Catmint Washfield

Catmint 'Alba' is an aromatic perennial whose botanical name probably refers to the ancient Etruscan city of Nepet, where it was once widely grown. Today, it is an indispensable part of sunny flower beds, where it thrives best in well-drained, sandy soil. It stands out for its extraordinary hardiness, easily handling harsh frosts down to minus thirty-four degrees, and does not suffer from diseases or pests. Even beginners can easily handle growing it. You will receive an already mature seedling in a pot from us, which you just need to transplant straight into the garden, where it will form a vigorous clump of grayish-green leaves. In the garden, it functions as an ideal companion for roses as well as for natural-style plantings. During May, June, and again in September, it becomes covered in pure white flowers that attract bees and butterflies. This variety from the faassenii group grows to a height of fifty centimeters and has long, straight stems suitable for cutting.

Catmints are ideal companions for roses, suitable for naturalistic gardens, and lower species also for boxes and pots. Some of them are an irresistible attraction for cats, caused by the hallucinogen nepetalactone. This should be present in the highest amount in the species Nepeta cataria. Conversely, lemon-scented catmints reportedly do not attract cats. The botanical name Nepeta likely comes from the name of the ancient Etruscan city Nepet - Nepi in the territory of today's Italian province of Viterbo, where the plant was once cultivated. The faassenii group is characterized by vigorous upright growth, fine foliage, and long stems suitable for cutting. Six Hills Giant has a slightly lighter flower color than Walker's Low. It grows in airy clumps and blooms very profusely. Long stems suitable for cutting.

A perennial species of Verbena native to North America. In natural habitats, it grows in wet meadows, pastures, and along water bodies. It is a great attractant for bees and butterflies. Although not very long-lived, it can maintain itself by self-seeding in good conditions. It blooms gradually over a long period with many tiny flowers. The spent flower heads are also effective, both in beds and bouquets. The cultivar Pink Spires stands out with a sturdy upright habit and flowers in a soft pink color.

This Yarrow grows primarily in damp or wet habitats – wet meadows, springs, banks of watercourses and ponds. The flowers are semi-double with a gray-yellow center. They last 10 days in a vase.

Larkspur Benary’s Pacific Galahad is an unmissable classic and a true dominant feature among border perennials. Its wild ancestors originate from the mountain meadows and light forests of the Northern Hemisphere, so even in the garden, it will appreciate a sunny location and well-drained, yet nutrient-rich loamy and humous soil with plenty of moisture. You will receive a mature seedling in a pot from us, which just needs to be transplanted directly into the flowerbed, ideally at a spacing of sixty centimeters, so that it has enough clear space around it for growth. It belongs among plants for intermediate growers, because for its majestic growth to a height of one hundred to one hundred and fifty centimeters, it needs regular fertilizing and copious watering. It is also good to watch out for snails and slugs, which like to feast on its young leaves, and throughout the season to protect the plant from powdery mildew. Larkspur is fully frost-resistant and can handle temperatures dropping to minus thirty-four degrees without difficulty. The entire plant is poisonous, which is good to keep in mind when choosing its spot. You will often see it in the company of roses and peonies, where its pure white flowers form a perfect color contrast. It blooms first in June and, after being cut back in time, usually repeats blooming during August and September. The snow-white flowers reliably attract bees as well as other beneficial pollinators and are an excellent choice for cutting into vases. They will last about seven days in clean water, one just needs to pay attention to the proximity of ripening fruit, because the plant is very sensitive to the released ethylene and would fade faster. If you dry the flowers, they serve excellently for floristic purposes and will retain their shape and fresh color for a long time.

The original home of bleeding hearts is Korea and China, where they grow in light deciduous forests. They are classic garden perennials. They will look perfect in nostalgically styled flower beds; the white variant fits well even into naturalistic woodland gardens. They are popular for their heart-shaped flowers hanging on horizontal or arching stems. These weaken and die back some time after flowering; all the plant's energy then concentrates in the roots, and at that moment, we can cut the above-ground part back completely. For the rest of the year, we won't even know the bleeding heart is in the garden. It will remind us of its charm again in the spring. Perfect vase life, at least 7 days. Harvest when the first 3–4 flowers open on the stem. The basic species has pink-white flowers. In spring, the sprouting shoots have a pink tinge.

