Boltonia Snowbank

A North American perennial similar to asters. Its narrow leaves, however, resemble willows. These are hardy and tall perennials with loosely branched inflorescences that look like fluffy clouds of white stars. Disease-resistant and perfect for cutting. Lasts 7–10 days in a vase. The flowers have pale lilac-purple petals with yellow centres.

Sneezeweed (Helenium) is a hardy, profusely flowering perennial that brightens the garden with yellow flowers all summer long until early autumn. Originally from North America, its cultivation has a long tradition in Europe and it often appears in rustic 'grandmother's' gardens. It will look equally good in modern arrangements with tall grasses. The Asahi cultivar is one of the shorter sneezeweeds. It has smaller, golden-yellow, double flowers. It is suitable for cutting into bouquets, although single flowers have a longer vase life. The vase life can be extended by removing uncolored side buds.

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 areas. A very adaptable and undemanding plant, it grows in clumps and spreads by runners. Cutting back after the first bloom will encourage new flowers. For bouquets, harvest when the flowers are fully open. Lasts 10 days in a vase. Summer Pastels features a varied and delicate range of colors from white and vanilla to salmon, brick, and bronze.

Anemones belong to the same family as buttercups. With their elegant flowers on long, slender stems, they can brighten and enliven 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 Society chose autumn anemones as the perennial of the 2022 season. They last 7 days in a vase. Königin Charlotte is a robust, taller variety bred back in 1898. It has strong, firm stems and semi-double, large, purple-pink flowers. The outer sides of the silky smooth petals are tinged with purple.

In nature, it is found in steppes on dry pastures and rocky slopes of Central and Southern Europe. It is a well-known floristically utilized plant. Excellent for use fresh or dried. For drying, select only stems with fully bloomed flowers. Hang flowers upside down in a dry, airy, and dark place.

Bugbane is a beautiful, hardy, and long-lived perennial. It is ornamental not only for its flowers but also for its leaves. In spring, it needs enough time to sprout to its full beauty. Therefore, it is ideally combined with bulbs – snowdrops and daffodils. The green-leaved cultivar 'Silver Dance' is more compact, flowering long and tirelessly.

Brunnera is a long-lived perennial native to the mountain meadows and forests of the Caucasus. It is interesting not only when in bloom. The leaves are large, heart-shaped, and light green. They form a contrasting background for the delicate and small flowers that appear above the carpet of leaves from April to May. It sprouts early and retracts late, making it a valuable groundcover perennial.

An undemanding native grass that forms a dense green cover. In May, long stems emerge with delicate, heart-shaped spikelets resembling small hearts. Their movement with the slightest breeze is very striking. It remains beautiful until August or September. It's a good idea to trim it after flowering. It is perfectly suitable for drying.

Originally a plant from the sandy steppes and slopes of Southern Europe and Central Asia. Cultivated in botanical gardens since the 18th century. Common in private gardens since the mid-19th century. A classic perennial for cutting. In the garden, it can also be used in modern steppe beds with grasses and drought-tolerant perennials. 'Flamingo' has a pink, double flower.

An impressive solitary perennial with a robust, sparsely branched growth habit. It produces light yellowish-green, scabious-like flowers on long stems. The contrast between the relatively massive foliage and the airy, wiry stems with small flower heads is very striking. It lasts about 5 days in a vase. The spent inflorescences are also interesting in beds and bouquets.

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

Coneflowers (Rudbeckia) originate from North America and are robust, abundantly flowering perennials of late summer and autumn. They are suitable for prairie plantings with tall grasses as well as for rustic country gardens. The central cones, after the seeds ripen, look very striking and adorn perennial beds even through winter. For vases, harvest as soon as they bloom. They last 7 to 10 days in a vase. Dried central cones can also be used. Little Henry is a smaller variant of the coneflower named after its discoverer. It is about a third shorter and blooms somewhat earlier than the original natural species. Everything else is consistent. It has interestingly shaped flowers with striking brown centers, from which yellow ray florets emerge, curled into narrow tubes.

