interesting all season long, even after the April<br />
flowers. Best in shade, this beauty grows 6-8' tall and wide.<br />
‘Valley Valentine’ No one can resist this beautiful shrub. The<br />
dangling flowers are brilliant pink, one of the very first shrubs<br />
to bloom in the early April landscape. Even the winter buds<br />
will turn your head. A dense, upright plant, it will reach 8 feet<br />
after many years. Best in partial shade.<br />
japonica yakushimanum ‘Cavatine’ Growing less than 24" tall,<br />
this variety has weeping flower clusters that are peachy-pink in<br />
winter, opening pure white in April. This is a sterile form, so no<br />
seed is set, thus no deadheading. Will spread 3-4’ wide.<br />
Potentilla BUSH CINQUEFOIL<br />
Potentillas are very versatile summer-blooming shrubs. The plants<br />
have finely-textured foliage and are covered with hundreds of tiny<br />
buttercup-like flowers starting in June and continuing all summer, into<br />
the fall. The trick: give them a good cutting back in late July/early<br />
August, and feed them with Sea Mix. They will respond with a second,<br />
very heavy flowering period that will take you right into the fall.<br />
fruticosa ‘Abbotswood White’ Very popular pure white form,<br />
grows compact, 2-3’ tall.<br />
‘Gold Star’ Compact form with enormous, glowing buttery<br />
yellow flowers. Grows 2-3’ tall.<br />
‘Katherine Dykes’ A very soft, pale yellow flower on a 3-4’<br />
tall shrub. This is one of my favorites because the color works<br />
with everything.<br />
‘Pink Beauty’ Very pale pink flowers, the same very long<br />
bloom period. This plant won my heart some years ago and<br />
won a place in my tiny cottage garden. Mix it with lots of<br />
white flowers for a cool summer look.<br />
‘Pink Select’ A variety selected for its deeper pink color that<br />
holds well, doesn’t fade in hot sun. 24" tall.<br />
‘Sundance’ Double yellow flowers on 2’ plants.<br />
‘Yellow Gem’ Large yellow flowers on a low, dwarf shrub 1-<br />
2’ tall. Perfect for sunny, hot rock gardens.<br />
Prunus CHERRY<br />
Since we are not in the business of selling lots of trees, we normally<br />
don’t carry the run-of-the-mill weeping cherries and other ornamental<br />
forms of this genus. We do, however, carry some of the lesser-known<br />
forms of ornamental cherry suitable for perennial borders or the “New<br />
American Landscape.” Read on …<br />
laurocerasus ‘Majestic Jade’ When I can get my hands on<br />
cherry laurels, I am in heaven. This is a slow-growing, upright<br />
evergreen with oval, glossy, deep green leaves that resemble<br />
Leucothoe. It is an excellent foundation plant for semi-shade,<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 77
especially in sheltered spots. This variety is hardy to zone 5-6.<br />
White flowers in May add interest to the 4-5’ plants.<br />
‘Otto Luyken’ This variety of cherry laurel is excellent for<br />
Connecticut as it has proven to be very hardy.<br />
‘Zabeliana’ Another hardy form, reaching 4-5' tall, with<br />
willowy leaves and arching, horizontal branches that can<br />
spread twice as wide, but slowly. Free flowering. First<br />
introduced in Germany in the late 1800's.<br />
maritima Beach plums are great small flowering native trees.<br />
They grow well in seaside gardens and can tolerate direct salt<br />
spray and ocean flooding. They don’t have to have those<br />
conditions, they are essentially small cherry trees that grow only<br />
6-7’ tall, with white flowers in May and an edible fruit. Beach<br />
plum jam anyone?<br />
pumila ‘Catskill’ This is a creeping form of beach plum, ideal<br />
groundcover in windy, sunny situations.<br />
x ‘Hally Jolivette’ The Globe Mist Cherry has always been one<br />
of my favorite early spring-blooming plants. Pink buds open to<br />
double white dangling, delicate blossoms in April. It can grow to<br />
be a 20’ tall light, airy tree, or can be kept pruned to a large<br />
shrub. Either way, you will find yourself waiting every year for<br />
this beauty to flower.<br />
Rhamnus<br />
frangula ‘Fine Line’ Stephanie Cohen turned me on to this<br />
shrub. It is a deciduous plant with linear, finely cut, lacy leaves<br />
of dark green. It is very hardy, not bothered by insects or<br />
diseases. Best of all, 'Fine Line' grows narrow and upright,<br />
providing a vertical accent in the perennial border or even in<br />
large container gardens. Mature height is 5-7’ tall and 2-3’ wide.<br />
It can be pruned at any time as the tiny white flowers are not the<br />
show, the foliage and form is!<br />
Rhododendron<br />
We carry many specialty varieties of<br />
Rhododendrons at <strong>Natureworks</strong>. Unlike the<br />
chain stores and larger garden centers, we<br />
focus mainly on a collection of dwarfs and<br />
semi-dwarfs suitable for renovated or newlyinstalled<br />
foundation plantings. The varieties<br />
we carry are too extensive to list here—please<br />
inquire if you are doing a landscaping project.<br />
‘Rosy Miracles’ Compact, dense-growing<br />
evergreen shrub reaching 3-4’ tall and 4-5’ wide. Early May<br />
flowers of clear pink blossoms smother this shrub in color.<br />
Burgundy winter color to the miniature foliage; deep green in<br />
summer. For each plant purchased, money is donated to breast<br />
cancer research. A "Pink Ribbon Plant" that is beautiful, hardy,<br />
and for a good cause!<br />
‘Scintillans’ Deep BLUE flowers on dwarf evergreen shrub 2-3’<br />
tall. Zone 6, protect from strong winds. May blooming. Rare.<br />
‘Towhead’ Brilliant greenish-yellow flowers on a 1-2’ plant.’<br />
‘Wren’ A dwarf lemon yellow rhododendron, growing only 8-<br />
12" tall. Very hardy in Connecticut, excellent for dwarf rock<br />
gardens.<br />
yakusimanum ‘Percy Wiseman’ 3-4’ tall, gorgeous peachy pink<br />
flowers in May. Compact plant. Sun/part shade. Glossy foliage.<br />
Salix WILLOW<br />
elaeagnos I love the rosemary-leaf willow for its delicate<br />
texture. Yes, the foliage is very long and linear and looks like<br />
rosemary---but on a shrub that can reach 8-10’ tall! This willow<br />
does not have to be in wet soil and could be used in a mixed<br />
shrub border or to add textural interest to the back of a generous<br />
perennial border. As with all willows, regular fearless pruning<br />
improves their shape.<br />
integra ‘Flamingo’ A sport of 'Hakaro Nashiki', this dappled<br />
willow has brilliant pink new growth, thus the name. Full sun<br />
brings out the best color. Grows 6-8' tall.<br />
‘Hakuro Nashiki’ This is the tricolor willow, now planted in<br />
our renovated front foundation planting at the shop.The new<br />
growth is very ornamental with white, pink and green<br />
variegated foliage. Prune hard in late winter to encourage the<br />
best color, and continue pruning in early summer until July.<br />
This will keep the plant at a very manageable 3-4’ tall and<br />
encourage lots of new, colorful variegated growth. Takes full<br />
sun and wet soil; I was surprised to find this in most shady<br />
woodland gardens I visited on the Garden Conservancy Open<br />
Days tours a few years ago used as a foliage accent plant!<br />
matsudana ‘Golden Curls’ This is the curly willow, a small<br />
tree/large shrub with curly, twisted branches that are a flower<br />
arranger’s delight. Can grow up to 25’ tall, but I suggest regular<br />
cutting of the branches to keep the plant at 12-15’ tall. Use the<br />
cut branches for making wreaths, swags, or in arrangements.<br />
Tolerates wet soil, but I have three large trees in my new yard<br />
that are in normal conditions and they do just fine.<br />
melanostachys This is the black pussywillow, coveted by flower<br />
arrangers for its unusual black catkins. Winter stems are a rich<br />
purple/black color. Grows 6-10’ tall.<br />
purpurea ‘Nana’ The blue Arctic willow is a durable workhorse<br />
of a shrub, very useful by the seashore or anywhere conditions<br />
are tough. 4-5’ tall with linear blue leaves, this has a light and<br />
airy texture that takes well to shearing as a hedge. You can also<br />
let it go a bit wild for a softer foliage structure plant in the<br />
perennial border. Full sun is best; tolerates sandy, lean soil well.<br />
sachalinensis ‘Sekka’ This is the Japanese Fantail Willow, a<br />
pussywillow with twisted, contorted and fasciated (fan-shaped)<br />
branches. It blooms in late winter, just like the common forms,<br />
but the unusual, curly branching habit is very striking in the<br />
winter. It is a very rare plant, and a flower arranger’s delight,<br />
fetching megabucks in the New York flower markets. Why not<br />
grow your own? Prefers a sunny spot with wet feet.<br />
Sambucus<br />
Elderberries are wonderful shrubs that serve many purposes in the<br />
garden. They are excellent moisture-loving plants. The flowers are<br />
edible and are used for herbal preparations and for cosmetics. The<br />
berries are used for jam and wine and the birds love them. This is an<br />
important plant if you are trying to create habitat gardens in your<br />
yard. There are many new and wonderful ornamental hybrids..<br />
nigra ‘Black Beauty’ This shrub is all the rage, and for good<br />
reason. In the spring, the foliage is deep, dark purple/black,<br />
fading to deep green in the heat of the summer. It is stunning in<br />
the landscape. Grows 8-10’ tall and wide. Full sun needed for the<br />
strongest foliage color.<br />
Page 78 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
‘Black Lace’ This is the new, even lacier version of 'Black<br />
Beauty'. Wispy, finely cut leaves the color of deep wine,<br />
topped with 10" diameter, fragrant soft pinkflowers in June. A<br />
compact habit, growing 5-6' tall and wide. Add some colorful<br />
texture to your border!<br />
‘Madonna’ This is a very showy variegated form with green<br />
leaves edged in a wide gold band. Grows 6’ tall.<br />
racemosa ‘Plumosa Aurea’ Delicate, finely-cut, glowing golden<br />
foliage adds a nice touch to the back of the garden. Grows 8-10’<br />
tall. And yes, it has the same white flowers, purple berries that<br />
the birds love. Weave this into a moist border.<br />
‘Sutherland Gold’ Amazing, deeply cut and serrated golden<br />
foliage simply glows in the summer garden. Growing 5-10'<br />
tall, this shrub draws attention whenever it arrives on our<br />
benches for it's striking textural interest. White edible flowers,<br />
purple fruits adored by birds.<br />
Sarcococca SWEET BOX<br />
hookenriana ‘Humilis’ From Afghanistan, this evergreen, low<br />
compact shrub is hardy to zone 6 but worth the effort to provide<br />
a sheltered spot. In late winter, fragrant white flowers appear<br />
followed by black spring and summer fruit. I first ran into this in<br />
Dr. Nick Nickou’s yard and fell in love. Slow-growing. For sun<br />
or partial shade. I use it a lot in shady foundation plantings<br />
along the shoreline as a low, facing plant for taller shrubs. Keep<br />
out of winter afternoon sun.<br />
Spirea<br />
Spireas are invaluable additions to the perennial garden. The<br />
April/May bloomers flower on previous year’s wood and don’t rebloom.<br />
The summer blooming varieties flower in June and early July. If they<br />
are then deadheaded and fed with Sea-Mix, they will repeat bloom in<br />
late August and September. Summer bloomers flower on current year’s<br />
wood, so they can be pruned back hard in late winter or spring to keep<br />
them compact. Good cut flowers too! SPIREAS ARE DEER-PROOF!<br />
albiflora Easy-care, the Japanese White Spirea could be<br />
considered a dwarf, white ‘Anthony Waterer’! 2-3’ tall, flattopped<br />
white flowers in June/July and again in fall if plant is<br />
sheared. A very useful perennial border shrub.<br />
bumalda ‘Anthony Waterer’ An old-fashioned shrub with deep<br />
magenta-purple, flat-topped flowers, grows 3-5’ tall.<br />
‘Gold Mound’ Golden foliage, soft pink flowers, 2-3’ tall.<br />
‘Magic Carpet’ Golden-green foliage with bright coppery red<br />
new growth, habit is very compact, 3’ tall, pink flowers.<br />
japonica ‘Alpina’ A true dwarf, soft pink flowers on 12-18"<br />
mounded plants.<br />
‘Gold Elf’ A fabulous, deer-resistant foliage accent edging<br />
plant. Only 6-12" tall, yet 2-3’ wide, this will anchor the front<br />
of a sunny or partial shade garden. Pink flowers.<br />
‘Neon Flash’ This is a showstopper. New growth is<br />
reddish/purple; flowers are an intense neon cerise<br />
pinkish/purple. Very long-blooming with excellent rebloom.<br />
3-4’ tall.<br />
‘Shirobana’ (a.k.a. Shibori) Very unusual, bicolor pink and<br />
white flowers on the same plant, grows 4-5’ tall.<br />
‘White Gold’ At last, a golden-leaved Spirea with WHITE<br />
flowers instead of pink. This will be a welcome addition to all<br />
hot-colored flower schemes where the pink would have<br />
clashed. I can think of LOTS of uses for this variety. Grows 2-3’<br />
