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Make it a night to remember! Themed evening events and corporate entertainment for corporate parties are one of our favourite things to do! Whether you're looking to spice up the evening with a cocktail making drinks reception, add some sparkle with themed props & table dressings, or liven the atmosphere with unique & exciting entertainment ideas, speak to KDM today and we'll take care of as much of the evening as you'd like us to.
Enter the Chocolate Factory on our gold glitter carpet and feast on a variety of chocolate treats. Giant factory gates frame the entranceway to a quirky selection of mix and mingle characters, whilst a chocolate fountain and giant themed props can also provide an exciting start to the evening celebrations!
Submerge your guests into an evening of Hollywood glitz and glamour by hosting a stylish Hollywood themed dinner that promises to make you and your guests feel like stars. Surrounded by black and gold table dressing, giant gold glitter props, red carpet, illuminated silhouette panels and with well known A-list look-a-likes, legendary tribute acts and an authentic paparazzi greeting and you have the perfect mix.
Be transported to a wintry world where the magical memories of childhood delights are recalled in grand style. Your guests will relax in the timeless beauty of an icy grotto filled with magical and marvellous effects! White and silver table linens, glittering icy LED centrepieces, white trees, blue lighting and silver stars all combine to set the scene of the very essence of a Winter Wonderland. Animatronic polar bears, Penguins, Snowmen and Jack Frost entertainers can all mingle with your party to provide fun and delight!
Outrageous or subdued to suit your taste your circus ring can be created with blue, red, yellow and gold table dressing, fairground backdrops and the animals you'd traditionally find at the circus – albeit in statue form!
Circus entertainers - stilt walkers, jugglers, acrobats and a snake charmer - will add to this visual spectacle whilst traditional fairground games - Hook a Duck, Ball in the Clown's Mouth and Test your Strength complete your Circus Spectacular.
Saddle up partners and dust off those spurs as we head for a Wild West Hoedown. Amongst the cacti and the mountains we will create a setting of the old West and using gungham table dressing, dramatic props and whip-cracking entertainment, be quick on the draw to ensure the saloon girls and gunslingers in your party have a really wild time.
Bring the thrill of the racetrack to your event in an evening of sophistication and razzmatazz, as we roll out the red carpet and dust off those magnificent hats for a fabulous evening of glitz, glamour and entertainment! "Place your bets please".
Join us at Casey's nightclub, a speakeasy in downtown Chicago. The 20's was an era of Goodfellas, Flappers and the Mob making a mint. Elegant black and white table dressing, LED lit centrepieces and giant props are teamed with classic entertainment in this roaring night to remember. If you have a flair for the Charleston or fancy a roll of the dice, luck will certainly be a lady for you tonight.
Transport your guests back to the sparkling 70's as they enter your room dressed with black, purple and silver table linen and decorated with iconic rocker silhouette panels, giant musical props and even an illuminated dance floor for those who wish to dance the night away in style to 70's tribute acts.
Set in a magical landscape and surrounded by delightful forest folk, a fairytale evening awaits you within Oberon and Titania's enchanted forest. Delight your guests and set the scene with hand crafted glass centrepieces adorned with woodland ivy and twinkling branches, white linen tablecloths and chaircovers with green organza overslips. Green sash tiebacks and ivy garland chair decorations complete the magical atmosphere along with with stylish coloured lighting.
Forget packing your passport for the Pyrenees. Grab your thermals as you venture into an Alpine themed setting for a spot of the old après-ski indulgence, without any of the actual skiing! Alpine Lodge is a cosy yet cool theme that appeals to all ages, making it a perfect Christmas option for celebrating an occasion or rewarding staff.
The scene is created with table theming - bright pink tablecloths and black chair covers in velvet silk - complemented by lime green tiebacks and LED glass centrepieces with Rubik's cubes. All that's needed to complete the evening is imaginative lighting and a mix of our theatrical props including 80's illuminated silhouette panels, a giant cassette tape, giant guitar or giant microphone.
Our Fire and Ice themed evening will prove that opposites really do attract as two unique colour schemes come together with dramatic effect. Feel the drastic change in temperature as our red-hot entertainment and ice-cold theming truly stimulate your senses.
Start spreading the news and let us bring the bright twinkling lights and all the vibrancy of The Big Apple to your event with our magical Christmas in New York themed party. It's the perfect way to nip across the pond for one night without the hefty airfare!
A wintery world of opulence and mystery awaits your guests as they enjoy the magical and glittering spectacle of a grand winter's masked ball. Icy Venetian theming and wondrous entertainment, create an elegant atmosphere to capture the very essence of winter, making this decadent theme the perfect option for your guests to enjoy.
The atmosphere is intense as you are transported to a faraway place where Moroccan décor, luxurious fabrics, sand readers and snake dancers wearing stunning costumes, create a sense of marvel and wonder in your guests. You will experience all the music, magic and mystery when we welcome you to your Arabian Night.
"I'm late, I'm late for a very important date! No time to say Hello, Goodbye, I'm late, I'm late, I'm late". The Mad Hatter is hosting another of his infamous tea parties and this time he has invited you to join him.
As outrageous or subdued as you'd like, your Mad Hatters Tea Party setting can be created with blue, white and pink table dressing, quirky table centrepieces, giant sparkle props and crazy entrance doors to transform the room into a magical tea party to be proud of.
Giant props, life-sized props, outrageous props and subtle props, creating the ultimate setting for your evening is simple when you have the knowledge and equipment! We have a multitude of props suitable for a multitude of themes - and if we don't have it, with a creative team on-site, we have the flexibility to be able to make it especially for your event!
As part of your themed event our lighting will enhance the effect of your chosen props. And in addition your theme can be reinforced with your whole room lit to coordinate with your chosen table dressing.
And to see just how quickly we can transform a room, see the event video below and watch just what we can do in 40 seconds!
Experience the merriment of Medieval England with dramatic table theming consisting of purple tablecloths and chair covers covered with ivy garlands, with centrepieces of silver crossed swords and shields suited for any ladies and knights. Just add some creative lighting and theatrical props and you have an authentic banquet.
Welcome to Las Vegas the entertainment capital of the world and the city that never sleeps. From the 'bright lights' and 'big shows' of the Strip to the gambling and glamour of the world famous casinos, the unmistakable style and vibrant atmosphere is brought to life in this unique evening. Blue, red and silver table linens with LED lit dice centrepieces are combined with giant glitter props and the iconic Welcome to Las Vegas to set the scene for lively entertainment that mirrors the non-stop energy of this legendary city.
Ever dreamt of visiting the world famous Rio Carnival? Well now's your chance! Transporting you to a party paradise, this flamboyant theme promises plenty of culture and carnival fun. From bright lights and feathers to energetic entertainment, immerse yourself in Brazilian culture with interactive activities and infectious Samba rhythms.
You are cordially invited to a traditional festival of beer drinking, singing and making merry to celebrate the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese! Black velvet and gingham table dressing, silver candelabra centrepieces and dramatic room dressing coupled with authentic entertainment make this evening of celebration, one you'll never forget.
Capture tropical paradise - Vibrant purple and lime table dressing with tropical centrepieces complemented by giant props such as beach bars and hula girls! Flower or palm trees, coloured lighting effects and screen graphics can complete the colourful tropical look. Then why not add a Surf Simulator, Coconut Shy and steel band for good measure.
With black silk velvet tablecloths and chair covers, red silk velvet tiebacks and two large red and black dice centrepieces resting on square mirror bases enhanced by LED lighting the scene is set for your evening of glamour. Add a red carpet, fantastic room lighting and a selection of props and you have a night to remember.
Hopelessly devoted to providing you with The Grease Theme Night to remember - black silk velvet tablecloths and chaircovers with pink sash tiebacks, 50's diner themed centrepieces and fabulous props to transport you into the film itself. Jive Dancers, Look a Likes and even a giant Scalextric racetrack will help you realise - This is the time, this is the place, this is the motion. It's Electrifying!!
Experience the pomp and ceremony of the Far East - red silk velvet tablecloths, black silk velvet chair covers, red chair sashes and a tranquil water feature centrepiece adorned with bamboo, blood orchids and white lights will transport you to the land of the rising sun. Lion Dancers, Geisha stiltwalkers and origami artists all combine to make this an exotic experience!
From a basic conference suite to an opulent dining area, elegantly presented dining tables add that finishing touch to any occasion.
Each dining table is dressed with a combination of:
On a base of either black or white table cloths and chaircovers, our extensive colourful range of tiebacks and stylish centrepieces will transform your tables.
An event in tribute to the best of idyllic summer English gardens, a salute to the British street parties of old or simply a celebration of all that is iconic about England!
The possibilities are endless with this theme whether a formal sit down meal or an informal BBQ. LED lit topiary ball centre pieces paired with red, white and blue table linens sit perfectly alongside giant props such as a full sized telephone box, post box and British bulldog. A selection of props such as silhouette panels depicting British images such as Big Ben & the Union Jack, topiary trees or flags and bunting will create a party atmosphere and act as a focal point for photo opportunities!
Feel the breeze in your hair and the sun on your face as you are transported to the seaside! Our fabulous 3D props will bring the joy of the beach to your party and no British rain to spoil the fun! Combine this with our fabulous entertainment options and your guests will enjoy a unique party to remember.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to infiltrate the international underworld made famous by Her Majesty's secret agent, 007. Surrounded by sophisticated black and silver table dressing, props and backdrops associated with the world's most sophisticated super-spy this truly memorable evening explodes with high-octane thrills and spills.
Copyright 2019 KDM Events Ltd - Team Building Activities & Games, Conference & Event Management, Venue Finders, Event Planners, Treasure Hunts
VAT Registration No: 559 3745 00 | Company Registration No: 3892178
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Giavotella To Have Hip Surgery
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- The Kansas City Royals say second baseman Johnny Giavotella has undergone arthroscopic surgery to correct a cartilage tear in his right hip.