Avens Totally Tangerine will brighten any garden with its cup-shaped flowers in warm shades that resemble the color of ripe tangerines. The original botanical species of this cute avens originate from the mountainous regions of Chile, which is why it thrives best even in our conditions in well-drained, humus-rich, and loamy soil. It handles frosts down to minus twenty-eight degrees without problems, and even complete beginners can easily handle caring for it, as it does not suffer from diseases or pests. You will get an already grown seedling in a pot from us, which you simply transplant straight into the flowerbed in sun or partial shade. It is ideal to plant the plants about half a meter apart. Here it will soon form a dense clump of green leaves, from which sturdy stems up to ninety centimeters tall emerge, and they do not need any support. Although it is a short-lived perennial, it will make up for everything with its incredible persistence in blooming. Unlike other avens, the Totally Tangerine variety starts its blooming season a little later, but in return, it will delight you without a break from May to September. The semi-double flowers also gradually transition into a deep salmon to dark peach color and are a literal magnet for bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. In a flowerbed, it functions excellently as a filler plant, nicely connecting other perennials with its neutral structure. You will also enjoy the blooming avens at home. It is excellently suited for cutting into summer bouquets. We recommend cutting the stems when a quarter to half of the flowers on the branch are already open. They will then last about a week in a vase and gently liven up any arrangement. Although it is not suitable for drying, it will do a lot of work in the flowerbed even through winter, when its foliage and remains of stems create an interesting winter effect under frost or snow.

Anemones come from the same family as buttercups. With their elegant flowers on long slender stems, they can enliven and brighten up late summer and autumn flowerbeds. They stand out against the darker background of shrub groups and will also appreciate their partial shade. The Czech Perennial Association chose autumn anemones as the perennial of the season for 2022. They last 7 days in a vase. Serenade is a tender and vigorously growing cultivar. The flowers are semi-double, light pink with a center formed by distinct yellow stamens. The stems are firm and upright; it does not tend to lodge.

Fountain grasses originate from East Asia, where they grow in meadows and light forests. They form semi-spherical clumps of narrow leaves which, like the flowers, color up in autumn. They are suitable for vases and for drying. The cultivar Hameln Gold turns golden yellow in autumn.

The 'Wine Red' prairie mallow is a beautiful and long-flowering perennial whose appearance resembles miniature hollyhocks or a classic country mallow. Its homeland is the sunny meadows of North America, so it thrives in full sun and well-drained loamy soil with plenty of humus. From July to September, it produces tall spikes full of striking wine-red flowers, which grow to a height of around one meter. It has sturdy stems and does not need support. It is an undemanding plant that even beginners can manage. You will receive a mature potted seedling from us, which you just need to transplant into the flowerbed. The prairie mallow is perfectly suited for a classic combination with roses as well as for wilder flowerbeds with grasses. During the summer, it acts as a reliable magnet for bees and butterflies. Although it is a short-lived perennial, it easily survives harsh winters down to minus twenty-eight degrees. If you like to cut flowers for a vase, the prairie mallow will bring you joy; it is made for summer bouquets. Just watch out for waterlogging, which can cause rust.

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. 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 excellent pasture for bees. It lasts 7 days in a vase. 'Schwellenburg' is a very special variety with a richly branched inflorescence. The little flowers have purple bracts and a wine-colored calyx.

Woodland sage 'Mainacht' is an aromatic perennial originating from the sunny steppes and dry meadows of Central and Eastern Europe. It is a very resilient and undemanding plant that thrives best here in full sun in well-drained and poorer soil. From the supplied grown seedling, a sturdy clump reaching a height of about half a meter will quickly grow. In flower beds, it stands out best when planted in larger groups, for example as a traditional companion to roses or in mixed drought-tolerant plantings with ornamental grasses. The 'Mainacht' cultivar is popular for its striking dark violet-blue flowers, which appear as early as May and June. If you cut it back after the first bloom, it will willingly bloom again at the end of August. During flowering, the sage is literally a magnet for bees and butterflies. It is an ideal choice for beginners, needs no support, and does not suffer from diseases. It is perfectly suited for cutting into fresh bouquets, where its stems stay fresh for approximately seven days. A surprising bonus is that the fragrant flowers are edible.

