Finally we were able to offer the marginata and the hirsuta primula that bloom at least twice in a season. These tiny beauties are an absolute must for your rock gardens. We’ve potted up another group for next year but you do have to get here early. With over 20 varieties, I’m sure we have something on your must have list. Pictured Primula florindae

To see all of the Primula we grow, click here.

They are right when they say it is the bluest colored flower available. Most ‘blues’ are lavender or muddy but not these splendid specimens. And they love Alaskan gardens. This year the question was ‘They’ve outgrown their allotted spots with over 50 blooms. What do we do?’. We should all have this problem-right?

Photo courtesy of Brenda's Garden by Design.

To see all of the Meconopsis we grow, click here.

Well I’ve certainly found my new focus. I love these guys. This summer I immersed myself with our thousands growing in the field for the cut flower market. The subscription bouquet program we offered was a complete success and I had the best time combining peony with other flowers and foliage from our gardens. I think they actually last longer as cut flowers than in the gardens but—I’ll always have a dozen or so in my gardens. Pictured p. ‘Coral Charm’

To see all of the Paeonia we grow, click here.

Number 4 again this year and in the top numbers forever. All gardens need something ‘spiky’ and iris sure fit the bill. One of the most asked questions in our gardens ‘What kind of iris is that thing?’ And the reason for the question, our ‘Caesar’s Brother’ (pictured) are humongous. But, what is also so great about these guys is there are always some new colors. Five great varieties will be on the 2012 list. Pictured I. Sibirica ‘Bountiful Violet’

To see all of the Iris we grow, click here.

I attribute the big move up the charts to my (finally) display by the bridge. You know I always get the ‘leftovers’ for my gardens and last year we had pink bleeders. So we put them in a spot by the bridge and they loved it there. When they bloomed, we sold out completely the old fashioned spectabilis. However the cultivar that got the most attention was the ‘Burning Heart’ in the rock garden. This exquisite tiny cultivar bloomed all summer in our rock garden. We’ve ordered extra for this year as we sold out completely in just a few days in 2011. Pictured d. ‘Burning Heart’

To see all of the Dicentra we grow, click here.

So versatile in their use. Maybe what you didn’t know is you can use them to meander through your shrubs, up a tree or as a ground cover. They aren’t just for climbing up trellises or arches. Forget all those things folk say about vines. They are easy to grow and very hardy if you get the right varieties. Clematis Constance (pictured) blooms twice per season reliably for us.

To see all of the Vines we grow, click here.

Of course you know about the early, fragrant, workhorse Europaeus (pictured). But did you know we carry 4 other varieties including the rare Alabaster? Check it out.

To see all of the Trollius we grow, click here.

I’ve come to the conclusion most bulb (lilies are bulbs) only last for about 4 or 5 years. But for those 4 or 5 years, there is nothing like the regal bloom of lilies. They bloom the first year you plant them, each one of our pots have at least 2 plants and each plant has several stems and thus several flowers. So when you get right down to it, they give you more bangs for your buck than a lot of other perennials, even with a life expectancy of 4 or 5 years. Huge thick, hunky flowers, regally tall thick stems, tons of color choices, yep, these are really winners.

Photo courtesy of Cassie Hillstrand.

To see all of the Lilium we grow, click here.

What a jump from no recognition to number 9. Must be something good about these guys. And there really are some excellent reasons to have sedum in your gardens. From the tiny, tiny 1 inch guys that are completely covered in blooms, to the taller almost shrub like s. ‘Autumn Joy’ (pictured), from bright orange blooms to subtle pinks, we have 9 varieties in our 2012 line-up. And all of them attract butterflies and bees.

To see all of the Sedum we grow, click here.

Did you say shade? That’s probably one of the biggest challenges an Alaskan gardener experiences. With our cold soils, adding shade makes is very difficult. Ligularia just might be the answer to all your problems. They do extremely well in our cold, shaded soils, on the north side, but—also they will take some sun. And now there are so many varieties. From the tallest 4-6 feet ‘Rocket’ to the newest ‘Bottle Rocket’ (pictured) and everything in between including the dark, huge leaved Desdemona types.