The surgery was performed Thursday by Dr. Marc Philippon in Vail, Colo. The team said Friday that the recovery time is typically 10-12 weeks and Giavotella is expected to be available for the start of spring training in February.
The Royals also said right-handed pitcher Jesse Chavez was claimed on outright waivers by Toronto after he was designated for assignment by the Royals on Oct. 11.


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British sale of African goods to America
"British ships carried 3.4 million or more enslaved Africans to the Americas." Of the 80,000 Africans chained and shackled and transported across to the Americas each year, 42,000 were carried by British slave ships. Slavery was abolished (although still practiced mostly by the Portuguese who were the market leaders in the Slave trade, hitting the magic 5 million sales mark) in 1807.
Much of modern day Britain including the City of Liverpool and the bank of England would not exist as it does without the profits of slave trading.
That is just 210 years ago. The White house was built using slave labor. Many of the founding fathers of America were slave owners. Ownership of slaves is still considered by some Americans as their god given right. Any observer of the endemic racism in America should consider how desperately the South fought their civil war (ending 1865) largely for their right to live as god intended. Owning Black men and women. Chattels to be used and abused as appetite dictated. 'Grab a Pussy' was widely practiced giving rise to a whole generation of bi racial half slaves.
For over 300 years preceding abolition in 1807, European countries, mostly Portugues and British, rounded up Africa's Blacks, loaded them onto slave ships and transported them across the Atlantic Ocean.
The first European nation to engage in the Transatlantic Slave Trade was Portugal in the mid to late 1400's.
Captain John Hawkins made the first known English slaving voyage to Africa, in 1562, in the reign of Elizabeth 1. Hawkins made three such journeys over a period of six years. He captured over 1200 Africans and sold them as goods in the Spanish colonies in the Americas. A lucrative business model with low cost of acquiring assets and high demand at retail.
The first British traders supplied slaves for the Spanish and Portuguese colonists in America. However, as British settlements in the Caribbean and North America grew, often through wars with European countries such as Holland, Spain and France, British slave traders increasingly supplied British colonies
The exact number of British ships that took part in the Slave Trade will probably never be known but, in the 245 years between Hawkins first voyage and the abolition of the Slave Trade in 1807, merchants in Britain dispatched about 10,000 voyages to Africa for slaves, with merchants in other parts of the British Empire adding a further 1,150 + voyages.
Historian, Professor David Richardson, has calculated that British ships carried 3.4 million or more enslaved Africans to the Americas.
Only the Portuguese, who carried on the trade for almost 50 years after Britain had abolished its Slave Trade, carried more enslaved Africans to the Americas than the British (the most recent estimate suggests just over 5 million people).
Estimates, based on records of voyages in the archives of port customs and maritime insurance records, put the total number of African slaves transported by European traders, to at least 12 million people.
The first record of enslaved Africans being landed in the British colony of Virginia was in 1619. Barbados became the first British settlement in the Caribbean in 1625 and the British took control of Jamaica in 1655.
The establishment of the Royal African Company in 1672 formalised the Slave Trade under a royal charter and gave a monopoly to the port of London. The ports of Bristol and Liverpool, in particular, lobbied to have the charter changed and, in 1698, the monopoly was taken away.
British involvement expanded rapidly in response to the demand for labour to cultivate sugar in Barbados and other British West Indian islands. In the 1660s, the number of slaves taken from Africa in British ships averaged 6,700 per year. By the 1760s, Britain was the foremost European country engaged in the Slave Trade. Of the 80,000 Africans chained and shackled and transported across to the Americas each year, 42,000 were carried by British slave ships.
The profits gained from chattel slavery helped to finance the Industrial Revolution and the Caribbean islands became the hub of the British Empire. The sugar colonies were Britain's most valuable colonies. By the end of the eighteenth century, four million pounds came into Britain from its West Indian plantations, compared with one million from the rest of the world.
Who benefited from the Transatlantic Slave Trade?
In the Transatlantic Slave Trade, triangle ships never sailed empty and some people made enormous profits. This Slave Trade was the richest part of Britain's trade in the 18th century. James Houston, who worked for a firm of 18th-century slave merchants, wrote, "What a glorious and advantageous trade this is… It is the hinge on which all the trade of this globe moves."
Between 1750 and 1780, about 70% of the government's total income came from taxes on goods from its colonies. The money made on the Transatlantic Slave Trade triangle was vast and poured into Britain and other European countries involved in slavery, changing their landscapes forever. In Britain, those who had made much of their wealth from the trade built fine mansions, established banks such as the Bank of England and funded new industries.
Who profited?
- British slave ship owners – some voyages made 20-50% profit. Large sums of money were made by ship owners who never left England.
- British Slave Traders – who bought and sold enslaved Africans.
- Plantation Owners – who used slave labour to grow their crops. Vast profits could be made by using unpaid workers. Planters often retired to Britain with the profits they made and had grand country houses built for them. Some planters used the money they had made to become MPs. Others invested their profits in new factories and inventions, helping to finance the Industrial Revolution.
- The factory owners in Britain – who had a market for their goods. Textiles from Yorkshire and Lancashire were bought by slave-captains to barter with. One half of the textiles produced in Manchester were exported to Africa and half to the West Indies. In addition, industrial plants were built to refine the imported raw sugar. Glassware was needed to bottle the rum.
- West African leaders involved in the trade – who captured people and sold them as slaves to Europeans.
- The ports – Bristol and Liverpool became major ports through fitting out slave ships and handling the cargoes they brought back. Between 1700 and 1800, Liverpool's population rose from 5000 to 78,000.
- Bankers – banks and finance houses grew rich from the fees and interest they earned from merchants who borrowed money for their long voyages.
- Ordinary people – the Transatlantic Slave Trade provided many jobs for people back in Britain. Many people worked in factories which sold their goods to West Africa. These goods would then be traded for enslaved Africans. Birmingham had over 4000 gun-makers, with 100,000 guns a year going to slave-traders.
- Others worked in factories that had been set up with money made from the Slave Trade. Many trades-people bought a share in a slave ship. Slave labour also made goods, such as sugar, more affordable for people living in Britain.
Happy days. But who knows, with The holy trinity, Cheeto, Fifty Pence and Bannon, the glory days are set to return. Make America great again, just like it was when white men could own black.


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This page is dedicated to SDS Members and guests who wish to apply for Punjabi Spurs hospitality at the Novotel – Wembley Way prior to the match.
IMPORTANT – We have to contact Punjabi Spurs several days prior to the game to ensure that members are added to THEIR guest list. If you are not on the list you will not get in – these events are always oversubscribed!!!
Please note: If you are travelling to the match on the dedicated transport (SDS Minibus) then your name will be automatically added to the guest list – no further action required!
If you are making your own way to the match then you are requested to apply for access via either Whatsapp message (SDS Group Chat) or via this channel by submitting a comment below.
You are requested to add the following details:
Punjabi (Match Title) & Full name (s)
Example: Punjabi – Accrington Stanley – Joe Bloggs
Requested to restrict your comment to this information only (no funnies, general chit chat or puns).
Requests direct to either the SDS Chairman or other SDS Members requesting access are not encouraged unless arranged by prior agreement.
Your co-operation with this matter will be greatly appreciated.
A reminder to all applicants that we are representing Tottenham Hotspur Football Club and South Dorset Spurs and encourage positive behaviour whilst we are guests of Punjabi Spurs. Therefore the Committee reserves the right to turn down any application that they deem unsuitable.
Lets get behind this event, enjoy the atmosphere, drink and get very merry.
Look forward to seeing you all there.
Up the Spurs!!


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NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- Airline shares moved higher across the board Monday, rising for a third consecutive session as crude oil futures held below $74 a barrel.
Fuel is typically an airline's second-biggest expense after personnel.
The Amex Airline Index ($XAL) finished the session with a 1.7% gain at 55.21 points, hitting its highest close since April 5. Continental Airlines shares reached a new 52-week high of $32.04 before easing back to end at $31.72.
The biggest percentage gainers were AMR Corp. AMR, +0.00%, up 3.3% to $27.66, and Alaska Air Group ALK, +0.12%, up 3% to $39.71.
U.S.-traded shares of Ryanair Holdings PLC RYAAY, -0.38%, Ireland's low-cost airline, shed 46 cents to end at $56.40 in New York. On Friday, Ireland's legislators sought approval for the sale of shares of state-owned airline Aer Lingus to the public. See full story.
Crude oil futures fell Monday, logging a third-straight session of declines after Iran's chief nuclear negotiator made positive comments about the incentive package the West is offering Tehran in exchange for a halt in Iran's uranium enrichment program.
Crude for August delivery fell 48 cents to $73.61 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange after losing more than $1 in the past two trading sessions. See full story.


text: US Dollar DailyUS Dollar WeeklyTechnically the USD has broken sigificant channel support. The three or four bulls on the planet will pray that this resolves into a channel buster type move, and will sacrifice every chicken they can find in hopes of a move back over the bottom trend-line.Even if that happens I doubt that it will mark a significant trading bottoms. Those usually occur only after you get some postive divergences on the weekly charts.When you look at the ADX buying strength indicator (green line) you see that that nobody wants to touch the green-back with a 10 foot pole. And why should that change? I can see no reason. Impending military conflict with Iran will only add strain to a balance sheet that already should be sending conservative minds into convulsions.It not just that the US is up to its eyeballs in hock, but even more the fact that they have nothing to show for it. It is not like that money has gone into completely refurbishing national infrastructure for the next century.Now things are oversold, so some sideways consolidation is certainly in order, but all signs point for a major retest of lows in the near future.


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Once upon a time, not so very long ago, there were two sisters who lived in Manhattan. One was wildly emotional, the other smartly sensible. The sisters found love, as lovely women do, and they lost love, but no matter where love went they always worked hard and had rich lives. Now these sisters also had a sweet, beloved mother, whose own fairy tale of a life suddenly came apart when one day her sweet, beloved husband came home and announced that he was divorcing her. She was 75 years old. She was banished from her handsomely appointed Central Park West apartment. Her daughters rushed to her rescue. But their lives were falling apart, too. One was broke and disgraced, the other lonely and worried.