Larkspur Benary’s Pacific Astolat is an unmissable dominant feature among border perennials and brings classic elegance to the garden. Its original species originate from temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, where they grow in moister mountain meadows. Therefore, even in our gardens, it will appreciate a location in full sun and deep, nutrient-rich loamy and humous soil with plenty of moisture. You will receive from us an already mature seedling in a pot, which you just need to transplant to the chosen spot. Here it will quickly form a massive clump with deeply lobed green leaves. The Astolat cultivar stands out with firm stems up to a meter and a half tall, which from June carry rich inflorescences of large pink flowers with a contrasting center. During summer, these flowers reliably attract bees, bumblebees, and other pollinators. After the first blooming, we recommend cutting the plant back, which will encourage another wave of blooming at the end of summer in August and September. Growing larkspurs requires a bit more attention, so it is better suited for more advanced growers. For them to stand out well and reach their full height, they need to be given enough space; the optimal spacing is around sixty centimeters. Do not forget regular fertilizing and copious watering, because in dry soil they can suffer and be more susceptible to powdery mildew. In spring, it is also important to protect the sprouting shoots from slugs and snails. However, the care invested will pay off richly. We often see them in the company of roses and peonies, with which they form a perfect romantic composition. The entire plant is poisonous, which is good to consider when choosing a planting site. On the other hand, it will please you with its tremendous frost resistance; it can easily handle temperatures dropping down to minus thirty-four degrees. We can fully enjoy their beauty not only in flowerbeds but also in fresh bouquets. For cutting into a vase, choose stems at the time when the bottom flowers are opening. They will last approximately seven days in water, just be careful not to place the vase near ripening fruit. They are sensitive to ethylene, which causes rapid shedding of petals. You can also try drying them for floristic purposes. If you hang the inflorescences in a dark and airy place, the flowers will perfectly retain their rich pink color and serve as an interesting element for winter decorations.

Avens Tempest Scarlet brings a flood of vibrant colors and spring freshness to the garden. The original species of avens grow in moister but well-drained meadows and light forest edges, which is why they thrive best here in sun or partial shade in humus-rich loamy soil. You will receive an already rooted seedling in a pot from us, which you can easily transplant straight to your chosen spot. Avens are generally very undemanding plants, do not need any support, and effortlessly withstand frosts down to minus twenty-eight degrees. The Tempest Scarlet cultivar was bred in Scotland and stands out with the deep scarlet color of its semi-double, slightly ruffled flowers, which bloom on long branched stems from May to July. After a summer break, it will often delight you with another blooming in the autumn. With its clumping growth, it will eventually form a nice ground cover, and its flowers attract bees and butterflies. It is an excellent perennial for mixed flowerbeds as well as for cutting. We harvest the stems for bouquets as soon as about a quarter to half of the flowers are open. It will stay beautiful in a vase for about seven days, but it is not suitable for drying. Common pests and diseases avoid it, making it an ideal choice for complete beginners.

Anemones come from the same family as buttercups. With their elegant flowers on long slender stems, they can liven up and brighten late summer and autumn beds. They stand out against the darker background of shrub groups and will also be grateful for their partial shade. The Czech Perennial Association chose autumn Anemones as the perennial of the season for 2022. They last 7 days in a vase. Whirlwind is a historical variety bred in 1887 in the USA. It has a semi-double pure white flower, often with inner twisted petals, and compact, strictly upright growth. The flowers are very durable.

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.

A perennial species of Verbena native to North America. In natural habitats, it grows in wet meadows, pastures, and along water bodies. It is a great attraction for bees and butterflies. Although not very long-lived, it can maintain itself in good conditions by self-seeding. It blooms gradually over a long period with many tiny flowers. The spent inflorescences are also effective, both in beds and in bouquets. White Spires is an elegant cultivar with pure white flowers.

