Russian sage Bluesette

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.

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.

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 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.

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".

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.

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.

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.

Gaura is a clump-forming perennial originally from Texas and Louisiana. Here it behaves more like a short-lived perennial. It combines beautifully with grasses and adds lightness and airiness to flowerbeds. It is excellent pasture for insects. Tiny flowers similar to small butterflies bloom tirelessly from June until the first frosts. Harvest for bouquets immediately as soon as the first two to three flowers open on the stem. Whirling Butterflies blooms with pure white flowers that gradually acquire a pink tinge. Buds are also usually pinkish. Characterized by compact growth and blooms profusely.

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.

An interesting tuberous perennial with flowers blooming from the top down. This peculiarity gave it its second Czech name – 'top-flower'. Most plants bloom the other way around, from bottom to top. The purple flowers of a peculiar shape attract bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. Interesting for bouquets too.

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.

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.

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.

An interesting tuberous perennial with flowers blooming from the top down. This peculiarity gave it its second Czech name – 'top-flower'. Most plants bloom the other way around, from bottom to top. The white flowers of a peculiar shape attract bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. Interesting for bouquets too.

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. Moonlight Glory is our lightest milky-white goldenrod. Its elegant shade combines well with other perennials.

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.

A versatile perennial usable in rural and modern beds. It also works well in wild natural plantings. Its main charm lies in the cute flowers that appear in late spring, but it is also valuable in beds for its early sprouting leaves. Columbines add airiness and lightness to perennial beds and bouquets. It lasts 7 days in a vase. Rose Barlow has a pink double flower.

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 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.

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 tufted, upright growing grass. It sprouts very early. It is decorative due to its overall vertical habit and fine flower panicles, which bloom silvery-grey, turn yellow in summer, and transition to sandy beige. It decorates the garden until winter. You can plant it in mixed beds or use it as an element to rhythmically divide the space. Usable for bouquets and drying.

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.

Delicate decorative, long-lived shade-loving perennials with pinnate leaves and magnificent feathery inflorescences. They originate primarily from East Asia, but also from eastern North America. They look best in large-scale plantings. Due to relatively late sprouting, it is good to combine them with early-flowering bulbs. They last 4–10 days in a vase. We harvest as soon as half of the inflorescence is in bloom. They are very sensitive to ethylene released from ripening fruit. Erika blooms light pink.

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 classic perennial for early summer bouquets and cottage gardens. For bouquets, harvest flowers with firm, smooth central disks. They then last 7–10 days in a vase. Polaris is a more vigorous garden form. It can be propagated by sowing.