Both were in danger of misplacing their hearts yet again. So they all moved to an enchanted cottage. . . . And off races the sparkling, crisp, clever, deft, hilarious and deeply affecting new novel by Cathleen Schine, her best yet, "The Three Weissmanns of Westport."
Shall we quickly usher Jane Austen through? Dear readers will recognize the essential outlines of "Sense and Sensibility." Poor Jane — or is she lucky, to have been the object of such ransacking posthumous reverence? In recent years, "Emma," "Pride and Prejudice" and "Persuasion" have been hauled in to prop up the likes of the Bridget Jones novels, the movie "Clueless" and countless other projects. Austen is now considered the godmother of chick lit, whatever that is — let's just say, to heighten the inherent absurdity, any novel written by women about women for women, as even the idea of a chick being young is no longer operative. (After all, cougars are chicks too.) Nor is it necessarily a man who is the heroine's salvation.
Schine sets her novel squarely in the most appealing part of chick-lit territory — its light-hearted readability — and then thumbs her nose as she starts kicking up the dust. The strange thing about the Jane brigade is that most of its practitioners have raided only her plots, apparently not quite up to the task of honoring the essence of Austen. But Schine's homage has it all: stinging social satire, mordant wit, delicate charm, lilting language and cosseting materialistic detail.
"The Three Weissmanns of Westport" is richly inhabited. Schine's characters, minor and major, have such a precisely imagined presence that they need only nod with affectionate courtesy to the shadows cast by "Sense and Sensibility" before chasing them away. One of the sisters, even-tempered Annie, a librarian, lives in "the soft dappled world" of 19th-century English novels; she takes a mouthy, pacifying pleasure in simple words, like "jalopy." The other sister, fierce, self-absorbed, beautiful, loyal, tender Miranda, who "found talent and excitement everywhere," is a literary agent until she is disgraced by scandal, which Schine describes in a hilarious send-up of our own recent crop of lying writers and the television personalities who hype them too much.
Schine is clearly a writer who loves to read as much as she loves to write. And it is great fun to play English major with her. I indulged in a gratifying Austen binge (it had been a while), just for the pleasure of tracing the plot lines that are borrowed here, along with lots of other fine and wicked riffs. "The Three Weissmanns of Westport" is a dense fruitcake of apposite references: I spotted Louisa May Alcott (Annie "is too fond of books. It has turned her brain"); Emily Dickinson (who "made even fear feel rich and full and active"); and Dickens's Mr. Micawber (whose hopeful expectation makes him Annie's role model). With a resounding thwack, Schine also delivers a swift kick to certain middle-aged male writers when Annie falls for someone in spite of his work — which embodies "the qualities she disliked in both the Jewish writers of his generation (that showing off masked as neurosis) and the WASPs (the coldness masked as modesty)."
In this rarefied, upper-middle-class, genteel world, books and money matter. So does being Jewish, in a reformed, mildly self-mocking sort of way. The Weissmann parents, for whom Nazis are a living memory, are ever mindful of their social roles. "The goyim . . . do not feed their guests; it is not their custom," the girls' mother explains, bringing a cake as a gift while paying a social call. "We must respect the customs of other cultures, but that does not mean we have to starve." While they're decorating their Christmas tree, her husband reminds the girls that "this holiday celebrates the birth of a man in whose name an entire religion has persecuted and murdered our people for thousands of years. . . . And knowing that, why should we let them have all the fun?"
The plot takes appropriately unexpected twists and turns as the sisters carom through their love affairs. I, for one, can't wait for the inevitable movie. But "The Three Weissmanns of Westport" is much more than a romantic comedy. Or, rather, the romance is located in motherhood and in memories of childhood, as much as in a lover's bed. Whether she's describing tender moments with a 2-year-old or with young adult sons, Schine is perceptive, even breathtaking, in her observations. There's also real pain in these pages. The characters lie awake in the middle of the night, agonizing, careers smashed, bank accounts emptied. "Old age was now, too, caught up in the stink of financial worry. She was a successful woman in her early 50s and cutting corners the way she had as a graduate student." That will feel sadly familiar to thousands of us.
Under the snap and sizzle of the story there lurks a profound tragedy — in the heartbreak of the jettisoned wife, chucked out "to spin helplessly in the dark, infinite sky of elderly divorce." Annie's writer boyfriend gives readings in front of "a hundred such women, a thousand. . . . Older women, still beautiful in their older way, still vibrant in their older way, with their beauty and vibrancy suddenly accosted by the one thing beauty and vibrancy cannot withstand — irrelevance."
Chicks need a happy ending, at least every once in a while. What choice is there but to believe that something good will happen? Schine gives her characters more than their fair share of luck, but she is also brave enough to let them wrestle with raw fear. Among its many gifts to the dearest sort of reader, a fully engaged one, "The Three Weissmanns of Westport" offers the chance for a meditation on that snake of Emily Dickinson's as it slithers through the grass — the snake that sometimes startles and frightens us, so undefended and unprepared are we, caught in our "tighter breathing, and zero at the bone."


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2019 PLANT LIST – A to D
Updated May 21, 2019 – The list will be updated frequently as the season progresses. Some plants are in very limited supply, and all are subject to prior sale. Please inquire by email (email@example.com) if you are looking for something in particular – not all plants are available at every Market but we are always happy to assemble "special orders" for you.
Also see:
- 2019 PLANT LIST E to L
- 2019 PLANT LIST M to Q
- 2019 PLANT LIST R to Z
Achillea filipendulina. FERNLEAF YARROW 'CLOTH of GOLD'.
Perennial. Zone 2. Very bright and showy. Shining yellow flowers in flattened domes top strong 24-inch stems. Non-invasive clump-former. Light sage-green, aromatic ferny foliage. This is a superb everlasting and cutflower – heads can reach 5 inches or more across. A good choice for the xeriscape garden. Average soil, drought tolerant, deer resistant.
Achillea millefolium v. rubra. 'CASSIS' YARROW.
Perennial. Zone 2. European Fleuroselect Winner 2002. Many corymbes of small, intensely burgundy red flowers on 24-inch stems in summer. Ferny, dark green, aromatic foliage. Great cutflower and everlasting; dries to a rich black currant colour, hence the cultivar name. There are many red yarrow cultivars available right now; all share similar ancestry, that of the A. millefolium var. rubra gene pool of the Appalachian wild yarrows. This one, as well as its compatriots, is very easy and dependable. The plant spreads from a central clump by creeping, rooted stems, but it is reasonably well behaved and easy to curb. Decently drought tolerant, so worth consideration in xeriscaping. Average soil, full sun.
Achillea millefolium. 'COLORADO' YARROW.
Perennial. Zone 2. This is a premium strain of this dependable and trouble-free cottage garden flower. Deep green, ferny, pungently aromatic foliage in low-growing clumps, with many sturdy 18 to 24-inch stems topped by generous corymbes of yellow-eyed flowers in shades of apricot, cerise pink, rose, rusty red, creamy beige, sulphur yellow. Flowers last a very long time, with colours fading as the blooms age, while new heads open their flowers to continue the show. Excellent cutflower and dried flower. Excellent beneficial insect plant, hosting ladybugs and parasitic wasps. Quite a good xeriscape plant, but flourishes even more abundantly with standard garden conditions. Spreads steadily outwards but not invasively so. Mass plantings make an excellent tall groundcover. Average soil, sun to light shade.
Achillea nana. DWARF ALPINE YARROW.
Perennial. Zone 4. A tiny yarrow, only 4 inches tall or so. Very wooly, grey-green, aromatic, ferny foliage in neat rosettes. Clusters of off-white flowers with yellow centres for several months in summer. Excellent for rockery or border edge. Spreads modestly to form a tidy groundcover. From seed collected in the Bernina Alps, Switzerland. Sun to part shade, average conditions. Not as drought tolerant as others in its genus.
Achillea sibirica var. camtschatica. KAMCHATKA YARROW 'LOVE PARADE'.
Perennial. Zone 2. Clusters of large (for an Achillea), pastel pink, pale yellow-centered flowers on sturdy 18 to 24-inch stems. Long bloom time from June to September. Glossy, deep green, saw-cut leaves. Good cutflower. This is a very attractive variety, selected from a Russian wildflower. I like this one a lot, since first growing it ten years or so ago, when it appeared on all the seed lists as a "must have". It seems to have settled down into being something of a standard variety, which is generally a good recommendation of garden merit. Sun to part shade, average soil.
Aconitum napellus 'album'. WHITE MONKSHOOD.
Perennial. Zone 2. Ranunculaceae. Handsome variation of the common Blue Monkshood. Clumps of lush foliage produce 2 to 4 foot tall bloom stems lined with pure white, hooded flowers in summer. Very popular with bees. Light shade, good soil and moisture. Deer resistant. Note: All Aconitum (Monkshoods/Wolfsbanes) are poisonous. These plants are widely grown, and toxicity incidents are very rare, but keep in mind if you garden with very small children.
Adiantum pedatum. NORTHERN MAIDENHAIR FERN.
Perennial. Zone 3. Eastern North America. A.k.a. FIVE-FINGERED FERN. A beautiful, deceptively delicate looking hardy fern from the deciduous mixed forests of eastern Canada and the United States. Delicate stalks are wire thin (and wire-tough!), shiny black in colour, and ornamented by frilled, fine-textured foliage unfolding and expanding as spring progresses. 12 to 24 inches tall and wide, spreads modestly by shallow rhizomes where happy. Excellent border plant for shady areas. Can also be grown as a houseplant. Part to full shade, average conditions. Prefers a moist, humus-rich ground, but tolerates dryer soils as well.
Adlumia fungosa. CLIMBING BLEEDING HEARTS.
