There are about 100 species of hairless or softly hairy annuals and perennial, some becoming woody at the bases, in this genus. They occur on drier prairies and in woodland in Northern and Central America and Mexico. Most have slender, upright stems and produce opposite leaves, which may be either simple and smooth edged, pinnate, or palmate (either palmately lobed or divided, 3 palmate). Daisy like, pink or golden yellow, some bi-colored flowers are borne on long stalks, they are good for cut flowers (generally produced over a very long period in summer), and are attractive to bees. Grow in an annual, herbaceous, or mixed border. Some cultivars, though perennials, are grown as annuals, most flower freely in their first year from seed.

Grow in fertile, well drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Deadhead to prolong flowering. Support taller cultivars. Divide perennials in late winter or early spring. They dislike heavy clay but are tolerant of coastal region, poor, stony soil.

Prone to bacterial spot, rust, botrytis flower blight, aster yellows, powdery mildew, downy mildew, fungal spots, slugs and snails.

C. ‘Moonbeam’ – C. verticillata ‘Moonbeam’ – This upright perennial grows 18″ tall and wide. It produces 3 pinnate leaves, to 2 ½” long, with linear, thread like, deep green leaflets. From early summer to autumn it bears lemon-yellow flowers, to 3/4″ across.

Zones 3-8

There are about 100 species of hairless or softly hairy annuals and perennial, some becoming woody at the bases, in this genus. They occur on drier prairies and in woodland in Northern and Central America and Mexico. Most have slender, upright stems and produce opposite leaves, which may be either simple and smooth edged, pinnate, or palmate (either palmately lobed or divided, 3 palmate). Daisy like, pink or golden yellow, some bi-colored flowers are borne on long stalks, they are good for cut flowers (generally produced over a very long period in summer), and are attractive to bees. Grow in an annual, herbaceous, or mixed border. Some cultivars, though perennials, are grown as annuals, most flower freely in their first year from seed.

Grow in fertile, well drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Deadhead to prolong flowering. Support taller cultivars. Divide perennials in late winter or early spring. They dislike heavy clay but are tolerant of coastal region, poor, stony soil.

Prone to bacterial spot, rust, botrytis flower blight, aster yellows, powdery mildew, downy mildew, fungal spots, slugs and snails.

C. grandiflora ‘Baby Sun’

Zones 5-9

There are about 100 species of hairless or softly hairy annuals and perennial, some becoming woody at the bases, in this genus. They occur on drier prairies and in woodland in Northern and Central America and Mexico. Most have slender, upright stems and produce opposite leaves, which may be either simple and smooth edged, pinnate, or palmate (either palmately lobed or divided, 3 palmate). Daisy like, pink or golden yellow, some bi-colored flowers are borne on long stalks, they are good for cut flowers (generally produced over a very long period in summer), and are attractive to bees. Grow in an annual, herbaceous, or mixed border. Some cultivars, though perennials, are grown as annuals, most flower freely in their first year from seed.

Grow in fertile, well drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Deadhead to prolong flowering. Support taller cultivars. Divide perennials in late winter or early spring. They dislike heavy clay but are tolerant of coastal region, poor, stony soil.

Prone to bacterial spot, rust, botrytis flower blight, aster yellows, powdery mildew, downy mildew, fungal spots, slugs and snails.

C. rosea ‘Heavens Gate’ –

Zones 4-8

Grow in moderately fertile, deep, reliably moist soil, in full sun with some midday shade. Shelter from strong winds and stake. Divide in spring.

zones 4-8

There are about 7 evergreen shrubs rarely small trees in the Ericaceae family, in this genus.  They occur in forest and on hillsides in the Himalayas, Eastern Asia, North America, West Indies and Cuba.  They are grown for their alternate or spiral arranged, oblong or lance shaped to obovate, smooth edged or toothed, pointed, glossy, mid green to dark green leaves, often attractively colored when young, and their terminal panicles of small, bell shaped spring borne usually white flowers, sometimes scented, are 1/4-3/8″ long.  Grow in a shrub border or in a woodland garden, or rock garden.  Leaves may cause severe discomfort if ingested.

Grow in moderately fertile, humus rich, moist but well drained, acidic soil in full sun or light shade.

Prone to canker, dieback, phytophthora root rot, lacebug, and menatodes.

