Perennials
Daylily, 'Stella de Oro'
(Hemerocallis, ‘Stella de Oro’)
A tough, drought-tolerant perennial, this long-blooming daylily provides golden yellow trumpet-shaped flowers from June through September. These flowers bob on long stems among leaves that resemble ornamental grasses. This plant grows in clumps that spread each year to form dramatic masses, with a 1- to 2-foot height and 2- to 4-foot spread. (Full sun to part shade)
Liriope, 'Big Blue'
(Liriope muscari)
Also known as big blue lilyturf, the clumps of long leathery leaves on this perennial groundcover look like large leaves of grass. Pale blue, violet or white flowers bloom in late summer and leave behind shiny black berries that last into the winter months (Sun or shade)
Maidenhair Grass, 'Morning Light'*
(Miscanthus sinensis 'Morning Light')
Also called eulalia, this variety of ornamental grass is very useful in landscape designs. It grows four to six feet high, and its clumping form can reach a width of up to four feet, which allows it to obscure undesirable views or serve as a windbreak. In late summer, long plumes of small copper-colored flowers spring out from arching masses of variegated silvery-green foliage. In the fall, the flowers become attractive feather-like seedpods and the leaves turn a beige-brown color, much like straw. (Sun to part shade)
Special thanks to the PA Horticultural Society for use of their Gold Medal Plants images, and the Missouri Botanical Gardens for use of their PlantFinder images. To check out their web sites and other great reference tools, click here.