Biennial vine. Zone 3. Fumariaceae. Eastern North America. A.k.a. ALLEGHENY VINE, MAIDENHAIR VINE. Delicate and very lovely climbing vine. Ferny foliage and twining stems produce many hanging clusters of elongated, pale pearly-pink, heart-shaped flowers all summer and until the first killing frosts. Can reach to 12 feet tall or so. Nice growing through shrubs or tall, sturdy perennials – not a "choking" sort of vine. If content it will self sow. Part to full shade, good soil, moisture appreciated.
Alcea rosea. HOLLYHOCK 'MAJORETTE'.
Biennial, blooms the 1st year. Zone 3. AAS Winner 1976. This cute, dwarf, double hollyhock variety is still a fabulous garden flower 4 decades after its introduction. First year blooming, with 2 to 3 foot stems lined with powderpuffs in shades of rose, red, pink and yellow. Great in containers or in a mixed annual planting. Average soil, full sun.
Alcea rosea 'nigra'. 'JET BLACK' HOLLYHOCK.
Biennial. Zone 3. This handsome variation of the lighter coloured "rosy hollyhock" is distinctive and striking. Glossy single and semi-double blooms are deep maroon-black, with a central boss of powdery pale yellow stamens. 5 to 6 feet tall, blooming from late June through autumn. Bees love these, as they do all of the hollyhocks. Sun, average conditions.
Alcea rosea plena. DOUBLE HOLLYHOCKS.
Biennial. Zone 3. Originally native to the Mediterranean and Middle East, the first "Holy Hocks" are said to have been brought to England by returning crusaders and first grown in monastery herb gardens. Being overwhelmingly attractive to bees, and promiscuous cross-pollinators, many new varieties developed, eventually leading to the extra-double "powderpuffs" so treasured in old-fashioned cottage gardens. As with all biennials, expect healthy foliage rosettes the first year, with bloom spikes the second. Once they've set seed their life cycle is completed, so save seed or allow to self sow. Where happy, hollyhocks will maintain their own colony, though with cross pollination you will get surprises every year as to flower form and colour. 4 to 6 feet tall. All hollyhocks prefer full sun, average soil and moisture. There are a number of excellent named varieties, mostly hailing from England.
- 'PEACHES AND DREAMS' – Pale apricot-salmon with peachy-pink overtones. Extremely pretty.
Alcea rugosa. RUSSIAN YELLOW HOLLYHOCK.
Perennial. Zone 3. Large, saucer-shaped and sized pale yellow single blooms on tall spikes to 6 feet tall (or more) all summer. Roughly crinkled foliage. Hardy, handsome and very lovely. One of the most perennial of the hollyhocks, and naturalizes exceedingly well in our Cariboo-Chilcotin climate. An excellent variety with a very long bloom time, July to October. Sun, average soil and moisture.
Alchemilla mollis. LADY'S MANTLE.
Perennial. Zone 2. One of my favourite plants. Cascading sprays of airy, greeny-yellow flowers over mounds of beautiful foliage. Dewdrops form perfect pearls in central cups of each downy-soft, round, pleated leaf. These droplets were thought to have magical properties by the medieval alchemists who sought to turn base metals into gold, and were also collected as a beautifying face wash. Associated with the Virgin Mary (the "lady" of the common name), this plant has a very long history of herbal uses in women's medicine. Very long bloom time – late spring through summer. Forms dense, weed-proof clumps. 12 to 18 inches tall and wide. Shade to sun, any soil, good moisture.
Anacyclus pyrethrum ssp. depressus. MOUNT ATLAS DAISY.
Perennial. Zone 3. Compositae. Lovely little rockery plant from Morocco. Small white daisy flowers with crimson petal undersides emerge in spring from mats of ferny, curling foliage. These open wide in the sun, but close up on cloudy days and in the evening, showing off the contrasting rosy blush on the under-petals. Blooms often radiate in a circle from a central point. Beautiful rockery or edging plant. 4 inches tall, 12 inches wide. Its only flaw is that it often blooms itself to death, so you might want to save some seed to re-sow. Full sun, well-drained soil.
Anchusa azurea. ANCHUSA 'DROPMORE BLUE'.
Biennial/Perennial. Zone 4. Boraginaceae. Clusters of intensely cobalt-blue flowers like large forget-me-nots appear late spring into summer on 4 foot plants. Deep green, bristly, elongated foliage. Excellent Canadian cultivar introduced in 1905. Beautiful with yellow grandiflora foxgloves and other early summer flowers. Getting quite rare in gardens; not many are familiar with this pretty plant any more. Sun, good drainage. Deer resistant.
Anemone narcissiflora ssp. biarmiensis. NARCISSUS-FLOWERED ANEMONE.
Perennial. Zone 4. Syn. Anemonastrum biarmiensis. The lovely Narcissus-Flowered Anemone is found in subalpine and alpine areas in Europe, Asia, and western North America, but this subspecies is endemic to parts of Russia and western Siberia. Deeply cut foliage forms basal clumps to a foot or so wide, with 12 to 18 inch bloom stems arising in late spring. Clusters of buds on short sub-stems (umbel form) open into showy white (or palest creamy yellow in this subspecies) 5 to 7 petalled blooms with prominent yellow stamen clusters. Beloved of bees and other spring pollinators. A good natured plant for alpine garden or perennial border. Very nice in a woodland setting. Sun to light shade, average soil and moisture.
Anemone sylvestris. SNOWDROP ANEMONE.
Perennial. Zone 2. Ranunculaceae. Poppy-like, pure white flowers with showy golden stamens for a long period in late spring. Deep green foliage to 8 inches high stays nice all season. Flower stalks to 12 inches or more. Good groundcover, especially under trees. Sun to part shade, average soil and moisture.
Anthyllis vulneraria var. coccinea. RED KIDNEY VETCH.
Perennial. Zone 3. A.k.a. LADY'S FINGERS. Clusters of creamy-white tubular flowers with crimson-red lips in dense, clover-like spikes top 6-inch sprawling stems in late May through June. Silky-haired, silvery, multi-leafleted foliage. Clump former for slope or rockery. Bee and butterfly flower. Sun, most soils, drought tolerant. Xeriscape.
Aquilegia atrata. DUSKY COLUMBINE.
Perennial. Zone 4. European Alps. For 2019, plants are grown from seed wild-collected in Austria's Carnic Alps. This is a very choice, attractive and easy alpine columbine. Darkest purple-maroon, hook-spurred, nodding flowers with bright yellow stamens. Blooms in late spring. 20 inches tall. Sun to part shade, good soil and moisture.
Aquilegia caerulea x. LONG-SPURRED COLUMBINES.
Perennial. Zone 1. Ranunculaceae. These are very showy, large-flowered, long-spurred cultivars developed from the Rocky Mountain wildflowers Aquilegia caerulea and A. chrysantha. Long bloom time from spring into summer. Vigorous plants, to 24 inches or taller. Sun to part shade, humus-rich soil, average moisture.
- 'CRIMSON STAR' – Vibrant, rich crimson-red, with pale ivory corollas.
- 'SWAN PINK and YELLOW' – Soft salmon pink, with gently contrasting pale yellow corollas.
Aquilegia caerulea x. 'McKANA'S GIANT' LONG-SPURRED COLUMBINES.
Perennial. Zone 1. Ranunculaceae. Bred by the W. Atlee Burpee Company from a number of Aquilegia lines, the 'McKana's Giant' strain was an All American Selections Winner in 1955. Plants are vigorous and healthy, producing huge, long-spurred blooms in a variety of bicolours: red, blue, purple, yellow, pink, white – in infinite shades and combinations. Hugely popular with hummingbirds during the long bloom season from spring well into summer. 24 to 36 inches tall. Sun to part shade, humus-rich soil, average moisture.
Aquilegia caerulea x. 'SUNSHINE' DOUBLE LONG-SPURRED COLUMBINE.
Perennial. Zone 3. Ranunculaceae. Bred by Thompson and Morgan, 'Sunshine' received a Fleuroselect Novelty Award in 2012. Compact plants produce numerous sturdy 24-inch tall bloom stems. Flowers are doubled in all of their parts – interior corolla petals as well as outer long-spurred petals. Very "sculptural" in effect, and an eye-catching cultivar. Long bloom period in late spring and early summer. Sun to part shade, humus-rich soil, average moisture.
Aquilegia chrysantha. 'YELLOW QUEEN' COLUMBINE.
Perennial. Zone 1. Ranunculaceae. An excellent cultivar of the beautiful Rocky Mountain wildflower. Long-spurred, large, showy, bright golden-yellow blooms have the longest bloom time of any of the columbines – late spring through summer, and often into early autumn. Sweetly fragrant. Excellent hummingbird flower. 24 to 36 inches tall. Sun to shade, good soil and moisture.
Aquilegia flabellata. 'BLUE ANGEL' JAPANESE FAN COLUMBINE.
Perennial. Zone 2. Bright blue and white, short spurred, rounded flowers top 6-inch plants in early spring. The first columbine to bloom every year. An excellent little rockery or border-front gem. Sun to shade, good soil and moisture.
Aquilegia flabellata. 'CAMEO ROSE' JAPANESE FAN COLUMBINE.
Perennial. Zone 2. Soft pink and white, short spurred, rounded flowers top 6-inch plants in early spring – the very first columbine to bloom. An excellent little rockery or border-front gem. Sun to shade, good soil and moisture.
Aquilegia sibirica. SIBERIAN COLUMBINE.
Perennial. Zone 1. Ultramarine-blue and white, short-spurred, nodding blooms on branching 6 to 10 inch stems. Tidy basal rosettes of blue-green foliage. Handsome little plant. Blooms May and June. For rockery or border front. Sun to part shade, average conditions.
Aquilegia stellata (vulgaris x.) CLEMATIS-FLOWERED COLUMBINES.
