New Perennials for 2015 - Displayed by Common Name in Ascending Order

As the summer sets in, the leaves grow more broadly heart-shaped and turn green, remaining that way for the rest of the season. Consider replacing the standard green Brunnera macrophylla for this more colorful variety that offers a bit of bling in spring.

You’ll love this selection that bears larger 2-3”, pure white, lightly fragrant flowers from late spring into early summer with a possible rebloom in fall. Nodding, cup-shaped, single blossoms which are pollinated by bees are followed by attractive wooly seed heads.

‘Madonna’ makes an excellent groundcover with attractive dark green, divided leaves, growing best in sunny to partially shaded, moist soils in the north but needs afternoon shade if grown in the south. It tends to be more uniform than the straight species.This species of anenome spreads by running rhizomes, making it a choice groundcover for partially shaded areas. It will grow in any type of soil, but will spread more quickly in loose, sandy loam.

'Bergamo' has three great new features: mildew resistance, very early blooms, and beautiful new color! The long, flower-packed spikes begin opening by late spring. They combine lilac and rosy-Violet shades for an intense, dark color that really stands out, especially against the rather light green foliage. 'Bergamo' is blooming by late spring in most climates, and continues through summer without a rest.

Belamcanda blooms for weeks in late summer, and its season of interest is extended into fall with the interesting seed pods which develop. Tan, pear-shaped pods burst open to reveal clusters of black seeds resembling blackberries, hence the common name. They are persistant thru the winter and are attractive in fresh or dried flower arrangements.

This grass would be stunning in combination with silver foliage plants like Silver Mound Artemisia in a sunny, hot, dry spot in the landscape.

A small plant with an airy habit, it makes a nice, informal edging plant, and is most impressive and most fragrant when planted in groups.

In midsummer, deep red scapes carry showy panicles of hot pink buds which open to pale pink to white flowers with a hot pink base. From a distance, the flowers appear like a light pink cloud floating above the nicely contrasting dark foliage. This plant occasionally reblooms into fall.

This hybrid geranium is a spreading, rhizomatous plant typically growing 6-12" high. Features masses of 5-petaled white flowers (3/4" diameter) which are tinged with pink at the base of each petal (pink throat-like centers) and which have pronounced pink stamens. The overall flower effect is that of a very pale pink geranium. Blooms in late spring. Rounded, lobed, medium green foliage. 'Biokovo' runners extend further than those of the original hybrid, and therefore do not form as dense a foliage carpet. A naturally occurring hybrid which was discovered in the Biokova Mountains in Croatia.

The 4” bicolor blossoms display a unique blend of light peachy pink, ruffled petals with a narrow, purple eye, radiant yellow throat, purple midribs, and reddish veining. The recurved sepals are a deeper rose purple. They are presented atop slender, well-branched and very heavily budded scapes in early summer followed by nearly continuous bloom for the rest of the summer. Several flower scapes are produced from each fan, and this vigorous daylily can form up to six fans per year.

If you’ve had enough of Stella and are ready to try something with a softer color palette, try Stephanie!

Each 4", soft peachy yellow blossom with a large, rose pink eye, lemon throat, and romantically ruffled petals is of perfect form. You’ll be impressed with how quickly this daylily bulks up and unlike most daylilies that produce a single flower scape per fan, this one often produces several scapes per fan, making it extremely floriferous in the landscape.

Its short stature and continuous flower show makes this the perfect daylily for growing at the front of the border and in containers. Each flower has an extended bloom, remaining open for at least 16 hours.

It forms a massive, arching clump of silvery fronds with green highlights and dark purple stems. Like the Lady Fern, ‘Godzilla’ spreads slowly where it is happiest in moist, loamy soils.

Grow this fern as a low maintenance filler in shady borders combined with large hostas and Aralia ‘Sun King’.

Heucherellas are mainly grown for their attractive foliage and ‘Leapfrog’ is no exception. Its new growth in spring is bright chartreuse yellow with a prominent broken pattern of burgundy pigment in the center of each leaf. As temperatures rise and the leaves mature, they grow larger and mellow to green with dark purple centers.

In late spring, pure ivory, bottlebrush shaped flowers stand above the foliage on 24 inch tall scapes.

‘Leapfrog’ is a H. villosa hybrid which means that it is naturally more heat and humidity tolerant and also has greater vigor than Heucherellas without such parentage. It forms a very dense mound of interesting foliage that is evergreen in most climates.

This plant is particularly effective when planted in the cracks and crevices of stone walls or walkways. It is also very attractive in containers.

This hardy species of hollyhock has decorative lobed leaves that are borne all the way up the stems, leaving little bare stem at the base. ‘Las Vegas’ is a bit shorter than the species, standing about 5-6 feet tall in bloom.

The upright vase-shaped clump is topped with green scapes carrying pale violet flowers in midsummer. This hosta tends to be more slug resistant because of its thick substance foliage and rigidly upright habit. It can be grown as a single specimen in a large container or in a prominent place in the landscape.

In spring, the narrow wedge-shaped leaves are bright glaucous blue and they hold their color well. As the season progresses they turn more blue-green. The heavily rippled leaves are of good substance, displaying some slug resistance. Lavender flowers are produced on arching scapes in late summer to early fall.

This hosta has a lovely cascading form that is displayed to best effect when planted on a ledge or in a container.

In late summer, showy red scapes carry the dark lavender, tubular flowers.

Shiny green leaves of good substance display yellow margins which lighten to pale yellow. The foliage is somewhat upright early in the season, forming a broad spreading mound as the season progresses. Light lavender flowers appear on very long, sideways arching scapes in early to midsummer.

Its large, ruffled blossoms have pure violet standards, white falls with a deep violet plicata edge, and pale lilac beards.

This top award winning selection produces very large, extremely ruffled, purplish blue blossoms—the most extravagantly ruffled form of any blue iris. It’s prettier in person than any photo could ever express and when you see it for yourself you’ll also notice its pronounced, sweet fragrance. When the sun catches it just right in the evening, the watery blue petals appear almost translucent like the bubbly ocean.

This iris takes a little time to get established in the garden, but it is well worth the wait.

Strongly fragrant, soft lavender blue flowers are presented on very proportional wands beginning in early summer in the south, midsummer in the north.

This plant forms a neatly compact, dense mound of attractive foliage, making it perfect for use in containers, as edging, and in rock gardens.

Platinum Blonde™ is a multiple award winner including a nomination for Plant of the Year at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2013.

Before blooming, the foliage stands about 3 ½’ tall. In early to mid-fall, a profusion of feathery, cream colored plumes cover the top 2/3 of the plant. There are plenty to use for cut flowers and dried flower bouquets.

Be sure to leave this grass standing so it can provide winter interest through the snowy months.

In late summer or early fall, the foliage develops deep purple and red highlights which complement the showy flowers that emerge a rich shade of shimmering burgundy and copper, then mature into fluffy, creamy tan seed heads.

Compared to older Miscanthus like ‘Gracillimus’, this selection blooms much earlier (making it better for northern climates where the growing season is shorter) and has much improved fall color. It also develops its beautiful fall color earlier in the season.

Due to the fact that Oktoberfest ground cover plant is a fast grower, it is best to keep away from other low, slower growing plants or they may get smothered. grows great in hot, dry sites with poor soil. Sedum ground cover plants are a fast-spreading evergreen which forms a low carpet of tiny succulent green leaves, smothered by star-shaped creamy-white flowers all summer long. Due to the fact that Oktoberfest ground cover plant is a fast grower, it is best to keep away from other low, slower growing plants or they may get smothered. Oktoberfest tolerates moderate foot traffic once it is well-established.