tall, 3-4’ wide.<br />
prunifolia A very old fashioned, spring blooming spirea that<br />
blooms on previous year’s wood. It is one of two plants that we<br />
carry that is has the common name bridal wreath spirea. Pure<br />
white, double flowers clothe the branches in late April and early<br />
May. Upright, arching stems have an open, airy form. Grows 6-<br />
9’ tall and 4-6’ wide.<br />
thunbergii ‘Ogon’ I love this plant and so does my staff. It<br />
blooms in early April with sweet white airy flowers covering the<br />
arching stems before it leafs out. The foliage is linear, thin,<br />
equally delicate in texture and soft golden yellow all summer,<br />
providing a great accent color. Grows 4-5’ tall and wide. If you<br />
plant this, everyone will ask about it.<br />
x ‘Mini-Gold’ Discovered at Summer Hill Nursery in Madison,<br />
this is a fabulous dwarf, golden leaved form of Spirea with the<br />
same tight, miniature habit as S. alpina 'Japonica'. Reaching only<br />
12-18" tall, with soft pink flowers, the focus is on the foliage<br />
which can anchor the front of a border in sun or dappled shade<br />
spring, summer, and fall. Imagine it alternating with Geranium<br />
'Rozanne' - what a great deer resistant combination!<br />
x vanhouttei ‘Pink Ice’ Variegated foliage is white and green<br />
with a blush of pink. Grows 3-4’ tall.<br />
x ‘Vanhouttei’ Bridal Wreath Spirea This is a plant that I played<br />
under in my childhood, so it has a special place in my heart.<br />
White clusters of flowers cover the arching branches in late May.<br />
Growing 6-8’ tall, it tolerates an amazing amount of shade as<br />
well as full sun. I have been using this plant in the background<br />
of shady perennial borders to add a mass of light, white color<br />
early in the season. DEER-PROOF!<br />
Stephanandra CUTLEAF STEPHANANDRA<br />
incisa ‘Crispa’ This durable plant will grow anywhere, from full<br />
sun to deep shade. Arching branches are clothed with delicate<br />
white flowers in May. Great for banks and hillsides, will root<br />
where branches touch the ground. Mounds to 3’. A highlight of<br />
our deep shade garden that everyone asks about. Deciduous<br />
shrub that binds the soil on steep slopes.<br />
Symphoricarpos<br />
albus Snowberry is a very old fashioned shrub with August<br />
insignificant flowers followed by big, white, fleshy berries in<br />
clusters on arching stems. This fruit holds up all fall and into the<br />
winter. Tolerates sun or deep shade, grows 4-6' tall.<br />
x doorenbosii ‘Magic Berry’ This is a spectacular plant for<br />
autumn color. Arching branches are covered with<br />
lilac/coral/pink berries that follow small pink late summer<br />
flowers. This hybrid is a great improvement over the straight<br />
species with much showier fruit and a compact habit, reaching<br />
only 3-5' tall. Super hardy to zone 3, tolerates sun or shade and a<br />
wide range of soil types. Great for the perennial border.<br />
Syringa LILAC<br />
There are hundreds of lilacs, and I love them all for the haunting<br />
fragrance that makes May so wonderful. Among those we list are the<br />
wonderful dwarfs that I constantly use in perennial border<br />
meyeri ‘Palibin’ Dwarf Korean lilac is a plant that forms the<br />
backbone of our main flower border. The leaves are small, oval,<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 79
and very clean and tidy. The flowers are of the softest lilac color,<br />
large and showy, and they bloom TWO WEEKS LATER than the<br />
common lilacs, thus extending the season. A must for anyone<br />
who doesn't want lilac time to end. Grows 5-6' tall and wide.<br />
Exceptionally mildew-resistant, intensely fragrant. I still love<br />
this one the best.<br />
patula ‘Miss Kim’ A very different dwarf. The foliage is larger<br />
and broader than the Korean form. The flowers are very long<br />
and a deep lilac color in bud, fading to the palest lilac as they<br />
mature, very fragrant. Most important, ‘Miss Kim’ blooms TWO<br />
WEEKS LATER than common lilacs for season extension. Fall<br />
foliage color is a beautiful burgundy wine color. A distinctive<br />
variety that grows 5-6' tall and wide.. Mildew-resistant.<br />
vulgaris x ‘Royal Purple’ Everyone always wants the deepest,<br />
darkest, richest purple French lilac flowers I can find. This is it.<br />
‘Yankee Doodle’ Another rich, purple variety, a new<br />
introduction with very large, showy flowers.<br />
x chinensis ‘Lilac Sunday’ I have long admired Chinese lilacs,<br />
once I figured out what they were! The flowers are large, loose,<br />
4-6" long open panicles of soft lilac purple and are quite showy<br />
and different. Mid-May blooming on plants that will reach 10’<br />
tall. Very fragrant, very floriferous. Foliage is much more<br />
mildew-resistant than common lilacs. Will form a 12-14’ wide<br />
shrub at maturity, so give it room to grow!<br />
x hyacinthiflora ‘Pocahontas’ This variety blooms at a very<br />
young age, often in a 2-3 gal. pot. Flowers buds are deep violet,<br />
open flowers are the classic lilac purple, very fragrant, blooming<br />
two weeks EARLIER than the common lilac to extend the season.<br />
Will grow 10-12’ tall. Hardy to zone 3!<br />
‘Royal Purple’ Deep, dark, purple flowers.<br />
Vaccinium BLUEBERRY<br />
These native plants have interest in three seasons: clusters of showy<br />
white flowers in spring, delicious berries for humans and birds, and a<br />
magnificent brilliant red fall color. Because burning bushes are now on<br />
the invasive plant list, blueberries are the ideal substitute. Plant early,<br />
mid, and late season varieties for a succession of fruit. If you plan on<br />
eating the berries, you must cover the plants with bird netting. Good<br />
habitat plants for sun or partial shade. ACID SOIL (5.5 is ideal) IS<br />
VITAL. Add aluminum sulfate if your soil test shows your soil is not<br />
acidic enough.<br />
angustifolium Lowbush blueberry, our native woodland low<br />
shrub. Excellent rich red fall foliage, tiny berries adored by birds.<br />
Spreads by stolons in acid, lean, woodland soils in sun or partial<br />
shade. Grows 6"-2' tall. Why isn't this plant used more?<br />
‘Brunswick’ An excellent selection with glossy foliage, great<br />
vigor.<br />
corymbosum ‘Berkley’ Mid season, upright and vigorous<br />
growth habit reaching 6’ at maturity.<br />
‘Bluejay’ An excellent selection with glossy foliage, great<br />
vigour.<br />
‘Earliblue’ It's good to mix early, mid, and late fruiting<br />
cultivars in your blueberry patch. This old-time favorite is one<br />
of the earliest fruiters and has jumbo sized berries.<br />
‘Jersey’ Produces fruit late in the season. Very prolific, great<br />
for harvesting for pies or fresh eating. Grows vigorously to 6-<br />
7’ tall and wide.<br />
‘Northland’ Early- to mid-season bearer on compact plants<br />
reaching only 4’ tall. Consider this plant for a shady<br />
foundation planting! Exceptional hardiness to zone 3.<br />
‘Patriot’ The earliest, producing abundant crops of superlarge<br />
berries. Showy orange-red fall color. Grows 4’ tall and<br />
wide.<br />
Viburnum<br />
Viburnums are wonderful plants. They range in size and spread from<br />
dwarfs to tree-like varieties. One of their best features is that many<br />
species and varieties are DEER-RESISTANT!!! There are so many<br />
Viburnums to consider.<br />
carlesii This is the old-fashioned favorite and probably the most<br />
fragrant of the May-blooming Viburnums. Large waxy white<br />
flowers on a 6-8’ shrub with dark green, rather coarse foliage.<br />
The habit and foliage is not as nice as ‘Burkwoodii’ or<br />
‘Mohawk’, but many people prefer this plant because it is the<br />
old-fashioned standard in the industry and many consider the<br />
fragrance unsurpassable.<br />
cassinoides Common names for this native shrub are Witherod<br />
and Wild Raisin. It has very glossy, dark green deciduous<br />
foliage and white flattened flowers in May. The fruit is the real<br />
show, starting in late summer when they go from light green to<br />
pink, eventually to red, then black. This grows in full sun or<br />
partial shade, and will take very wet or normal soil. A great<br />
naturalizing plant to create thickets for bird habitat. Glossy,<br />
camellia-like foliage turns a brilliant orange-red in the fall,<br />
further adding to its ornamental appeal.<br />
dentatum ‘Blue Muffin’ The arrowhead viburnum has bright<br />
blue, showy berries. This plant first entered my radar screen as a<br />
cut ornamental at Christmas time a few years ago. This hybrid<br />
has flattened, white May flowers followed by gorgeous berries<br />
that the birds (and gardeners) love. Excellent red fall color.<br />
Grows only 5-6’ tall and wide; a superior hybrid combining the<br />
hardiness of this excellent native plant with improved landscape<br />
characteristics.<br />
opulus ‘Sterile’ (a.k.a. Roseum) This the old-fashioned and<br />
much sought-after European Snowball Viburnum. Large 3"<br />
diameter snowball flowers start out green (a flower arranger’s<br />
delight) and then turn pure white, covering the plant in May and<br />
lasting for four weeks. Grows 10-12’ tall and wide, an excellent<br />
specimen or border shrub.<br />
plicatum var. tomentosum ‘Mariesii’ The Doublefile Viburnum<br />
is a magnificent specimen plant for sun or shade. The flowers<br />
form two double rows of white blossoms marching down the<br />
horizontal stems. They look to me like double rows of dogwood<br />
blossoms. Fall features lovely red fruit that turns to black, a<br />
favorite of the birds. Grows 8-10’ tall.<br />
‘Summer Snowflake’ For the past few falls, I have been<br />
appreciating just how fabulous this plant is. They aren’t<br />
kidding---it really does have flowers all summer and fall!<br />
White flattened flowers appear from June onwards. It will<br />
grow only 5-6’ tall, 6-7’ wide. Fall foliage is a gorgeous<br />
burgundy red.<br />
tomentosum ‘Watanabei’ Similar bloom time to Summer<br />
Snowflake, but taller and more upright, 6-8’ tall and wide.<br />
trilobum ‘Wentworth’ This viburnum has fabulous, showy<br />
clusters of red berries that the birds adore. White flattened<br />
flowers in May. Tolerates moist soils, grows 8-10’ tall and wide,<br />
Page 80 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
grows in sun or partial shade. Fruit is edible and can be used for<br />
jam, but I doubt you will get to it before the birds.<br />
x ‘Summer Hill’ I discovered this plant at Summerhill<br />
Nurseries, while wandering around in their display gardens. It<br />
has slightly smaller flowers than V. carlesii, but lots more of<br />
them, literally smothering the plant. The fragrance is equally<br />
bewitching, and the plant is more compact, growing 6-8' tall and<br />
wide at maturity. A good choice if old fashioned V. carlesii is<br />
just to big or open. I'm starting to use this plant in more and<br />
more of my designs.<br />
x carlcephalum This is an enormous white-flowering, fragrant<br />
Viburnum. The flowers are snowball-shaped and cover the 8-10’<br />
high plant in May. Much more dramatic and showy than V.<br />
carlesii. I love this plant! Limited.<br />
x ‘Mohawk’ This is an improved selection---the flower buds are<br />
a deep rose red, opening to white waxy rounded blossoms that<br />
have a powerful clove fragrance. The foliage is very shiny and<br />
attractive. Very compact, blossoms at an early age.<br />
x rhytidophylloides This is an improved hybrid form of<br />
leatherleaf viburnum. A spectacular plant with coarse, broad,<br />
corrugated green leaves that are semi-evergreen in most of CT,<br />
evergreen in sheltered spots and along the shoreline in mild<br />
winters. Give this plant plenty of room---it can grow 10-12 tall<br />
and wide. White May flowers and showy bright red fall fruit.<br />
This makes a strong statement in the background of a shrub<br />
border or by a looming blank wall of the house or garage.<br />
Vitex CHASTE TREE<br />
Please note: Vitex is VERY late to break dormancy. Therefore, we will<br />
not be stocking these plants until June, but you can certainly them<br />
with a spring order.<br />
agnus-castus This is a wonderful summer-blooming shrub,<br />
similar to a butterfly bush, but more dignified. The foliage is<br />
superior---palmate leaves, very classy. The flowers are 10" long<br />
purple spikes, beginning in late summer, continuing into the fall.<br />
The foliage is herbal-scented. The flowers are followed by berry<br />
sprays that, when harvested, are a very popular woman’s herb<br />
for menopause. Loves the heat. Zone 6 hardy, will die back to<br />
the ground in a hard winter and grow 3-4’ in one season. A mild<br />
winter means no die-back; prune to whatever height you want to<br />
keep the plant within bounds. Full sun. Deer-proof.<br />
‘Silver Spires’ This plant simply glows---beautiful white<br />
