Salvia nemorosa

Meadow Sage

This is a very reliable herbaceous perennial. It will take full or half sun, is drought-tolerant, and has a dark purple blue flower spike. It blooms from early summer to autumn if flowers are deadheaded. after two years mine is about 18″ tall and wide but I expect it to get a little bigger before it needs dividing. All salvias bring in the butterflies and this one is no exception in Stillwater. Next year I will try to learn just who is showing up. USDA Zones 4 to 9

Aqueligia

Colombine

Ahhh, the columbine flower. The flower head is bell-shaped with sharp, blade-like petal spurs. It looks so delicate and yet it is drought and cold tolerant.  It does great in Stillwater if it get shade in the afternoon.

 

 

Verbena Bonarieniss

Vebena Brazilian verbena, Purpletop vervain, Purple top vervain

I am not sure if this is an annual or perennial in my garden. I think an annual, I know it is reseeding, but I like the way it shows up like it is dancing around the garden. Presumably it is a hardy perennial in USDA Zone 7, it may be coming back but most of the time I find small seedlings that I move around. The pink purple-purple flower clusters stand at the ends of the stems as if they are floating. This Verbena makes a great see-through plant. Give it full sun for full height drought tolerant it’s very tall about 4 feet and for that reason an elegant contrast wherever it comes up.

 

Nepta ‘Walkers Low’

Catmint

This is an unfussy plant–and I mean a no brainer for the Oklahoma garden. It blooms early and for a very long time. It does fine in poor to average soil and takes any amount of heat and humidity. The silver-gray foliage and pale purple flowers grows into a nice mound shape 24″ tall x 24″ wide. Because it comes out early, I don’t hesitate to shear it back as soon as the blooms fade. It comes right back and keeps blooming. Actually its not a problem to shear it back 2-3 times in the summer.