Dahlia ‘Arabian Nights’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Asteraceae
An excellent Dahlia with fully double deep velvet red/black flowers that are
produced for a long time in late summer and fall. To 24" tall and as wide. Full sun with fertile soil and mulch in the fall. Great cut flower and wonderful combined with burgundy leaved plants such as Barberries and Physocarpus. Dig and store after the first frost or mulch with dry leaves in fall. Rich well drained soil is the key to hardiness.
Dahlia ‘Bednall Beauty’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Asteraceae
'Bednall Beauty' is a compact Dahlia with lacy maroon leaves and semi-double flowers of velvet red. To only 2' tall it produces flowers on stems up to 6" long from August to October. Full sun in rich but well drained soil with regular water during summer. Mulch in the fall or lift after the first frost and store in a cool, dry location. Does not require staking and is useful for the front of a border or containers.
Dahlia ‘Ellen Houston’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Asteraceae
Sumptuous tomato-orange fully double flowers combined with dark foliage make 'Ellen Huston' one of the most dramatic Dahlias for the late summer border. Great with deep blue Salvia guaranitica or striking Lobelia laxiflora 'Orange Form'. Full sun in well drained rich soil with regular irrigation in summer. Dig and store after the first frost or mulch heavily with dry leaves in fall. Protect young plants from slugs.
Dahlia ‘Fourcett’s Furnace’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Asteraceae
Vibrating electric single orange flowers that are unmatched in intensity in any ofther Dahlia. Large growing plant up to 5’ tall and 3’ wide. Grass green foliage. Great cut flower, forms long stems. Excellent color for exciting late season combinations. Full sun and rich soil with regular water.
Dahlia ‘Moonfire’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Asteraceae
'Moonfire' is a dramatic chocolate leaved Dahlia with single flowers with petals of
light yellow that turn to burnished red in the interior. To 3' tall and great in a border at the foot of Melianthus 'Antonow Blue'. Full sun in rich, well drained soil with regular irrigation during the summer. Dig and store after the first frost or mulch heavily with dry leaves in fall. Long stems make it a good cutflower.
Dahlia tenuicalis Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Astereaceae
There is nothing quite as impressive as a tree dahlia. The most commonly seen variety is D.imperialis that bursts out of the ground with bamboo-like canes and rises to 18’ feet each year. The only drawback is that it seldom receives enought time and/or heat in the growing season to bloom. D.tenuicaulis is not (quite) so large to 14’, but it does have time to bloom. Single magenta/lavender flowers appear in mid-August to frost. Impressive perennial for large places. Clump will eventually widen to 3’ across. Full sun and RICH soil with regular summer irrigation. Mulch in fall (especially the first year) for added protection.
Dahlia ‘Xera’s Dark Leaf Mix’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Asteraceae
This is our own strain of dark leaved Dahlias in varying colors and leaf shapes.
Full sun and regular water. To 20" tall. Great for cutting. Mulch in the winter, well drained, rich soil improves winter hardiness. Containers, window boxes, borders. Protect Dahlias from slugs- especially when they first emerge in spring. Water, feed, LOVE. Stake it if that what it takes.
Dahlia ‘Yellow Hammer’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Asteraceae
Dark maroon almost chocolate leaves are a great contrast to the single, bright yellow flowers that virtually glow from this large Dahlia. Full sun to very light shade in rich but well drained soil with regular water in summer. Protect the emerging plant from slugs. Dig and store after the first frost or mulch heavily with dry leaves in fall. One of the most striking of the large border Dahlias.
Datura wrightii ‘High Altitude Form’ Zn7a (0º to 5ºF) Asteraceae
A high altitude form of the common "Locoweed" with profuse large flowers that
are extremely fragrant at night and are flared to 8" long, they emerage in bud an eerie gray/parchment color then fade to white with a lavender tip. Very handsome gray foliage on this spreading perennial to 4' wide and 2' tall. Full sun, well drained soil, in a very warm spot. Magnificent. Toxic. Good drainage is they key..isn't it always.
Dianthus ‘Chomley Ferran’ Zn5a (-20º to -15ºF) Caryophyllaceae
What in CARNATION? This is an amazing Dianthus with Carnation-like proportions and insane flowers that are fully double colored gray/silver with irregular streaks of hot pink. Looks like Italian design, actually it was found in a garden. Large foliage and stems to 26". Fantastic cutflower. Full sun and good, well drained soil. Excellent with Maroon foliaged plants. Flowers are fragrant.- Blooms May-July.
