Sun Needs
All Sun Types
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
5 – 8
Height
1 – 2 feet
Blooms in
Late Spring – Early Summer
Features
Non-invasive
Globe Thistle
The Globe Thistle, with its tall stem and spherical flowerhead, screams for attention. Coming in shades of blue and violet, the Globe Thistle attracts bees and butterflies, as well as making for a gorgeous cut bouquet.
Sun Needs
Full Sun
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
3 – 9
Height
2 – 4 feet
Blooms in
Mid-Summer – Early Fall
Features
Attracts butterflies
Glory of the Snow
Glory of the Snow is an early bloomer, making it a popular choice for gardeners looking for a low growing plant to carpet their landscaping. Be sure to maintain their growth, as once established they tend to quickly form large clumps.
Sun Needs
All Sun Types
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
4 – 9
Height
0.3 – 0.5 foot
Blooms in
Early Spring
Features
Non-invasive
Goatsbeard
These feathery white or yellow blooms grow as tall at 6 feet, providing a striking backdrop to any garden. Goatsbeard performs best in partial shade and prefers a moist environment.
Sun Needs
Partial Shade?/?Full Shade
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
3 – 9
Height
4 – 6.5 feet
Blooms in
Summer
Features
Non-invasive
Golden Marguerite
The daisy-like Golden Marguerite is short lived, so take in its aromatic foliage and sweet flowers while its around. Towards the end of the season, you can collect them and use the flowers as a natural fabric dye to produce shades of yellow.
Sun Needs
Full Sun
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
3 – 7
Height
2 – 3 feet
Blooms in
Summer
Features
Good for cut flowers
Gomphrena
The globe-like flowerheads of the Gomphrena brighten any garden. Hardy and easy to grow, the Gomphrena is a popular choice in dried flower bouquets and Hawaiian leis given it’ll hold it’s compact shape after being cut.
Sun Needs
Full Sun
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
7 – 10
Height
0.5 – 2 feet
Blooms in
Mid-Summer – Mid-Fall
Features
Good for cut flowers
Heliotrope
Derived from the Greek words for “sun” and “turn,” the Heliptrope actually performs best when planted in partial shade. Their tiny, delicate cluster of blue, violet or white blooms make for good outdoor containers and can even be brought indoors in a cool, sunny spot in your home.
Sun Needs
All Sun Types
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
10 – 11
Height
1.5 – 3 feet
Blooms in
Mid-Summer – Early Fall
Features
Attracts butterflies
Hepatica
The small woodland Hepatica features blue, violet, pink or white blooms. Named after the Greek word for “liver,” Hepatica foliage is a clump of three-lobed leaves that resemble a human liver.
Sun Needs
Partial Shade?/?Full Shade
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
5 – 8
Height
0.25 – 0.5 foot
Blooms in
Early Spring – Mid-Spring
Features
Non-invasive
Hollyhock
Hollyhocks are known for their tall spikes of trumpet-like flowers, commonly found in bright red, yellow, violet, white or pink. Hollyhocks can grow as tall as 8 feet, so have some stakes handy to prop them up and encourage growth.
Sun Needs
All Sun Types
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
3 – 9
Height
4 – 8 feet
Blooms in
Mid-Summer – Early Fall
Features
Non-invasive
Hosta
These shade tolerant plants are most popular for their large foliage shape and color. Acting as groundcover, Hosta foliage is commonly found in dark green and white, but can also feature blue and yellow.
Sun Needs
Partial Shade?/?Full Shade
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
3 – 9
Height
1 – feet
Blooms in
Summer
Features
Non-invasive
Hyacinth
This popular bulb plant produces bulbous-like flowers in vibrant shades of blue, indigo and violet. An easy to grow plant, Hyacinths can be grown for for a variety of uses, such as outdoor containers, rock gardens or indoors.
Sun Needs
Full Sun
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
4 – 9
Height
1 – 3 feet
Blooms in
Mid-Summer – Early Fall
Features
Non-invasive
Hyssop
The versatile Hyssop is grown in a variety of ways, including containers, around garden borders or clumped together. Hyssops can grow in poor soil and tolerate drought.
Sun Needs
Full Sun
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
3 – 10
Height
1 – 2 feet
Blooms in
Mid-Summer – Late Summer
Features
Good for cut flowers
Impatiens
Impatiens make for great container plants, either indoors or outdoors, given their ability to tolerate damp soil and shady areas. Their low, dark foliage will spout a range of colors, including red, orange, violet, white and pink.
