Brunnera ‘Jack Frost’

This beauty makes the list due to his absolute KNOCKOUT foliage! As you can see, it has INCREDIBLE, shimmery, silver textured foliage that absolutely GLOWS in the shade! Oh, yeah, did I mention it BLOOMS too?! Mid to late spring brings a plethora of sky-blue flowers that really draw attention.give this baby some room in the shade/morning sun and you’ll be chillin’ in the Jack Frost fan club too!

Caryopteris (Bluebeard)

This sun-lover is a bloomin’ machine! I can’t decide which of its forms I like best..the golden-foliaged forms of ‘Sunshine Blue’ and ‘Worcester Gold ’, or the silvery-gray foliaged form ‘Petit Blue’. Any variety that you choose will give you MASSES of blue flowers from about late July/early August thru September, just when you’re dying for some fresh color! Did I also mention that it’s a virtual butterfly MAGNET?! You want to treat this woody perennial like a butterfly bush..cut it back in April, give it sun, good drainage, and room to bloom!!

Heucherasa ‘Obsidian’ and ‘Caramel’ (Coral Bells)

O.K., as any of you that know me already know, I’m a real FANATIC for Heucheras, so it’s REALLY hard to narrow it down to my absolute favorite. ‘Obsidian’ keeps its spot on the top - and now ‘Caramel’ joins in!

	‘Obsidian’ is a “glassy”-textured beauty that appears almost genuinely black until the morning sun hits it and reveals its iridescent quality. An absolute stunner alone or as a foil to other silver or chartreuse foliage, this “gem” is a MUST for your bright shade/morning sun areas.
	‘Caramel’ is a fabulous new heuchera that provides 3 seasons of interest in your shade garden! It is very heat and humidity tolerant and can even handle quite a bit of sun. New leaves are bright honey gold, maturing to warm apricot colors in warmer weather. Pinkish-white blooms appear later than other heucheras. And, to top it all off, fall color is an intense salmon red! Delicious!

Roses ‘Double Knockout’ and ‘Morden Sunrise’

Double Knockout really does live up to its name! This is by far and away Contrary Mary’s FAVORITE rose - blooms keep coming until hard frost, and its new growth is a stunning burgundy red. Ours in the display bed looks ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS all season with no supplemental watering and no real attention at all (except admiration of course!). It bloomed continually from late spring to hard frost with very minimal deadheading and the gorgeous bronze tinted foliage had not one iota of mildew or blackspot. We sell out of this very early, but you can always come and drool over mine!!

Morden Sunrise is one tough rose - it was bred to thrive in Manitoba, Canada! Ours in the display bed was a STUNNER, continually blooming from late spring to hard frost with no extra care at all! Flowers are an ever-changing kaleidoscope of color: orange-yellow buds, and flowers from dark orange over yellow to lighter shades of yellow, orange and cream. They seem to mimic a sunrise with ever changing hues! The citrusy fragrance is to die for! Again, We sell out early (I wonder why??!).

Agasache Rupestris

This native hyssop has amazing flowers, foliage, and scent! From mid-summer all the way through the first frost, it's covered with spikes of gorgeous orange and lavender flowers. The aromatic foliage is extremely ornamental-thread-like silvery leaves give the entire plant a very soft, wispy look. The scent is amazing-mintlike, with hints of licorice and citrus. Plant it where you will brush against it when you walk by. Butterflies and hummers flock to it! It's very hardy and can endure very dry conditions once established (it's native to Arizona!), but needs good drainage.

Stokesia ‘Klaus Jelitto’

This plants common name is “Stoke’s Aster”, but that’s just to fool ya.it’s not an Aster at all! Cornflower-like flowers are as big as your palm! It’s a long bloomer (mid to late summer), attracts butterflies, and is one tough cookie if you give it sun and dryish soil. Also makes an excellent cut flower.

Miniature Hostas

Cookie Crumbs

As I’m sure many of you know, I admit to being a hostaholic—once you start down this path, watch out!!! My new “obsession” is for the “minis”.not only are they cute as buttons, but Garden Fairies find them irresistible also (and you know that for a well-balanced garden you need the right ratio of fairies to plants). Well-placed minis can help you entice visitors down your shady garden path to the secret nook.watch out or you’ll be hooked too! Check out Baby Bunting, Blue Mouse Ears, Cameo, Cody, Country Mouse, Cherish, Cookie Crumbs, Cracker Crumbs, Green Eyes, Hidden Cove, Hope, Ice Cream, Lakeside Elfin Fire, Little Sunspot, Masquerade, Pandora's Box, Radio Waves, Surprised by Joy, Teaspoon, Thumbelina, 'tortifrons', Winsome, and X-rated - all on our Hostas page.

Hope

Fallopia Japonica Variegata

Another perennial that has a loose, shrub-like habit, this one adds height, grace, and airiness to your garden. Stunning white-splashed foliage with pink stems and shocking coral colored new growth, it also gets delicate, fragrant white flowers in August. MAKE ROOM FOR HER!!!

Tricyrtis ‘Blue Wonder’, ‘Samurai’, ‘Golden Leopard’ (Toad Lilies)

Tricyrtis ‘Golden Leopard’

If you’ve got a shady spot, these “Toad Lilies” are absolute MUSTS! They have interesting foliage (‘Gilt Edge’ has creamy-yellow edged leaves, but all have great texture), but the flowers will knock you out! They look like little wild Orchids—they don’t even look real! The flowers are not very big (but they are numerous), so place the plant somewhere close where you will be sure to enjoy them. They do need shade and some moisture (they are Toads, after all!).

Carex ‘Evergold’, ‘Little Midge’, ‘Plantaginea’

Carex ‘Little Midge’

These grass-like plants are actually Sedges, and they make the list on foliage alone (their “flowers” are insignificant). ‘Little Midge’ has very fine, wispy tufts of foliage; ‘Plantaginea’ has broad, puckered leaves like Christmas ribbon (a really unique texture!) ‘Evergold’ has vanilla-striped blades that form a fountain effect. All of them look great near a pond or a path; they like shade to partial shade (the more sun you give them the more water they need).