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 via runners. Cutting back after the first flowering encourages a new set of flowers. We harvest for bouquets when the florets are fully open. They last 10 days in a vase.

The Heidi columbine brings unprecedented lightness and romance to any garden. In the wild, it grows across Europe, where it most often colonizes the edges of groves and moister mountain meadows. Its growing requirements in our country correspond to these conditions. From our seedling, a strong perennial will quickly grow in a partially shaded or sunny spot with humus-rich soil. It is completely undemanding, easily surviving severe frosts, does not suffer from pests, and even beginners can handle its care without worries. During drier summers, powdery mildew may occasionally appear on the leaves, which you can easily solve by promptly removing the affected parts. The Heidi variety boasts delicate flowers in soft pink tones, which constantly attract bees at the turn of spring and summer. Columbines add a natural flair to perennial beds and even reliably self-seed in their favorite spots. Furthermore, they are highly valued for their green leaves, which form a beautiful undergrowth. In bouquets, they create an incredibly fresh, airy impression and will hold their shape in a vase for a full seven days.

The common columbine is a charming spring perennial that originates from light deciduous forests and moist mountain meadows of Europe. Therefore, it thrives best in partial shade or in the sun in ordinary, slightly moist, and humus-rich loamy soil. It effortlessly withstands harsh frosts, and its care can be easily managed even by beginners. You will receive from us a grown seedling in a pot, which you just need to transplant directly into the flower bed. It will find its use in rustic gardens, modern concepts, as well as wild natural plantings, where it works as a reliable lure for pollinators. If it likes its spot, it willingly self-seeds. The Blue Barlow cultivar stands out with double flowers in a dark purple-blue color and early-sprouting leaves. Keep in mind that the plant is poisonous and in drier periods can suffer from powdery mildew. Otherwise, however, pests avoid it. Its flowers give flower beds an incredible airiness and lightness. They create the same effect in bouquets, for which the columbine is perfectly suited. After being cut, the flowers will last for a full seven days in a vase.

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.

Obedient plant is native to the eastern regions of North America, where it naturally lines riverbanks and wet meadows. Thanks to its origin, it loves the sun but requires plenty of moisture, so it will thrive in humus-rich and clay soils that do not dry out. It forms upright and dense shrubby clumps that slowly spread into the surroundings through root runners, creating a nice closed stand in the flowerbed over time. Its flowers have the shape of a slender spike with four rows of tubular blooms that resemble Snapdragons in shape and attract bees and bumblebees. The Bouquet Rose variety will delight you with a sweet purple-pink color that will brighten the garden in August, September, and October. For florists, this perennial is a late-summer treasure. We harvest it as soon as the first flowers open in the inflorescence; in a vase, they then willingly continue to bloom and stay fresh for ten to fourteen days. In bouquets, they form a great companion for Dahlias, to which they add a vertical element. The later faded spikes with seeds are also interesting and well-suited for drying.

Catmints are ideal companions for roses; they fit into natural-style gardens, and lower-growing species fit into window boxes and pots. Some of them are an irresistible attraction for cats, caused by the hallucinogen nepetalactone. This should be present in the highest degree in the species Nepeta cataria. Conversely, lemon-scented catmints reportedly do not attract cats. The botanical name Nepeta likely comes from the name of the ancient Etruscan city Nepet - Nepi in the territory of today's Italian province of Viterbo, where the plant was once cultivated. Catmint Senior grows in compact clumps reaching a height of 40 cm.

Paniculate baby's breath is originally a plant from the sandy steppes and slopes of southern Europe and central Asia, which has been grown in botanical gardens since the 18th century. Since the mid-19th century, it has also become naturalized in private gardens and became a classic cut perennial. In the garden, it applies excellently in modern-style steppe beds with grasses and drought-tolerant perennials, to which it adds airiness and lightness. The 'Flamingo' cultivar boasts a flood of tiny double flowers in a tender pink color, which last on the plant from July to September. The plant requires full sun and very well-drained, ideally sandy soil, because its deep taproots cannot stand winter dampness. Thanks to them, however, it resists drought excellently and is fully frost-resistant. For florists, baby's breath is indispensable, whether for fresh summer bouquets or for drying, as it retains its shape and color even after drying.

