Mallow, Marshmallow, Althaea

The rose dinner plate size perennial draws attention to the garden. The plant is a hybrid from the common mallow or Althaea. The species is indigenous to Africa, which is used as an ornamental plant as well for its use as a medicinal plant. The stems are tall at 3 to 4 feet high putting out onaly a few lateral branches. The stamens are united into a tube, the anthers, kidney-shaped and one-celled. The flowers bloom in late July, August and September. A smaller cultivar, Malva moschata Rosea, has purple pink flowers.

Liatris Blazing-star

Liatris has several common names: Blazing-star, Gay-feather or Button snakeroot. This perennial plant is native to North America, Mexico and the Bahamas. They have linear leaves and stout stems that are 3-6 feet tall growing in clumps. The small fluffy florets are set along tall spikes, flowering from the top down which is unusual for flowering plants. They grow best in good, well drained soil in full sun. Butterflies are attractive to them. The larvae of some butterflies use the plant as food.

Leucanthemum Shasta Daisy

The Shasta daisy originated as a hybrid produced by Luther Burbank, American horticulturist. The plan is a herbaceous perennial plant with daisy appearance of white petal around a yellow disc, similar to the Oxeye daisy but larger. Shasta daisies are characterized by a distinct ordor which some find unpleasant, which makes then unusual.

Campanula Bellflower

Native Campanula

Campanula  (little bell in Latin) or the common name bellflower, takes its name from the bell-shaped flowers.The species include annual, biennial and perennial plants, and very in habit from dwarf artic and alpine species to large temperate grassland and woodland species growing to 6 ft tall. The leaves are alternate and often vary in shape on a single plant, with larger, broader leaves at the base of the stem and smaller narrower leaves higher up. The flowers are produced in panicles and have a five-lobed corolla, mostly blue to purple, sometimes white or pink. The genus includes over 500 species and several subspecies.

 Campanula cespitosa

Cleome or Spider Plant

Because of the spidery-like flowers with long, waving stamen which are held on tall, strong leafy stems, Cleome perennial plant received the name of spider plant. The plants reach a height of 6 feet in good season. They reseed themselves every summer and may reseed in areas where you do not wish them to be such as garden paths.

Gaillardia or Blanket flower or goblin daisy

Gaillardia is a perennial with the common name of blanket flower. The common name was given since the flower looks like the colors of a blanket. The hybrids are popular plants with daisey-like flowers in various combinations of orange, red, and yellow that bloom from summer to frost. The plants grow to 2'-3' and do best in average, well-drained soil in full sun to part sun. They look best in a cottage garden with shasta daisies, Coreopsis, yarrows, coneflower, Liatris, Salvia, hardy Geranium and other drought tolerant perennial plants.