PAPAVER nordhagenianum ssp. islandicum

PAEONIA (Garden Peony)

Lactiflora and hybrid double peonies

‘Abalone Pearl’ New      Semi-double coral pink, sunny yellow centers, slightly fragrant, early blooming, 2’’ tall.

‘Angel Cheeks’ New      Double soft pink mounding petals, red flecks, sturdy stems, disease resistant, blooms early season. 26” high.

‘Best Man’(aka ‘P. Sebastian Moss’) New     Beautiful, double red blossoms that are great for cutting, with a long vase life. 30” tall. Blooms mid to late season.

‘Buckeye Belle’      Semi-double dark maroon flowers with large outer petals that create a distinct bowl-like appearance. Prominent yellow anthers, 30” tall, very fragrant, blooms early to midseason.     

‘Coral Charm’ New     Deep coral buds open lighter peach with gold anthers, semi-double or double, early blooming, 36”.

‘Dinner Plate’    Double, shell pink flowers, 7ins. across with a fresh, mild fragrance, one of the largest Paeonies, blooms mid season. Zone 2.

‘Flame’    30in., mid-season bloomer, brilliant red petals produce an electrifying bloom, above dark green floiage.

‘Honey Gold’     Broad and bold, creamy outside petals, yellow center anthers, blooms mid season, 30” tall.

‘Krekler’s Red’ New    Bold, semi-double red flowers are accented with a bright yellow center. Outstanding as a cut flower. 32” high. Blooms late spring - early summer.

‘Lady Orchid’ New     Double lavender-pink, strong stems, late season, 30” tall.

‘Krinkled White’    34in. early bloomer with semi-double, glistening white flowers with large yellow stamens.

‘Miss America’ New     Large, semi-double white flowers with golden yellow centers, pleasant lemon scent. Early season bloomer, heavy blooming with a long season. Nice cut flower. Medal winner. 36” tall.

‘Monsieur Martin Cahuzac’ New    A beautiful, classic peony, a favorite since 1899. Resplendent, double red blooms appear on 3’ stems in summer.

‘Moonstone’New    Large, double flowers have blush pink centers fading to white at the edges. Flowers mature at different times, creating a flux of pink and white blooms throughout the season, blooms mid to late spring, fragrant.

‘Peter Brand’ New     Double dark red, almost maroon flowers, late season bloomer, 36” tall.

‘Pink Hawaiian Coral’    Fragrant, simi-double coral flowers blending to soft pink at the tips. 36ins. tall, strong stems. Blooms in June. A beautiful peony that always gets lots of attention in our border.

‘Pink Parfait’      Ravishing, medium pink, rose-like double blossoms with silver edges make this variety shine in any garden! Blooms late season . Very fragrant. 36ins. tall.

PAEONIA ‘Raspberry Sundae’    Huge, full blossoms up to 6ins. across are delightfully fragrant and great for cutting. Pale pink guard petals surround a fluffy vanilla to blush pink center flushed deeper pink on top. 30ins. tall. Blooms early summer.

‘Sorbet’    An exceptionally nice, full bomb type flower with petals in a mix of bright pink and canary yellow.  28in. tall, mid-season bloomer.

‘Victoire de la Marne’ New    34in. tall, mid-season bloomer. Purplish-red, double blossoms with lighter edges.

‘Whopper’    Believed to have the largest flowers of any peony, with "whopping" 7-8in. wide blooms. The large, soft pink flowers bloom profusely May to early June on strong, stiff stems reaching 35ins.

Japanese and Single Peonia

‘Blaze’     This exceptional peony electrifies the spring border with its single, brilliant, glowing red flowers with prominent central tufts of golden yellow stamens. Early blooming, 30” high.

‘Bowl of Beauty’    Large, single, soft pink with yellow centers. 24” tall, light fragrance. Blooms May-June.

‘Do Tell’ New     Soft orchid to shell pink petals with dark rose stamens that contrast beautifully with the pink petals. 32” tall, blooms mid season.

‘Hot Chocolate’ New     Chocolate-red fragrant flowers, mid-season, 2-3’ tall.

‘Squirt’    Cup-shaped, single white blossoms on plants only 16ins. tall. Early blooming.

