Aster Lady in Black

A valuable garden and medicinal perennial, native to North America. It blooms in late summer and captivates with long drooping petals. The spiky flower centers are an irresistible attraction for butterflies. It lasts 7–10 days in a vase. After removing the petals, the stems with the central discs can be dried or used in fresh bouquets as an interesting element.

Gaura is a clump-forming perennial native to Texas and Louisiana. Here, it behaves more like a short-lived perennial. It combines beautifully with grasses and adds lightness and airiness to flower beds. It is an excellent food source for insects. Tiny flowers resembling small butterflies bloom tirelessly from June until the first frosts. For bouquets, harvest as soon as the first two or three flowers open on the stem. Siskiyou Pink is a beautiful variety with pink-red flowers on slightly arching stems. It is less hardy than the white-flowering varieties. The red-spotted leaves are also interesting.

Like Lavender, Hyssop is considered a low woody subshrub. It works well in similar planting schemes, with roses or even in steppe-style gravel beds. It can be used in the kitchen and as a medicinal plant. A huge attraction for bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. Sweet pink flowers.

A valuable garden and medicinal perennial, native to North America. The spiky flower centers are an irresistible attraction for butterflies. They last 7–10 days in a vase. After removing the petals, the stems with the central disks can be dried or used in fresh bouquets as an interesting element. White Swan blooms with milky white flowers and brownish-orange centers. The petals are not spread entirely horizontally; they bend slightly downwards.

Knautia macedonica is a profusely and long-blooming undemanding perennial. Its wild form originates from the Balkans, where it grows on meadows and in scrublands. Red Knight charms in flower beds with slender high stems that carry dark wine-colored flowers. It is suitable for naturally designed sunny to semi-shady beds and meadow bouquets.

It originates from the northeastern USA and southern Canada, where it grows in damp areas, scrublands, and on coasts. It crosses very willingly with other aster species, resulting in an inexhaustible number of varieties. Unlike New England asters, they do not close their flowers at night or during unfavorable weather, making them perfect for cutting into vases. We must keep in mind their susceptibility to mildew, which can be prevented by choosing a suitable location. They last 7 to 10 days in a vase. The white variety White Ladies is large-flowered, profusely blooming, and of taller growth.

Broad-leaved statice, also known as sea lavender, is a plant originally from the steppe regions of southern Europe. Leathery leaves form a basal rosette. From these, veil-like panicles formed by tiny light lavender flowers grow. Perfect for bouquets; for drying, harvest when the flowers are fully colored.

An original wild perennial with a large distribution area from Europe to Siberia. Suitable for natural and wild plantings. It grows in meadows and dry grassy places. A very adaptable and undemanding plant, it grows in clumps and spreads by runners. By cutting back after the first flowering, we encourage a set of new flowers. For bouquets, we harvest when the florets are fully open. It lasts 10 days in a vase. Summer Pastels is characterized by a changeable and soft range of colors from white and vanilla to salmon, brick red, and bronze.

Knautia macedonica is a profusely and long-blooming undemanding perennial. Its wild form originates from the Balkans, where it grows on meadows and in scrublands. In flower beds, it charms with slender high stems that carry pastel wine and pink flowers. It is suitable for naturally designed sunny to semi-shady beds and meadow bouquets.

A lesser-known species of Yarrow has dark green glossy serrated leaves that remain attractive throughout the growing season, and a sweet pink color of flowers that are larger than the flowers of common Yarrow. It lasts 10 days in a vase.

The Oriental poppy originates from the Caucasus, Turkey, and Iran, where it grows on rocky slopes and dry meadows. It blooms with large bowl-shaped flowers on tall stems. Like all poppies, for use in bouquets, we harvest them as soon as the buds color up and "crack". Additionally, we briefly (for about 20 seconds) sear the ends of the stems with a flame and immediately place them in cold water. Then they last in a vase for 4 days. The strikingly hairy and large leaves die back shortly after flowering, and the plant must rest until spring to gather strength. A portion of the leaves sprouts again in late summer. Therefore, it is advisable to plant other perennials in close proximity that sprout later and can draw attention to themselves during the poppy's pause. Royal Wedding flowers have white petals with a dark burgundy spot in the center of the flower.

A perennial that finds its place in naturalistic steppe and gravel beds. It attracts bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. It is floristically valuable for its flowers with striking bracts, which are also perfect for drying. The roots of some species were formerly eaten candied as sweets in England and France and added to pastries and jellies. In herbal medicine, it was used as an aphrodisiac, among other things, hence its folk name "male fidelity".

A versatile perennial suitable for both cottage and modern flower beds. It also works well in wild, naturalistic plantings. While its main charm lies in the cute flowers that appear in late spring, it is also valuable in beds for its early-emerging leaves. Columbines add airiness and lightness to perennial beds and bouquets. They last 7 days in a vase. This variety was discovered in Cambridge in the 1980s by Nora Barlow, the granddaughter of Charles Darwin. The flower color transitions from pink and white to green.

A native wild perennial with a large distribution range from Europe to Siberia. Suitable for natural and wild plantings. It grows in meadows and dry grassy places. A very adaptable and undemanding plant, it grows in clumps and spreads via runners. Cutting back after the first bloom encourages a new set of flowers. Harvest for bouquets when the tiny flowers are fully open. It lasts 10 days in a vase. Cerise Queen has deep pink to purple-pink flowers that gradually fade to light pink.

