Dramatic rosettes on woody stems. 'Zwartkop' variety has near-black leaves. Stunning in containers.
Dramatic globe-shaped heads on tall stems. Architectural and deer-proof.
Narrow, fuzzy foliage resists the leaf spot that plagues Goldsturm. A worthy upgrade.
Chartreuse needle-like foliage turns golden orange in fall. Tiny yellow flowers are a bonus.
Lavender-blue spikes with licorice-scented foliage. A pollinator powerhouse that blooms for months.
Purple cascades spilling over walls and rocks in spring. Shear after bloom for a fresh flush of foliage.
Broccoli-like heads open pink and age to copper-bronze. Four-season interest, zero maintenance.
Bright golden-yellow cascades over walls and rock edges in spring. Cut back after flowering to stay tidy.
Coral-pink blooms with a tangerine beard. Named for the opera star and just as elegant.
Golden prairie workhorse that lights up late summer meadows.
Fiery bicolor pinwheels that bloom nonstop in the worst heat and soil.
Blooms in spring, then reblooms summer through frost. Compact habit with classic lilac fragrance.
Lupine-like spikes on a native that lives forever. Gets better with age.
Steel-blue tufted mound. Perfect edging or rock garden accent.
Delicate sky-blue flowers open each morning on airy stems over fine foliage.
Short clumping grass with distinctive eyebrow-shaped seed heads thrives in dry soils.
Compact clumps of steel-blue blades provide year-round color and texture.
Star-shaped electric blue flowers that bees go absolutely wild for. Self-sows freely.
Explosive cascades of papery bracts. Covers walls and fences in color.
Long, arching flower wands that butterflies absolutely lose their minds over.
Low mounds of gray foliage are covered in tubular red-orange flowers in late summer.
Electric blue flower clusters on an evergreen California native. Hummingbird and bee magnet.
Golden cups that carpet hillsides across the state. Closes at night and on cloudy days.
Dark purple stems set this apart from every other salvia. Vertical, architectural, electric.
Tidy, dome-shaped habit that never flops open. Stays compact without shearing.
Billowy lavender-blue haze that blooms all season if you shear it back.
Grows for decades, then sends up a massive flower stalk up to 20 feet tall before dying. Worth the wait.
Tiny daisy flowers with apple-scented foliage. Brew into tea or let it naturalize between pavers.
A rainbow mix of coneflower colors from a single seed strain. Every plant is a surprise.
Scarlet red with a velvety texture. One of the best true red daylilies available.
Spider-flower with whisker-like stamens and airy blooms. Tall, dramatic annual that self-sows freely.
Tall stems with large yellow daisies tower over deeply cut basal leaves that align north-south.
Tough prairie native with long bloom season and medicinal history.
Flat coral-orange rosettes produce vivid flower stalks in late winter. One of the hardiest aloes.
Bold spikes of tubular red flowers in spring attract hummingbirds before bean pods form.
Airy, dancing flowers on thread-thin stems. Effortless cottage garden charm.
Cascading sheets of spring color over walls and slopes. Evergreen mat.
Fragrant, walkable ground cover. Bees love it, foot traffic can't kill it.
One of the first signs of spring, pushing through snow with jewel-toned cups.
Spiky purple blooms above silver-green aromatic foliage. A kitchen herb that doubles as an ornamental.
Virtually indestructible perennial with trumpet blooms in every warm hue.
Cheerful desert wildflower that blooms almost year-round in warm climates. Thrives on neglect.
Spicy-scented, fringed petals. One of the best edging plants there is.
Tiny alpine cushion plant smothered in bright yellow flowers in early spring. Perfect miniature scale.
Creeping mat of burgundy-tinged foliage with starry red flowers. Turns deep red in fall.
Slow-growing dwarf with dense rounded habit. Perfect for small gardens and foundation plantings.
Perfect rosettes in blue, green, pink, and purple. Bell-shaped flowers on arching stems. Frost-tender.
Delicate fairy-wing flowers above leathery foliage. One of the toughest dry shade groundcovers.
Clusters of small white daisies that bloom for weeks. Historic medicinal herb that self-sows readily.
Spikes of scarlet tubular flowers that hummingbirds fight over. Southwestern native at its finest.
Arching, bottlebrush plumes that catch the light. Movement in the garden.
Showers of small yellow flowers followed by papery lantern-like seed pods. Tolerates tough urban conditions.
Wrongly blamed for allergies. A vital late-season pollinator magnet.
The gold standard rudbeckia. Uniform, floriferous, and utterly reliable in any soil.
Tiny grape-like clusters that spread into rivers of blue over time.