Sun Needs
Partial Shade?/?Full Shade
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
8 – 10
Height
0.5 – 2.5 feet
Blooms in
Early Summer – Early Fall
Features
Non-invasive
Iris
Known for its ornate flowers, the Iris is from the Greek word for “rainbow.” The Greeks had it right, as this popular flower appears in every color spectrum. Made up of more than 250 species, the Iris ranges in height and bloom times.
Sun Needs
All Sun Types
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
3 – 9
Height
0.25 – 6 foot
Blooms in
Early Spring – Early Fall
Features
Good for cut flowers
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Given its equally playful name, the Jack-in-the-Pulpit foliage grows unexpectedly, creating a hood-like shape once fully grown. Before the flower appears, it’s often confused as poison ivy.
Sun Needs
All Sun Types
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
4 – 9
Height
1 – 1.5 feet
Blooms in
Mid-Spring – Late Spring
Features
Non-invasive
Jacob’s Ladder
Jacob’s Ladder doesn’t get its name not from its blooms, rather the arrangement of the leaves going up the stem that resembles a ladder. The dainty, bell-like flowers of the Jacob’s Ladder make for a beautiful garden favorite.
Sun Needs
All Sun Types
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
3 – 9
Height
1 – 3 feet
Blooms in
Late Spring – Mid-Summer
Features
Non-invasive
Lady’s Mantle
With foliage loosely resembling cabbage, the Lady’s Mantle is most well known as a medicinal herb. If you’re looking to add some green to your bouquet, the Lady’s Mantle looks elegant once cut.
Sun Needs
All Sun Types
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
3 – 7
Height
1 – 2 feet
Blooms in
Summer
Features
Good for cut flowers
Lantana
Also known as Yellow Sage, the Lantana blooms in combinations of red, orange, yellow, violet, white and pink. While popular for outdoor containers and houseplants, some have found the subtle citrus scent to be off putting.
Sun Needs
Full Sun
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
2 – 11
Height
2 – 6 feet
Blooms in
Mid-Summer – Late Summer
Features
Tolerates frost
Lavender
Popular in gardening, fragrance and cooking, you can’t go wrong with a Lavender plant. In addition to its versatility, Lavender is easy to grow, requiring very little water and full sun.
Sun Needs
Full Sun
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
5 – 9
Height
1 – 3 feet
Blooms in
Summer
Features
Good for cut flowers
Lavender Cotton
Despite its name, the flowers on Lavender Cotton have an unpleasant scent, but perfumeries will extract its oil to use in colognes and perfumes. For gardening, this shrubby evergreen tolerates many soil types and full sun.
Sun Needs
Full Sun
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
6 – 8
Height
1 – 2.5 feet
Blooms in
Mid-Summer – Late Summer
Features
Non-invasive
Leadwort
Starting in the late summer, but lasting until early fall, Leadwort features dainty, dark blue flowers. While you may have to wait a while to see blooms, Leadworts are fine when left with morning sun and afternoon shade.
Sun Needs
Full Sun?/?Partial Shade
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
5 – 8
Height
0.75 – 1 foot
Blooms in
Late Summer – Early Fall
Features
Non-invasive
Lemon Balm
Love the smell of citrus? The bright lemony scent of this plant is perfect for you. Easy to grow and quick to spread, Lemon Balm is ideal for filler and background in a garden or outdoor container.
Sun Needs
Full Sun?/?Partial Shade
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
3 – 7
Height
2 – 4 feet
Blooms in
Early Summer – Early Fall
Features
Attracts bees
Lily
With more than 100 species, the Lily is know for its large, prominent flowers and long filaments. These fragrant flowers come in a range of colors including white, yellow, orange, pink, red and purple and some include markings such as spots or brush strokes. These beauties shine indoors, just be sure to cut their filaments to avoid pollen stains!
Sun Needs
Full Sun
Soil Needs
Well-drained
Zones
4 – 8
Height
2 – 6 feet
Blooms in
Spring –
Early Fall
Features
Good for cut flowers
Lobelia
Lobelia is an excellent choice for hanging gardens or window boxes given their ability to create a long trail. Lobelias love intense heat and will bloom delicate flowers in shades of red, blue, violet and white.