Plant type: Herbaceous perennial

Zones: 4-10

Exposure: TBD

Bloom time: TBD

Height/Spread: 24” - 72” H

Soil Type: Poor

Soil pH: TBD

Flower color: Purple to lavender, but may also bloom in pink, rose, blue, white, and orange.

Uses: Agastache are usually tall plants and their lengthy stalks are striking in a perennial or grass border. They can be used in container gardens or in cut flower gardens, as the Agastache flowers are long lasting. Growing Agastache in the butterfly garden not only attracts those beautiful insects, but pollinators and hummingbirds.

Zones: 3-8

Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

Bloom time: Summer to fall

Height/Spread: Upright spreading habit; 1 to 6 feet tall, 1 to 4 feet wide

Uses: With many species native to North America, asters can be naturalized in a meadow or planted in a mixed border to attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators.

This late-season bloomer produces daisy-like flowers in hues of purple, blue, white or pink. Though asters prefer rich well-draining soil, these tough plants can tolerate a wide range of growing conditions.

Description coming soon.

Zones: 3-9

Exposure: Full sun

Bloom time: Spring to early summer; some will rebloom with deadheading

Height/Spread: Low mounding or upright habit; 6 to 96 inches tall, 8 to 20 inches wide

Uses: Use low growers in a rock garden or curbside planting, while taller varieties can be grown in a cottage-style border or meadow setting.

A diverse group of North American natives, clusters of nectar-rich tubular flowers attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds. Flowers occur in a wide range of colors.

Zones: 3-9

Exposure: Full sun

Bloom time: Summer to early fall

Height/Spread: Upright habit; 1 to 4 feet tall, 1 to 2 feet wide

Uses: Add to a waterwise border, cottage-style garden or naturalize in a meadow setting.

This common drought-tolerant perennial is grown for its long blooming daisy-like flowers in rich tones of gold, bronze and brown. The coarse-haired foliage is distasteful to deer, making this a good deer-resistant choice.

Zones: 3-10

Exposure: Full sun

Bloom time: Summer to fall

Height/Spread: Compact mounding habit; 1 to 3 feet tall, 1 to 2 feet wide

Uses: Plant in a curbside strip, along a slope, or in a rock garden.

Colorful flowers occur in bright hues of red, orange, coral, and yellow. This short-lived perennial (usually grown as an annual) is native to western U.S. prairies, dry meadows, and grasslands. Blanket flower thrives in dry sunny conditions and lean soil. Flowers attract bees and other pollinators, while seed heads are a source of food for songbirds and other wildlife.

Zones: 4-8

Exposure: Full sun

Bloom time: Late spring to summer

Height/Spread: Clumping habit; 10 to 12 inches tall, 24 to 28 inches wide

Uses: Add color and textural contrast in the landscape or when combined with summer bloomers such as salvias, coneflower, or giant hyssop. The compact size is suitable for containers and small spaces.

Many ornamental grasses are drought-tolerant, requiring little supplemental water once established. Blue fescue provides multi-seasonal interest, with evergreen foliage and elegant wheat-colored seed heads that hold on through summer.

Zones: 3-10

Exposure: Sun to shade

Bloom time: Mid to late spring

Height/Spread: Low mat-forming habit; 6 to 9 inches tall, 6 to 12 inches wide

Uses: Use around trees and shrubs or for erosion control along a slope.

This tough mat-forming groundcover is a good solution for difficult areas such as dry shade. Plants have attractive pink, blue or purple flowers with green, purple, gold or variegated foliage. Bugleweed is tolerant of a wide range of conditions and can become a rampant spreader, but is better controlled by planting in challenging sites and withholding water.

Zones: 3-8

Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

Bloom time: Late spring to fall

Height/Spread: Upright spreading habit; 2 to 3 feet tall and wide

Uses: Combine with other drought-tolerant perennials such as ornamental grasses, yarrow, salvia and lamb’s ear.

Exceptionally long-blooming flower spikes occur in cool shades of blue, white or pink. This reliable perennial is low maintenance and tolerant of different soil conditions.