flowers add a cool look to the late garden. It won my heart last<br />
year, and earned a spot in my tiny cottage garden, next to a<br />
pink potentilla!<br />
Weigela WEIGELA<br />
Weigelas are very old-fashioned shrubs. These represent my favorites,<br />
that I tend to use in my landscape design work.There are many new<br />
hybrids being introduced to the trade each year. Why? Because these<br />
shrubs are excellent in perennial borders, sunny foundation plantings<br />
AND attract hummingbirds galore.<br />
‘Fine Wine’ A new variation on a plant that I use all the time.<br />
'Fine Wine' is a bit shorter and much denser than 'Wine and<br />
Roses', growing 2-3' tall, with arching branches tightly packed<br />
with deep wine colored foliage. Pink trumpet flowers in June.<br />
Foliage is smaller than Wine and Roses as well, making it a<br />
somewhat finer texture. A Proven Winner introduction.<br />
florida ‘Carnaval’ Showy tri-color flowers of red, pink, and<br />
white are amazing. Compact habit, arching stems to only 3’<br />
makes this easy to incorporate into perennial borders or low<br />
maintenance landscapes. Shearing after flowering encourages a<br />
late summer/fall rebloom. Green foliage.<br />
‘French Lace’ A variegated form that is very showy and<br />
exciting. Leaves are green with bright yellow edges. The<br />
flowers are deep, dark red. This is a stunning contrast. Grows<br />
4-5’ tall and wide.<br />
‘Midnight Wine’ A great dwarf shrub to add burgundy<br />
foliage. An easy-care, dwarf mound for the front of the border.<br />
Growing only 18-24" tall by 2-3’ wide, this low arching shrub<br />
has deep burgundy-purple foliage and masses of deep pink<br />
flowers in June. A great ground cover for massing in<br />
landscapes.<br />
‘Red Prince’ This plant is an absolute hummingbird<br />
MAGNET. The red tubular flowers in May and June are very<br />
showy, with frequent repeat-blooms in the summer and early<br />
fall. The plant grows 6-8’ tall, with arching stems, and is<br />
border. Very easy to grow in any sunny garden, not<br />
susceptible to pests or diseases.<br />
‘Variegata Nana’ Pretty green and cream variegated foliage is<br />
a highlight of this variety, making it an attractive addition all<br />
growing season. The flowers are a soft pink. Dwarf in habit,<br />
the arching stems reach 3-4’. It is a great foliage accent plant<br />
for the perennial border.<br />
‘Wine and Roses’ (a.k.a. ‘Alexandra') This is the most<br />
beautiful Weigelia to come on the plant scene in years. Foliage<br />
is a nice burgundy color, keeping its color all summer and fall.<br />
Flowers are constant---tubular pink flaring trumpets. The<br />
contrast is fabulous of the pale pink and the burgundy. Grows<br />
only 3’ tall, with arching stems to 4-5’ wide. An excellent<br />
choice for the perennial border. Hummingbird magnet.<br />
‘My Monet’ A zoomed in on this plant last year, when my new<br />
plant radar went up at a summer field day. It is an adorable<br />
dwarf, reaching only 18-24" tall. The foliage is a blend of pink,<br />
cream, and green; the flowers are lavender-pink tubular bells.<br />
The gardening world is talking about this plant and you will see<br />
it in all the garden magazines. Remember, it's really short! I've<br />
noted people suggesting you use it like you would a coleus, a<br />
heuchera, or a silver mound artemesia, as a foliage accent plant<br />
in the front of the garden. Now that's a design suggestion I can<br />
get into.<br />
x ‘Rubidor’ Okay, you want accent---this plant screams for<br />
attention. Golden foliage all summer with brilliant red flowers in<br />
June. Grows up to 6’ tall on arching stems.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 81
FERNS<br />
Ferns are wonderful shade plants, offering<br />
foliage structure all season. Combine with early<br />
spring ephemeral wildflowers to fill in the gaps<br />
when the early bloomers disappear or look tired.<br />
Underplant taller late blooming perennials<br />
with the shorter ferns . . . the tall ones stand on<br />
their own as dramatic focal points in the shade<br />
or woodland garden.<br />
Adiantum MAIDENHAIR FERN<br />
pedatum The American maidenhair fern<br />
is one of our prettiest native plants. Delicate, graceful, 20" tall.<br />
Tolerates lean woodland soil.<br />
Asplenium SPLEENWORT<br />
scolopendrium Hart’s tongue fern is completely unique, with<br />
strap-like, wide, leathery evergreen foliage. This provides the<br />
shade garden with a wonderful broad textural contrast. Grows<br />
6-8" tall.<br />
trichomanes Maidenhair Spleenwort A dwarf fern, only 4-10"<br />
tall, with arching dark green fronds. Easy to grow, very hardy,<br />
great textural contrast.<br />
Athyrium LADY FERN<br />
angustum forma rubellum ‘Lady in Red’<br />
A truly magnificent Lady Fern with green<br />
leaflets contrasting with tems that will<br />
eventually be as red as ruby chard when<br />
the plant matures. Introduced by the New<br />
England Wildflower Society. Grows 30-36"<br />
tall. Looks classic combined with<br />
burgundy-leaved Heucheras.<br />
filix-femina The lady fern is native to all<br />
of North American. Graceful fronds reach<br />
2-3' tall. Grows best in humus rich soil in<br />
all degrees of shade.<br />
‘Dres Dagger’ An amazing arrangement<br />
of lacy, crisscrossed fronds with a<br />
delicate crest at the end of each one. 18-<br />
24" tall, very architectural. A Victorian variety being<br />
reintroduced to the trade.<br />
‘Frizelliae’ I call this the "necklace fern." Everyone who sees it<br />
comments on it. The fronds are long and linear and look like a<br />
string of green buttons. The form will really make a sweet<br />
contrast in the front of the shade garden. Try it with dwarf<br />
hostas or lady’s mantle.<br />
‘Vernonia Cristata’ Very decorative lady fern with curly,<br />
crested frond tips. Grows a dramatic 3-4’ tall. Frilly texture.<br />
‘Victoria Selection’ This is my new love in the world of ferns.<br />
Dramatic, 3-4’ tall, interesting crisscross habit of the fronds<br />
makes this plant stand out. Delicate and architectural at the<br />
same time-you must try it. One supplier aptly described the<br />
fronds this way: "the narrow pinnae of the plant are shaped<br />
like little green boomerangs" . . . that’s true! Find a special<br />
place in your garden for this neat plant.<br />
filix-femina x nipponicum ‘Branford Beauty’ This plant was<br />
bred and introduced by Nick Nickou of Branford. If you have<br />
ever been lucky enough to tour his gardens, you will know how<br />
special this is. A very vigorous fern, growing 2’ tall by 30" wide,<br />
this fern has silver spots and red stalks. It resembles a larger and<br />
paler Japanese painted fern.<br />
‘Ghost’ 2-3’ tall rigidly upright fronds are ghostly silver, very<br />
striking. This may be the most unusual fern to come along in<br />
years with endless possibilities for lighting up the shade<br />
garden. Has proven very drought-tolerant. I use in in most of<br />
my low-light designs. Marvelous to marry with the new<br />
Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’.<br />
nipponicum ‘Burgundy Lace’ A new and colorful variety will<br />
silver fronds marked with red veins and midribs. Grows 12-15"<br />
tall. Very lacy, delicate texture. The ideal plant to combine with<br />
burgundy leaved Heucheras of all sorts.<br />
‘Silver Falls’ Long arching fronds are very silver (we’re<br />
talking glow-in-the-dark silver, brighter than any other) with<br />
red venation, 12-15" tall.<br />
var. pictum Japanese Painted Fern. Variegated green/silver<br />
foliage, excellent shade foliage plant.<br />
nipponicum var. pictum ‘Pewter Lace’ Totally silver, no red<br />
markings at all provides a rich pewter gray effect. Frilly fronds<br />
grow 15-18" tall.<br />
nipponicum var.pictum ‘Applecourt’ A silver variegated<br />
painted fern with a twist... the ends of each frond are crested!<br />
This makes the clump look like lace. Grows 18-24" tall. Place this<br />
where you can really enjoy it!<br />
Blechnum DEER FERN<br />
spicant Leathery, semi-evergreen, long arching blades of deep<br />
green. Grows 10-12 " tall and wide.<br />
Cyrtomium HOLLY FERN<br />
This fern is completely different. The broad, leathery fronds are very<br />
heavy-textured and resemble HOLLY, offering a bold texture to the<br />
woodland garden.<br />
fortunei A quite hardy form of Japanese holly fern. I find myself<br />
using it more and more in designs. It is easy to grow in a zone 6<br />
situation. Dramatic and coarse fronds reach up 24-30" tall. Semievergreen<br />
standout for the shady garden.<br />
macrophyllum A bigger and even more showy variety of holly<br />
fern, foliage is very broad. Grows 30" tall. Zone 6.<br />
Design tip: A basic rule of perennial garden design<br />
is to combine plants with opposite textures, shapes<br />
and forms. Hostas and ferns make a fabulous<br />
marriage—light and heavy textures show each other<br />
off to the best advantage.<br />
Dennstaedtia<br />
punctilobula The hayscented fern is one of our most common<br />
native woodland ferns, spreading rapidly with light yellow<br />
foliage in the most difficult situations of deep shade and root<br />
competition. Grows 12-18" tall.<br />
Page 82 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Deparia SILVER GLADE FERN<br />
pycnosora Tall and fast spreading Asian fern that will quickly<br />
form a dense groundcover, spreading 3' in 3 years. Grows up to<br />
36" tall, great for shade and rocky hillsides.<br />
Dryopteris WOOD FERN<br />
affinis ‘Crispa Gracilis’ Very ruffly fronds only reach 10-18" tall<br />
and are semi-evergreen. A real textural beauty.<br />
‘Cristata The King’ 2-4’ tall, gracefully arching fronds are<br />
tipped with crested, tight, curly edges. This is a spectacular<br />
fern for the shade garden.<br />
australis Dixie Wood Fern is hardy to zone 5. Very vigorous,<br />
semi-evergreen fronds to 5’. Sterile.<br />
crasshirizoma Thick stemmed wood fern grows 24-36" tall and<br />
forms a huge clump of arching deep green fronds.<br />
dilatata ‘Lepidota Cristata’ Crested Broad Buckler fern. This has<br />
12-18" fronds that are crested at the tips.<br />
erythrosora Autumn Fern The foliage is a deep green, and 2’<br />
tall. Its most significant feature is that it turns bronze red in the<br />
fall, very striking.<br />
‘Brilliance’ Young fronds are brilliant orange/red and hold<br />
their color a long time into late spring. 18-24" tall. This is one<br />
of the showiest, most colorful ferns you can grow.<br />
filix-mas ‘Barnesii’ 2-3' tall upright fronds gracefully arch at the<br />
tips.<br />
‘Cristata Jackson’ A fast-growing, easy, and quite decorative<br />
fern with curly crests to the tips of the frond and each leaflet.<br />
Grows 2-4’ tall. This is VERY different!<br />
‘Undulata Robusta’ Robust Male Fern grows 2’ tall, has heavy<br />
fronds that are very ripply and wavy.<br />
goldiana Goldie's wood fern is gorgeous and rare. 3-4' arching<br />
fronds are a lighter golden green in the spring. The largest<br />
Dryopteris fern in the Northeast.<br />
marginalis Leatherwood Fern A real beauty, deep dark<br />
evergreen foliage, 1-2’ tall, native, easy to grow.<br />
Matteuccia OSTRICH FERN<br />
struthiopteris (pennsylvanica) Ostrich Fern Tall, dramatic 3-4’<br />
fronds in moist shade. Edible fiddleheads.<br />
‘Jumbo’ Larger in every way than the straight species.<br />
Osmunda ROYAL FERN<br />
cinnamonea The cinnamon fern is the best plant for wet areas. It<br />
can grow a massive 2-5' tall.<br />
regalis ‘Cristata’ The crested royal fern forms a massive 2-4’ tall<br />
clump; the tips of each frond have a curly crest. It loves wet<br />
spots. In spring, the downy fuzz from the crosiers is used by<br />
hummingbirds when building their nests.<br />
Phyllitis HART’S TONGUE FERN<br />
scolopendrium Hart’s Tongue Fern resembles the houseplant<br />
bird’s nest fern. Glossy, 1’ long undivided fronds create a bold<br />
contrast to frillier varieties of ferns, dwarf astilbes, and dicentras.<br />
‘Cristatum’ Same as above, but the ends of each frond are<br />
crested and frilly. I had these in stock in the fall of 2005 and<br />
everyone raved about their unusual form.<br />
Polystichum<br />
acrostichoides Christmas Fern Evergreen foliage; shade (or sun<br />
in rich soil).<br />
braunii Braun’s Holly Fern is a new, very decorative fern that is<br />
similar to a Christmas fern with decorative tatting and tasseling<br />
on the edges of the fronds. Grows 24" tall.<br />
polyblepharum The Tassel Fern is very dignified---the dark<br />
green fronds are evergreen, neat and tidy all year long. 1-2’ tall.<br />
This one of my favorite plants to edge shady foundation<br />
plantings.<br />
setiferum Soft Shield Fern Very intricate lacy foliage under 12"<br />
tall. Very decorative fronds.<br />
‘Herrenhausen’ This plant looks like parsley! 10-12" dwarf,<br />
