Spring Plants (S-Z)

Woodland Sage

Salvia nemorosa

Vibrant flower spikes attract butterflies to the garden and are great cut flowers.  Complements many perennials, including yarrow, coreopsis and grasses.  1997 Perennial Plant of the Year.

plant in full sun / blooms in summer to fall

Fan Flower

Scaevola aemula

Profuse flowers blanket cascading stems throughout the season.  Heat-tolerant plants thrive in hanging baskets, patio planters, mixed containers or in the garden as a small-scale ground cover.  

plant in full sun / blooms in spring to fall

Stonecrop

Sedum

Attractive foliage complements vibrant flowers.  Wonderful as ground cover, in the rock garden, along walkways or cascading over stone walls.  Easy to maintain.  Thrives in hot, dry areas.

plant in full sun / blooms in late spring to early summer

Purple Heart

Tradescantia

Bold and vibrant, especially in full sun, use this trailing plant as a ground cover where climate allows.  In cooler regions, use as a houseplant or in combination plantings for patio or deck.   Known to survive mild winters, but frost will kill tops.

plant in partial sun / blooms in spring to fall

Dragon Flower

Antirrhinum majus

An old-fashioned favorite prized for its beautiful flowers.  Wonderful for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden.  Outstanding as a cut flower.  Trailing variety make a fantastic addition to mixed containers and hanging baskets.

plant in full to partial sun / blooms in summer to fall

Lambs Ear

Stachys byzantina

Outstanding as a ground cover or accent plant.  Ideal for contrast with vibrant colors, for use in an all-white theme garden, or to help unify and blend plants with different colors in the garden.

plant in full sun

trailing varieties

Fragaria ananassa

Get ready for a long, sweet season.  These ever-bearing varieties make compact and bushy plants with colorful flowers and shiny, deep green leaves that look lovely even before fruit develops.

plant in full sun / blooms in summer

Persian Shield

Strobilanthes dyerianus

Absolutely stunning foliage.  This unusual plant displays carmine highlights on shimmering copper-purple to metallic blue leaves.  Fabulous for combination pots or planting in large drifts.

plant in partial sun / blooms in fall

compact, tall

and trailing varieties

Succulents offer year-round interest in the landscape and are available in many shapes, sizes and colors.  Many bloom every year.  Excellent for trough gardens indoors or outdoors.  Perfect for hot, dry, sunny locations and need little watering.

plant in full or partial sun

Helianthus

Helianthus annuus

Cheerful flowers available in many heights and flower sizes.  Most flowers are shades of yellow with a dark brown center.  An excellent plant for the back of borders.  Great cut flower, or leave flowers on the plant to mature for winter bird feed.

plant in full sun / blooms in spring to fall

Impatiens

Impatiens x hybrida

SunPatiens grow extremely well in sunny or shady areas.  Aside from regular watering, SunPatiens are virtually maintenance free.  New leaves and new flowers will cover old blooms, so you don't need to remove old flowers or prune older growth.

plant in shade or sun / blooms in summer to frost

Petchoa

petunia x calibrachoa hybrid

Exceptional garden performance under all kinds of weather - from unexpected late frosts to rainy-wet cycles and even through the high heat of summer, SuperCals deliver.  Self-cleaning plants look beautiful all season long.  You never need to deadhead again.

plant in full sun / blooms in spring to fall

Ornamental vine

Ipomoea batatas

Wonderful trailing foliage provides fabulous color contrast in the garden.  Beautiful complement to both flowers and foliage.  Ideal as small-scale ground cover or cascading from planters or window boxes.

plant in full sun

Groundcover

Thyme

Beautiful and soft to walk on, ground cover thymes are the perfect way to keep the ground cool and conserve moisture.  Once established, ground cover thymes also help keep weed seeds from sprouting and can withstand light foot traffic.

plant in partial to full sun / blooms in spring to early summer

Tropical Shrub

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

 Tropical hibiscus is grown as a potted plant in most of the U.S. Even in  areas where it can survive the winter in the ground, it still is grown  in containers for ease of cultivation and ability to move the plant  around in the yard. Tropical hibiscus doesn’t grow well with  temperatures below 45F. Move it outdoors in late spring in cool areas,  and indoors with the first hint of cold weather in fall. 

full sun to partial shade / blooms in summer

Vervain

Verbena x hybrida

Profuse vibrant flower clusters return over and over through the season and are superb for the butterfly garden, at garden's edge, or trailing over stones and rock walls.  Heat and drought tolerant.

plant in full sun / blooms in early summer to early fall

Creeping Myrtle

Vinca Minor

Lovely flowers complement glossy leaves.  A reliable and attractive ground cover for difficult situations such as dry shade under trees and for erosion control on banks or slopes.

plant in sun or shade / blooms in spring

Vinca Vine

Vinca Major

Long, trailing shoots of glossy leaves arch elegantly from window boxes, decorative containers or raised planters.  Where hardy, makes a fabulous ground cover.

plant in full sun / blooms in early to early fall

Profusion and Short Stuff Varieties

Zinnia

A favorite from Grandma's Garden, zinnias can hold their own among the newer varieties of today.  Dwarf varieties are well-suited for along walkways or container gardens. 

plant in full sun / blooms in spring to fall