This particular variety of masterwort reaches its peak bloom in August (shown here in July). With its extra long collar of pink bracts surrounding the petals, it makes a wonderful cut flower for bouquets or drying. Reaching about 2 to 3 feet in height, Margery Fish does best in full sun or part shade and prefers well-drained soils.

This is an erect, clumping cool season grass with variegated medium-green foliage with cream stripes. Variegated Feather Reed Grass grows vertically and makes a natural screen. The flowers are held erect in slender spikes, then tighten into narrow seed heads. This cultivar is non-invasive.

This plant is handsome in leaf or in flower. The leaves are shiny and either rounded or palmately lobed. The erect flowering stems reach four feet high and flowers are borne in terminal racemes and resemble miniature hollyhock flowers. 'Party Girl' has silky pink petals and a white central eye.

This is a shrubby two to four foot tall plant, closely related to hollyhocks and mallow. The saucer-shaped pink blooms have five showy petals. They are borne in the leaf axils and on loose, terminal racemes. This plant is easy to grow and prefers full sun and well-drained soils.

This species is certainly the giant of the Miscanthus. It grows 12 to 15 feet high. Excellent as a screen or background plant for smaller grasses. Flower plume develops in mid-September and provides a super winter effect. Stems will persist until spring or later unless cut down.

An unusual, statuesque plant, Bear's Breeches may grow 3 feet by 3 feet. Leaves are deep green and lobed, with deep sinuses. Flower stems appear abouve the leaves and bear purple and white flowers, surrounded by sharp, spiny bracts -  a truly unique bloom. These plants require sun or part shade and should be placed in an area of the garden less prone to drying. Flower buds are less hardy than the leaves and after a particularly cold winter, leaves may appear but no blooms. They are worth the risk!

Threadleaf Coreopsis is covered by golden-yellow daisy-like flowers midsummer. These low maintenance plants perform best in sunny, well-drained sites of low to moderate fertility. Flower are good for cutting and the plant is  drought tolerant.

Its name translates literally as "sun-like" but Heliopsis is smaller, shrubbier and ealier to bloom than true sunflowers. "Scabra" means rough and refers to the sand-papery feel of the stems and leaves. False Sunflower requires full sun and good drainage and will bloom from mid-summer into early fall. It is a great backbone plant for the border and the blooms make excellent cut flowers.

This is definitely one of the more stunning loosestrfes. It has purple foliage offset by bright yellow flowers.

This striking plant has erect, pink-spotted stems and whorl-toothed leaves. The pikish-purple flowers, in late summer, are held in large terminal clusters. The plant matures to 4 to 6 feet in height and 1 to 2 feet wide.