deep green, very frilly fronds add an enchanting texture to the<br />
edges of a shady garden or walkway.<br />
Thelypteris JAPANESE BEECH FERN<br />
decursive-pinnata 1-2’ tall, tidy clumping fern. Best in shade,<br />
but will tolerate partial sun, in which case the fronds turn a<br />
brilliant yellow-green.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 83
GRASSES<br />
Ornamental grasses are easy-care, fast-growing, dramatic foliage<br />
plants. They are in their glory in the late summer and fall when your<br />
garden needs a boost! Their “flowers” are actually seed pods and<br />
remain attractive all winter long. DEER-PROOF!<br />
Achnatherum DIAMOND GRASS<br />
brachytricha (Calamagrostis) Diamond Grass has upright<br />
feather-like rose flowers 3’ tall in September. A fluffy vertical<br />
accent with excellent winter staying power, good flower for<br />
cutting or drying. Grows only 2’ wide.<br />
Acorus SWEET FLAG<br />
calamus ‘Variegatus’ American sweet flat is a variegated irislike<br />
plant with cream and green vertical stripes on 3-4’ tall<br />
foliage. Rhizomatous, it grows best in wet areas. Foliage is<br />
aromatic when crushed. Insignificant flowers.<br />
gramineus ‘Ogon Gold’ Brilliant showy foliage, bright gold and<br />
green, 10" tall.<br />
Design tip: Calamagrostis offers a vertical accent<br />
plant in a narrow space. Each plant will spread to 2 -<br />
3’; three can be massed together in larger gardens.<br />
Consider using this plant near the foreground of the<br />
perennial border for a surprise effect. Foliage forms<br />
3’ tall tufts, flowers soar to 6 feet!<br />
Calamagrostis FEATHER REED GRASS<br />
The foliage of feather reed grass is one of the first to put on a show,<br />
making an appearance in May before all the others. The flowers are<br />
soaring, stiff, vertical accents.<br />
arundinacae ‘Avalanche’ Green leaves with bright white<br />
midribs. Silvery plumes soar upwards 3-4’ in July. Very drought<br />
tolerant.<br />
‘Karl Foerster’ Feather Reed Grass PERENNIAL PLANT OF<br />
THE YEAR FOR 2001! Summer-blooming vertical spikes to 6’.<br />
‘Overdam’ A new and improved variegated form! 3-4’, white<br />
and green striped foliage.<br />
x ‘Cheju-Do’ A wonderful new introduction, same upright,<br />
rigid flowers but a full 12" shorter than the popular variety 'Karl<br />
Foerster'. Remember, Calamagrostis is an all summer bloomer;<br />
you don't have to wait until fall! This is only 42-48" tall when in<br />
bloom. Excellent for the smaller garden, and much admired in a<br />
designed meadow I planted in 2006. Very limited supply,<br />
reserve.<br />
Carex SEDGE<br />
Looking for a grass for shade? Carex is the answer. Great foliage accent<br />
for the front of the shady garden, always looks good, especially in late<br />
summer when the shade garden often falls apart. Cut all Carexes to the<br />
ground in spring to let the new growth emerge. Strange flowers will<br />
appear first; the foliage is the show, the flowers are an oddity!<br />
SHADY GRASSES<br />
Carex<br />
Chasmanthium<br />
Deschampsia<br />
Hakonochloe<br />
Liriope<br />
Luzula<br />
Miscanthus: dwarf forms (dappled shade only)<br />
Ophiopogon<br />
buchananii This grass caught my eye in a massive container<br />
garden filled with unusual annuals. The foliage is BROWN--sounds<br />
weird (it is!) but it works---as long as you mix it in with<br />
other textural and colorful foliages. Zone 6 w/protection.<br />
conica ‘Variegata’ A very dwarf variety with thin, delicate<br />
variegated foliage of green and white. Creates a soft texture in<br />
the garden. Grows 6-8" tall.<br />
elata ‘Bowles Golden’ This is the brightest yellow sedge grass I<br />
know of, perfect to shine a spotlight on a dark spot. Long<br />
foliage, delicate and thin, arches gracefully to reach a height of<br />
24". A slow-to-spread, clumping grass, lovely with hostas and<br />
burgundy-leaf Heucheras or Ajugas.<br />
flacca ‘Blue Zinger’ (a.k.a. Carex glauca) A new blue sedge.<br />
Foliage is upright, clump forming. Great plant for dry<br />
conditions, grows in sun or partial shade.<br />
flagellifera ‘Toffee Twist’ A tender grass, hardy to zone 7, with<br />
orange/bronze thin foliage. Perfect in semi-shady containers,<br />
stunning combined with Heuchera 'Caramel'. 10-16" tall.<br />
hachijoensis ‘Evergold’ (a.k.a. C. oshimensis ‘Evergold’, C.<br />
morrowii ‘Aureo-variegata’) This plant has many aliases, but the<br />
best I can determine is the listed name is its current real name.<br />
12-18" tall, curly, mop head of thin, delicate yellow and green<br />
striped foliage. Best in moisture retentive soil in partial shade.<br />
morrowii ‘Ice Dance’ I LOVE this grass, use it in almost every<br />
shade garden design as it tolerates deep shade, root competition,<br />
drought, and is tall enough to provide an upright linear foliage<br />
accent. Excellent variegated form, leathery foliage edged in<br />
creamy white, spreads easily, 12-15" tall.<br />
‘Variegata’ 12-14" creamy yellow and green foliage, light,<br />
mounding habit. I am using this more and more; it is not as<br />
airy as other Carex and always looks crisp and attractive.<br />
Perfect underplanted with Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’<br />
and matched with Hosta ‘Sum and Substance’.<br />
siderosticha ‘Harvest Moon’ This is a golden variegated form of<br />
one of my favorite shady groundcover ornamental grass.<br />
‘Island Brocade’ This is a very pretty ground cover with<br />
golden and green showy foliage; great contrast with<br />
hellebores, epimediums, and Bergenias.<br />
‘Variegata’ (Kindergarten Corn) Large, broad foliage, colorful<br />
white and green variegation, a giant leaf form that looks great<br />
as a linear combination with rounded Hostas or as a broader<br />
foliage contrast with delicate plants, also a good edging plant.<br />
Page 84 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Chasmanthium QUAKING OATS<br />
latifolium Northern sea oats is a quaking grass---the flower<br />
stalks dance in the breeze and attracted lots of attention on our<br />
benches last fall. Foliage is thin and bamboo-like. Grows sturdy<br />
and upright to 3’. I attended a fabulous talk given by Rick Darke<br />
(author of The American Woodland Garden) and he enlightened<br />
me that this is actually a native of partially-shaded woodlands,<br />
tolerates slopes or wet bottom lands. I thought it only grew in<br />
full sun! Also, it is phonetically pronounced KAS-MAN-THIUM.<br />
All that said, I love this plant and use it all the time, especially<br />
where you can sit and watch it wiggle.<br />
Eragrostis LOVE GRASS<br />
Locate these grasses where you can sit and look through their airy<br />
flowers to the view beyond. Cut bunches and dry for indoor bouquets.<br />
elliottii Blue Love Grass is simply irresistible. Thin blue foliage<br />
is covered with 3’ tall airy sprays of flowers starting in June and<br />
persisting all summer. Needs full sun, tolerates dry, sandy soil.<br />
Zone 6; protect in a severe winter.<br />
trichodes Sand Love Grass Delicate and airy is the word here.<br />
Thin, dark green arching foliage; summer-blooming 4’long, airy<br />
panicles, good cut flowers.<br />
Erianthus PLUME GRASS<br />
ravennae (Saccharum ravennae) Northern Pampas Grass I have<br />
had many requests to carry this plant again. This is the<br />
granddaddy of large, dramatic grasses, with plumes soaring 10-<br />
12’ in late fall. Spreads 6-8’ across!<br />
Festuca FESCUE<br />
Don’t cut Festuca down hard in late winter. Instead, deadleaf it. Pull<br />
out the brown, dead foliage and allow the new crowns of plants to<br />
grow. Divide Festuca every 3-5 years to keep it vigorous. Excellent blue<br />
accent plant for border edging.<br />
amethystina 8-10" tall very thin-bladed blue tufts, flower tassles<br />
are red-stemmed.<br />
cinerea ‘Sea Urchin’ A very compact blue tuft growing only 10"<br />
tall.<br />
glauca ‘Blue Glow’ Very showy icy blue blades grow 8-10" tall.<br />
‘Elijah Blue’ This is the bluest of all blue festucas, a compact<br />
and tidy tuft.<br />
Hakonechloe JAPANESE FOREST GRASS<br />
macra Hakone Grass, Japanese Forest Grass For SHADE! An<br />
elegant grass that forms a low, graceful mound. Oriental<br />
looking, very effective placed on hillsides or at the edge of stone<br />
retaining wall. Perfect foil for hostas and other broadleaf plants.<br />
‘Albo Striata’ This is a new variation on the variegated grass<br />
that I so love in shade gardens. The foliage has a soft yellow<br />
stripe and a white edge, giving it a lighter overall appearance<br />
than the golden form.<br />
‘All Gold’ This is a new variety of Hakone grass with foliage<br />
that is solid gold, not striped. I am so excited about the<br />
combinations that I can make using the accent plant for shade.<br />
Avoid hot sun at all costs or it will burn.<br />
SMALLER GRASSES<br />
There are many wonderful small-scale grasses,<br />
perfect for the average suburban yard, perennial<br />
garden, and rockery.<br />
Achnatherum brachytricha<br />
Acorus (for wet areas)<br />
Arrhenatherum<br />
Calamagrostis<br />
Carex<br />
Chasmanthium latifolium<br />
Deschampsia<br />
Eragrostis<br />
Festuca<br />
Hakonechloe<br />
Helichtotrichon sempervirens<br />
Imperata<br />
Liriope<br />
Miscanthus ‘Adagio’, ‘Dixieland’, ‘Ferner Osten’,<br />
‘Gold Bar’, ‘Kirk Alexander’, ‘Little Kitten’, ‘Little<br />
Zebra’, ‘Morning Light’, ‘Puenktchen’, ‘Yaku Jima’<br />
Molinia caerulea ‘Variegata’, ‘Skyracer’<br />
Muhlenbergia<br />
Ophiopogon<br />
Panicum (many)<br />
Pennisetum<br />
Schizachyrium scoparium<br />
Sporobolus<br />
Ornamental grasses<br />
are not eaten by deer!!!<br />
‘Aureola’ Rare and magnificent golden variegation , one of<br />
the most popular shade grasses. Brightens up a shady spot.<br />
Helictotrichon BLUE OAT GRASS<br />
This grass must have well drained conditions. Does best in DRY<br />
situations—avoid planting where an automatic sprinkler system will<br />
hit it. Weave soaker hoses away from it. Deadleaf in spring as for<br />
Festucas—don’t cut back.<br />
sempervirens Thin blue blades reach 20-24" tall. Tall, airy<br />
summer flowers grow to 3’ tall.<br />
‘Sapphire’ (a.k.a. Saphirsprudel) The bluest grass just got<br />
bluer! An improved form. 2’ tall.<br />
Hierchloe<br />
odorata Native to wetland sites in North America. Native<br />
Americans gave it the name of Seneca Grass. Grows to 2 feet in<br />
height when in flower. Grows well in sun to part shade. Crush<br />
the foliage for a strong sweet fragrance. Native Americans used<br />
for making fragrant baskets. Hardy to Zone 4.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 85
Holcus<br />
mollis ‘Albo-Variegata’ Variegated velvet grass is a low<br />
growing, soft and very pettable little plant. Blue-green and white<br />
striped foliage, a medium spreader, great for morning sun or<br />
partial shade. Use in the front of a border as a foliage accent, or<br />
in a larger semmi-shade container.<br />
Imperata JAPANESE BLOOD GRASS<br />
cylindrica Intense red foliage, 2’. Very slow growing in the<br />
north (considered invasive in the South). Prefers partial shade or<br />
full sun; tolerates moist soil but doesn’t need it. The cooler it<br />
gets, the redder this gets.<br />
Isolepis<br />
cernua This is an ANNUAL grass that is too cool to pass up.<br />
Long, thin, arching green blades end in a soft tan/yellow spike.<br />
This make the plant look like it is surrounded by a thousand<br />
sparks. 12" tall. A real conversation piece. Zone 8-10.<br />
Leymus BLUE LYME GRASS<br />
(also known as Elymus)<br />
arenarius ‘Blue Dune’ This is a very invasive grass used to hold<br />
sand dunes and coastal edges. Foliage is metallic blue, 2-3' tall.<br />
Plant ONLY where you want it to grow, as it will take over!<br />
Liriope LILYTURF<br />
Liriope has evergreen foliage 1-2’ tall and spikes of purple or white<br />
flowers in late summer/fall. Great for shade or sun and excellent foliage<br />
anchor plant. Tolerates tree root competition! Cut to ground level in<br />
spring before new growth emerges.<br />
muscari ‘Big Blue’ Largest lavender blue flowers, wide green<br />
foliage.<br />
‘Monroe White’ I used this plant in designs years ago, then<br />
forgot about it. Imagine my surprise to revisit a garden with<br />
an established stand I had planted---so clean and crisp, the<br />
contrast of pure white and deep green, as a shady<br />
groundcover.<br />
‘PeeDee Gold Ingot’ Golden foliage in the spring matures to<br />
chartreuse leaves by mid-summer. Jazz up your shady beds<br />
with this new introduction!<br />
‘Variegata’ Variegated gold and green leaves, purple flowers.<br />
spicata ‘Silver Dragon’ Green and WHITE variegation and<br />
white flowers. Brightens up the shade, is very useful as a ground<br />
cover in shady foundation plantings. Takes sun too!<br />