Dianthus ‘Dainty Dame’ Zn5a (-20º to -15ºF) Caryophyllaceae
Dianthus, famous for their fragrant flowers, are often overlooked for handsome evergreen foliage. This perennial has both. April until June very clean looking single 1" white flowers with a center of dark burgundy on 10" stems. Intense clove fragrance. Remove spent flowers for MORE! Full sun, well drained soil, occasional water. Excellent evergreen landscape plant- stunning with blue-leaved Hebes, purple leaved Berberis.
Dianthus ‘Charles Musgrave’ Zn5a (-20º to -15ºF) Caryophyllaceae
A gorgeous flower that is utter simplicity itself this very old garden pink is a must for a green flower border. White flowers that are powerfully scented of cloves have a center of light green. Petals are slightly “pinked’- from which this word is derived. No there is no pink in this pink, its just that the petals are PINKED. Spreading to form handsome mates
of blue foliage. Flowers rise to 20” tall over an 2’ wide mat of leaves. Full sun to very light
shade in fast draining soil. Hillsides, near old roses.
Diascia ‘Blue Bonnet’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Scrophulariaceae
Blue is one way to describe the color of this flower, but ethereal might be more appropriate. Chalk pink flowers open and then slowly change to a ghostly blue
at the edges. To 18" tall and spreading (or trailing) for full sun to very light shade
with regular water and rich well drained soil. Works well with the blue leaves of Dianthus. This Diascia has been a very sturdy long lived perennial for us.
Dicentra spectabilis ‘Gold Heart’ Zn4a (-30º to -25ºF) Fumariaceae
Absolutely nothing cheers up a Northwest garden more in spring than gold foliage. This striking form of traditional Bleeding Heart or Lady in a Bath rises bright out of the ground and remains that way combined with the showy dangling pink and white flowers. Part shade to shade in rich soil. May go summer dormant in drier situations. Water regularly for the first several years. Long lived perennial.
To 20" tall and wide.
Dicliptera suberecta Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Acanthaceae
An interesting perennial from Uruguay and Argentina that has fleshy leaves and stems covered with silver hairs which is a great foil to the bright orange
tubular flowers which appear in June to frost. Full sun in rich, well drained soil- appreciates water (the good stuff). To 20" tall and dying to the ground during winter. Good container plant. Returns late in the season- May. Warm location. Hummer happiness. Hardy.
Dierama igneum Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Iridaceae
A great species Dierama that is one of the best for mild parts of the PNW.To 30" tall it forms a strong clump and in May-July sends up its wiry wands of lavender budded- lavender/pink flowers to 3' tall. They arch and sway in the slightest breeze. Full sun and rich, well drained soil. A long lived perennial that dislikes competition from other plants. May be deciduous in the coldest winters, returning in spring.
Dierama pauciflorum Zn6a (-10º to -5ºF) Iridaceae
A very cold hardy and tough Dierama with foliage that only rises to about 1' tall
and spreads to form grassy evergreen clumps. In June large magenta outfacing
bells appear on wiry stems to about 14" tall. Full sun and well drained soil with occasional deep soaks in summer. Good in rock gardens. Dieramas are happiest
with little competition from other plants. This one is easy to grow.
Dierama pulcherrimum ‘Magenta Giant’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Iridaceae
A seed selection of Angel's Fishing Rod that begins blooming in late May and
early June-continues for about a month. Very tall growing to 8' in bloom from a clump of leaves to 4' tall. Lurid magenta flowers. Full sun and well drained soil with little competition from other plants. Water to establish the first season and then during the bloom period so the flowers last longer. Excellent hardiness to cold. Tidy the leaves in spring BEFORE you see flower spikes. The easiest and most dramatic Dierama for gardens. We propagate this variety by division.
Dierama ‘Xera’s Darkest Purple’ Zn8a (10º to 15ºF) Iridaceae
Seedlings from our very dark purple Angel's Fishing Rod. Bluish green leaves are semi-evergreen. To 3' tall with arching "wands" of dark burgundy purple flowers in mid June to July. Flowers dip and sway in the lightest breeze. Cut back damaged leaves in early spring. Full sun and well drained soil. Little competition from other plants. Dieramas prefer sun all day long (from every direction) to do their best.
