HELENIUM (Helen's Flower) Indispensable for late summer and early fall borders and for cutting gardens. Abundant flowers, on strong, erect stems bloom over a long season. Tolerant of wet soils. Zone 3.

autumnale 'Helena Red' Abundant, burgundy red, daisy-like flowers on sturdy, upright, 4ft. stems. Its long, late -season bloom is what I most value. Last year we had bright, cheery Helenium in bloom from late July into Sept.  Grow in full sun with sufficient moisture as plants do not do well in dry soil. Nice for cutting. Zone 3.

flexuosum 'Tiny Dancer' Large brown cones surrounded by a fringe of yellow, downward pointing petals on short, compact, 24in. stems. Good for cutting.

HELENIUM 'Mardi Gras'  Multi-colored yellow petals splashed with orange and red. 36-40ins. tall, blooms from June to mid August.

HELENIUM autumnale 'Moerheim Beauty Deep sienna petals surround a central black cone on 3-4ft. sturdy stems that are great for cutting. Especially valuable for its contribution of vivid color to the late summer border, blooming for a long period from mid-summer into fall.

HELIANTHEMUM Sun Rose Broad mounds of narrow, silvery gray-green foliage on low growing, branched, woody stems . In mid summer, plants begin blooming with 1-2in. across, single or double flowers with a wonderful crepe paper-like texture similar to that of poppies, and in colors ranging from the softest pastels to the deepest oranges, reds and purples; see the varieties below for just a hint of the possibilities. Sun roses are actually shrubs and are evergreen in warmer zones, though usually not here in zone 5, where leaves are either dropped outright in winter, or else, precariously retained in fairly shabby condition. Most gardeners correctly think of them as herbaceous perennials and use them accordingly. Sun roses have only two requirements, hot full sun and perfectly drained soil!  Their attractive foliage, luscious flowers and tidy, wide, low habit make them perfect for the rock garden, at the front of the mixed border and in containers.  I especially like seeing  them planted between flat stones, out of foot traffic, at the edges of walkways and sun baked patios. Zone 5.   

'Cheviot' Soft, papery-peach with yellow centers, over 12in. silvery foliage. Blooms May-July.

'Dazzler' Dark red, almost magenta. single flowers with thick, mounding, green foliage, 12ins. high. Blooms June-July.

'Apricot' Lovely soft apricot, single flowers

'Firedragon' Shimmering, bright orange, single flowers.

'Wisley Pink' Luminous, almost transparent-pink flowers over 10in. high silver foliage.

 

'Wisley Primrose' Beautiful, canary yellow flowers and silvery foliage.

HELIANTHUS (Perennial Sunflower) 

salicifolius 'Lemon Queen' Bushel baskets of intense, canary-yellow, 2-2½in., single flowers weigh down the stems of this late season beauty. These are large, (5-7ft.), bold plants that infuse a last, glorious blast of color into the border, bringing the season to an end with a bang, not a whimper. Zone 5.

HELIOPSIS helianthoides 'Loraine Sunshine'   Unique variegated foliage is white with green veins which turns somewhat darker later in the season. Large golden-yellow daisies bloom on erect, loosely branched stems, to 30".

HELIOPSIS h. 'Prairie Sunset'Deep green, purple-veined leaves on dark purple stems set off the golden yellow flowers with dark, wine colored eyes. 4ft high. Prefers full sun with at least average, ( not poor ), moist, well drained soil. Zone 3.  Personally I have trouble distinguishing between H. 'Prairie Sunset' and 'Summer Nights'. Both are big, bold and beautiful and really steal the show in the high summer garden, and, you can't go wrong with either one. Zone 4.

HELIOPSIS h. 'Summer Nights' Golden yellow, daisy-like blooms with a mahogany eye are carried atop dark purple-red stems and are set against a background of dark green leaves suffused with purple. 3-4ft. tall. Zone 3.

HELLEBORUS (Hellebore) Becoming increasingly popular, hellebores are indeed a must for every garden. Flowers often push up through the snow and, once up, continue blooming through spring. The attractive foliage forms tidy, slowly spreading mounds that can be divided after flowering. Easy to grow and quite drought tolerant once established. 

HELLEBORUS orientalis 'Blue Metalic Lady' Round, mostly upright, deep silvery blue flowers up to 4ins. across. 20ins. tall. Blooms Feb.- April. Zone 4.

'Double Vision' Mixed colors of double and anemone flowering types.

'Red Lady' Very large red flowers, 20ins. tall. Blooms Feb.-March.

'White Lady Spotted' New Pure white flowers with concentrations of red spots toward the center of the petals.

 

 

 

 

 

x nigercors A hybrid of H. argutifolius and H. niger with masses of pale cream to pale green, single, outward -facing flowers blooming on stout stems in early spring. A very floriferous, hardy hybrid growing up to 20ins. tall with a spread of 3ft. Zone 5.

