Astilbe Anita Pfeifer

Alchemilla mollis, known as lady's mantle, is an indispensable perennial for anyone who wants to bring harmony and softness to the garden. Its home is the moister environments of mountain meadows and light forests, making it a very adaptable plant that will survive even severe frosts without problems in our climate. The 'Irish Silk' cultivar is prized for its vitality and abundant blooming, where clouds of tiny, yellow-green flowers float above clumps of gray-green leaves. It is precisely this neutral color that can work wonders in a flower bed – it softens overly sharp contrasts between other flowers and beautifully unifies the entire composition. Besides its ornamental function, lady's mantle also has practical uses. Thanks to its clumping growth and ability to quickly fill in, it is ideal for edging pathways or as an underplanting beneath taller shrubs and roses. Water droplets catch on its leaves, creating a magical spectacle in the garden. If you enjoy making bouquets, you will love lady's mantle as versatile filler greenery that matches almost anything. It will last beautiful for about ten days in a vase, and its inflorescences can also be easily dried without losing too much of their color or shape. Moreover, it is a magnet for pollinators, and its young leaves are even edible, so it also finds use in a natural kitchen.

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.

This species of sage originally comes from the steppe regions of Central and Eastern Europe. It forms profusely flowering small clumps with straight upright stems. In flower beds, it looks best in groups. Traditionally, due to the identical flowering time, it is planted as a companion to roses. However, it will look just as good in mixed drought-loving steppe plantings with grasses. It lasts 7 days in a vase. The cultivar Caradonna stands out with a long flowering period and dark, almost black-purple stems with tiny purple flowers and dark purple bracts. If we cut it back after flowering, it will bloom again in late August and September.

A verbena species originally from South America. In our country, it is often used as an annual, but in mild winters it can overwinter and reproduce by self-seeding. The firm, airy stems beautifully soften perennial beds and make them special with their purple color. It beautifully complements steppe plantings with grasses and rose beds.

Russian sage reliably brings a touch of sunny steppes into the garden and places almost no demands on care. These sparsely branched subshrubs originally come from harsh, rocky areas from Afghanistan to Tibet, where they grow on open sun-drenched plains. Thanks to its origin, it delights in full sun and poor, well-drained sandy soil with minimal moisture. You will receive from us a well-rooted seedling in a pot, which just needs to be transplanted straight to the chosen spot in the flower bed. It does not need support, is avoided by common pests and diseases, and will survive frosts down to minus twenty-eight degrees. It grows up to one hundred and twenty centimeters and forms striking white felted shoots with silvery grey aromatic leaves. From July to October, it blooms with tiny blue-purple flowers that act as a lure for bees and butterflies and are even edible. Russian sage stands out next to drought-tolerant perennials. The flowers are suitable for cutting and drying for winter arrangements. Moreover, the silvery stems will ensure a beautiful winter effect in the flower bed.

Gaura Siskiyou Pink is a charming perennial that brings lightness and airiness to the garden. Its original native area is in the warm regions of Texas and Louisiana, which is why it thrives in full sun and well-drained sandy soil. It grows in clumps and from June until the autumn frosts produces tiny raspberry-pink flowers that resemble fluttering butterflies. An interesting detail of this variety is the green leaves with a bronze tint and red spots. It is an absolutely undemanding plant, does not suffer from diseases or pests, and even beginners can handle its care. You will receive a grown seedling in a pot from us, which you simply need to transplant directly into the flowerbed. Here it complements ornamental grasses perfectly and acts as an attraction for bees and bumblebees. Although it grows more as a short-lived perennial in our climate, in a suitable place it reliably self-seeds. Occasional pinching will encourage richer branching. Gaura is excellent for summer bouquets. We cut the stems for a vase as soon as the first two to three little flowers open.

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.