Dierama trichorhizum Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Iridaceae
A relatively small species of Dierama with delicate silver/lavender flowers on
spikes that rise to only 2' tall. Blooms in June and July. Clump forming- semideciduous for full sun and very well drained soil. Great in rock gardens as it
will not become so big that it will overwhelm other plants. As with other Dierama they dislike disturbance or competition around their roots. Regular water. Semi-deciduous and hardy to cold.
Digitalis dubia Zn5a (-20º to -15ºF) Scrophulariaceae
A darling little foxglove from Spain with elliptical furry leaves and a spike of light pink flowers that rise to a petite 1’ tall. Best in full sun, infact, it isn’t so good in shade and
prefers full sun and well drained soil. Good adaptation to surprisingly hot locations.
A true perennial that lives for approximately 4 years and reseeds reliably.
Digitalis laevigata ‘White’ Zn5b (-15º to -10ºF) Scrophulariaceae
The white flower form of a species of Digitalis that more closely resembles an orchid than a foxglove. Thin leaves and wiry stems support a tower of rounded creamy flowers marked with deep purple and taupe veins and a protruding furry white lip. Good in full sun to light shade in rich-not boggy, soil with regular water. Blooms late May to July and possibly again if the spent scape is removed. To about 30" tall. Nice en masse. Perennial.
Digitalis obscura Zn7a (0º to 5ºF) Scrophulariaceae
A shrubby Foxglove from S. Spain with thick blue green leaves and forming a clump of multiple trunks with sports 20" spikes of rust, orange-brown flowers in Summer. Full sun and well drained soil but good soil. Tolerant of drought when established. Cut back in early spring if the plant needs to be refreshed. Lovely on a dry hillside or in a grave garden. Combines well with Lavenders and Cistus. Amazing flower color.
Digitalis parviflora Zn6a (-10º to -5ºF) Scrophulariaceae
This very handsome species of Foxglove has thin leaves that are emargined in a
coating of silvery hairs. The leaves are a great backdrop to the 2' spires of relatively thin cocoa brown bells that appear in midsummer. Full sun in average, but well drained soil and occasional summer water.Tough and reliably perennial. Great with Verbascum 'Helen Johnson' and Libertia grandiflora.
Digitalis purp. ssp. Heywoodii Zn5a (-20º to -15ºF) Scrophulariaceae
Fantastic form of the common foxglove with leaves that are more strikingly covered in white fur. Flower spikes rise to 30” tall - they are primrose yellow and delicately borne on one side of the scape. Full sun to light shade in rich soil. Tolerates some clay. Best with summer irrigation. Short lived perennial.
Disporum cantoniense ‘Night Heron’ Zn7a (0º to 5ºF) Scrophulariaceae
A fantastic perennial that emerges from the ground in great Asparagus-like culms. To 4’ tall and forming cascading clump with 1/2 creamy white bells. May be cut back in winter to expose the dramatic emerging stems, otherwise, an evergreen perennial. Woodland conditions in rich humusy soil with regular summer irrigation. Protect from slugs. Beautiful perennial.
Dorycnium hirsutum ‘prostratum’ Zn7b (5º to 10ºF) Papillionaceae
A wonderful form of the soft and silvery Canary Clover. An evergreen shrub to 10” tall and up to 30” wide. Creamy white parrot’s beak flowers in axillary umbels. Flowers mostly appear on wood from the previous year. May be cut back hard AFTER flowering. Full sun and well drained soil. Great companion for Lavender on hillsides. Easy to grow.
Dracocephalum austriacum ‘Fuji Blue’ Zn5a (-20º to -15ºF) Lamiaceae
Very sharp looking perennial that is a great companion for the previously mentioned Dorycnium hirsutum. A clump forming plant that sports silvery blue “dragonhead” flowers on 14” spikes. Flowers appear for a very long time from late May to late July. Reminiscent of a Penstemon, with which it could easily be confused. Completely deciduous in winter.
Full sun and well drained soil. Stunning companion with white flowered lavender and
Digitalis laevigatus ‘White’.
Dahlia ‘Moonfire’
Dianthus ‘Chomley Ferran’
Dierama ‘Magenta Giant’
Dierama ‘Xera’s Darkest Purple’
Dierama trichorhizum (a little blurry)
Perennials return year after year and are the organic heart of the garden. They represent the most intelligent type of landscaping. So many are available today that we focus on the best and most unusual.
Perennials
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