HEMEROCALLIS (Daylily) Modern daylilies are available in almost every color imaginable and range in height from 10ins . to 6ft. or higher. Flower periods range from several weeks to several months and plants are virtually maintenance free.  Clump division is easy and foolproof at any point in the season. With all these great qualities to commend them, it's easy to see why daylilies are such a great favorite with gardeners. 

'Always Afternoon' Medium mauve 5½in. flowers with narrow buff edges, purple eyezone and green throat. Flowers remain open more than 16 hours on this reblooming variety. Semi-evergreen foliage. 22ins. tall. Blooms in June.

'Bela Lugosi'  Widely regarded as one of the best purple daylilies currently available. Outstanding saturated, true purple blooms with a lime green throat. Very sun-fast for such a dark color. A strong grower, well-branched, and heavily budded. 33ins. tall. Blooms midseason.

'Chicago 'Apache' Intense scarlet red with ruffled edges a deeper shade of red. 30in. tall, mid-late blooming.

'Chinese Scholar' New Double red flowers with a ruffled yellow edge, tetraploid with very nice foliage, vigorous. 22ins. tall. Blooms mid season.

citrina  A prolific bloomer with large, narrow-petaled, lemon-yellow and very fragrant 6in. flowers that open in the early evening and close the following morning, July blooming. 24-36ins. tall.

'Country Melody'  A true pink, ruffled edges, 30", mid. A beautiful daylily that stood out from pack enough so that we had to find a place for it in our border.

'Dragon's Eye' New 24ins. tall, mid-late season bloomer with 4in. pastel pink flowers with ruffled petals and a bold red eyezone and a green throat. Each scape produces 20 or more buds. Excellent late summer rebloomer.

'Eenie Weenie' Light yellow flowers with a small green throat. Petals are loosely ruffled and recurve at the tips.  Its true dwarf size makes it ideal as a short groundcover or edger. Grows only 10ins. high. Flowers remain open for at least sixteen hours and plants have definite reblooming tendencies.

'El Desperado' 4½in. bright yellow flowers with a wine-purple eyezone, a green throat and petals with ruffled edges beautifully edged in red. Late season bloomer. 28ins. tall.

'Going Banana' New A new diploid introduction that represents an improved 'Happy Returns" with larger, (4in.) ,flowers in a lighter canary yellow. Blooms 1-2 weeks earlier with more continuous bloom into early fall and semi -evergreen foliage. Slightly fragrant, lightly ruffled flowers with recurved, overlapping petals, bloom symmetrically just above the foliage. Produces 10-15 well-spaced flowers per scape.

'Gordon Briggs' Raspberry red flowers with a bright red inner band and a green throat. Narrow yellow watermarks along the midribs, yellow anthers. 24ins. tall, early blooming.

'Happy Returns' Canary yellow flowers May to frost, excellent plant, 16".early-mid with rebloom.

'Hush Little Baby' Perfectly formed, romantic rose pink flowers with heavily ruffled petals and a glowing yellow -green throat. 22ins. high, blooms mid to late season and has strong rebloom traits. Strong growing and very long blooming.

'Ice Carnival'  White with a hint of yellow in the center, fragrant, 2-3ft. tall.

'Imperial Lemon' New Huge,(7in.), lemon yellow blooms with a small green throat. Petals are loosely ruffled and recurved at the tips, thickly textured. 36ins. tall, early to mid blooming with good rebloom.

'Inwood' New Huge, peachy-cream colored flowers with a sharply contrasting plum-purple eye with matching picotee edges, and a yellow green throat. Slightly fragrant. 25ins. tall, early to mid bloomer. 

'Irish Envy' New Large,(6in.), light yellow flowers with a lime green throat and petals with edges that are lighter yellow and ruffled, lightly fragrant. 25ins. tall, early blooming with good rebloom. Flowers remain open for 16 hours.

'Joan Senior' Creamy white blossoms, slightly ruffled and somewhat recurved with pale yellow watermarks and a soft yellow-green throat. Excellent bud count and branching. 30 ins. tall, blooms early to mid season with an extended bloom period.

'Lavender Stardust'New Lavender flowers that sparkle in the sun like stardust. Flowers have ruffled edges and a yellow-green throat, fragrant. 26ins. tall, mid to late blooming, good rebloomer.

'Lime Frost' New Diamond-dusted white blooms infused with soft green, and with a pale, yellow-green halo. 27", very late, fragrant.

'Moontraveler' New Cute little,(2in.), lemon-yellow flowers, heavily ruffled and abundantly produced on numerous 18ins. flower scapes from midsummer through September.

'North Port'  Pink petals nicely overlaid with a coating of orchid-lavender, which contrasts beautifully with the thin, violet-plum edge and matching violet eyezone, 4½in. blooms. Grows 28ins. tall. Blooms mid-season.