Perennial. Zone 1. Ranunculaceae. Descended from the ancient Granny's Bonnet types of Europe and the British Isles, these wide-open, double-petalled, spurless flowers are very different from the usual long-spurred types, and very pretty. They do indeed look like little double flowered clematis blooms. Gorgeous colours! Very long bloom times, and they make interesting cutflowers too. Lovely foliage in basal clumps; multi-branching bloom stalks are 16 to 30 inches tall. Sun to shade, good soil and moisture.
- 'BLUE BARLOW' Rich violet-blue with contrasting golden stamens.
- 'NORA BARLOW' Lovely Nora is a real treat! Warm-pink-and-white with apple green centres.
- 'ROSE BARLOW' Warm dusky-rose-pink. Very vigorous variety, lots of bloom stalks.
Aquilegia vulgaris. WILD EUROPEAN COLUMBINE, GRANNY'S BONNET COLUMBINE.
Perennial. Zone 1. Ranunculaceae. A.k.a. EUROPEAN CROWFOOT, GRANNY'S BONNET. For 2019, plants are grown from seed wild-collected in the Slovakian Ore mountain range in the Carpathians. Clumps of attractive foliage produce branching upright stems adorned with nodding, short-spurred, dark violet-blue flowers in spring. This beloved wildflower is an ancestor of many garden cultivars and hybrids. 18 inches tall. Sun to part shade, average conditions.
Aquilegia vulgaris f. alba. WILD WHITE EUROPEAN COLUMBINE.
Perennial. Zone 1. Ranunculaceae. A.k.a. EUROPEAN CROWFOOT, GRANNY'S BONNET. For 2019, plants are grown from seed wild-collected in the Strážovské vrchy mountain range in Slovakia. The usually-violet-blue wild European columbine sometimes demonstrates colour variations, such as this dusky white collection. Nodding, short-spurred blooms are chalk-white, sometimes flushed with a touch of purple. Very pretty, and a great favourite of both bees and hummingbirds during its spring bloom time. 18 inches tall. Sun to part shade, average conditions.
Aquilegia vulgaris x. 'BIEDERMEIER' COLUMBINE.
Perennial. Zone 1. Ranunculaceae. This is an older German strain of this favourite cottage garden flower, hybridized and stabilized from several of the European alpine species. Dwarf plants reach 18 inches at most, with tidy foliage clumps and numerous bloom stalks producing perky, spurred blooms in shades of mauve-pink and soft purple, blushing white and creamy yellow. Flowers differ from the nodding norm of this family by being up- and out-facing. An early bloomer, perfect near the front of the border. Sun to part shade, average conditions.
Armeria alpina. ALPINE THRIFT.
Perennial. Zone 3. Plumbaginaceae. Mountains of south and central Europe. Compact clumps of tough, grassy foliage. Strong 6 to 12 inch stems are topped by showy, long-lasting, round clusters of warm mauve-pink, yellow-stamened flowers in summer. Seeds for these plants were wild-collected in the French Cottian Alps. Lovely in the rockery or as a border edger. Sun, average conditions, prefers well-drained gritty soil.
Armeria maritima var. laucheana. PINK SEA THRIFT.
Perennial. Zone 3. Plumbaginaceae. Europe, Asia, North America. A.k.a. SEA PINK, CLIFF CLOVER. Clumps of tough, grassy foliage. 8-inch stems topped by globe-clusters of bright pink, yellow-stamened flowers for a long period in late spring well into summer. Very tough plant which grows on sand dunes and withstands sea spray in its native habitat. Tidy little clump-style edging plant, showy and long-blooming. Sun, average conditions, drought tolerant.
Aruncus dioicus x sinensis 'Zweiweltenkind'. 'CHILD OF TWO WORLDS' GOATSBEARD.
Perennial. Zone 1. This is an excellent German cultivar introduced by famed plantsman Karl Foerster, strong proponent of many of the plants we now have come to regard as garden standards. It is a cross of two species, Aruncus dioicus – native to North America and Northern Europe – and the Chinese Aruncus sinensis – hence the rather romantic cultivar name. It forms sturdy clumps 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. Upright panicles of tiny, densely packed, creamy white flowers are produced for several weeks in midsummer. Attractive, healthy foliage looks great spring into late fall. This is an absolutely trouble-free plant, that rare thing, a plant-it-and-let-it-alone creature. It just gets better with age. This said, it also takes a few years to reach its full size and potential, so make sure you plant it with some space around it, and exercise just a bit of patience. Oh – and if you decide you need to move it, go right ahead. It transplants very nicely as long as you include a generous amount of soil around its fibrous root ball. Sun to shade, good soil, likes moisture but quite tolerant of various conditions. Deer resistant, too.
Asclepias incarnata. ROSY SWALLOW WORT 'CINDERELLA'.
Perennial. Zone 3. Domed clusters of two-toned pink flowers of intricate design top strong, 2 to 3 foot tall stems lined with glossy, blue-green leaves. Sweetly fragrant. Attracts butterflies and bees. Good cutflower, seedheads are excellent everlastings. Blooms mid to late summer. Takes a few years to reach full size. Plants are late to emerge in spring, so mark the site and cultivate carefully to avoid breaking off hidden shoots. Moist, humus-rich soil, sun to light shade.
Asclepias incarnata 'alba'. SWALLOW WORT 'ICE BALLET'.
Perennial. Zone 3. The white-flowered variant of Rosy Swallow Wort. Greeny-white bud clusters open to pure white, intricately designed flowers in small domed heads for a long period in summer. Attracts bees and butterflies. To 3 feet tall once established. Moist, humus-rich soil, sun to light shade.
Asclepias tuberosa. BUTTERFLY MILKWEED.
Perennial. Zone 3. Small, intricately detailed, brilliantly red-orange, domed flower clusters in midsummer. Highly attractive to many species of butterfly. Excellent cutflower. To 36 inches tall when established and mature. A long-lived, "do not disturb" plant. Takes a few years to reach full size. Plants are late to emerge in spring, so mark the site and cultivate carefully to avoid breaking off hidden shoots. Full sun, drought tolerant once established.
Asplenium scolopendrium. HART'S TONGUE FERN.
Perennial fern. Zone 4. A.k.a. Phyllitis scolopendrium. European and north-Asiatic semi-evergreen fern, common throughout its range by streamsides and in shady, moist forest and subalpine sites. Handsome, glossy, light green foliage is not at all fernlike, until one checks under the long, strappy leaves and sees the neat arrangement of conspicuous, brown, spore-bearing sori. Very nice in the shady mixed border, contrasts beautifully with other more "traditional" fronded ferns. Part to full shade, humus rich soil, likes moisture.
Aster ericoides. HEATH ASTER.
Perennial. Zone 3. Compositae. Syn. Symphyotrichum ericoides. Central and eastern North America. Bushy, compact clump former, 1 to 2 feet tall and wide. Wiry stems are lined with rigid, narrow leaves, resembling the Heather (Erica sp.) of its Latin species name. Covered in a profusion of small, many-petalled, starry white blooms in late summer well into fall. Good for border colour as the growing season wanes. Very attractive to butterflies. Full sun, average soil and moisture. Very adaptable, clay and sand tolerant, drought tolerant.
Aster macrophyllus. BIGLEAF ASTER.
Perennial. Zone 3. Syn. Eurybia macrophylla. Central and eastern North America. Rhizomatous clump former from deciduous woodlands, where it grows in dense stands in open forests. A handsome foliage plant in the early part of the season. Large, heart-shaped, dark green leaves in basal clumps, which send up 2 foot stems in mid summer, topped by loose sprays of pale purple, yellow-eyed daisy flowers. Attractive to butterflies, bees, and numerous other pollinators. Foliage blushes purple in fall. Good in a "wild garden", sharing its bloom time with goldenrods and grasses. Sun to open shade, average soil and moisture.
Aster pyrenaeus. PYRENEES AUTUMN ASTER.
Perennial. Zone 4. As autumn arrives, the asters come into their own. This bushy charmer covers itself in palest lilac stars from August onwards. A butterfly magnet, and the bees like it, too. Originally from the French and Spanish Pyrennees Mountains, where it is now an endangered species in the wild. (Our seed was from a sustainable cultivated source.) Reaches 18 inches or so in height, and spreads to 2 feet or more at maturity. Appreciates good drainage, drought tolerant once established. Full sun to light shade, average soil and moisture.
Astilbe chinensis var. pumila. CHINESE ASTILBE.
Perennial. Zone 4. Tibet. Clump forming, ferny-leaved dwarf astilbe from the Himalayan foothills. Short spiky plumes of tiny, pale purple flowers in early to mid-summer. Foliage reaches 6 inches in height, with bloom stalks to a foot or so. One of the more dry soil tolerant astilbes, but appreciates summer moisture. Shade to sun, average soil and moisture.
Astrantia major. 'STAR OF BEAUTY' ASTRANTIA.
Perennial. Zone 3. Umbelliferaceae. The genus name Astrantia is based on the Latin root word astra – "star" – and this pretty cultivar picks up on that for its common name. Tidy clumps of raggedly cut, rather maple-like leaves produce numerous bloom stems topped by loose clusters of bracted flowerheads in a gentle shade of maroon-rose, with green and white accents. Blooms begin in early summer, are very long-lasting, and make excellent cutflowers. To 2 feet tall once established. Light to half shade, humus rich soil, and prefers plenty of moisture in hot summers.
Athyrium filix-femina var. angustum. NORTHERN LADY FERN 'LADY IN RED'.
Perennial. Zone 4. A classic smaller fern from the woodlands of Asia, Europe, Scandinavia and North America. 'Lady in Red' is named for the reddish colouration of its stems. Frond leaves are bright green. To 2 feet tall, with a typical fernish growth habbit: fronds emerging from a central clump to form a graceful "fountain" effect. Part to full shade, average soil and moisture. Appreciates some extra water in hot summer areas.
Baptisia australis. BLUE WILD INDIGO.