Miscanthus MAIDEN GRASS<br />
Miscanthus varieties all have fall flower plumes. Check out all of the<br />
great new dwarfs! Now even smaller borders and rock gardens can be<br />
graced with the beauty of Miscanthus grasses. Our rock garden<br />
contains a much-loved specimen of ‘Yaku Jima’ that is now over 15<br />
years old.<br />
sinensis ‘Adagio’ An excellent dwarf form 3-4’ tall. Flower<br />
plumes are late, Sept./Nov. and emerge pinkish tan, turning to<br />
white. Thin, narrow, delicate leaf blades. For the smaller garden,<br />
hillsides.<br />
‘Cabaret’ A green and white variegated variety with very<br />
wide and bold foliage, bold and dramatic. Grows 6’ tall.<br />
‘Central Park’ Tropical looking grass with very wide blades,<br />
green with a showy silver midrib. Grows only 4-5' tall and has<br />
very fluffy beige plumes in late October. A great substitute for<br />
'Cosmopolitan' if you want a slightly smaller grass.<br />
‘Dixieland’ An excellent dwarf, 3-4’ tall, broad-textured green<br />
and white striped foliage.<br />
‘Giganteus’ I couldn’t resist Giant Silver Grass. If you need<br />
true drama, this plant grows 8-12’ tall. White plumes are very<br />
showy. Foliage is wide, arching, and deep green, turning<br />
purple in the fall as the plumes go from white to beige.<br />
‘Gold Bar’ A wonderful true dwarf zebra grass. Thin foliage,<br />
horizontal gold stripes, reaching only 20" tall! Plumes have a<br />
blush of pink, September blooming. The perfect plant for the<br />
smaller garden.<br />
‘Gracillimus’ 6’ tall thin blades with a white center. Graceful,<br />
elegant, a classic variety that remains popular.<br />
‘Huron Sunrise’ A very early-blooming variety with pinkishburgundy<br />
plumes 6’ tall in August, a month earlier than most.<br />
Flowers hold up well all winter.<br />
‘Kaskade’ Early-blooming, graceful plumes have a pinkish<br />
cast, grows 5-7’ tall.<br />
‘Kirk Alexander’ A 3’ tall dwarf cultivar of zebra grass.<br />
‘Little Nicky’ A 4' tall dwarf form of M. zebrinus. Flowers<br />
emerge with a reddish tinge, fading to beige by late fall.<br />
‘Malepartus’ August/Sept. plumes start out a lovely pinkish<br />
purple before turning silver in the fall. Foliage turns burgundy<br />
in the fall as the weather cools. 6-7’ tall.<br />
‘Morning Light’ Delicate, green/thin white edge, 5’ tall.<br />
Another older variety that I still use all the time in designs.<br />
‘Mysterious Maiden’ A Blooms of Bressingham introduction.<br />
Very narrow blades of green, horizontally striped yellow, with<br />
a white center midrib makes this plant simply glow! Plus, it<br />
only grows 3-4' tall and 2-3' wide, perfect for the smaller<br />
garden or containers. Upright, never floppy, hardy to zone 4.<br />
‘Nippon’ New! Compact plant growing upright 4-5' tall, yet<br />
only 2-4' wide. Deep green arching blades have silver midribs.<br />
Unusual burgundy plumes in late July fade to cream by fall.<br />
Foliage turns bronze-red in fall for a striking contrast.<br />
‘Puenktchen’ Little Dot Grass This is a wonderful variety,<br />
yellow stripes like Zebra grass, but thin, delicate blades like<br />
gracillimus, grows only 3-4’ tall, a great dwarf.<br />
‘Purpurescens’ Beige plumes in August turn white in fall;<br />
foliage turns red in September. 6’ tall but only 3’ wide. Great<br />
medium-sized grass.<br />
‘Strictus’ Porcupine Grass is very similar to Zebra grass, with<br />
yellow horizontal stripes accenting green foliage. It grows<br />
more upright, creating a vertical accent to 6’ tall. Flowers open<br />
copper, fade to beige.<br />
‘Variegatus’ The classic zebra grass with showy white<br />
horizontal stripes. Larger and wider growing than M. strictus;<br />
we grow this in semi-shade in shop gardens.<br />
‘Yaku Jima’ Dwarf form, 3-4’, for the smaller garden! This is<br />
the lovely, compact dwarf grass featured in our rock garden<br />
by the driveway entrance. A very useful addition for the<br />
smaller garden, especially if you think that you don’t have<br />
room for grasses!<br />
Page 86 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
Molina<br />
caerulea ‘Skyracer’ Dramatic 6-7’ plumes in early summer over<br />
18" clumps of foliage. For full sun, a real attention-grabber.<br />
Because foliage is low, I use it as a "see through" plant in the<br />
foreground of gardens. One of my new favorite grasses.<br />
ssp. strahlenquelle A fabulous German selection of one of my<br />
favorite grasses. Very compact, growing only 16-24" tall.<br />
Flowers reach up 2-4', start off blush purple, fading to tan. An<br />
ideal accent specimen, especially for the smaller terrace<br />
garden.<br />
‘Variegata’ A favorite for front of the border. Excellent gold<br />
and green variegated tufts 15" tall; golden airy seed heads in<br />
late summer 2’ tall, terrific foliage and flowers.<br />
Muhlenbergia<br />
capillaris It took me a while to understand why this grass is so<br />
very special. Delicate green foliage is pretty but plain all<br />
summer. When it blooms in fall, the pink, feathery flowers are a<br />
cloud of light and softness. This grass is best where you can see<br />
the light through its flowers; locate it where you sit and enjoy<br />
the garden. The low clump of foliage gives rise to 2-3’ tall<br />
flowers. Native to Eastern North America; tolerates seashore<br />
conditions and poor soil.<br />
Ophiopogon MONDO GRASS<br />
planiscapis ‘Ebony Knight’ The most sought-after deep, dark<br />
black leaf form. Very slow-growing but worth it. Pale purple<br />
flowers, black berries. Try combining with Mazus, miniature<br />
creeping "Stepable" sedums, Sagina to show it off. This plant is<br />
worth establishing.<br />
‘Niger’ (a.k.a nigrescens) Truly black 6" tall narrow foliage<br />
resembling a dwarf Liriope; sun/part shade; an amazing<br />
foliage plant if placed near silver or variegated foliages to<br />
display it, striking combined with golden creeping jenny.<br />
Panicum SWITCH GRASS<br />
Panicums are native grasses. I am using them more and more in easycare<br />
landscapes—they are drought-tolerant and blend well with<br />
perennials and shrubs.<br />
virgatum ‘Cloud Nine’ This is a giant blue switch grass,<br />
growing 6’ tall, topped in the fall with cloud-like panicles of<br />
reddish brown flowers. The foliage is a good metallic blue. This<br />
really is correctly named---it is a cloud!<br />
‘Dallas Blue’ The most brilliant blue Panicum on the market--outshines<br />
all the others. Similar to ‘Heavy Metal’ in growth<br />
habit but taller, to 6’.<br />
‘Northwind’ My garden buddy and perennial guru Stephanie<br />
Cohen couldn’t praise this plant enough at a summer meeting<br />
a few years ago. Why? It is as tall and dramatic as 'Cloud<br />
Nine', with slightly broader blue blades, but stands up straight<br />
and never flops.<br />
‘Shenandoah’ From June onward, the blue foliage takes on a<br />
red cast. By fall, the foliage is burgundy-red, growing 3’ tall<br />
with the same distinctive light and delicate flowers. I will be<br />
using this grass often in my designs that incorporate burgundy<br />
foliages---it blends well, tones down some of the bold fall<br />
colors, and offers a vertical accent that is not too sharp.<br />
x ‘Ruby Ribbons’ I discovered this plant in the fall of 2006. It<br />
has gorgeous deep burgundy foliage, even in the summer. The<br />
foliage deepens in fall, even the inflorescences are tinged ruby.<br />
Bred at UCONN, and totally hardy to zone 4. A native plant for<br />
full sun. Grows 4-5' tall, 2-3' wide.<br />
Pennisetum FOUNTAIN GRASS<br />
Pennisetum varieties all have foxtail flowers in fall. They are excellent<br />
for the smaller- to medium-sized garden.<br />
alopecuroides Fountain Grass 3’.<br />
‘Hameln’ Dwarf form, 2’ tall.<br />
‘Little Bunny’ Miniature form, 12-15" tall.<br />
‘Redhead’ Early foxtail flowers in July, a full month before<br />
any others of it’s type. They have a distinctive burgundy pink<br />
blush. This is NOT as dark as the annual types, but still, quite<br />
a different look and an excellent addition to the ornamental<br />
grass palette. Foliage is narrow and green. Grows 4-5’ tall.<br />
orientale ‘Karley Rose’ A very hardy variety with flowers that<br />
have the form and texture of P. setaceum ‘Rubrum’. They are<br />
graceful, arching and soft, very large with a smoky rose-purple<br />
cast starting in August. Grows 36-40" tall, discovered in CT. Full<br />
sun. Green foliage<br />
setaceum ‘Rubrum’ Tender grass (zone 8) with outrageous<br />
purple/red foliage and purple flower plumes all summer. Worth<br />
planting for one season for the effect, great in containers. Not<br />
available until mid-June, but the plants grow very quickly once<br />
planted.<br />
Schizachyrium BLUE STEM GRASS<br />
scoparium ‘The Blues’ Little Blue Stem Silvery-blue 2’ clumps<br />
with 3’ light-textured, feathery plumes in early fall, native<br />
prairie plant, tolerates poor soils. Great burgundy foliage in the<br />
fall! Tends to flop once it flowers, so weave it in with Rudbeckias<br />
and Echinaceas (as would naturally happen in a prairie)<br />
Everyone admires this on our hillside rock garden. I just let it lie<br />
there and other plants grow up through the stunningly<br />
pinkish/red foliage and seed pods in October.<br />
Sorghastrum INDIAN GRASS<br />
nutans ‘Indian Steel’ Blue Indian grass is native, very blue, and<br />
has rigid upright foliage 3’ tall. Flowers are vertical spikes, very<br />
narrow and stiff, light beige, 5’. Very hardy to zone 3.<br />
Sporobolus PRAIRIE DROPSEED<br />
heterolipis Clumping grass that grows 2-3’ tall with very fine,<br />
airy panicles. Turns orange in fall and creamy in winter.<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 87
ROSES<br />
Roses need full sun, rich soil containing at<br />
least 25% organic compost or manure, and<br />
good air circulation. Pay careful attention to<br />
soil preparation when planting roses! They also<br />
like to be fed bi-weekly in the summer with fish<br />
emulsion or liquid seaweed (foliar feeding is<br />
very effective). To control fungus, prune<br />
properly, provide good air circulation, and<br />
spray weekly with a baking soda and Ultra Fine horticultural oil<br />
solution (1 tbsp. baking soda and 2 1/2 tbsp. Concern horticultural oil<br />
in 1 gal. water). Keep the surrounding area clean of diseased foliage.<br />
For insect problems, use Pyrethrum or Neem a botanical insecticide<br />
that acts as an “anti-feedant” and deters the beetles from even trying<br />
your plants! Consider hand-picking Japanese Beetles, or try<br />
interplanting roses with Larkspur or Four O’Clocks to repel the beetles.<br />
Keep roses deadheaded for maximum bloom and provide proper winter<br />
protection as described in our newsletter.<br />
Climbing Roses<br />
‘Brite Eyes’ New! A climbing rose, bred by William Radler, the<br />
man who bred Knockout. It has the same amazing blackspot<br />
resistance and hardiness. Flowers are a pretty shade of coral<br />
pink, single, with extra petals, and a creamy white center. They<br />
even have a light fragrance. Will grow up to 8' tall, ideal for<br />
obelisks and trellises.<br />
‘Colette’ Romantica rose climber, heavy double pink flower<br />
with strong coral overtones---this is a very rich color. Heady<br />
fragrance. Canes will grow to 8’, excellent repeat, all-season<br />
bloom.<br />
‘Coral Dawn’ Classic rose for cutting with large, fully double<br />
flowers in a gorgeous, rich coral-pink color. Vigorous canes<br />
reach 10-12'. Spicy fragrance, thick glossy green foliage, hardy to<br />
zone 5. You guessed it, one of its parents is New Dawn, which<br />
imparts incredible vigor to this variety.<br />
‘Golden Showers’ An old fashioned rose that has stood the test<br />
of time. Fragrant, clear yellow double flowers.<br />
‘Henry Kelsey’ I ripped out my ‘Blaze’ rose and planted this<br />
one---a good red climber, bred in Canada, completely hardy, no<br />
more die-back just when the plant has covered the arbor. Repeatblooming.<br />
‘John Cabot’ A zone 3 climber after my heart. Classic long,<br />
pointed pink buds open to fully double, slightly fragrant, deep<br />
cerise pink (almost red) flowers. An excellent repeat bloomer<br />
with canes reaching 8-10’ tall. Excellent disease resistance.<br />
‘New Dawn’ One of the hardiest climbers! Soft pink, truly<br />
disease-resistant foliage. Reserve early, these aren’t available<br />
later in the season! Blooms on 1 yr. wood. If I want a rose to<br />
cover a cottage or a trellis and I don’t want to THINK about<br />
hardiness, this is the one I choose. Prune hard after blooming<br />
each year---this is one vigorous rose!<br />
‘Queen Elizabeth Climber’ I was thrilled to identify this old<br />
fashioned climber as one of the roses I inherited in my new yard.<br />
It outshines the other two on my trellis wall with its vigor and<br />