Lemon-yellow rebloomer with light fragrance. A bit taller than Stella with softer color.
Tight rosettes that multiply by producing offsets. The mother plant flowers once, then dies, replaced by chicks.
Compact and intensely dark purple. The standard against which all other lavenders are measured.
Neon-bright daisy flowers that shimmer in the sun over succulent foliage. Thrives in hot, dry rock gardens.
Reliable rebloomer with pure white ruffled falls. Blooms spring, then again in fall.
Massive 6-9 inch golden daisies on a short-lived plant. Bigger and bolder than perennial black-eyed susans.
Elegant sword-leaved perennials with intricate, ruffled blooms.
Strong vertical plumes emerge in early summer and persist as tawny stems through winter.
Multi-colored flower clusters that bloom relentlessly in brutal heat.
Fragrant silver-green mounds beloved by bees and humans alike.
Succulent rosettes with brilliant striped flowers in hot sunset colors. Must have perfect drainage or it rots.
Blazing star. Spikes that bloom unusually from top to bottom.
Upright clumps turn coppery orange in fall and stand well through winter.
The gold standard coneflower. Flat, non-drooping petals around a bold copper cone. Perennial Plant of the Year.
Smooth red bark with urn-shaped flowers that feed hummingbirds in late winter. Sculptural beauty.
Enormous fried-egg flowers on blue-gray stems. California's largest native wildflower. Spreads aggressively.
Perennial Plant of the Year. Dense indigo-violet spikes that rebloom if deadheaded.
Distinctive sombrero-like flowers sway on wiry stems in summer prairies.
Tall, graceful plumes that persist through winter. Living architecture.
Compact lilac with pale lavender blooms and outstanding fragrance. Burgundy fall foliage as a bonus.
Earlier blooming and slightly softer purple than Hidcote. Gertrude Jekyll's favorite for a reason.
Tiny flowers are a pollinator magnet when allowed to bloom. Let a patch go to flower for the bees.
Holly-like evergreen with yellow flower clusters followed by blue berries. Tough, shade-loving native.
Tubular flowers on upright stems. Native hummingbird magnet for dry gardens.
Survives humidity and cold that kills other lavenders. Silver foliage stays tight and full.
Billowing pink seed clouds float over fine foliage in autumn and remain attractive dried.
Intoxicatingly fragrant tropical blooms. The flower of Hawaiian leis.
Brilliant orange-red blossoms in late spring and summer are followed by decorative, edible fruits.
Compact, heavily branched, and smothered in deep rose-purple blooms. Reblooms without deadheading.
Huge basal leaves and tall stalks topped with yellow daisies give strong prairie structure.
Fine-textured mounds send up airy fragrant flower sprays that persist into winter.
Deep purple-red blooms on a compact Stella-sized plant. Brings rich color to the front of the border.
Brushy purple flower spikes rise over fine foliage and feed prairie pollinators.
Spikes of deep blue tubular flowers rise above glossy evergreen foliage in early summer.
Aromatic evergreen herb with tiny blue flowers loved by early bees. Needs excellent drainage.
Airy lavender clouds on silver stems. Thrives in heat and poor soil.
Vertical flower spikes that hummingbirds and bees cannot resist.
Grassy tufts topped with round pink pom-poms. Loves lean soil and coastal conditions.
Succulent leaves, tough as nails. Ages to deep crimson in autumn.
Unique bicolor blooms with purple petals edged in white. A head-turner in any spring garden.
Upright spikes of bright yellow flowers feed late-season pollinators on dry prairies.
Airy pink flower plumes create a smoke-like haze around the canopy. 'Royal Purple' has burgundy foliage.
The most planted perennial in America. Compact, reblooming, and basically indestructible.
Upright native grass with airy seed heads. Gold and red fall color.
Wiry stems topped with purple clusters that butterflies can't resist. See-through plant for layering.
Fine foliage and pale blue starry flowers are followed by golden fall color.
Cheerful native daisy that blooms for months with almost no care.
Aggressive native vine with fiery trumpets. Hummingbird highway.
Evergreen mat with periwinkle-blue flowers. Tough shade ground cover.
Perennial Plant of the Year. Billowy lavender-blue spikes that rebloom hard after a shear.
Pure white drooping petals around a bronze-orange cone. Elegant and underused.
The wild cousin of bee balm. Lavender puffs alive with pollinators. Tougher and more mildew-resistant.
Reliable cultivar bearing large red fruits and vivid orange flowers.
Flat-topped clusters on ferny foliage. Thrives on neglect in poor soil.
Sword-like evergreen foliage sends up dramatic stalks of white bells. Tough, architectural, underrated.