Perennial. Zone 2. A.k.a. FALSE INDIGO. Deep indigo-blue, lupine-like flowers in long racemes top 4 foot clumps of blue-green foliage. Blooms late June and early July. Inflated black seed pods add to the interst. Mature plants are quite stunning – a real "border backbone" plant, with excellent foliage. This one does take a few years to really get going. Expect flowers in year 3 or so, and a few more to reach full size. Site carefully, mark well, and don't disturb as it forms a deep taproot and will not transplant well, if at all. Very long lived and trouble-free; good for decades. Full sun, average soil, quite drought tolerant once established.
Belamcanda chinensis syn. Iris domestica. BLACKBERRY LILY.
Perennial. Zone 4. China, Japan. A.k.a. LEOPARD LILY. An old-fashioned, wild-flowery sort of plant, once much grown in gardens, but seldom seen in the Cariboo, though it has proven quite hardy for us over the last decade that we've grown it. Fan-shaped foliage clusters of flat, strappy leaves to 2 feet tall or so arise from elongated rhizomes. Budding stems are sent up in early summer, and the small but beautiful flowers start to open in early August, to continue well into September. Flowers are 2 inches across, and bright peachy-orange spotted with purple-red. Each bloom only lasts a day or two, but is quickly followed by another, and another, and another… The common name 'Blackberry Lily' comes from the fascinating seed clusters, which do indeed look like shiny blackberries when the papery husks split open in late fall. These make good everlastings for winter decoration, or can be left in the garden for fall and winter interest, until they drop off or are eaten by wild birds. Sun to part shade, average conditions. Appreciates well-drained soil.
Buphthalmum speciosum. GOLDEN OXE-EYE.
Perennial. Zone 2. Asteraceae. Poland, Yugoslavia. Syn. Telekia speciosa. Very similar to the Inula (Elecampane) genus. As many of you already know, we like big plants – the statuesque ones which really make a presence. This one fits right in. Big, bold leaves are heart-shaped, downy and warmly aromatic. Sturdy stalks 3 to 5 feet tall are topped by large and showy deep orange-yellow daisies in June and July. Best at the back of the border, or possibly in a wildflower or herb garden. Sun to part shade, average soil, likes moisture.
Callirhoe involucrata. POPPY MALLOW.
Perennial. Zone 4. North America. A.k.a. WINE CUPS. Satin-textured, neon magenta-pink, wide open blooms with paler centers are produced in great profusion over deeply cut foliage in late spring and into summer. Of a rather sprawling habit, stems can reach 12 to 36 inches in length but usually ramble over the ground so overall height is 12 inches. Interesting North American prairie native, often grown as an edging plant or in a rockery where it can be allowed to cascade. Very eye-catching blooms, vivid colour. Tap-rooted, so site it where you think you want is as it may not survive a move once mature. (The tap root also ensures its superior drought tolerance.) Sun, well-drained soil, drought tolerant.
Kristl Walek of Ontario's stellar (and now sadly defunct) Gardens North, where I originally obtained my seeds, had this to say:
Native to the short-grass prairie and sandy, dry soils of western and mid-western North America and an outstanding plant for the garden. Inappropriately, it seems the generic name of this denizen of dry places honors Callirrhoe, the daughter of Achelous, a minor Greek river god. The flowers are glowing, satiny magenta cups, up to 2″ across which begin in June and never cease until frost. Its leafy flowering stems are prostrate and will spread out 1-3′ from the crown by midsummer, so give it plenty of space in a sun-baked spot.
Campanula alliariifolia. 'IVORY BELLS' CAMPANULA.
Perennial. Zone 4. A vigorous basal clump of heart-shaped foliage produces arching 2-foot stems lined with small, nodding, bell-shaped ivory-white flowers in late June into September. Good border variety though seldom seen. Generous bloomer. Sun to light shade, average conditions.
Campanula cochlearifolia. FAIRIES' THIMBLE BELLFLOWER.
Perennial. Zone 3. Europe. Absolutely charming tiny alpine bellflower thrives in the rockery or as a border edging. Small heart-shaped foliage forms a gently creeping mat. Wire-thin bloom stems emerge in summer and produce a beautifully generous crop of little blue bells which tremble with every breeze. 3 to 6 inches tall in bloom, spreads to about a foot or so in diameter. Sun to part shade, average conditions.
Campanula persicifolia. 'TELHAM BEAUTY' PEACH-LEAF BELLFLOWER.
Perennial. Zone 2. A.k.a. PEACHBELLS, WILLOW BELLFLOWER. This is a reliable, old-fashioned cottage garden plant, dating back to the late 1500s, which has been getting just a bit harder to find in recent years, as nurseries concentrate their energies on keeping their customers up to date with newer introductions. But the classic peach-leaf bellflower won't be disappearing anytime soon; it will carry on quietly lighting up its garden corners in its quietly lovely, well-behaved way. Lush clumps of lanceolate foliage send up slender 18 to 24 inch stems, which produce many large, up- and out-facing china blue bellflowers in summer. Heavy-blooming, and a dependable, easy flower. Pinch or clip off spent blooms to encourage continued flower production well into autumn, if you are so inclined (and if you have that sort of out-in-the-garden time on your hands!) Sun to part shade, average conditions.
Campanula persicifolia. 'WHITE BELLS' PEACH-LEAF BELLFLOWER.
Perennial. Zone 2. A.k.a. PEACHBELLS, WILLOW BELLFLOWER. See the description of 'Talham Beauty', above. 'White Queen' is exactly the same, only a pristine white versus soft blue. Really lights up the garden. Sun to part shade, average conditions.
Campanula primulifolia. SPANISH BELLFLOWER.
Perennial. Zone 4. Spain, Portugal. Handsome, crinkle-edged foliage does indeed resemble that of a Primula – hence the Latin species name. Long stems to 30 inches tall are lined with many pointed buds which open into 2-inch wide, pale lavender-blue, up- and out-facing, wide-open bellflowers with contrasting dark purple eyes. Sun to part shade, good soil and moisture.
Campanula punctata 'rubriflora'. ROSY SPOTTED JAPANESE BELLFLOWER.
Perennial. Zone 4. Japan. Large cream to rosy bells speckled burgundy inside on arching, 2-foot stems in June and July. Attractive foliage. Vigorous spreader; grow with other competitive plants or use as an under-tree groundcover. Sun to part shade, average conditions.
Campanula thyrsoides. YELLOW-SPIKE BELLFLOWER.
Biennial. Zone 3. European Alps, Jura Mountains. Palest sulphur yellow outfacing bells on crowded, dense spikes to 24 inches tall in midsummer. An unusual and very attractive plant from high European Alps. Sun, well-drained soil, summer moisture.
Campanula trachelium x punctata var. Hondoensis. 'SARASTRO' BELLFLOWER.
Perennial. Zone 4. A relatively new hybrid Campanula – late 1990s/early 2000s? – we don't have an exact date of introduction – from Christian Kress of Sarastro Nursery in Austria. We have been keeping an eye on this one for the last few years, and our test planting has shown us that this is a stellar border plant, with all of the beauty of its handsome parents, without their overly exuberant spreadiness. 'Sarastro' has a mannerly clumping habit, and sends up lots of 18 to 24 inch stems lined with attractive, elongated, serrated, heart-shaped leaves. Large, deep purple, rather wrinkled buds appear in June, opening into huge, down-facing, rich violet-blue bells which continue well into July. After bloom, the plant may be cropped back to half-height, for re-bloom in autumn. And for those who like to collect tidbits of interesting information regarding their garden plants, 'Sarastro' is ostensibly named after a key character in Mozart's 'The Magic Flute' opera, who endows one of the heroes with a gift of magical bells. How appropriate! Sun to part shade, average soil and moisture.
Carlina acaulis. WEATHER THISTLE, ALPINE THISTLE.
Perennial. Zone 4. Compositae. Pale beige-yellow, thistle-like flowers are produced in the centers of attractive rosettes of jaggedly toothed, spiny foliage. These open wide to large (3 to 5-inch) white-centered, silvery-bracted seedheads which make fabulous everlastings. Flowers open wide in sunny weather and close at night or during wet and cloudy days, hence the common name "weather thistle". Native to the Mediterranean region and and the European Alps, where it is a protected species. To 12 inches high and wide. Sun, well-drained soil.
Catananche caerulea. CUPID'S DART.
Perennial. Zone 4. I was never all that keen on the idea of this plant, until I saw an established clump in full bloom in a dry Kamloops garden, and lost my heart to it completely. Pale lavender-blue, 2-inch daisy-flowers with flat, square-edged, overlapping petals top many wiry, 12 to 24 inch stems which arise from tufts of downy, narrow foliage. Profuse bloom in its first season. Named for its supposed old-time use in love potions. Very pretty! Sun, good soil and moisture, good drainage for winter.
Chelone glabra. WHITE TURTLEHEAD.
Perennial. Zone 3. Scrophulariaceae. Eastern North America. Native to streamsides and swampy areas of Eastern North America, where it is part of the complex deciduous forest plant community which has given gardeners so many good things for their domesticated landscapes. Clump forming, with many stiff stems to 2 feet or so, lined with coarsely toothed, glossy, deep green leaves, topped by short spikes of snapdragon-like, white-blushed pink blooms in late summer and fall. Not tremendously showy, but well-behaved in its restrainedly vigorous way, and pleasant as a fall blooming nectar source for butterflies and native bees. Individual blooms look like little turtle heads emerging from their shells, and are the inspiration for the scientific name: chelone meaning "tortoise" in Latin. Sun to light shade, good soil and moisture.
Chelone lyonii. 'PINK TEMPTATION' TURTLEHEAD.
Perennial. Zone 4. Eastern North America. A woodland and streamside native of Eastern North American deciduous forests, Turtlehead has been domesticated and hybridized into several popular cultivars. 'Pink Temptation' is a low growing, lush and bushy plant, 12 to 18 inches tall and wide, with abundant deep green, glossy foliage. Spikes of light pink, rather snapdragon-like blooms do indeed look like the heads of curious turtles, peeking out of their shells. Blooms summer into autumn. A good pond-side plant, as it thrives with wet roots. Sun to part shade, good soil and moisture.