Lady's mantle naturally grows on mountain pastures and meadows and in mixed forests. It is ornamental in both leaf and flower. The leaves have fine hairs giving the plant a velvety character. It is a perennial sought after by ancient alchemists for the drops of dew that appear in the pleated leaves. Valuable for florists for its multitude of tiny greenish-yellow flowers. Important in flower beds for its ground-covering character. Lasts 10 days in a vase.

A valuable garden and medicinal perennial, native to North America. It blooms in summer with dark purple-pink flowers. The spiky flower centers are an irresistible attraction for butterflies. They last 7–10 days in a vase. After removing the petals, the stems with the central disks can be dried or used in fresh bouquets as an interesting element. Magnus features distinctive deep pink flowers with an orange-brown center.

A valuable garden and medicinal perennial, native to North America. It blooms in late summer and captivates with long drooping petals. The spiky flower centers are an irresistible attraction for butterflies. It lasts 7–10 days in a vase. After removing the petals, the stems with the central discs can be dried or used in fresh bouquets as an interesting element. Hulla Dancer has white petals with a pink tinge.

Rudbeckia, also known as coneflowers, originates from North America; they are robust and abundantly blooming perennials of late summer and autumn. They are suitable for prairie plantings with tall grasses as well as for cottage gardens. The central disks look very effective even after flowering and decorate perennial beds throughout the winter. Harvest for the vase as soon as they bloom. Vase life is 7 to 10 days. We can also use the dry central disks. Goldsturm is a reliable and long-proven cultivar. It has bright golden-yellow flowers with dark centers.

Garden cultivars of goldenrod are attractive and low-maintenance perennials bred from native North American wild species. Unlike them, however, they are not invasive and do not spread uncontrollably in flower beds. They are specially bred for cutting, which is why they are relatively tall, grow upright, and bloom profusely. For bouquets, we can harvest both freshly bloomed plants and stems with buds. They last 10 days in a vase. In flower beds, they are an essential food source for bees. Moonlight Glory is our lightest milky-white goldenrod. Its elegant shade combines well with other perennials.

Hellebores are evergreen perennials that form slowly spreading clumps of leathery, dark green leaves. The stems usually bear four to five flowers. They bloom very early, as early as late winter and early spring. They are usable for vases only after conspicuous seed pods form in the center of the flower and the flower matures. Earlier, they tend to wilt and the stems cannot hold the flower in an upright position. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Double Ellen Red is a double-flowered hellebore with rounded petals of dark burgundy red color with a lighter undertone on the bottom row of petals.

Meadow sage occurs here primarily in warmer regions, especially in southern Moravia and northern and central Bohemia. It grows on sunny meadows and hillsides and along paths. Fragrant leaves form a basal rosette, from which several less leafy branched stems grow. The inflorescences are composed of striking bilabiate flowers, which are a great attraction for bees and bumblebees. Rose Rhapsody has light pink flowers.

A beautiful, though rather short-lived perennial, ideal for steppe areas together with delicate drought-loving grasses and perennials. Harvest for bouquets as soon as approximately half of the flowers in the inflorescence are open. It lasts about 5 days in a vase. An exceptional cultivar with flowers in peach and apricot tones, which fade to an elegant antique pink as they finish blooming.

A beautiful delicate perennial originating from North America. The striking, relatively large but delicate flowers harmonize beautifully with a rich fluffy cloud of tiny leaves. They form compact bushes and are ideal for the foreground of beds. We classify Coreopsis among naturally short-lived perennials. We can partially influence their lifespan by choosing a suitable site and care during the season. Cultivar 'Moonbeam' blooms with a large number of light yellow flowers with darker centers. It lasts about a week in a vase.

An undemanding and modest perennial that blooms with a large number of tiny flowers. It blooms for a record-breaking length of time throughout late summer and autumn. It forms smaller, compact, airy bushes that emit a minty-spicy fragrance. The thyme-like flowers attract bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. It will look good among roses as well as in natural-style steppe beds, perhaps with lower grasses.

Feather grass flowers capture attention in beds and bouquets with their lightness and delicacy. All feather grasses love full sun and dry, stony, well-drained soil. To look most natural in beds, it is good to plant them in loose groups of several pieces together with other drought-loving perennials and bulbs. Only then do their stems and inflorescences, set in motion by the slightest breath of wind, truly stand out. Stipa 'Ponny Tails' is a species native to the steppes of Mexico, Texas, and Patagonia. Airy, dense clumps of hair-like delicate leaves resemble horsehair. The leaves are green, turning up to straw-colored towards the flowers. In a suitable location, it also self-seeds.

A versatile perennial suitable for cottage and modern flower beds. It also works well in wild natural plantings. Although its main charm lies in the cute flowers that appear in late spring, it is also valuable in beds for its early sprouting leaves. Columbines add airiness and lightness to perennial beds and bouquets. Lasts 7 days in a vase. Heidi has pink romantic flowers.

A native wild perennial with a large distribution range from Europe to Siberia. Suitable for natural and wild plantings. It grows in meadows and dry grassy places. A very adaptable and undemanding plant, it grows in clumps and spreads via runners. Cutting back after the first bloom encourages a new set of flowers. Harvest for bouquets when the tiny flowers are fully open. It lasts 10 days in a vase. Terracotta features ochre, shades of orange and yellow, and gray-green foliage.

Hellebores are evergreen perennials that form slowly spreading clumps of leathery, dark green leaves. The stems usually bear four to five flowers. They bloom very early, as early as late winter and early spring. They are usable for vases only after conspicuous seed pods form in the center of the flower and the flower matures. Earlier, they tend to wilt and the stems cannot hold the flower in an upright position. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Double Ellen White is an almost pure white, double-flowered hellebore. The petals are slightly wavy and the bottom row of petals is lightly tinged with green.