Fountain grasses originate from East Asia, where they grow in meadows and light forests. They form hemispherical clumps of narrow leaves which, like the flowers, color up in the autumn. They are suitable for the vase and for drying. The 'Hameln' cultivar is one of the most reliable bloomers in cooler regions. The inflorescences initially have a soft pink tinge, then change color to yellow-brown or reddish-brown.

Oriental poppy Royal Wedding is an unmissable perennial that brings true elegance to the spring garden. It originally comes from the harsher conditions of the Caucasus, Turkey, and Iran, where it grows on sunny rocky slopes and dry meadows. Because of this, it is exceptionally resilient, easily handling frosts down to minus forty degrees, and can do without complex care. You will receive a grown seedling in a pot from us, which you just need to transplant to a sunny location with well-drained loamy soil. The cultivar Royal Wedding will reward you in May and June with huge bowl-shaped flowers with pure white petals, which hide a distinct dark burgundy spot in their center. Moreover, these enchanting flowers reliably attract pollinators from far and wide. It is typical for Oriental poppies that their strikingly fuzzy green leaves die back soon after flowering. The plant takes a break over the warmest summer to gather strength, and a smaller portion of the leaves often sprouts again only at the end of summer. Therefore, it is ideal to plant the poppy in the flower bed in close proximity to other perennials that sprout slightly later and naturally fill the empty space left by the resting poppy. It avoids diseases and needs no support, reaching a height of around sixty to eighty centimeters. Just watch out for field voles, which might develop a taste for its fleshy roots. Otherwise, it is a long-lived plant that even a complete beginner can handle without worries. Given that the plant is poisonous, it is naturally not intended for consumption. The giant white flowers are also a great attraction for lovers of cut flowers, although they require a little trick. Similar to other poppies, the stems need to be harvested exactly at the moment when the buds begin to color and slightly crack. Right after cutting, we sear the ends of the stems with a flame for about twenty seconds to prevent sap leakage, and then we put them into cold water. Thanks to this procedure, they will stay beautiful for about four days in a vase and add amazing lightness to bouquets. Although these delicate flowers are not suitable for drying, they simply have no competition in fresh spring bouquets.

Lupines are striking for their unmistakable flowers and decorative compound leaves. Naturally, they are rather short-lived perennials. Their lifespan is usually around five years. They are valued for their use as cut flowers and as bee pasture. This cultivar impresses with bicolored flowers in a combination of blue and creamy white.

Showy stonecrop is one of the longest-living and hardiest perennials you can treat your garden to. It originally comes from the Far East, where it colonizes sunny and dry slopes. For successful cultivation, you simply need to find it a spot in direct sun with well-drained sandy soil. The 'Matrona' cultivar catches the eye at first glance with its fleshy, grayish-green leaves with a burgundy tinge and sturdy stems that do not break and need no support. We will deliver a mature potted seedling that you can easily transplant straight into the flowerbed after unpacking. We recommend planting five to seven plants per square meter; they will soon join into a solid stand around seventy centimeters tall. From August to October, it will then delight you with rich, flat inflorescences in an old rose color. It is an ideal choice for those looking for beauty without unnecessary effort. This stonecrop easily survives harsh winters with frosts dropping to minus twenty-eight degrees, and pests and diseases avoid it. The 'Matrona' variety differs from others in that it will reliably grow even in more nutritious soil, provided it is not waterlogged. In perennial compositions, it creates a beautiful contrast next to delicate ornamental grasses and other autumn flowers. During sunny days, bees, butterflies, and other pollinators constantly take turns over its flowers. You can boldly use the sturdy stems with pink umbels for cutting. They stay fresh in a vase for quite a long time and will bring a touch of the slowly ending summer into your home. It might surprise you that the leaves of this stonecrop are edible and can be used to garnish dishes. If you decide not to cut the plant back in the autumn, you will get a perfect structure in the flowerbed that will last all winter. Especially when the old flowers are covered in frost, they provide a breathtaking spectacle right until the spring months.

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.