Tree Paeonia (suffruiticosa)

suffruiticosa Tree Peony    We’ve grouped the tree peonies with their herbaceous cousins to eliminate unnecessary clicking back and forth between web pages and because it just seems to make sense to present them together. But make no mistake, tree peonies do have stems of real wood. Plants seldom get much taller than 4ft., appreciate a rich, slightly basic, moist, well-drained soil, and do very well in light afternoon shade. Full sun is certainly okay, but here water becomes more of an issue. Pruning should be avoided unless plants become misshapen, at which time they may be cut back to a foot or so to encourage the development of new shoots. This should not be done routinely, and actually, is best avoided altogether unless plants become an unshapely mess. These are not difficult plants to grow when provided with conditions even remotely approaching ideal. We’ve had our tree peony for many years and I defy anyone to accuse us of pampering it. When we remember to do it, a little lime, fertilizer and compost get turned under in spring.  For this meager effort we’re rewarded every year with two weeks of huge, beautiful blooms during late spring/early summer.  Zone 4. 

suffruiticosa Dark Pink

suffruiticosa Dark Lavender

suffruiticosa Red

suffruiticosa Yellow/Orange

Papaver nudicaule ‘Wonderland Mixture’     The foliage develops low 4" high rosettes from which rise narrow and fragile-looking yet sturdy 10" stems each carrying a single flower with the special, crinkled tissue paper texture that endears poppies to so many gardeners. Flowers display a range of colors including yellow, orange, white and red for several weeks in spring. To encourage more blooms give plants a light shearing after blooms begin to fade and, after a short rest, they will fill out and continue blooming for the rest of the summer. Short lived but so delightful that they're worth replacing when needed. Zone 2.

Papver orientale(Oriental Poppy)     All oriental poppies decline after flowering to the point of complete dormancy by summer. Plants will reemerge with cooler fall weather.  Combine with Gypsophila (Baby's Breath) or some other leafy, later-blooming plant to fill in the gap.

orientale ‘Beauty of Livermere’     A big, bold, red poppy. One of the best reds. 2-3ft. tall.

orientale ‘Double Pleasure’    Rich salmon-orange, semi-double, crinkled blooms. 24” tall. Zone 3.

orientalis ‘Heartbeat’ New   Part of the "Super Poppy" series, this oriental type poppy is the result of 30 yrs. of cross breeding. The large, double, deep oxblood red flowers hold up better to adverse wheather and exhibit a longer flower period. Stems are tall and sturdy and plants have a vigorous habit. As with most poppies, summers' heat usually induces dormancy that lasts until temperatures cool down in the fall, at which time plants will reappear, or they may wait until the following spring. 30" tall. Zone 4.

orientale ‘Perry’s White’   Large, frilly white blossoms with maroon centers. Blooms in late spring. Following the bloom period, plants usually go dormant for the summer, often returning in the fall when temperatures cool down, or they may wait until the following spring to reappear. Grow in full sun in good soil that’s well drained. Don’t be alarmed when plants go dormant. They’re not dying, just resting! 2’ tall. Zone 3.

orientale ‘Queen Alexandra’ New      Salmon pink with black centers. 2½' high, blooms May-June.

orientale ‘Royal Wedding’ New      Pure white flowers with black centers, 2’ tall, blooms May-June.

Other Poppies

atlanticum     Here’s another orange flower for those of us who can’t get enough of this color. Not only are the petals colored rich, pumpkin-orange but they possess the very appealing, crepe paper texture. 3in. wide, early summer blooms are carried on 2ft., sturdy stems. Zone 4.

nordhagenianum ssp. islandicum (radiatum ssp. radiatum) (Arctic Poppy)     This very long name belongs to the little orange poppy that has graced our borders for many years. We've called it Papaver spicatum, Papaver atlanticum, Papaver "Cute Little Orange Poppy", but had never been quite sure of the correct name until Peter spotted the very same plant at the botanic gardens in Montreal. A staff horticulturist identified the poppy with the caveat that a good amount of confusion swirls around the correct name. Whatever the name, it’s a charmer, with orange, crepe paper-like flowers over gray-green foliage, 18-24".  Blooms off and on all summer long. Self sows. Very hardy (all the Google hits were in Iceland!).