The pale coneflower is one of the exceptionally interesting prairie perennials of the North American continent. In its natural environment, it grows on open, sunny plains, which is why it thrives best in our gardens in full sun in drier, well-drained soil. You just need to transplant this grown seedling straight into the flower bed, where it will reliably take root. It does not need support, easily withstands severe frosts, and is avoided by common diseases and pests, making it ideal for beginner growers. During June and July, it will reward you with aromatic flowers with unusually narrow and drooping petals in light purple and pink tones. The prominent prickly centers are literally a magnet for bees and bumblebees, and the flowers themselves are surprisingly edible. The plant stands out especially in rustic plantings together with ornamental grasses. Gardeners and florists love it for its versatility. The fresh stems bring joy in a vase for about a week. Moreover, the distinctive central cones hold their shape perfectly, can be perfectly dried for winter decorations, or left in the flower bed, where they will create an eye-catching winter structure under a layer of snow.

Sea holly is an indispensable perennial for all lovers of naturally styled gardens. It earned its folk name - male fidelity - in times when it was used in herbal medicine as an aphrodisiac, and its roots were even candied as sweets in France and England. Today, however, you will appreciate it mainly for its low maintenance and unique appearance. Its home is on sunny hillsides and dry meadows, so even in our gardens, it will welcome well-drained, even poorer sandy soil and full sun. It produces upright, sturdy stems topped with blue-purple flowers with prickly bracts, which bring interesting structure and a silvery touch to the flowerbeds. It is literally a magnetic plant for bees, bumblebees, and butterflies, who find a rich food source on it. Floristically, it is extremely valuable, because its flowers are perfectly suited for cutting as well as drying for winter decorations. If you decide not to harvest it, feel free to leave it in the flowerbed all winter. Its silhouette covered in hoarfrost creates a wonderful winter effect. Although it is a short-lived perennial, in a suitable location it reliably self-seeds, so you will enjoy its beauty for many years.

A valuable garden and medicinal perennial, originally from North America. It blooms in summer with dark purple-pink flowers. The spiky flower discs are an irresistible lure for butterflies. Lasts 7–10 days in a vase. After plucking the petals, the stems with the central discs can be dried or used in fresh bouquets as an interesting element. Rubinstern is very similar to the Magnus cultivar; the petals are darker and firmer. As they fade, they gradually pale and droop downwards.

This species of sage originates from the steppe regions of Central and Eastern Europe. It forms profusely flowering small clumps with straight, upright stems. In flower beds, it looks best in groups. It is traditionally planted as a companion to roses due to the matching flowering time. However, it looks equally good in mixed drought-tolerant steppe plantings with grasses. It is an excellent food source for bees. Lasts 7 days in a vase. Amethyst is an elegant variety with long stems and a pink flower color that is unusual for sages.

Rudbeckia Goldsturm is a reliable and long-lived perennial that will bring the warm tones of late summer and autumn into your garden. It originally comes from the open plains and prairies of North America, so it delights most in sunny locations with common garden soil, whether it is loamy, humus-rich, or clayey. You will receive from us an already grown seedling in a pot, which you just need to transplant to the chosen spot in the flower bed. It is a completely undemanding plant, does not suffer from diseases or pests, and easily survives severe frosts. The Goldsturm cultivar grows to a height of about seventy centimeters and does not need support. From August to October, it produces a flood of golden-yellow flowers with distinctly dark centers. These edible flowers attract pollinators and fit perfectly into both prairie and rustic plantings. Rudbeckia is also great for cutting, lasting around ten days in a vase. In addition, the distinctive dark centers can be easily dried. If you leave them in the flower bed over the winter, they will provide a wonderful spectacle.