long bloom season, right until hard cold sets in. The flowers are<br />
classic, with long pointed buds and a deep rich pink color, long<br />
stems for cutting.<br />
‘White Dawn’ An old-fashioned favorite (1949), totally hardy to<br />
zone 4, with white ruffled, fragrant flowers climbing on canes<br />
that will grow to 14’. June-blooming with a heavy fall repeat<br />
performance. Yes, it is an offspring of the fabulous ‘New Dawn’.<br />
‘William Baffin’ 7-9’ pillar rose, double deep pink flowers that<br />
bloom heavily in June/July and then for a prolonged period<br />
from mid to very late fall. Super hardy, bred in Canada.<br />
‘Zephrine Drouhin’ A thornless rose! And what a beauty. An<br />
antique rose, first introduced in France in 1868. Semi-double<br />
pink flowers on long canes; repeat blooms. Will tolerate some<br />
dappled shade. Very easy and long-lived. Will grow to 10’ high.<br />
David Austin Roses<br />
These wonderful roses are a cross between hardy shrub roses and oldfashioned<br />
English roses. They are very vigorous shrubs of different<br />
habits. The flowers are FRAGRANT and usually very full and double,<br />
with as many as 300 petals per flower!<br />
‘Abraham Darby’ This rose continues to be one of the most<br />
popular David Austins every year. Long canes can be tied to a<br />
fence or even 5’ tall, vigorous bush. Huge flowers of soft<br />
peachy/apricot/yellow are very fragrant.<br />
‘Gertrude Jekyll’ Named for the famous English plantswoman<br />
(my idol, I will admit) this is always popular, for good reason.<br />
It’s totally hardy. The flowers are gorgeous, double soft, clear<br />
pink, very cupped and blowsy. AND, it has the standard old<br />
rose perfume we all long for. A large plant, leave it room to<br />
grow 6’ tall and at least 4’ wide.<br />
‘Pat Austin’ Named for David Austin's wife, 5-6' tall vigorous<br />
shrub is covered with large copper-red, double flowers with a<br />
strong tea rose fragrance. A unique color in this category.<br />
‘The Dark Lady’ Clusters of very deep red flowers emit an<br />
intense, spicy, damask fragrance. An upright, fairly vigorous<br />
shrub, excellent for the perennial border.<br />
‘The Mayflower’ This rose claims to be the most blackspot<br />
resistant David Austin ever introduced. Flowers are deep pink,<br />
double, and strongly fragrant. Will grow 3-4' tall.<br />
Floribundas & Polyanthas<br />
‘Country Lady’ Exceptionally vigorous and disease free, this<br />
hard-to-find rose will surely sell out fast. A floribunda first<br />
introduced in 1993, it grows 4-5' tall with large, semi-double<br />
apricot flowers blushed pink that bloom in large clusters.<br />
Excellent repeat bloomer.<br />
‘Hot Cocoa’ What a color! Deep coral-red-chocolate, it’s really<br />
indescribable. Needless to say, when this plant came into bloom,<br />
all of my employees were talking. It is a hardy plant that keeps<br />
on blooming. From the Weeks Roses "Easy to Love" series--that’s<br />
the truth. Very disease resistant.<br />
‘Morning Has Broken’ One of the most disease resistant roses<br />
ever developed. Bright semi-double yellow flowers are quite<br />
fragrant. Grows to 4' tall.<br />
‘Seafoam’ White flowers (with pale pink buds) are semi-double<br />
and borne in clusters. This plant can be used as a climber or a<br />
trailing rose. It sends out long canes which can be trained in<br />
many ways. If left alone, it will form a 3-4’ mound of arching<br />
stems. It is one of the best, steady-blooming roses I have seen. It<br />
is very tolerant of seashore conditions and quite disease<br />
resistant.<br />
Page 88 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
‘The Fairy’ A Polyantha rose with clusters of small, double,<br />
clean pink flowers and tiny, glossy, green foliage. The Fairy is<br />
one of the best repeat bloomers. I have seen it bloom until mid-<br />
November! It only grows 3-4’ tall and has a sweet habit.<br />
Tolerates seashore conditions well. Very hardy.<br />
Grandifloras<br />
‘Earth Song’ New! One of the absolute best shrub roses from<br />
rose breeder Griffith Buck of Iowa State University. Super hardy<br />
to zone 4, no protection needed in zone 5. A grandiflora with<br />
fragrant 5-6" deep pink flowers, very full, approaching classic<br />
form. Continuous bloom from June to October if deadheaded<br />
and fed in summer. Grows 4-5’ tall. Excellent disease resistance.<br />
‘Queen Elizabeth’ I just can't NOT sell this rose, it is so hardy<br />
and vigorous and strong. The flowers are classic, with long<br />
pointed buds and a deep rich pink color, long stems for cutting.<br />
It's thorny, it's fast growing, and it isn't even graceful because it<br />
is such a robust, upright grower, but it is an old fashioned<br />
favorite that never goes out of favor.<br />
Hybrid Tea Roses<br />
Anyone who knows me will exclaim “I never thought I’d see the day<br />
when Nancy sells hybrid tea roses at <strong>Natureworks</strong>!” I have been<br />
complaining for years that they are spoiled brats, not hardy, diseaseprone,<br />
etc. Yet . . . this one has won my heart and made me believe.<br />
‘Double Delight’ Ah, the fragrance just can’t be compared to<br />
any other rose. I wandered around Elizabeth Park’s rose garden,<br />
trying to ignore this plant, but kept coming back to it over and<br />
over to stick my nose in its voluptuous blossoms. Heaven! 1977<br />
AARS winner, this rose has been around long enough to prove<br />
itself. Long, pointed buds open to gorgeous double creamy<br />
white flowers blushed with red. An upright plant, growing to 4’,<br />
and hardy to zone 5. (I would still hill it up in the fall.)<br />
Meidiland Roses<br />
Meidiland Roses are superior plants, very hardy and disease-resistant,<br />
developed in Germany and now proven to be the ultimate “landscape”<br />
rose in this country. After using them for many years, I cannot praise<br />
them enough.<br />
‘Coral Meidiland’ Deep coral, single flowers. I am in love with<br />
this plant, have it in my own tiny garden, weave it in with<br />
burgundy tender perennial salvias. Oo la la. Rarely available.<br />
Shrub Roses<br />
‘Blanc Double De Coubert’ A rugosa rose crossed with a<br />
hybrid tea---it has the hardiness and vigor of its rugosa parent.<br />
First introduced in France in 1892, this rose has stood the test of<br />
time and is still very popular. Licorice-scented, highly fragrant<br />
pure white semi-double flowers. Grows 4-5’ tall. A very easy-togrow<br />
rose that I use all the time in seashore gardens and lowmaintenance<br />
landscapes.<br />
‘Blushing Knockout’ Yes! My crew is going to love this; in fact,<br />
they may snap these up before you even see them, so reserve<br />
early. We can’t possibly gush enough about the hardiness and<br />
easy care of Knockout---now it is available in a soft pink.<br />
LEARN TO CARE FOR YOUR ROSES<br />
“IN THE GARDEN”<br />
Join us for our Saturday morning garden walks<br />
starting in the middle of June. Walks begin at 9:30<br />
a.m., last for about an hour, and are a wonderful way<br />
to see Nancy DuBrule-Clemente and her staff tend<br />
the <strong>Natureworks</strong> demonstration gardens. You never<br />
have to sign up in advance, just show up. Garden<br />
walks are FREE! Each walk is themed. We send out<br />
press releases to the local papers announcing the<br />
themes of our walks. We also send out a weekly<br />
email to tell you what we will be focusing on that<br />
Saturday. Many walks offer handouts about the<br />
subject of the week. You can ask questions and even<br />
try your hand at pruning or feeding or grooming if<br />
you are a beginner. Bring your friends!<br />
We also have some Thursday evening walks in the<br />
spring and summer when we are open late as well as<br />
free workshops during our Earth Day Festival.<br />
For further information, join our mailing list, call<br />
and listen to the message about special events on<br />
our voice mail, or visit our educational website<br />
naturework.com<br />
‘Carefree Beauty’ Love these truly carefree roses! Semi-double<br />
pink flowers on 3-4’ plants. Very hardy, zone 4. And yes, it is<br />
really disease-resistant.<br />
‘Carefree Delight’ If you want to truly test a rose’s staying<br />
power, visit the fabulous rose gardens at Elizabeth Park in<br />
Hartford at the end of June. I did, and this rose truly stood out<br />
from the crowd. So many plants were finished and the leaves<br />
looked forlorn (despite what I assume are regular chemical<br />
sprayings.) Not this rose! It was blooming its head off and clean<br />
as a whistle! Appleblossom-pink single flowers with a white eye;<br />
tall-growing to at least 5’, an excellent choice for a dense hedge.<br />
1996 AARS winner.<br />
‘Carefree Sunshine’ We welcome a clear, sunny yellow rose to<br />
this family of supremely easy-care shrub roses. Single yellow<br />
flowers on 3-4’ shrubs; all season repeat bloom. Related to that<br />
superb rose ‘Knockout’, with the same hardiness and excellent<br />
disease resistance. This rose really impressed me in 2002; despite<br />
the drought, it kept blooming.<br />
‘Chuckles’ Everyone asks about this rose because it puts on<br />
such a spectacular show in June/July and again in the fall until<br />
mid-October. Single deep coral pink blossoms with prominent<br />
yellow stamens, arching habit to 3’, much admired in our rock<br />
garden.<br />
‘Double Knockout’ Same amazing hardiness, twice the petals,<br />
making this plant more closely resembling a classic rose rather<br />
than a single. Still in limited supply, reserve early.<br />
‘Dwarf Pavement’ Very fragrant soft pink flowers on a 24-30"<br />
low shrub. A rugosa hybrid, very hardy.<br />
‘F.J. Grootendoorst’ One of my favorite rugosa hybrids. Brilliant<br />
rosy red double flowers look like fringed carnations. Blooms<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 89
epeatedly all summer. Very tolerant of salt spray and difficult<br />
conditions. Easy to grow.<br />
‘Flower Carpet Coral’ Single deep coral flowers work so well<br />
with burgundy foliages, soft yellows, and purples.<br />
‘Flower Carpet Pink’ This is the original Flower Carpet rose<br />
and has proven to be ALL it is supposed to be. . . . Totally<br />
disease-resistant, deep pink flowers in clusters on a low ground<br />
cover plant. Spreads very wide, grows only 2’ tall maximum,<br />
very easy-care. Patented.<br />
‘Flower Carpet Red’ Bright, electric, cherry red, same<br />
wonderful habit.<br />
‘Flower Carpet Scarlet’ New! Deep, dark scarlet-red flowers.<br />
‘Flower Carpet Yellow’ New in 2004---a great addition, glowing<br />
sunny yellow flowers.<br />
‘Frederick Mistral’ Exceptional fragrance is the trademark of<br />
this Romantica rose. Soft pink, perfectly formed flowers last a<br />
long time in a vase. Grows 6' tall.<br />
‘Gartendirektor Otto Linne’ I am continuously drawn to this<br />
rose because it is so clean and constantly in bloom. Clusters of<br />
bright pink, double and ruffled flowers on 4-5' arching canes. An<br />
excellent landscape rose, very easy care, few thorns, slight<br />
fragrance.<br />
‘Hansa’ The color reminds me of a faded violet-purple Victorian<br />
couch; the fragrance transports you to another place. What more<br />
can I say? A vigorous, hardy old-fashioned shrub rose (first<br />
introduced in 1905) that is irresistible. Spreads only to 3’, slowgrowing.<br />
Roses that will KNOCK YOU OUT!<br />
‘Knockout’ roses are the most amazing group of<br />
shrub roses to come along in years. Truly disease<br />
resistant, very hardy, blooming from June until the<br />
bitter cold finally arrives in November. Now you can<br />
have ‘Knockout’ roses in many colors…<br />
‘Homerun’ is the new RED Knockout<br />
‘Double Knockout’ has a much more classsic rose<br />
form, same brilliant cerise red color as Knockout<br />
‘Pink Knockout’ is a rich, clear pink<br />
‘Blushing Knockout’ is a soft, light pink<br />
‘Rainbow Knockout’ is the <strong>2007</strong> ARS winner. It is<br />
coral pink blushed with yellow<br />
New flash…watch for ‘Double Pink Knockout’ to<br />
be introduced in the fall of <strong>2007</strong>!<br />
‘Home Run’ A deep, rich red offspring of the wonderful,<br />
disease-resistant and hardy variety 'Knockout'. Be sure to<br />
reserve this one early, it will sell out.<br />
‘Knockout’ An AARS winner in 2000 and for good reason.<br />
Hardy to zone 4, bred in Wisconsin with ‘Carefree Beauty’ as<br />
one of its parents, the flowers are single, late, brilliant cherry red<br />
on a 3’ tall shrub. It blooms and blooms, summer until very late<br />
fall when it forms abundant orange hips for a knockout winter<br />
display. Very disease-resistant. My experienced garden crews<br />
say simply this one is THE BEST.<br />
‘Linda Campbell’ I fell in love with this rose a few years ago<br />
when gardening by the sea. The color is true, brilliant RED, not<br />