PARDANCANDA x 'Dazzler' (Candylily)     A close relative of the Blackberry Lily, selected for its shorter stature and larger, star-shaped flowers in vibrant shades of purple. Iris-like foliage. Best in full sun with good drainage. 15-18ins. tall. Blooms during the latter part of summer. Zone 5. 

Paxistima canbyi     Look under shrubs.

Peltoboykinia watanabei (previously, Boykinia),     A rare and choice plant from Japan with huge, rounded, slightly divided leaves on longish petioles. Dainty creamy yellow flowers rise above the foliage on 20in. stems. Plants require rich, moist soil in shade. They will tolerate boggy conditions and look espeially nice at stream or pond side. Zone 5.

Penstemon barbatus Pinacolada Series      A new group of beard tongue selected for their more compact habit, longer flowering period and better tolerance of wet soils. Only 1’ tall. Full sun. Bloom period is June-July. Practically guaranteed to attract hummingbirds. Zone 5. We offer three colors, Red, Rose and Blue.

digitalis ‘Dark Towers’     Taller and darker foliage than ‘Husker Red’ with bright pink flowers. 4’ tall, a big improvement. Blooms July-Aug. Zone 5.

virgatus ‘Blue Buckle’     Narrow, glossy green foliage and 12” stems of charming, large, blue-purple flowers in June through July. Zone 4.

Penstemon x ‘Elfin Pink'    Hundreds of delicate pink trumpets on 12-14in. spikes for many weeks in summer. Charming in the border, and always alive with hummingbirds.

PEROVSKIA atriplicifolia (Russian Sage)     Finely textured, aromatic, silver-gray foliage topped with long spikes of purple flowers in late summer, persisting for many weeks. Plants have an airy and relaxed form. Full sun and good drainage are essential. Cut back in spring to no more than 1ft. It has been our experience that going lower than 1 ft. greatly impedes the plants ability to fully regrow during the season.  Hardy to zone 5. 

PEROVSKIA 'Little Spires'     Selected for its shorter more upright habit and its longer bloom period. Grows 2 1/2ft.-3ft. tall. At left, ‘Little Spires’ harmonizes with Tanacetum vulgare ‘Isla Gold’ in our front border.

Persicaria (formerly POLYGONUM) amplexicaulis ‘Pink Elephant’ New      A shorter cultivar with masses of long, pink, arching flower spikes. Blooms early summer to fall. Foliage is grayish-green, long and narrow. Grows to just 16-18” tall with a dense, clumping habit that, while not as rapidly spreading as other forms, get more dense and larger with time. Grow in full sun in consistently moist soil. Zone4. 

 amplexicaulis ‘Speciosa’ ( Firetails )   One of my favorite perennials for its bright red beads from late summer into fall, ( much redder than in the photo ), and its sturdy upright, non-spreading stems clothed in lanced-shaped, matte green leaves that form the perfect backdrop for the bright red flowers. Flowers are attractive fillers in bouquets. A well behaved plant with character. Does best with even moisture in average or better soil, in sun or part shade. Japanese beetles sometimes dine out on the leaves. 3 to 4ft. tall. Zone 5.

filiformis ‘Painter’s Palette’      From seed, so the variegation is different on every plant, each displaying a unique combination of the colors red, ivory, yellow and pink, splashed over the basic, green leaves. Not all colors are present on every plant but every combination is attractive no matter how many colors are in the mix. These make great fillers in the shade border and, after a season of self-seeding, will populate large areas with their pretty foliage and their understated but quite effective panicles of tiny, bright red, bead-like flowers. Blooms in late summer for many weeks. Prolific self-seeders but unwanted volunteers are easily pulled. I've spent many a pleasant time culling through a bunch of seedlings picking out the most colorful for growing on. Easy in average soil in part to full shade. 2' high. Zone 4.

