Wild Quinine

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.

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.

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. The pastel yellow flowers of Romantic Glory combine well with other colors.

In nature, we find it in steppes on dry pastures and stony slopes of Central and Southern Europe. It is a well-known plant used in floristry. Excellently usable in both fresh and dried states. For drying, we select only stems with fully opened flowers. We hang them flowers-down in a dry, airy, and dark place.

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.

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.

They grow naturally in the area from southern Europe to Turkey and Central Asia. These are decorative and undemanding plants suitable for natural perennial gardens. The spherical flowers attract bees and butterflies. They last a very long time in a vase and look wonderful in summer bouquets; they are also suitable for drying. Star Frost is a pure white form of the banat globe thistle; it grows relatively compactly, with flowers about the size of a golf ball. The leaves are deep green on top and grey-green on the underside.

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.

Pycnanthemum muticum impresses with its silvery-white colored bracts growing beneath the less conspicuous inflorescence. It grows to a height of 70–110 cm. On sunny days, the leaves in particular are strongly aromatic. The flowers attract pollinators. A great green addition to bouquets.

Pycnanthemum pilosum grows naturally in prairies, meadows, and along riverbanks. Its branched stems and flower heads resemble Monarda. The entire plant appears grey-green due to its dense hairiness. The leaves are fragrant when crushed. In garden beds, its greyish hue naturally ties together the colors of other perennials.

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".

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.

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.

Small shrubs with fragrant gray-silver shoots and leaves. Strikingly colored flowers are clustered in dense panicles. In the garden, it can evoke a summer atmosphere well into autumn. It tolerates drought very well and loves heat. It fits perfectly into Mediterranean-style plantings. It is popular with bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. Pagoda Dark pink is an interspecific hybrid appreciated by florists for its perfectly long and straight stems, striking rich pink flower color.

This Phlomis grows wild in Central and Southeastern Europe; here it is among the critically endangered species. The stems are purple and bear rough, heart-shaped leaves. The flowers are pink-purple; the dry capsules with seeds are also decorative. It creates a distinct decorative element even in winter. Particularly impressive is the combination with soft, loose plantings of grasses and perennials, into which Phlomis introduces a strict graphic accent.

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.

They grow naturally in the region from southern Europe to Turkey and Central Asia. These are decorative and undemanding plants suitable for natural perennial gardens. The spherical flowers attract bees and butterflies. They last a very long time in a vase and look wonderful in summer bouquets; they are also suitable for drying. Blue Glow has intensely blue flowers.

A perennial that finds its place in naturally designed 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 in England and France candied as sweets and added to pastries and jellies. In folk medicine, it was used, among other things, as an aphrodisiac, hence its folk name 'man's fidelity'. Glitter White was bred for a rich set of flowers and the silver color of the blooms.

A tall medicinal perennial with decorative, finely divided leaves and a sweet taste and scent similar to anise. It does not form tubers. The delicate, aromatic leaves add an attractive veil and smoke effect to a perennial bed. Its flowers are a magnet for beneficial insects. It lasts 7–10 days in a vase. Matured umbels with seeds can be dried.

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.

Pycnanthemum flexuosum, or also tenuifolium, naturally occurs in short-grass, drier prairies. As the only representative of this genus, it grows, true to its name, in the mountains as well. It is the shortest and also the least aromatic of all species of the genus Pycnanthemum. Overall, it looks very light and airy. This is because the plant has tiny needle-like leaves. The flowers are also smaller, creamy white. It grows in compact clumps that slowly expand via short underground runners. It is suitable for naturalistic plantings and as delicate greenery for bouquets.

A long-lived and medicinal perennial originally from the Himalayas and Nepal. An exceptionally decorative plant with fresh green, finely pinnate leaves resembling ferns. The reddish stems contrast gently with fluffy, up to 20 cm wide, white umbels. An elegant and effective element of perennial beds from spring to autumn. An attraction for insects. It adds a meadow character to bouquets and lasts 7–10 days in a vase.

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.

Jacob's Ladder is a native wild perennial grown in gardens as an ornamental plant since the 16th century. Its individual leaves are arranged remarkably regularly, hence its common name Jacob's Ladder. Harvest when one-third of the florets are open. It lasts 7 to 10 days in a vase. The cultivar White Pearl has pure white flowers with yellow stamens.

Rudbeckias originate from North America; they are robust and abundantly blooming perennials of late summer and autumn. Suitable for prairie plantings with tall grasses and cottage gardens. The central disks look very effective after seeds mature and decorate perennial beds through the winter. Harvest for the vase as soon as they bloom. Vase life is 7–10 days. Dry central disks can also be used. Green Wizard is a peculiar rudbeckia striking for its unusual coloring and flower shape. The inflorescence has no developed true petals, only large green bracts with a raised brown center. An effective addition to bouquets.

Perovskia are sparsely branched subshrubs, native to regions from Afghanistan to Tibet. They grow in open, sunny, rocky, and stony habitats. Their white felted shoots and grayish aromatic leaves are striking. They are suitable for sunny flower beds alongside other drought-loving perennials, where they create interesting structures even in the winter months.

Pycnanthemum virginianum is native to moist prairies, meadows, riverbanks, and wetter habitats of the USA and Canada. It blooms creamy white, and the leaves are finely hairy. It is used for cutting as greenery with good durability in a vase.

An impressive solitary perennial with a massive, sparsely branched growth type. It produces light yellow-green flowers on long stems resembling Scabious flowers. The contrast between the relatively massive mass of leaves and the airy wire-like stems with small flower heads is very effective. It lasts about 5 days in a vase. Spent inflorescences are also interesting in beds and bouquets.

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.