P. japonica ‘Flaming Silver’ – Japanese Pieris – Lily-of-the-valley Bush –

Zones 6-8

There are 15-20 popular annuals, biennials, and perennial, in the Asteraceae family, in this genus. They are occur from moist meadows and light woodland in North America. They have branched or unbranched stems, and most have alternate, simple to pinnatifid, occasionally pinnate, prominently veined leaves, toothed toward the tips. Species range in height from 2′ to 10′ feet tall. It produces usually solitary, single or semi double daisy like flowers, often with petals that point down and out, and a prominent conical centers that can be black, brown, or green, held for long periods from summer to autumn. Most are good for cut flowers. Grow in a border, or naturalize in meadow or woodland garden. Most cultivars of R. hirta are grown as annual, and are good for bedding or border.

Grow in moderately fertile, preferably heavy but well drained soil that does not dry out, in full sun or partial shade. Divide in spring or fall.

zones 3-7

There area bout 70 species of traditional evergreen shrubs and trees, in this genus.  They occur in habitats ranging from rocky hills to woodland in Europe, Asia, Africa, Central America and the West Indies.  The leaves vary in size are opposite, linear-lance shaped to almost rounded, smooth edged, and leathery.  In spring, small, axillary tight clusters of star shaped, yellow-green flowers of both sexes are borne on the same plant, several male flowers, with conspicuous yellow anthers, surround on female, the flowers attract bees.  Boxwoods are grown mainly for their neat, dense, long lived growth habit and foliage, which can be variegated, and their ability to withstand clipping, which makes them ideal for hedging, mazes and topiary.  Fruits are small capsules with 2 little ‘Horns’ at the apex of each of the 3 segments, which split apart explosively to expel their seeds.  Use dwarf boxwoods for edging, as a groundcover, or in a rock garden.  Contact with sap may irritate skin and occasionally kill livestock.  Timber is famed for their close grained, yellowish wood,, used for carving and engraving.

Grow in any fertile, well drained soil, preferably in partial shade.  They are tolerant of sun, but the combination of full sun and dry soil may encourage poor, dull foliage color or scorching.  Prune in late spring.

Prone to powdery mildew, pythimum root rot, canker, dieback, leaf spots, leaf miners, scale insects, lesion nematodes, caterpillars, psyllids, and mites.

zone 6-9

Cardininal Bush – There are about 12, mostly arching to upright, deciduous shrubs within the Caprifoliaceae family, found naturally occurring in Japan, Korea, and Northeastern China, in this genus.  Most grow 6-10’ feet tall and wide and produce opposite, pointed elliptical, toothed leaves, usually to 4” long.  The foliage often develops orange, red, and purple tone in fall.  Weigelas are grown for their showy, bell to funnel shaped, pink to red, sometimes white or yellow flowers borne in late spring and early summer, these are usually 1 ½” long, and are borne singly or in corymbs or cymes of 3 or 4 on previous years growth, many are sparingly remontant.  Suitable for a mixed or shrub border, or for open woodland garden.  The flowers attract hummingbirds.

Grow in any fertile, well-drained moist soil in full sun or partial shade.

Prone to  root knot nematode, Japanese beetles, scale insects, Verticillium wilt, twig dieback, and lepidoptera.

W. florida ‘Tango’  – Old-fashioned Weigela –

Zones 5-8

Veronicas are easily grown. The alpine and rock garden grow well in poor to moderately fertile, well drained soil in full sun to partial shade. Protect those with felted leaves from excessive winter moisture. Grow border veronicas in loamy, moderately fertile, moist but well drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Grow V. beccabunga in wet soil, or in water to 5” deep. Divide perennials in autumn or spring.

Zone 4-8

There is a sole species of an erect perennial in this genus. It is found naturally occurring in conifer woods on moist, acidic soil in southeastern USA. It produces evergreen, simple, smooth leaves which are smooth edged, or sometimes with spines toward the bases, and form basal rosettes. The long lasting, colorful, terminal, corn flowers-like flowers are borne from late summer to fall, either solitary or in few to many flowered corymbs, they are good for cutting. Grow in a warm position in a herbaceous border.

Grow in light, fertile, moist but well drained, acidic soil in full sun or part shade. Liable to rot in damp, heavy soils. Provide support. Deadhead to prolong flowering. Divide in spring.

Prone to leaf spots and caterpillars.

S. laevis ‘Klaus Jelitto’ – Stokesia cyanea – This rosette forming, evergreen perennial from Southeastern USA, grows 24″ tall and 18″ wide. It produces elliptic to lance shaped, mid green basal leaves, to 8″ long, slightly spiny near the bases, and with conspicuous, pale greenish white midribs. From mid summer to early autumn, upright stems, with smaller, stalkless leaves, bear solitary, terminal, cornflower-like flowers, to 4″ across, these have spreading, fringed petals in light blue with whitish blue in the centers.

Zones 5-9