Persicaria polymorpha    Fluffy, creamy-white plumes all summer long over strong stemmed, upright, non- spreading mounds of foliage. Its long bloom period, strong upright habit and ease of culture commend this plant as a first rate garden specimen. Several years ago when it was new on the gardening scene, polymorpha created a good bit of excitement, and if you’re looking for a large, pest free perennial with good form and season-long bloom, then this might be just your plant. 5-6ft. high. Zone 4.   

Taller Growing, Border Phlox

PHLOX paniculata (Summer Phlox)    Summer Phlox are invaluable for exuberant displays of color at that awkward time between mid summer and fall. They’re easy to satisfy, needing only a site in full sun with average or better, well-drained soil, with reasonably consistent moisture.  If powdery mildew should become a problem, the following recommendations may prove helpful. First, after selecting a resistant variety, hope and pray that you never have to deal with the problem. If that doesn’t work, consider adding extra doses of lime to the soil. I know of one major grower who swears that raising the pH will significantly reduce outbreaks. Fall cleanup is important. The spores overwinter in the fallen leaves so, as well as cutting back stems, as many leaves as possible should be raked up, hand picked or otherwise gotten into the trash,(not into the compost pile), and off your property. A low impact application of baking soda, alone, dissolved in warm water or in solution with one of the new, light weight, horticultural oils can be quite effective. 

PHLOX paniculata ‘Blue Paradise’    This is the bluest garden phlox I’ve seen.  Flowers open a unique, smoky-blue, then take on a bit of red, finally resolving to a nice blue/purple.  With average, even moisture, plants bloom for most of the summer and demonstrate good mildew resistance. It was recommended to us that the addition of extra amounts of lime to the soil can greatly reduce the presence of powdery mildew.  We’re trying it and it seems to be helping. So, more lime, together with a fastidious cleanup in fall, are two non-chemical measures that can help combat the scourge of mildew.

paniculata 'David'    4-5', white, fragrant, mildew resistant - this plant has it all. Perennial Plant of the Year 2002.

paniculata ‘Goldmine’

paniculata ‘Jeana'     Intriguingly tiny (½"), pink flowers are tightly crowded into golf ball sized clusters which, in turn, are combined with many similar clusters to form a single large flower panicle. Very different, possessing that special allure of the miniature. Grows quite tall with clumps in our border reaching 5 to 6' in height. High mildew resistance.

paniculata 'Laura'     3', huge panicles of royal purple flowers with distinct white stars in the center of each floret, mildew resistant.

PHLOX paniculata 'Nicky'     3-4ft. tall with deep, luscious, magenta-purple flowers, mildew resistant. A beautiful, standout color that attracts much attention all summer long.  The photo dosen’t begin to capture the intensity of the color of these flowers. They’re really a knockout, brilliant burgundy-purple.

PHLOX paniculata 'Orange Perfection'    Large, beefy trusses of astonishing salmon-orange flowers. A beautiful phlox and one of my favorites for its intense flowers and robust, healthy foliage.  30ins. tall.

paniculata ‘Peppermint Twist’    Resembling a peppermint pinwheel candy, 'Peppermint Twist' features flower petals striped white and bubble gum pink, a color combination that is rare and very showy. Flowers are held in large panicles on strong stems above deep green, mildew resistant foliage. Blooms from July into Sept. with flowers that emit a sweet fragrance. Compact growing at 2' high. Best planted in rich, well-drained soil in full sun in a location with good air circulation. Zone 4.

paniculata ‘Sherbet Cocktail’     Something really new! The first perennial phlox with a hint of yellow in the petals. Yellow buds open to pink-mauve flowers with yellow edges, July-Sept., with flowers borne in large, hydrangea-like, densely packed clusters. Grows to 28ins. tall.

paniculata ‘Starfire'   Large, stunning, bright red panicles through summer and into fall. Dark stems and noticably dark green foliage. 3-4ft. tall.

paniculata ‘Swirly Burly’ New     This new selection from Holland features umbels of lovely, 1” pale pink-lavender flowers, with darker, brighter pink centers, blooming July and August. 28” tall.

Lower Growing Phlox

Phlox divaricata (Canadian Phlox)    All Canada Phlox tolerant and naturalize well in part to quite deep shade. Many are fragrant and all undulate gracefully on every spring breeze. Zone 4.