Coreopsis lanceolata. 'STERNTALER' LANCELEAF COREOPSIS.
Perennial. Zone 4. North America. Large, golden yellow semi-double daisy flowers, with deeply cut petals and contrasting dark red eye zones, 12 to 16 inches tall. This Coreopsis has a very long bloom time in summer, June through August. Excellent bee and butterfly plant. Clip off spent blooms occasionally to keep new buds coming. A prairie wildflower which has received attention from plant breeders and is available in a number of garden-worthy cultivars. Sun, average conditions, drought tolerant.
Corydalis solida. 'BETH EVANS' CORYDALIS.
Perennial. Zone 4. Northern Europe and Asia. A charming spring ephemeral, arising quickly in late April, blooming like mad for a few glorious weeks, then quickly retiring back underground until the following year. Ferny, rather succulent, blue-green foliage. 10-inch stems are topped with dense clusters of tubular, long-spurred, bright pink flowers. Early-flying bees find these irresistible. Grows from small, tuberous storage roots, which allow it to survive while spending the summer comletely dormant. Mark the spot so you don't inadvertently disturb the bulbs while digging. (But if you do, they are easily replanted.) *Very limited quantity for 2019. Light to full shade, average conditions. Deer resistant.
Crocosmia x crocosmiiflora. CROCOSMIA 'GEORGE DAVISON'.
Perennial. Zone 4/5. One of the hardiest of the fall-blooming Crocosmias, 'George Davison' was named after its hybridizer, head gardener at Westwick Hall in Cambridgeshire, England, in the late 1800s and early 1900s. 'George Davison' received a Royal Horticultural Society Award of Garden Merit in 1902. Clusters of round corms produce lush clumps of strappy, 2 foot leaves, and many wiry stems lined with pendant, lily-like, 3-inch wide warm yellow blooms starting in August and continuing until frost. They bring fresh colour to the garden at a time when many perennials are winding down. Late-travelling hummingbirds love these blooms. This originally South African plant may not be completely hardy in our Cariboo gardens, but sited along the base of a wall or among rocks, and with good snow cover or other winter protection, it can withstand winter temperatures into the minus 20s. Alternatively, it can be dug up and overwintered as you would gladiolas or dahlias. A webbed water plant pot works well when planting, so the clusters of corms can be lifted en masse. This is an easy and cheerfully generous bloomer, and is well worth a try for those in the warmer microclimates of our area. Full sun, average soil and moisture.
Cynara scolymus. GLOBE ARTICHOKE 'TAVOR'.
Tender perennial. Compositae. Globe artichokes are tender perennials which cannot overwinter in our climate, but luckily the cultivar 'Tavor' has been specially bred for short-season, annual production. Large, ornamental plants with jaggedly toothed foliage send up sturdy 24-inch stems topped by huge, scaled artichoke buds in late summer. These can be harvested to eat as a delicacy, or may be left to open into the most gorgeous blooms – very showy, irridescent purple, thread-like flower petals emerge in a huge cluster from the buds. These can be cut to use in flower arrangements, or dried as everlastings. When I grew these for cutting some years ago they sold on sight; customers left standing orders for following years. Also an excellent bee plant! Sun, good soil and moisture, the more heat the better.
Cyperus papyrus. PAPYRUS.
Tender perennial/grow as an annual or overwinter indoors. Cyperaceae. This is the vigorous Egyptian reed once used to make paper. It's now become something of a summer standard for people with water features, and it performs its duties most elegantly. Bright green, reed-like foliage in an ever-expanding clump, sending up flowerheads 4 to 6 feet into the air, topped by fantastical spiky clusters of green buds opening into brown flowers. These can be cut in late fall, and make interesting everlastings. Sun to light shade, clay-ish soil, loves moisture. Grow submerged in a water plant container, or by the pondside. Good in large planters as well.
Delosperma congestum. GOLDEN ICEPLANT.
Perennial. Zone 3. Aizoaceae. This exotic little beauty from South Africa is surprisingly hardy in North American gardens. The seedlings are the cutest things ever, little green bunny ears poking up. Low growing, succulently spiky foliage. Covered completely in intense bright yellow, glossy-petalled daisies in summer. Blooms open in sun, close in evenings and on cloudy days. 3 inches tall, spreads to 12 inches or so. Sun, heat lover, appreciates summer moisture.
Delosperma x cooperi. 'TABLE MOUNTAIN' ICEPLANT.
Perennial. Zone 4/5. Aizoaceae. Another South African iceplant which is receiving a lot of attention since its introduction by Plant Select, a collaborative project between Denver Botanic Garden and Colorado State University in developing and promoting "steppe-hardy" perennials. Succulent, pointed foliage in dense clusters 3 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches in diameter are starred from mid-summer on with large, glistening, bright magenta blooms. These open in the sun and close up tightly at night and on overcast days. For the rockery or raised border edging in full sun. Winter hardiness in our area is a bit touch and go – some make it through, some don't – but this charmer is attractive enough in its first year to make it worth the gamble. Sun, heat lover, quite drought tolerant yet appreciates a bit of moisture during the very hottest times.
Delphinium x belladonna. GARLAND DELPHINIUM.
Perennial. Zone 3. Ranunculaceae. If you love the true delphinium blues, but can't seem to get the tall ones properly staked before they inevitably flop, you'll want to look at this lovely strain. This graceful delphinium produces almost endless bloom, right through summer and into autumn, if one is diligent in clipping out spent bloom stalks. Multi-branching spikes of large blooms. 3 to 4 feet tall, but seldom needs support. Bees enjoy the flowers. Sun to light shade, average soil and moisture.
- 'BELLAMOSUM' – Deep cobalt blue, dark bees.
- 'CLIVEDEN BEAUTY' – Light cobalt-blue flowers with white-brown-black bees. Originated in famous gardens of Cliveden House in England in 1918.
- 'CASA BLANCA' – Clouds of pure white, yellow bees.
Delphinium grandiflorum. CHINESE DELPHINIUM.
Perennial. Zone 4. A.k.a. CHINESE LARKSPUR, SIBERIAN LARKSPUR. This excellent small delphinium is highly prized for its showy true-blue flowers, its long bloom time, and its general adaptability to the flower border. Deeply cut foliage in small, basal clumps. Branching bloom stalks to 18 inches or taller are loaded with large, open-faced, pure cobalt blue flowers for a long period in summer. Short-lived, as it tends to bloom itself out, but seeds are easy to collect to resow, and if allowed to naturally self sow it will maintain a lovely colony all on its own. Sun, average soil and moisture.
Delphinium grandiflorum. 'BLUE BUTTERFLY' DELPHINIUM.
Perennial. Zone 4. Syn. Delphinium chinensis x. A beautiful dwarf delphinium strain with parentage from a Chinese alpine larkspur. Deeply cut foliage in compact clumps, with many branching bloom stems to 18 inches or so, crowded with large, open-faced, bright cobalt blue flowers for a long season in summer. Sun, average conditions.
Delphinium x hybrid. DELPHINIUM 'PACIFIC GIANTS'.
Perennial. Zone 1. Ranunculaceae. These classic tall delphiniums closely resemble the aristocratic British varieties but were bred by Frank Reinhelt in the 1950s to better withstand North American conditions. Be ready to stake bloom stems – these guys will be 4 to 6 feet tall. Sun, good soil, average moisture.
- 'ASTOLAT' – Light raspberry-lilac-rose, fawn bee.
- 'BLACK KNIGHT – Deep, glowing, royal purple; black bee.
- 'BLUE BIRD'– Medium cobalt-blue; white bee.
- 'BLUE JAY' – Rich cobalt blue; dark bee.
- 'KING ARTHUR' – Brilliant, rich violet-blue; white bee.
- 'SUMMER SKIES' – Light sky blue; white bee.
Delphinium elatum hybrids. 'NEW MILLENNIUM' DELPHINIUMS.
Perennial. Zone 2. Ranunculaceae. Very exciting hybrids from the legendary Dowdeswell's Delphiniums in New Zealand. Colour and form are outstanding – if you love delphiniums these will make you a very happy gardener! Most are 5 to 6 feet or taller once established, with multiple strong bloom stalks from basal clumps of healthy foliage. Prepare to stake these before they bloom, for though sturdy they will snap off in summer storms. We've been growing these strains for a few years and are deeply impressed by their beauty. Sun, average conditions.
- 'COBALT DREAMS' – Rich, vibrant mid to dark cobalt blue with white bees.
- 'INNOCENCE' – Pure white with white bees – tall and strong.
- 'MARBLE DELIGHTS' – Double and semi-double, shades of purple with darker mottling on petal edges, multicolour bees.
- 'MORNING LIGHTS' – Mauve backing petals, mid-blue inner petals; white bees.
- 'PAGAN PURPLES' – Dark purple-blues, double flowers.
- 'SUNNY SKIES' – Pale sky blue with white bees.
Delphinium x hybrid. DELPHINIUM 'MAGIC FOUNTAINS'.
Perennial. Zone 1. Ranunculaceae. Dwarf, sturdy, no-need-to-stake version of the classic spike Delphiniums. About 24 inches tall. Very full bloom spikes. Lovely in the border, makes a wonderful cutflower, too. Blooms in early summer, and often reblooms in fall if spent bloom stalks are clipped back. Full sun, good soil and moisture.
- 'CHERRY BLOSSOM' – Mauve-pink; white bee.
Dianthus arenarius. FRINGED PINK 'WHITE MAIDEN'.
Perennial. Zone 2. Caryophyllaceae. Finland, Northern Europe. Grass-like mats of needle-like foliage produce many slender 6 inch stems topped by tiny, very fragrant, pure white, fringed flowers June into August. Lovely rockery and edging plant. Sun to light shade, average conditions.
Dianthus gratianopolitanus. 'LA BOURBOULE' CHEDDAR PINK.