Zones: 3-9

Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

Bloom time: Spring to fall

Height/Spread: Upright or low spreading habit; 6 to 24 inches tall, 6 to 36 inches wide

Uses: Use these versatile plants for erosion control along a slope, as pathway edging, in curbside strips, rock gardens or mixed borders.

Not to be confused with annual Pelargonium, cranesbill geraniums comprise a large group of long-lived perennials that are hardy in most regions. Ranging from low ground-hugging forms to tall upright varieties, cranesbill geraniums are tolerant of difficult growing conditions such as drought and poor soil.

Plant type: Perennial, herbaceous

Zones: 5 - 9

Exposure: Full sun, partial shade

Bloom time: Spring, summer, fall

Height/Spread: Up to 2 ft. tall

Soil Type: Well-drained

Soil pH: Acid, neutral, alkaline

Flower color: White to pink and purple

Uses:

Plant type: Perennial

Zones: 5-8

Exposure: Full sun

Bloom time: Early Summer, Summer

Height/Spread: 6-10 ft. (h) x 1-3 ft.

Growth rate: Slow

Flower color: White

Favorite varieties: ‘Joanna’

Description coming soon.

Zones: 5-9

Exposure: Full sun

Bloom time: Summer

Height/Spread: Mounding habit; 1 to 3 feet tall, 1 to 5 feet wide

Uses: Plant along a slope for erosion control, in a kitchen or herb garden, in a curbside planting or dry mixed border.

Grown for its aromatic flowers and foliage, this native of the Mediterranean region thrives in heat and dry conditions. Provide good drainage to prevent root rot and shear spent flowers for rebloom.

Zones: coming soon

Exposure: coming soon

Bloom time: coming soon

Height/Spread: coming soon

Favorite varieties: ‘Dark Towers’

Zones: 3-9

Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

Bloom time: Spring to early summer, with some rebloom in the fall

Height/Spread: Upright or low spreading habit; 4 to 36 inches tall, 4 to 24 inches wide

Uses: Use as a groundcover along a slope, in a rock garden, curbside strip or as pathway edging.

Native to alpine and rocky regions, pinks are well adapted to naturally dry conditions. This cottage garden staple is revered for the frilly clove-scented flowers that come in nearly every color.

Zones: 3-9

Exposure: Full sun

Bloom time: Mid-summer to fall

Height/Spread: Upright spreading habit; 2 to 5 feet tall, 1-1/2 to 2 feet wide

Uses: The long blooming daisy-like flowers attract butterflies and insect pollinators, while the seed heads are a winter food source for songbirds.

Native to North American prairies, purple coneflower is heat and drought tolerant, easy to grow and virtually maintenance-free.

Zones: 4-9

Exposure: Full sun

Bloom time: Mid to late summer

Height/Spread: Upright bushy habit; 4 to 5 feet tall, 3 feet wide

Uses: The statuesque flowers makes a statement in a dry border or curbside planting.

Russian sage has dramatic spiky blue flowers that give the garden a pick-me-up late in the growing season. This tough Asian native thrives on hot, dry conditions and neglect. Provide full sun and well-draining soil.

Zones: 5-9

Exposure: Full sun

Bloom time: Spring to fall

Height/Spread: Upright bushy habit; 1 to 4 feet tall, 1 to 3 feet wide

Uses: Use in a waterwise border, curbside planting, or containers.

This mint relative comprises a large group of plants with aromatic foliage and flowers in a range of forms and colors. These low-maintenance plants are a favorite of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.

Description coming soon.

Zones: 3-11

Exposure: Full sun

Bloom time: Summer

Height/Spread: Upright spreading habit; 1 to 3 feet tall, 2 to 3 feet wide

Uses: This versatile North American native is tolerant of heat, cold, humidity, poor soils and drought. Long-blooming flower clusters in colors of yellow, white, pink, orange or red are attractive to butterflies and insect pollinators.

This versatile North American native is tolerant of heat, cold, humidity, poor soils and drought. Long-blooming flower clusters in colors of yellow, white, pink, orange or red are attractive to butterflies and insect pollinators.