cherry or rosy, but rich, velvety red, semi-double, mild<br />
fragrance. Best yet, it is a rugosa rose, so it’s very hardy and<br />
disease-resistant. Grows 5-6’. Try this to add color to a lowmaintenance<br />
landscape.<br />
‘Midnight Blue’ A groundcover rose with a low, mounding<br />
habit. Flowers are deep velvety purple, almost black with a<br />
strong spicy clove fragrance. I planted one next to my deck in<br />
my new garden. You have to see the color of the flower to<br />
believe it---unlike any other rose I’ve seen!<br />
‘Moje Hammarberg’ Intensely fragrant, violet-red flowers. A<br />
rugosa hybrid growing 4-5’, disease free and totally hardy. Very<br />
vigorous, fast growing. Leave plenty of room for this plant and<br />
don't be timid about spring pruning.<br />
‘Palmengarten Frankfurt’ 2-3’ tall and wide groundcover or<br />
low mounding shrub rose with double pink flowers. Very free<br />
flowering for the entire growing season. Hardy and vigorous, an<br />
excellent hybrid bred in Germany. Extremely disease resistant.<br />
‘Pierette Pavement’ Pink fragrant flowers, a dense, lowgrowing<br />
shrub. Rugosa hybrid, thus very hardy. Great orange<br />
hips in fall.<br />
‘Pink Knockout’ Yet ANOTHER color in the fabulous Knockout<br />
series. Clear rose pink single flowers keep on coming from June<br />
until hard frost. Hardy, super-easy to grow. Reserve, my crew<br />
will snap these up too.<br />
‘Purple Pavement’ What is that heavenly fragrance? That is<br />
what I asked myself when I first brought this rose into the<br />
garden center. From across the yard, they knocked me out. Soft,<br />
blowsy lavender/purple flowers on bushy 3’ shrubs. Best yet,<br />
they are a rugosa hybrid so they are completely hardy and easy<br />
to grow.<br />
“We can complain because rose bushes<br />
have thorns or rejoice because thorn<br />
bushes have roses.”<br />
-Abraham Lincoln<br />
‘Rainbow Knockout’ This is the rose everyone is talking about.<br />
An ARS <strong>2007</strong> Gold Medal winner, it offers a pretty new color in<br />
the fabulous Knockout series, coral pink blushed with yellow.<br />
‘Therese Bugnet’ Lilac pink, fragrant, semi-double delicate<br />
flowers on 4-5’ plants. Canes are red and very attractive in<br />
winter. Reblooms in fall. A highlight of our pink garden. Starts<br />
blooming very early, in late May.<br />
‘Wanderin Wind’ Another wonderful rose from Dr.Griffith<br />
Buck, first introduced in 1973, but just entering my radar screen.<br />
Soft pink semi-double flowers bloom in clusters and have a very<br />
strong old rose fragrance. Very vigorous, growing 5' tall, and<br />
hardy to zone 4.<br />
Species Roses<br />
Rosa hugonis This is the Father Hugo rose, and it is found on<br />
many old farmyard properties. The foliage is fine and delicate.<br />
The flowers are single yellow blossoms in late May and early<br />
June. This plant is very vigorous, forming an arching specimen<br />
shrub 6-8’ tall. Native to China, very hardy.<br />
Rosa palustris New from the American Beauty collection. This<br />
is a native species rose, called the swamp rose. It will tolerate<br />
Page 90 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
moist areas, and also grow well in normal soils. 6-7' tall<br />
mounded form, single bright pink flowers from June to<br />
September, rich red rose hips for the birds in the fall.<br />
Rosa rubrifolia (Rosa glauca) A most unusual species rose.<br />
Canes and foliage are burgundy red all season. Flowers in June<br />
are single soft pink resembling dogwood blossoms, creating a<br />
striking contrast to the foliage. Shrub is vigorous, growing 5-6’<br />
in one season. Canes are great as cut branches in fall flower<br />
arrangements! Does not repeat bloom. Totally hardy, has lived<br />
for years in neglected gardens.<br />
Rosa rugosa This is the beach rose with deep purple/pink<br />
flowers, coarse foliage, red rose hips. Very, very vigorous.<br />
‘Alba’ Same as above in white.<br />
VINES<br />
Actinidia ARCTIC KIWI<br />
arguta ‘Issai’ Arctic kiwi is a self-fertile, vigorous climbing vine.<br />
Expect it to cover a VERY sturdy trellis in short order. Edible<br />
fruit is a delight- tiny kiwis that you pop into your mouth, skins<br />
and all (the skins are smooth). If you haven't tried these, you<br />
won't believe it. A favorite of many of my organic farmer friends<br />
who turned me onto this treat.<br />
Aristolochia DUTCHMAN’S PIPE VINE<br />
durior An amazing foliage plant with enormous heart-shaped<br />
green leaves 1-2’ long; vine can cover 15-25’ and is often used as<br />
a screening plant; flowers are white-veined.<br />
Campsis TRUMPET VINE<br />
Vigorous all-summer bloomer with orange bell-shaped flowers in<br />
clusters. Needs sturdy support. This plant gives me more pleasure in<br />
the summer than almost any other—the vine outside my office window<br />
is a hummingbird magnet, constantly distracting me from my work.<br />
Baltimore orioles also eat insects and nectar—from the back of the<br />
flowers (I haven’t determined which)—an added treat.<br />
radicans Classic orange tubular blossoms.<br />
‘Flava’ This is called the yellow trumpet vine, but it is really a<br />
brilliant golden orange yellow, closer to the color of a ‘Stella<br />
D’Oro’ daylily than a stick of butter. I like it! It adds another<br />
variation to this wonderful summer vine.<br />
‘Summer Snowfall’ Cool! A variegated trumpet vine. My<br />
eagle eye for the unusual spotted this at a nursery a few<br />
summers ago. Green foliage is splashed with white markings.<br />
Same large, orange showy flowers, same vigor.<br />
tagliabuana ‘Kudian’ The common name for this is Indian<br />
Summer trumpet vine. This variety blooms at a much earlier age<br />
than it’s predecessors; often in the pots, the first year! Brilliant<br />
orange/red tubular blossoms.<br />
‘Madame Galen’ Salmon-red flowers.<br />
Clematis<br />
Clematis likes to grow up into the sun with its<br />
roots in the shade. Underplant the vines with<br />
leafy, lush plants to cool the roots. Be sure to<br />
mulch them well. They prefer an alkaline soil.<br />
Pruning varies by variety, depending on<br />
whether the plant blooms on old wood or new.<br />
Ask for our clematis handout when you visit<br />
the store, or download it from our website at<br />
www.naturework.com<br />
‘Arctic Queen’ Double flowers are clear creamy white with<br />
creamy yellow anthers, 4-6". Blooms May thru August. 7-8’.<br />
‘Crystal Fountain’ Wow! Rich lavender blue flowers have<br />
amazing blue stamens forming a fountain-like center that will<br />
make your eyes pop out. July-September bloomer on new wood.<br />
diversifolia ‘Arabella’ Very different growth habit, some call it<br />
a shrub form, but I feel it is more of a vining plant, albeit<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 91
growing only 3-6' tall. The flowers are a very pretty, soft blue, 3"<br />
across, small but very prolific from mid-summer on.<br />
‘Elsa Spath’ Lovely lavender blue flowers with reddish-purple<br />
stamens. June/July bloomer on new wood.<br />
florida ‘Sieboldii’ An amazing flower---creamy white, semidouble,<br />
overlapping petals with outrageous purple stamens.<br />
June through August blooming.<br />
‘H.F. Young’ Brilliant blue flowers, double to semi-double when<br />
they first bloom in May/June; rebloom later in the summer<br />
yields single flowers. White stamens make a beautiful contrast<br />
with the deep blue blossoms.<br />
‘Hagley Hybrid’ Gorgeous shell-pink flowers with contrasting<br />
purple stamens. Flowers are enormous, 7" in diameter! Blooms<br />
June-Sept. on current year’s wood.<br />
‘Henryi’ This is an excellent variety - pure white with huge 6-7"<br />
blooms in June/July on new wood.<br />
‘Jackmanii’ The classic large deep purple variety that blooms in<br />
July and August on new wood.<br />
‘Ken Donson’ Huge, showy deep, rich blue flowers with yellow<br />
anthers; blooms June and again in Aug.-Sept. on both old and<br />
new wood.<br />
kivistik<br />
This is a new series of Clematis, bred by a gardening monk in Estonia.<br />
Extremely heavy bloomers, they are a bit more compact and slower<br />
growing, with shorter spaces between the internodes. Hardy as can be<br />
to Zone 4. Summer blooming on new wood. Vines can reach 10 feet<br />
tall.<br />
‘Little Duckling’ White flowers, yellow eye.<br />
‘Marmori’ Light pink flowers, dark pink eye.<br />
‘Reiman’ Purple flowers, red stripe on each petal.<br />
‘Silmakavi’ Bluish/lavender flowers, white bar.<br />
‘Viola’ Deep rich violet/black flowers.<br />
lanuginosa ‘Candida’ Pure white flowers with creamy white<br />
stamens. July blooming.<br />
macropetala ‘Bluebird’ From Canada, a very hardy and sturdy<br />
variety with double blue dangling bell-shaped blossoms 2" in<br />
diameter. April and May blooming on last year’s wood.<br />
‘Miss Bateman’ 6" diameter pure white flowers with contrasting<br />
red stamens. Blooms May-July on previous year’s wood. Will<br />
tolerate more shade than other large-flowering Clematis.<br />
montana ‘Elizabeth’ Yum! Hundreds of small, pale pink, almost<br />
white flowers with a vanilla scent in May/June on previous<br />
year’s wood.<br />
‘Rubens’ Extremely vigorous late spring/early summer<br />
bloomer; thousands of soft pink flowers, foliage is hardy,<br />
burgundy in fall; this vine offers quick coverage for cottage<br />
gardens. Blooms on last year’s wood; prune immediately after<br />
blooming.<br />
‘Multi-Blue’ This is a gorgeous plant that sells the minute it<br />
blooms! 4-5" diameter double purple/blue bicolor flowers, June-<br />
Sept. An unusual flower form that looks like a multi-pointed<br />
star.<br />
‘Niobe’ Deep wine red, blooms on current year’s wood all<br />
summer and well into the fall. A good source of late color.<br />
paniculata (a.k.a. maximowicziana) Sweet Autumn Clematis<br />
Fall-blooming, thousands of tiny white fragrant flowers, very,<br />
CLEMATIS PRUNING<br />
For a complete description, go on line to our website<br />
naturework.com and link to our handout on this<br />
subject... or ask for a copy when you visit the store.<br />
May-June bloomers bloom on last year’s wood.<br />
DO NOT prune in early spring. Prune immediately<br />
after blooming to shape and contain the vine. Buds<br />
are set in the summer for the following spring.<br />
June-July bloomers bloom on current year’s wood.<br />
Prune to within a foot of the ground (yup, we’re<br />
talking the entire vine here) and a new plant will<br />
grow back and flower in the summer.<br />
May-Sept. bloomers These bloom on old wood<br />
AND on new wood. This makes it complicated. If<br />
you leave them alone, you will get a prolific display<br />
of early flowers but the vine may be a tangled mess.<br />
Selectively pruning clematis can be tricky, because<br />
the old wood looks dead and you can accidentally<br />
prune out something that will bloom. Do so with<br />
care only after it has started to sprout growth and<br />
always follow the vine all the way back to its origin<br />
so you know what you are cutting. Or, just do a light<br />
clipping of obviously dead wood and let the early<br />
show begin. The largest flowers are on the old wood.<br />
After the early display, you can prune the vine hard.<br />
New growth will form and a secondary display of<br />
flowers will start up in late summer and continue till<br />
fall. Then, leave the vine alone, don’t prune it at all<br />
when putting your garden to bed so you preserve the<br />
flower buds for the following spring.<br />
Now you can see why I get asked about Clematis<br />
pruning by my customers and students and I say...<br />
“Got an hour?” If you’re not sure what you have,<br />
observe your vine closely for one full season and<br />
watch when it flowers and where the flowers are<br />
coming from.<br />
very vigorous, sun or shade. Blooms only on current year’s<br />
wood.<br />
‘Ramona’ Old fashioned, large flowering variety with violet<br />
blue flowers in June/July.<br />
‘Red Sunset’ One of the best and largest red varieties, with<br />
flowers up to 5" across. Blooms all summer on current years<br />
wood.<br />
‘Roguchi’ Very different bicolor blue and purple dangling bell<br />
flowers are fragrant. June-Sept. blooming, grows to 8' tall.<br />
Page 92 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
‘Rouge Cardinal’ A classic French hybrid with large, velvety,<br />
deep crimson red flowers from June through September. Cut<br />
hard to the ground in spring for the best display on new wood.<br />
‘Royal Velvet’ A gorgeous patened hybrid with deep velvety<br />
purple flowers 4-5" across, contrasting red anthers. Blooms on<br />
old and new wood, May/June and August/September.<br />
‘Royalty’ Large semi-double rich purple flowers on last years<br />
wood in early summer. In fall, single purple flowers grow from<br />
current years wood.<br />
‘Silver Moon’ Huge 7-8" diameter silvery-mauve flowers are<br />