To see all of the Ligularia we grow, click here.

I don’t know what happened in 2010 but we’re glad to see hosta back in favor again. Don’t be fooled however with the tags that say shade. Our cold soils make many plants later than normal, add to that shade that keeps the soils colder longer, and then there is our short season-results- hosta just will not survive in total shade. They need some sun, lots of compost and moisture. We’ve done extensive experiments with same species. Excellent drainage and full sun is definitely the key for the huge guys you see in all the magazines.

To see all of the Hosta we grow, click here.

Gardeners are catching on that ornamental grasses are really cool. They don’t spread all over the gardens but stay in a nice mound and when the slightest breeze passes by they provide motion in the garden. Grasses can be tall, focal points or shorter for borders or the blues look great in rock gardens. Grasses fill that pointy requirement in the pointy, frilly, moundy equation for aesthetic gardens. Pictured Calamagrostis Brachytrichia

Photo courtesy of Gardens by Design

To see all of the Ornamental Grasses we grow, click here.

Yes, there are day lilies outside the common yellow. Boy, are there ever! And some of these new varieties are just stupendous. I think the picture says it best. Pictured h. ‘Innwood’

To see all of the Hemerocallis we grow, click here.

I love Veronica. Once they start blooming in midsummer, they bloom forever. If purple is your favorite color, Veronica is your ticket. Just a few plants will provide a mass of spiky purple blooms. A new Veronica ‘Sunshine’ is the newest offering chartreuse foliage.

To see all of the Veronica we grow, click here.

In the past, it required a real rock garden enthusiast to grow lewisia. These days there are very easy to grow varieties. Still, they do best in rock gardens with sharp drainage, but they are a bit more forgiving. And their early blooms are so sweet; they are very welcome in my gardens.

These beauties would have been higher on the top 20 if we hadn’t sold out I’m sure. There is just no end to the offerings these days and columbine love our long cool days. Remember though, they are quite promiscuous. Your original plant will remain the same of course but it’s off spring will cross with any other columbine within I think at least a 1,000 mile radius. I gave up trying to control them and have enjoyed some beautiful results of crosses surpassing the beauty of their Moms. I’ve ordered extras and more varieties for the 2012 season. Stay tuned. Pictured a. ‘Cameo’ in our gardens.

To see all of the Aquilegia we grow, click here.

Really you guys. I had hoped to have some leftovers to extend an area of existing phlox in my own gardens. But we completely sold out early in the season. The ground cover phlox are exquisite additions to hosta, primula, to follow the little minor bulbs like crocus, too many uses to list. The tall phlox do not do so well here but you must have a few of these moundy, waves of ground cover phlox. Pictured ‘Candy Stripes’ with hosta in our gardens.

To see all of the Phlox we grow, click here.

These are not the native ladders that take over jack but the well behaved, multi flower colors, multi options for foliage and heights. ‘Bressingham Purple’ has beautiful dark burgundy foliage, ‘Stairway to Heaven’ has a slight pink cast in its variegated green and white flowers, and the new ‘San Juan Skies’ is a shorter cultivar perfect for rock gardens and borders. And probably one of the most important features is the versatility of growing. Polemonium will take some shade or full sun. Pictured p. ‘Bressingham Purple’ in our gardens.

To see all of the Polemonium we grow, click here.

These days there are so many more choices for these beauties. Tall, and I mean TALLLLL, short, doubles, singles and of course many colors. The D. elatum hybrids are the tallest and probably the showiest. The books will say 5 to 6 feet. Don’t believe it. Ours often reach 8 feet. Staking required. Too much, check out our offering for 2011. Pictured d. New Millennium ‘Pagan Purples’

Coming in last isn’t that bad when you were up against over 400 other varieties. For larger gardens you can’t beat the achillea with the range of colors available today. They bloom forever, are great dried, bloom later in summer when we are getting a bit weary of the same old thing and there is an achillea to match almost every lily. Great combinations. Pictured a. ‘Saucy Seduction’

Photo by Gardens by Design

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