'Omomuki'   Believed by many to be one of the best yellow tetraploid Daylilies. 5in. fragrant, yellow blooms with a yellow green throat, heavily ruffled. 26ins. tall. Blooms early-mid season and flowers open well after cool nights making it a good choice for northern gardens. We had it for the first time in '07' and saw immediately that it was a cut above the others in the crowded arena of yellow daylilies.

'Purple De Oro' New 3in. reddish purple blooms with a yellow-orange throat and petals that are ruffled around the edges. First flush of bloom is in late spring with rebloom throughout the summer. 18-24ins. tall.

'Rosy Returns'  The first ever pink everbloomer! 4" warm pink flowers with a deep rose eyezone and yellow throat bloom from spring till frost on 14" stems.

'Ruby Stella' 3in., ruffled, deep scarlet blooms with yellow throats. 18ins. tall. Blooms from early summer until first frost. 

'Sir Modred' Black-red flowers with a yellow throat, fragrant, 24ins. tall, blooms mid season.

'Spanish Glow' New This daylily glows with a solid peach color from the outer ruffled edges all the way down into  the throat, including the stamens. The huge,(5in. wide), flowers mix easily with other colors throughout the border.  26ins. tall, blooms mid to late summer with excellent rebloom.

'Spider Miracle'  Very narrow petals are deep chartreuse in the center and fade to a rich yellow. 32", midseason bloom.

'Spiritual Corridor'

'Stella de Oro' The original ever-bloomer, with 3" golden blooms on 15" stems.

'Sunday Gloves'   Very fragrant near-white blooms with graceful ruffled edges and a soft yellow center, 26", mid-late.

'Vera Biaglow' Most of us have a favorite daylily and often it's not the most flamboyant variety with super ruffling and dazzling edging and zoning.  Such is the case with me and 'Vera Biaglow' which is high on my list of favorites. 6in. wide, deep rose-pink blooms with ruffled edges and a small chartreuse throat. 28in. tall, well branched stems. Blooms mid-lateseason for an extended period.

HERNIARIA glabra A flat-to-the-ground, carpeting, evergreen herb with tiny, bright green, thickly packed leaves and flowers too tiny to bother describing. A perfect subject for planting between stepping stones, between bigger stones in the rock garden and at the front of the sunny border and for planting in containers, near the rim so it can drape over the side. In truth this is not what you would call an "exciting" plant, yet I find it appealing for its vibrant shade of green that even in August emits a kind of vernal glow. Zone 3.  

HEUCHERA (Coral Bells) A large family of plants with the apparent capacity for producing an endless parade of new varieties. Each year scores of new selections appear on the gardening scene requiring so many choices for only so much garden space. Currently plant developers seem to be concentrating on foliage,(at the expense of flowers), with dazzling results. Designer colors such as black, mauve, chartreuse and amber that were unimaginable just a few years ago are now commonplace. 

'Black Beauty' New Deep, reddish-purple, glossy, ruffled leaves that are held upright so that they reflect the light from every direction. White flowers. 

'Black Bird' New One of the darkest forms with ruffled-edged, chocolate-black foliage with a claret-red underpinning. Pinkish whiter flowers on 20in. stems in May-June.

'Dolce 'Key Lime Pie'

'Ginger Ale' New Ginger colored leaves with darker veins. A unique, neutral color that's compatible with so many other colors. Flowers are yellow to light pink.

'Green Spice' Broad green leaves with a silvery overlay, darker green edges and beet-red venation. Foliage turns brilliant shades of red and orange in the fall. Cream colored flowers on tall, 28in. scapes. A long time favorite at our nursery that has stood the test of time, holding its own against the onslaught of ever newer varieties.

'Hollywood'  Metallic silver leaves with white veining and slight ruffling, and coral flowers held on strong, 12in. stems. Strong reblooming tendencies.

'Marmalade'   A sport of H. 'Amber Waves' with foliage ranging from umber to deep sienna, both colors present at the same time. More vigorous than 'Amber Waves' and less prone to burning from exposure to sun. Sensational coloring that combines beautifully with many other colors.                           

'Midnight Rose'New Burnished black leaves splotched with hot pink, really different,"It's the leaves, stupid!".  During summer the leaves lighten and cream and pink dots appear.

'Mini Mouse' I refuse to make any comparison to any part of a mouses anatomy as I'm sure that, even while I sit here typing, there's a contented gathering of the critters in the poly houses, nibbling away at my overwintered perennials. Anyway, this is still-and-all a very cute little coral bell with tiny scalloped leaves colored with a blend of silver, green and bronze-pink. White flowers on 15in. scapes.

'Mystic Angel' Leaves are washed in silver with nicely contrasting dark veins and a green border. 20in. tall white flowers.

HEUCHERA 'Obsidian'   Deep purplish black leaves with a polished, glassy luster. Undrsides are shiny and deep purple. Foliage mounds to 10ins. and flower stems rise another 12 ins. carrying smoky purple buds that open white, late spring – early summer