Plants grown and loved by members of the Hoe and Hope Garden Club
Bulbs
Species Tulips
These early spring blooming bulbs come in a variety of colors and will naturalize year after year. They are happy in clay soils, tolerate wild winter temperature fluctuations, and are drought tolerant.
Annuals
Family Jewels Tree Asclepias physocarpa
This quick growing annual can be easily started inside by seed and transplanted outside when soil temperatures warm. This plant is in the milkweed family and is a Monarch butterfly host.
Marigolds Tagetes
Marigolds are fabulous flowers that are easy to grow, relatively problem-free, and quite attractive. There are several varieties and they can grow in just about any climate with proper care.
Perennials
Heucheras
In 2012 the National Garden Bureau, Inc. declared the mighty Heuchera to be the plant of the year. The Heuchera was chosen because they are popular, easy-to-grow, widely adaptable, genetically diverse and versatile. There are over a hundred varieties of various colors and leaf shapes.
Parry’s Penstemon Penstemon parryi
This showy, drought tolerant perennial is native to the desert southwest. Brilliant magenta pink tubular flower spires rise above a mostly basal clump of bluish green foliage. Tuck into a rock garden or border planting where the blooms will entice hummingbirds and butterflies. Plant in mass for a stunning effect. Herbaceous.
Old Fashioned Blue Iris
Bearded iris are one of the true staples of the perennial garden. They are loved by many gardeners because they are easy to grow, deer-resistant, they multiply each year, and many are re-bloomers, putting on a colorful show in the garden twice in one season.
Helleborus
This genus of perennials with toothed, leathery leaves and distinctive blooms makes a happy addition to the spring garden. The often very long-lasting (6 to 8 weeks) flowers are produced in very early spring and run the gamut from white, green, pink, purple, cream, and sometimes spotted. Best grown in groups in a woodland or shady border.
Spring Crocus Crocus vernus
Crocus are the heralds of spring, often blooming when there’s still snow on the ground. Their cheery flowers come in Easter egg colors of purple, yellow, lavender, cream and white. Crocus are carefree bulbs that naturalize and multiply to produce more and more flowers every year. Their beautiful blossoms are magnets for hungry bees, who are drawn to the rich, golden pollen inside each flower.
Any Penstemon
The penstemon family may be considered the royalty of our Western wildflowers. Their beauty and regal presence in bloom are unmatched by few other perennials. With over 300 species to choose from, there is a Penstemon (Beardtongue) for every type of planting; from rock garden to large-scale xeriscapes, there are a lot of great choices. Growing Penstemon is straightforward, as they are extremely resilient (when well matched to their planting site), and are excellent naturalizing plants when encouraged to re-seed themselves. And last but not least, Penstemon’s nectar-rich flowers are indispensable to pollinators like bumblebees and hummingbirds.
Asters Asteraceae
Asters are daisy-like perennials with starry-shaped flower heads. They bring delightful color to the garden in late summer and autumn when many of your other summer blooms may be fading. The plant’s height ranges from 8 inches to 8 feet, depending on the type.
Lavendar Lavendula
Lavender, an herb with many culinary uses, also makes a stunning addition to borders and perennial gardens, providing sweeping drifts of color from early summer into fall. With its silvery-green foliage, upright flower spikes and compact shrub-like form, lavender is ideal for creating informal hedges. You can also harvest it for fragrant floral arrangements, sachets, and potpourri.