Phlox divaricata ‘Blue Moon’     A New England Wildflower Society introduction with very full petals of deep violet blue in May. Petals overlap creating flowers with a very “full” look. 12” high.

Phlox pilosa ‘Lavender Cloud’ New      Lavender flowers with a violet eye above mats of especially handsome narrow, glossy foliage. Flowers to 12” tall over spreading foliage. Blooms May-June. 

Phlox stolonifera (Creeping Phlox)    Low, modestly spreading foliage from which arise 12in. flower stems supporting 2 or 3 blooms per stem. Probably the most shade tolerant phlox and a valuable source of color in the woodland garden where its spring bloom establishes a soft, ethereal presence. Zone 2. 

Phlox stolonifera ‘Blue Ridge’    Airy, lavender-blue flowers bloom on shorter 8in. stems over compact tufts of light green foliage. Typical of all the early spring Phlox, 'Blue Ridge' casts an enchanting spell over the woodland garden for several weeks in early spring. Zone 3.

Phlox stolonifera ‘Home Fires’      Deep pink flowers rise above the nearly prostrate foliage. All Phlox stolonifera can be effective groundcovers for smaller areas in part to full shade.

Phlox subulata ‘Amazing Grace’ New    Pure white flowers with a red eye, over low, spreading foliage mats. Very effective at the front of the border, in the rock garden and drapping over retaining walls. For full sun and average, well drained soil. Blooms in April-May. Zone 2.

Phlox subulata ‘Emerald Blue’    More compact, with lavender-blue flowers over emerald green foliage in May .

Phlox subulata ‘Fort Hill’     Deep pink, fragrant flowers over low mats of needle-like, exceptionally nice foliage . Blooms April-May. Zone 2.

Phlox subulata ‘Purple Beauty’ New    Deep purple flowers of an intensity not usually seen in creeping phlox. Flowers blanket low, spreading, foliage mats and have few rival when it comes to sheer flower power in early spring. 4-6” high. Zone 2.

Phlox subulata 'Snowflake'     Pristine white flowers are more dense and compact than 'White Delight'.

Physostegia (Obedient Plant, False Dragonhead)     3-4ft. tall, vigorously spreading clumps with spikes of pink or white, snapdragon-like flowers for a long stretch in summer. Will spread out of control in a year or two, at which point all but a few sprigs should be dug out and tossed. This is a chore we’re willing to perform in return for handsome, carefree, cutflowers all summer. Neutral or higher pHs suit them as does an even moisture level. Zone 3. 

Physostegia virginiana 'Miss Manners'     A clump-forming selection that is indeed well mannered and will stay where you plant it! White flowers bloom on 2' stalks with glossy green foliage. Zone 3. 

virginiana 'Vivid'    18-24", vibrant orchid-pink spikes, late Aug.-Oct. The perfect companion for fall Asters, Boltonias, and Anemones. Zone 3.

Platycodon (Balloon Flower)     Long lived, long blooming and pest free, balloon flowers are true low maintenance perennials.  Plants are late to emerge in spring so take care not to accidentally dig them out or mash them under foot. Large, inflated buds that always remind me of miniature hot air balloons open to reveal 2-3in. wide, five petaled flowers that, depending on variety, are either blue, white or pink in color and single or double in form. Again, depending on variety, plants can range in height from 6ins. up to 3ft. tall. Begins blooming in mid summer and continues for many weeks. Zone 3. 

Platycodon ‘Astra Double Blue’     Balloon-like buds burst open into fully double, bell-shaped flowers. Exceptional branching and flower petals of thick substance make for long-lasting periwinkle blue blooms. Compact habit, only 8-10ins. tall. Zone 3.

‘Astra Double White’    Fully double, bell-shaped white flowers on compact, exceptionally well branched and uniform plants. 8-10ins. tall.

grandiflora ‘Fuji Blue’     Large deep blue, wide open bells, 1½ -2” across that bloom at smack dab in the middle of summer at a time when yellow flowers dominate the garden. 20-25’ tall.

grandiflora ‘Fuji Pink’     Large pale pink flowers with darker striped veining. The flower color resembles that of Geranium sang. var. striatum. 20-25’ tall.

grandiflora ‘Hakone White’     Double white flowers on 24” stems in summer.

grandiflora ‘Sentimental Blue’    An outstanding dwarf selection, 6-9ins. high, with large, single blue flowers. These are amazing and irresistible little blooming machines that delight first with their wonderful, hot air balloon-like buds, and then with the month long display of charming flowers.