Perennial. Zone 4. This pretty cultivar of the English Chaddar Pink forms dense, compact mounds of needle-like foliage, starred in summer with many fringe-petalled, clear pink, spicily clove-scented. blooms in late spring into summer. For rockery, bank or border edging. Sun, average conditions.
Dianthus nitidus. CARPATHIAN GLOSSY PINK.
Perennial. Zone 4. Basal clumps of stiff, bright green, needle-like foliage send up slender 6 to 12 inch stems topped by clusters of fragrant, light pink blooms in early summer. Sun, average conditions.
Dianthus plumarius. 'SPRING CHARM' COTTAGE PINKS.
Perennial. Zone 2. A.k.a. LACED PINKS, SOPS-IN-WINE, GILLIFLOWERS. Very old strain from England brought to perfection by cottage gardeners over centuries. Quickly form clumps of foliage to 6 inches tall in height and 12 inches or more in spread. Countless fine stems topped by large, single or double flowers in shades of pink, rose and crimson – most with contrasting eyes, zones, flecks, patches. Petal edges neatly incised – "pinked" ! Wonderful clove-like fragrance. Blooms June and July, repeating through summer if spent blooms clipped off. For rock garden or border edging, and especially fine where it can cascade. Sun, good drainage needed.
Dianthus plumarius 'flore pleno'. DOUBLE-FLOWERED COTTAGE PINK.
Perennial. Zone 2. A.k.a. LACED PINKS, SOPS-IN-WINE, GILLIFLOWERS. Very old strains from England brought to perfection by cottage gardeners over centuries. Quickly form clumps of foliage to 6 inches tall in height and 12 inches or more in spread. Countless fine stems topped by double flowers in shades of pink or white (depending on strain – these are identified on the tags) – with contrasting eyes, zones, flecks, patches. Petal edges neatly incised – "pinked" ! Wonderful clove-like fragrance. Blooms June and July, repeating through summer if spent blooms clipped off. For rock garden or border edging, and especially fine where it can cascade. Sun, good drainage needed.
Dicentra formosa. WESTERN BLEEDING HEART.
Perennial. Zone 2. Beautiful ferny, grey-green foliage in low growing clumps. In late spring, clusters of teardrop-shaped, mauve-toned-pink flowers open along gracefully curving stems, continuing well into summer. 12 inches tall and wide. Woodland flower, light to deep shade, good soil and moisture.
Digitalis ferruginea syn. aurea. RUSTY FOXGLOVE.
Biennial or short-lived perennial. Zone 4. Rusty-red thimble-flowers, speckled with burgundy and lined with many hairs, densely surround 2 to 4 foot tall spikes for a long season in summer. Sun, well-drained soil.
Digitalis grandiflora. YELLOW FOXGLOVE.
Perennial. Zone 2. Syn. Digitalis ambigua. Large, down-facing, palest creamy yellow bells spotted maroon inside, on one-sided spikes to 24 inches tall. Lanceolate foliage in basal rosettes. Blooms all through June and well into July, may rebloom if cut back. True perennial, very hardy. Sun to part shade, average conditions.
Digitalis lanata. GRECIAN FOXGLOVE.
Biennial or short-lived perennial. Zone 4. Greece, Southern Danube region of Austria. A.k.a. WOOLY FOXGLOVE. I grew this some years ago and recently found a photo I took at that time – pre-digital age! I was immediately reminded of what a good-looking, quietly elegant plant this is. Several long, sturdy stems arise from the base and slowly extend upwards. Lined with glossy, lance-shaped leaves, the flower buds develop on the top third of the stems, peeking out from among their nests of long, woolly hairs. The buds open over a long period in summer to out-facing, pale honey-yellow, tubular blooms with prominent chalk-white lower lips, strongly marked with rich brown "netting". Great fun to watch bees crawl right inside these and vibrate wildly for a moment before backing out to tackle the next bloom. An important medicinal Digitalis grown commercially for use in pharmeceuticals. Very ornamental. To 3 feet tall. Sun, well-drained soil.
Digitalis x mertonensis. STRAWBERRY FOXGLOVE.
Perennial. Zone 4. A.k.a. Digitalis mertonensis 'Summer King'. Robust 2 to 3 foot spires are lined with large, hanging bells in a rich, rosy, crushed strawberry colour. Thriving clumps of lush, deep green foliage. A very pleasing plant. A true perennial, though it tends to bloom itself to death. Often the central clump will die away, leaving a few offsets, which can be carefully transplanted a little deeper down to allow the roots to anchor firmly and produce another plant. Sun to part shade, good soil and moisture.
Digitalis obscura. WILLOW-LEAVED FOXGLOVE.
Perennial. Zone 4. Spain. This is one of the slender foxgloves, graceful and upright in a restrained way. Rosettes of willow-like, elongated foliage produce 1 to 2 foot tall stalks lined with many large, tubular, down-facing blooms in summer. These are a warm, rusty-tinted, greenish-orange, veined and spotted dark red inside. The bees approve, and queue up to take turns crawling inside the attractive flowers. Sun, well-drained soil.
Digitalis parviflora. CHOCOLATE FOXGLOVE.
Biennial or short-lived perennial. Zone 4. Spain, Portugal. Handsome little foxglove for border or rockery. Clumps of graceful, 24-inch tall stems, lined with down-facing, rather woolly foliage. The top two-thirds of each stem is densely lined with woolly buds, which open into rich chocolate-purple tubular blooms with contrasting, protruding yellow stamens. Long period of bloom in summer. Unique and attractive. Sun, well-drained soil.
Digitalis purpurea. 'PAM'S CHOICE' FOXGLOVE.
Biennial. Zone 4. Syn. 'ELSIE KELSEY'. Outstanding recent selection which is fast becoming a standard variety due to its excellent qualities and showy appearance. Large, pure white bells heavily spotted and splashed rich maroon-plum in throats. Very eye-catching. 4 feet tall. Sun to light shade, good soil and moisture.
Digitalis purpurea. 'SUGAR PLUM' FOXGLOVE.
Biennial. Zone 4. Delicious new cultivar which produces sturdy spikes of large, upward and outward-facing lavender-pink bells heavily blotched inside with rich burgundy-red. 3 to 4 feet tall. Blooms in late spring and early summer. Sun to light shade, good soil and moisture.
Digitalis purpurea x. 'DALMATION PEACH' FOXGLOVE.
Biennial. Zone 4. A compact cultivar which reaches 24 inches tall and blooms in late summer of its first year. Pale peachy-apricot flowers are spotted buff and pink. Beloved by bees. A beautiful variety. Sun to light shade, good soil and moisture.
Digitalis purpurea x. 'DALMATION PURPLE' FOXGLOVE.
Biennial. Zone 4. A sister plant to the delectable 'Dalmation Peach', and just as grand a cultivar. Compact spikes to 24 inches tall bloom in late summer of its first year. Warm violet-purple flowers are vividly spotted with burgundy inside. Beloved by bees. Sun to light shade, good soil and moisture.
Digitalis thapsi. SPANISH FOXGLOVE.
Perennial. Zone 4. A.k.a. MULLEIN FOXGLOVE. Rosettes of softly fuzzy, lance-shaped foliage. Bloom stems to 2 feet tall are lined with elongated, pendulous, soft pink flowers in early summer. Very attractive to bees, as are all the foxgloves. Sun to light shade, good soil and moisture.
Dodecatheon meadia. EASTERN SHOOTING STAR.
Perennial. Zone 3. A.k.a. PEACOCK FLOWER. Neat rosettes of oval leaves send up several 12 to 24 inch stems topped with crowded flower clusters in early spring. Individual blooms reward closer inspection – deeply reflexed, glowing purple petals point backwards, drawing attention to the contrasting dark eyes and downward protruding stamens. Nothing else quite like it. Often goes summer dormant, so mark its location. Sun to part shade, good soil and moisture.
Doronicum austriacum. AUSTRIAN LEOPARD'S BANE.
Perennial. Zone 4. Clumps of slender, 24-inch stems lined neatly with rough-textured, dark green, heart-shaped foliage and topped by thin-petalled, bright yellow daisy-flowers in spring. Grown from seed collected in the Hochschwab Mountains, Austria. Sun to light shade, average conditions.
Dracocephalum argunense. DRAGONHEAD.
Perennial. Zone 4. Northeast Asia. Named after the northern Manchurian republic of Argun, where it was first classified by European botanists. A showy little plant of its kind. Clumps of dark green, needle-like foliage to 12 inches tall and wide produce short spikes of large-for-the-plant's-size, glowing violet-blue or white dragon's head blooms from June through August. Named cultivars include 'Fuji Blue' and 'Fuji White'. Sun to light shade, good soil, average moisture, good drainage preferred. Drought tolerant once established.
Dracocephalum botyroides. CAUCASIAN DRAGONHEAD. 🐝
Perennial. Zone 2. Lamiaceaeae. Caucasus Mountains. Absolutely charming small alpine. Tidy clumps of deeply lobed, softly furred, aromatic leaves to only a few inches tall, producing clusters of small, dusty pink, dragon's-head-shaped flowers in summer. Covered with bees when in bloom. For rockery or border front. Protect from overwhelming garden neighbors! Happiest with gravel topdressing, or among rocks. Sun to light shade, good soil, average moisture, good drainage preferred.
Dracocephalum rupestre. ROCK DRAGONHEAD.
Perennial. Zone 4. Lamiaceaeae. Western China, Mongolia. Native habitat is in subalpine meadows and forest edges. For border edging or rockeries. Compact, bushy plants. Elongated bloom stems are topped with charming racemes of intensely blue-violet, salvia-like "dragonshead" in June and July. Excellent dark green foliage is heart-shaped and deeply wrinkled. 12 inches tall and wide. Medicinal and herbal uses in its native land, but often grown solely for its attractive flowers and fine garden form. Very attractive to bees. Sun to light shade, good soil, average moisture, good drainage preferred.