The charming gaura comes from the sun-drenched plains of Texas and Louisiana and represents exactly the plant that can liven up any drought-tolerant planting. It is a naturally profusely blooming perennial that delights in full sun and well-drained, sandy, and nutrient-poor soil. You will receive from us an already grown seedling in a pot, which will quickly form a vigorous clump after being transplanted into the garden. From early summer until late autumn, it will delight you with a flood of tiny flowers in pure white and delicate pink tones. The flowers gently sway in the breeze and with their appearance resemble a flock of tiny butterflies, which also really like to land on the plant, as do bees and bumblebees. Although gaura is known as a short-lived perennial, thanks to its willing self-seeding, it will last for many years in your garden. Caring for it is completely undemanding, it is avoided by most diseases and pests, and it can handle frosts down to eighteen degrees below zero without any problems. It is often used in mixed borders, where it beautifully softens the overall impression, and perfectly matches various types of ornamental grasses. The Summer Breeze variety is popular for its strong and healthy growth as well as its exceptionally generous set of flowers, which grow to about one meter. If you like to create your own bouquets, do not hesitate to cut gaura for a vase. Harvesting is best done the moment the first small flowers on the stem begin to open. These delicate flowers are not suitable for drying into dried arrangements, but they will beautifully lighten up fresh bouquets.

This species of sage originates from the steppe regions of Central and Eastern Europe. It forms abundantly flowering small clumps with straight upright stems. In beds, it looks best in groups. Traditionally, it is planted as a companion to roses due to the matching flowering time. However, it will look equally good in mixed drought-loving steppe plantings with grasses. It is an excellent food source for bees. It lasts 7 days in a vase. The cultivar Ostfriesland blooms with a strikingly dark violet-blue color.

Lesser calamint Blue Cloud is an undemanding and modest perennial that reliably perfumes any sunny garden. Its original homeland is the sunny and dry slopes of Southern Europe, which is why it thrives best here in direct sun in well-drained, sandy, or poorer loamy soil. It handles winter without problems, tolerating frosts down to minus twenty-three degrees. You will receive a grown seedling in a pot from us, which you just need to transplant straight into the flowerbed, where it will very soon form a compact, airy small shrub reaching a height of up to forty centimeters. It does not suffer from any diseases or pests, so even complete beginners can easily handle caring for it. Throughout late summer and into autumn, it blooms with a record number of tiny blue flowers that are so typical of the Blue Cloud variety. The whole plant emits a pleasant minty-spicy scent, and its flowers, which resemble thyme, act as a literal magnet for bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. It will look great among roses or in naturally designed steppe flowerbeds, where it naturally complements lower ornamental grasses. Additionally, both the blue flowers and green leaves are edible, so you can use them to garnish summer dishes. Lesser calamint is also excellently suited for cutting into smaller fresh bouquets, adding a fine structure to them in a vase.

A classic perennial for early summer bouquets and cottage gardens. For bouquets, we harvest flowers with firm, smooth central disks. Then they last 7–10 days in a vase. Maikönigin is an exceptionally abundantly flowering garden form.

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 release a minty-spicy scent. The thyme-like flowers attract bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. It will look good among roses as well as in naturalistic steppe beds, perhaps with lower grasses. This calamint is generally more vigorous. It differs from other calamints with felted leaves by its record flowering length, stiff and shiny leaves, and also a larger number of flowers that do not form seeds and are therefore maximally durable. Sometimes sold under the cultivar name 'Triumphator'.

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.

Perovskia are sparsely branched subshrubs, originating from areas ranging from Afghanistan to Tibet. They grow in open, sunny, rocky, and stony habitats. Their white-felted shoots and grayish aromatic leaves are striking. They fit well in sunny flower beds with other drought-loving perennials, where they create interesting structures even in the winter months. Little Spire is a smaller cultivar suitable even for pots with a soil volume of 7 liters or more.

This species of sage originates from the steppe regions of Central and Eastern Europe. It forms abundantly flowering small clumps with straight upright stems. In beds, it looks best in groups. Traditionally, it is planted as a companion to roses due to the matching flowering time. However, it will look equally good in mixed drought-loving steppe plantings with grasses. It is an excellent food source for bees. It lasts 7 days in a vase. Schneehügel blooms white.