unlike any other. Tolerates partial shade well. Prune lightly in<br />
spring; blooms in early summer, and again in late summer/fall.<br />
tangutica Very unusual yellow dangling bell flowers---small,<br />
delicate, and very prolific---cover this vine in late summer and<br />
fall on current year’s wood. Slow to establish but worth the wait.<br />
texensis ‘Odoriba’ From Japan, this hybrid is covered with<br />
small, dangling, open hanging bicolor pink and cream bell<br />
flowers June-August. Blooms on new wood.<br />
‘Princess Diana’ A beauty, just like her namesake. Bright,<br />
luminous pink flowers with a deep pink bar; the outside of<br />
each petal is white with a soft pink stripe. June-August<br />
blooming on new wood. Grows to 8’ tall.<br />
viticella ‘Polish Spirit’ Vigorous vine, hundreds of smaller deep<br />
purple/blue flowers (up to 4") with deep purple stamens.<br />
Blooms on new growth, cut back hard in spring. Blooms July-<br />
Sept. on current year’s wood. This is a very vigorous and very<br />
easy-to-grow species of clematis, often overlooked, good for<br />
weaving with roses and other vines.<br />
‘Venosa Violacea’ White 4-5" diameter bell flowers with<br />
purple veins, flower petals edged in purple. July-September<br />
blooming on new wood.<br />
‘Warsaw Nike’ This vine will grow 8-10’ tall and be covered<br />
with rich velvety purple flowers up to 5" diameter from late May<br />
until September.<br />
Hedera ENGLISH IVY<br />
helix ‘ Gold Heart’ (Sulfur heart) Slow-growing form with small<br />
green leaves and a gold variegated center. Great vine to brighten<br />
a shady spot.<br />
Humulus HOPS<br />
lupulus ‘Aureus’ Golden hops has beautiful yellow-tinted new<br />
growth. The flowers yield the hops used in beer and are often<br />
used in herbal sleep pillows. Flowers are unusual dangling<br />
racemes, excellent dried for wreaths and arrangements.<br />
Vigorous vine to 15’, for sun or partial shade. If you want to<br />
admire this plant, we now have one growing on the south side<br />
of the shop. Everyone asks about it!<br />
Hydrangea<br />
anomala ‘Petiolaris’ Climbing Hydrangea Great vine for shade<br />
with white hydrangea blossoms in mid-summer, clings to any<br />
surface, grows very large once established.<br />
Jasminum JASMINE<br />
nudiflorum Winter Jasmine Very rare winter-blooming vine<br />
that has soft yellow star-shaped blossoms in late<br />
Feb./March/April, depending on the severity of the winter.<br />
Stems are evergreen. We have a old specimen rambling on one<br />
of our stone walls in our demonstration gardens that everyone<br />
asks about.<br />
Lonicera HONEYSUCKLE<br />
sempervirens ‘Alabama Crimson’ The flower is the closest to<br />
red of any climbing honeysuckle. The hummingbirds adore this<br />
plant. All-summer-blooming.<br />
‘Blanche Sandman’ Deep rosy red flowers with a yellow<br />
throat. Blooms late May/June and repeats again in the late fall.<br />
‘Cedar Lane’ Unusual blue-green narrow, linear foliage.<br />
Flowers are deep red. Blooms May and June.<br />
‘John Clayton’ Tubular solid yellow flowers, repeat blooms<br />
from June until frost.<br />
‘Mandarin’ A new hybrid with enormous orange flowers and<br />
yellow throats. Vigorous and exceptionally hardy for northern<br />
gardens, Mandarin will be a hummingbird magnet when it<br />
blooms in June and July.<br />
‘Manifich’ Orange/red trumpet flowers in summer; very<br />
vigorous; a hummingbird plant.<br />
x brownii ‘Dropmore Scarlet’ A deep red summer bloomer, a<br />
great hummingbird plant.<br />
x heckrottii Deep pink honeysuckle vine with yellow throat;<br />
blooms all summer; very vigorous once established. Blue green<br />
foliage. Not as fragrant as white form but still very sweet,<br />
especially on hot summer evenings.<br />
Polygonum SILVER LACE VINE<br />
aubertii Fast-growing and invasive with thousands of clusters<br />
of white flowers in summer, tolerates sun or partial shade.<br />
Schisandra MAGNOLIA VINE<br />
chinensis Fast growing, 15-20' tall, this vine has deep green,<br />
leathery leaves and small, pale pink, slightly fragrant flowers in<br />
late May/June. These are followed by 3" spikes of red late<br />
summer berries, used for Chinese herbal medicine. A great vine<br />
for shady spots.<br />
Schizophragma JAPANESE FALSE HYDRANGEA VINE<br />
hydrangeoides ‘Moonlight’ A wonderful new addition to our<br />
vine offerings. June-blooming with white flowers up to 10"<br />
across. It is a lacecap form, with sterile bracts surrounding a<br />
white lacy center of actual flowers. The foliage is much more<br />
deeply cut than climbing hydrangea and very showy, with<br />
silvery-grayish-bluish-pewter leaves, pink markings, and<br />
contrasting green veins. Will grow in sun or partial shade. Very<br />
vigorous, reaching 30’ or more. Tends to grow much more<br />
upright, without the horizontal and forward reaching branches<br />
of climbing hydrangea. Try this plant!<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong> “It's all about the plants...”<br />
Page 93
“There is no "The End" to be written,<br />
neither can you, like an architect, engrave<br />
in stone the day the garden has finished;<br />
a painter can frame his picture, a<br />
composer notate his coda, but a garden is<br />
always on the move.”<br />
- Mirabel Osler<br />
Wisteria<br />
Note: if you want to grow a tree wisteria, it’s all in the early pruning<br />
and training. Remove all lower branches and side shoots, train to a<br />
single trunk formation. Continue to prune hard for many years. A tree<br />
wisteria is simply a vine that has been trained to grow as a specimen<br />
tree!<br />
frutescens ‘Amethyst Falls’ This plant is a continuous repeat<br />
bloomer from early summer through fall. The flowers are purple<br />
with a reddish tint, smaller in size than Chinese wisteria, about<br />
6" long racemes . . . BUT, the plant more than makes up for it by<br />
the constancy of its fragrant flowers. Rarely available, but worth<br />
the wait. When I find them, I stock them.<br />
sinensis Romantic, fragrant May bloomer; very invasive once<br />
established. Purple dangling flowers for sun. Provide a very<br />
strong arbor or support; give it plenty of room. Takes many<br />
years to reach blooming size; buy a large plant if you are<br />
impatient! Prune heavily---request our wisteria handout for<br />
more information.<br />
Page 94 “It's all about the plants...”<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong> <strong>2007</strong>-<strong>2008</strong> <strong>Catalog</strong>
HOW TO HAVE COLOR EVERY MONTH IN YOUR PERENNIAL GARDEN<br />
This is information that no serious perennial gardener should be without!<br />
THE BASICS<br />
1. The average perennial blooms for three to four weeks. When buying perennials, ASK an experienced, knowledgeable gardener<br />
EXACTLY when that plant blooms in your area. For specific information on perennials in southern Connecticut, please refer to<br />
this catalog or the the book written by Nancy DuBrule-Clemente Succession of Bloom in the Perennial Garden available at<br />
<strong>Natureworks</strong>. Do not be fooled by fancy color catalogs that proclaim every plant “blooms all summer”. Very few plants do.<br />
2. If you base your purchases on plants that are in flower at the time of purchase, you will tend to have a very unbalanced garden.<br />
Most people buy a majority of their plants in the spring and early summer and buy only what is in flower. This leads to a late<br />
summer and fall garden that is green, devoid of color, and often cut back and unsightly. If you must buy plants only when in<br />
color, plan to do so EVERY month of the growing season from March until late October or early November!<br />
3. It is important to realize that the species and varieties of plants within a genus vary greatly in their habits and bloom time. For<br />
example, not all Veronicas bloom in June and early July. Some begin in July and bloom until hard frost in late fall. Explore the<br />
specific bloom periods of the specific cultivars to expand your season of bloom possibilities.<br />
4. Beginning gardeners should use lots of long-blooming perennials. Refer to the list in the front of this catalog. To encourage long<br />
bloom, do the following:<br />
a. Deadhead often to prevent seed set and thus encourage new flower formation.<br />
b. Feed in the spring and AGAIN in July to provide the energy for the plants to keep blooming. Be sure to use a fertilizer<br />
high in phosphorus which promotes bloom (this is the middle number in a fertilizer formulation).<br />
1. Some plants bloom heavily in the spring and/or early summer, take a break, and then repeat bloom in the fall. They are usually<br />
cut back hard after blooming and fed in midsummer to encourage a heavy rebloom. To learn more about this perennial pruning<br />
process, attend our Saturday morning garden walks in the summer and participate in the hands-on process. These techniques are<br />
also clearly described in the book The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy Disabato-Aust.<br />
HOW TO TRACK THE COLOR IN YOUR GARDEN<br />
1. Draw a blank Season of Bloom Chart from March till October.<br />
2. If you have an existing garden, chart all of the plants in your garden on the Season of Bloom chart, showing when they start and<br />
finish blooming. If they take a break and repeat bloom later in the season, use a dotted line for the non-blooming periods.<br />
3. Try using erasable colored pencils to record the color of each flower so that you can better see how the colors combine.<br />
4. Feel free to write brief descriptions under each plant name (height, shape, texture, form, etc.) to help you remember what they<br />
are.<br />
5. If you are designing a new garden, use the process described above to track all of the plants as you add them to your plan.<br />
6. At any time, you can run your finger down any month, or any week of any month, to see what will be blooming at the same<br />
time.<br />
7. You may want to include foliage plants at the bottom of the chart. This will be quite useful if you use colored foliages, as they<br />
will add to the color palette in your garden.<br />
TRICKS OF THE TRADE<br />
1. If you simply focus on color, you will still find that your garden looks unsightly at various times during the growing season.<br />
This is because you will be deadheading and cutting back plants, leaving “eyesores” in various places. It is important to learn<br />
just what to expect from each perennial before, during, and after bloom. The down times in a perennial’s life cycle can then be<br />
dealt with by distracting the eye to other plants.<br />
2. Learn which plants go completely dormant after blooming (i.e., completely disappear) and which plants sprout late in the<br />
season. Both of these types of plants leave big gaps in the garden.<br />
3. Foliage is your best friend when planning for color every month. As perennials go in and out of bloom, those with excellent<br />
foliage structure will hide the gaps left by cutting the plants back. Even better are plants that have variegated or colorful foliage<br />
as they add constant color.<br />
4. When a plant is going out of bloom, going dormant, getting cut back, or hasn’t sprouted yet, draw the eye away from that<br />
unsightly area by placing other perennials or groupings of perennials nearby that are just coming into peak bloom. YOU, as the<br />
garden planner, can lead the viewer’s eye away from the eyesore right to a display of beauty.<br />
5. Get extra color in your garden by embellishing with bulbs. Tuck clusters of spring-, summer-, or fall-blooming bulbs in between<br />
the crowns of the perennials. That way, you can fit twice as much color in the same space.<br />
6. Allow self-sown annuals, biennials, and perennials to appear among the plants, especially if you embrace the cottage garden<br />
style. Caution should be used to thin these “free gifts”, so that they don’t take over the garden. This is especially important as<br />
your garden matures.<br />
THE GARDEN JOURNAL<br />
It is important to analyze how your garden is doing on a regular basis. Keep a garden journal. In it, take notes about the color gaps<br />
that you see. If you are missing early color, write down that you need to add spring-blooming bulbs the following fall! If one plant is<br />
taking over, make a note of it so the garden can be rearranged in the early spring or in the fall when the weather is usually cool and<br />
moist.<br />
If you can correct color gaps right away, the problem is solved. Often, however, the corrective planting or rearranging has to wait for<br />
many weeks or months. Writing down your observations assures that you will remember when the time comes.
BOUND PRINTED<br />
MATTER<br />
518 Forest Rd (Rte 22)<br />
Northford CT 06472<br />
(203) 484-2748 nature@iconn.net<br />
www.naturework.com