POLEMONIUM (Jacob's Ladder)      Foliage is most heavily concentrated at the base, thinning out as it rises up the flower stalks. The placement of the leaflets on the long, compound leaves resembles rungs on a ladder, thus the common name. More commonly blue but also white, 3/4in.-1in. flowers occur in loose clusters conspicuously elevated above the foliage where they make a very pleasant display from late spring, well into summer. Plants are valued for their attractive foliage as well as their flowers and do best in half shade, in moist but well drained soil. Full sun is only recommended if sufficiently moist. Whether in sun or shade, good drainage is vital. Polemonium is suitable for perennial borders, but really shines in the partially shaded, woodland garden.  Zone 4. 

caeruleum ‘Brise d’Anjou’    Variegated green and gold leaves that retain their rich color throughout the season. Blue flowers held attractively above the foliage in spring. 12in. high foliage mound. This is a beautiful plant that can be challenging to grow. Many gardeners report having excellent luck consistently bringing this plant through winter. At the same time, there are many reports of failure at getting through a single winter. It seems to be one of those plants that has to be tried to determine how it will do in any particular garden.  It's too beautiful not to be tried at least once, and maybe twice.  Grow in part shade in rich, moist, but perfectly drained soil.

‘Northern Lights’ New     A compact habit with lots of fragrance and no self-seeding. This sterile hybrid has fragrant, periwinkle blue flowers blooming May-Aug in small clusters, on upright stems with fern-like, rich green foliage. Grows 12-16” tall and wide. Mildew resistant. Zone 3.

reptans 'Stairway to Heaven’     A very hardy large-leafed Polemonium with broad, bold, cream variegated foliage, tinged pink. 12in. stems bear true blue flowers May-June. High tolerance to New England's heat and humidity. zone 3.

POLEMONIUM reptans 'Touch of Class'     Foliage emerges pink in the spring and slowly changes to green with a creamy white border. Light blue flowers bloom in May on 15" stems. Zones 4-8.

‘San Juan Skies’ New      Compact silvery-green leaves with medium blue flowers. Flowers have a central purple ring and a white eye. 9-12" high.  

Pratia pendunculata ‘Country Park’ New      Rapidly forms a dense, tiny-leaved, gray-green mat that becomes blanketed with deep blue flowers in summer. Excellent in the rock garden, at the front of perennial borders, especially between edging rocks, and in containers. Best in sun, in moist but drained soil. Zone 6.

Primula beesiana New      A candelabra form with tiers of violet-magenta flowers with yellow eyes, carried on 18-30” stems. Free-flowering and slightly fragrant. Blooms June-July. Zone 5.

bullesiana     A cross between P. beesiana and P. bulleyana with flowers that are a combination of both species.  In spring, a succession of yellow, orange, red or violet umbels whorl around 20in. stems. Zone 4.

bulleyana     Red buds open in whorls on tall stems forming stately candelabras of tubular blossoms that fade to orange-yellow in early summer. Grows to 24ins. Zone 4.

capitata ssp. mooreana (Salvana)     Small, fluted, dark violet, silver-powdered, flowers are held 10ins. above the rosetted foliage in large, flattened clusters, each flower positioned horizontally in tight discs, two or three levels deep. The rich purple color is deepest toward the outside with centers heavily silver powdered. Sensational! Unlike any Primula we’d seen before.

denticulata (Drumstick Primrose)     Easily grown and frost resistant, asking only moist soil with good drainage and partial shade. One of the earliest Primulas to flower, in April and May. 6-12ins. high, zones 4. We offer the following cultivars: 

PRIMULA den. 'Alba'    White flowers.

denticulata 'Blue Selection'    Blue flowers clusters.

denticulata 'Rubin'     As above, with carmine-red flowers.

‘Dobra Mix’   Not a lot of information available. Appears to be an improved elatior, polyantha, vulgaris type with a rosette of foliage and 6in. stems carrying large, tightly packed flowers in a broad range of bright colors. Blooms later and is useful for extending the all too brief primula bloom season. Part shade, moist but well drained soil. Zone 3.

japonica ‘Millers Crimson’    18in. stems ringed with 7 to 10 tiers of brilliant crimson, tubular flowers in candelabra fashion. Striking in bloom with their brightly colored, architectural flower stalks. Particularly effective massed in the moist, partially shaded garden. Zone 5.

sieboldii    10-12" airy flower cluster bloom in various shades of pink. Quick to develope tight mats of light, pastel green rosettes that form the perfect backdrop to the delightful, rosy pink flowers. Blooms profusely in early to mid spring and then obligingly goes dormant. Be sure to mark its spot well to make sure they’re not accidentally dug up. Zone 4.

veris     Primula veris is common throughout the English countryside along byways and in hedgerows, very evocative of spring in England and single-handedly responsible for a good part of the horticultural tourism that flourishes in that country. Tolerates sunnier and drier locations than many other Primula. Self seeds around nicely. Zone 5.

veris ‘Cabrillo’ Cowslip     A named variety of Cowslip with compact foliage and bright, light yellow flowers on 6-8in. stems. Blooms through the month of April with a charm captured by few other flowers. Zone 5.

veris ‘Sunset Shades’ New    Like the species except with a mix of orange to deep red flowers, with warm yellow throats that contrast nicely with the hot petal colors. Grows 8” tall.

x ‘Dawn Ansell’     Glistening, double white flowers with green fluffs, like miniature posies. 6-8ins. tall, vigorous.

x ‘Quakers Bonnet’ New    Like miniature Gardenias, tiny, double, orchid-pink flowers are carried on 6-9” stems in spring. Very cute.  Zone 5.

x ‘Sunshine Susie’ New     A double form of P. vulgaris with fully double, bright yellow flowers blooming on 4-6” stems, April-May. Zone 5.

PULMONARIA (Lungwort)     Pulmonarias are valued as much for their handsome foliage as for the intriguing flowers, most of which open blue from pink buds and then fade back to pink. Adequate moisture and air flow are essential for keeping the foliage looking its best. In the event that powdery mildew or drought disfigures the leaves, they can be cut back to the ground, and a fresh new crop of leaves will appear in short order. According to Allan Armitage, siting in morning sun may discourage mildew. Good winter drainage is essential to survival. Otherwise, Pulmonaria is a pretty tough little plant, hardy and long-lived, and, not palatable to deer or slugs. All are hardy to at least zone 4.   

Pulmonaria ‘Blue Ensign’     A very compact habit with intense blue blooms in early spring. Foliage is deep green with no spots. Zone 4.

Pulmonaria ‘Excalibur’ New     Silver leaves edged in dark green with violet blue flowers that age to pink, 9” tall. Blooms April-May. Disease resistant.

Pulmonaria ‘Ice Ballet’ New    Large, showy, bell-shaped flowers over medium green leaves spotted with silver-white. Blooms in early spring. 10-12" tall.

Pulmonaria ‘Pierre’s Pure Pink’     Pale salmon-pink flowers in April-May. Flowers are not exactly, purely pink as a hint of blue does eventually creep into the pink. Nicely spotted leaves.

Pulmonaria ‘Silverado’ New     Blue, pink and white flowers over silvery-gray, large, oval leaves bordered with dark green blotches, 15” tall. Blooms April-May. Disease resistant.

Pulsatilla vulgaris (Pasque Flower)    Large, mostly horizontal to upfacing, urn-shaped flowers in early spring, followed by attractive, feathery seed pods. Finely dissected foliage is covered with soft silky hairs. Native to Europe and north to Sweden where it grows in full sun, on dry, alkaline soil. Good drainage is critical. Blooms early spring.  Beautiful in flower and post-flower for its attractive seedheads, and, if conditions are righ, quite long blooming. Zone 5. We offer the following selection:

Pulsatilla vulgaris ‘Blue Velvet’ New    Deeper blue flowers than the species.