Hellebores are evergreen perennials that form slowly spreading clumps of leathery, dark green leaves. Stems typically bear four to five flowers. They bloom very early, in late winter and early spring. They are suitable for cutting for a vase only after conspicuous seed pods form in the center of the flower and the flower matures. Before this, they tend to wilt, and the stems cannot hold the flower upright. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Double Ellen Pink Spotted has full, delicate pink flowers with dark burgundy spots.

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 areas. A very adaptable and undemanding plant, it grows in clumps and spreads by runners. Pruning after the first bloom will encourage new flowers. For bouquets, harvest when the florets are fully open. It lasts 10 days in a vase. Cerise Queen has intensely pink to purple-pink flowers, gradually fading to light pink.

It is found in almost all mountainous areas of Central and Southern Europe, in high-altitude meadows and bright clearings. It is suitable for natural plantings and can be used in rural submontane gardens with other robust species. It blooms blue and lasts about a week in a vase.

 Kuklíky jsou roztomilé jarní trvalky s rozkošnými miskovitými kvítky v teplých barevných odstínech. Květy vyrůstají na dlouhých rozvětvených stoncích. Okvětní plátky bývají nařasené, květy poloplné. Zajímavé je i jejich trsovitě rostoucí olistění, které časem vytváří dobrý půdní pokryv. Kvetoucí kuklíky jsou velkým lákadlem pro hmyz, zejména motýly. Do kytic sklízíme, jakmile je čtvrtina nebo polovina květů na stonku rozvitá. Ve váze vydrží 7 dní. Totally Tangerine začíná kvést později než ostatní kuklíky, ale na rozdíl od nich kvete během celého léta. Květy mají barvu mandarinek a postupně přechází do sytě lososové až tmavě broskvové.

This is a robust, long-lived, and drought-tolerant herb, native to North American prairies. Its white flowers combine well with other perennials and have good longevity in the garden and in a vase. The leaves with serrated edges emit a menthol scent.

Meadowsweet is a drought-tolerant native perennial that, thanks to its tuberous roots, naturally thrives in very dry habitats. It forms rosettes of finely incised leaves. Its fragrant milky-white inflorescences are floristically valuable. The buds are interesting, looking like tiny pearls, as is the post-bloom stage in the form of small stars. It lasts a week in a vase. This meadowsweet has richer and fuller flowers than the basic species.

Astra Twilight. A delicate beauty for partial shade. It readily forms connected stands and is not deterred even by conditions unfavorable to many other species. It tolerates competition from tree roots and even drought. It is a hybrid of native North American species and is newly classified by botanists into the genus Eurybia. However, it is often offered in nurseries under the name Aster macrophyllus. Either way, in this seemingly delicate plant, gardeners gain a tough ally in the fight against weeds in difficult areas.

Unlike the drought-loving artemisias, which boast exclusive silvery foliage, this species is attractive for its delicate white flowers. These appear in delicate clusters among the dark green feathery foliage. The contrast between the robust green mass and the delicacy of the blossoms is stunning. Beautiful in bouquets, for example, with dahlias. Lasts 7 days in a vase.

Gaura is a clump-forming perennial native to Texas and Louisiana. Here, it tends to behave more like a short-lived perennial. It combines beautifully with grasses, adding lightness and airiness to flower beds. It's an excellent food source for insects. Tiny, butterfly-like flowers bloom tirelessly from June until the first frosts. For bouquets, harvest as soon as the first two or three flowers open on the stem. Summer Breeze has an abundant display of white and pink flowers. It is robust and resilient.

Anemones come from the same family as buttercups. With their elegant flowers on long slender stems, they can brighten and enliven late summer and autumn beds. They stand out against a darker background of shrub groups and will also be grateful for their partial shade. The Czech Perennial Society chose autumn anemones as the perennial of the 2022 season. They last 7 days in a vase. Lorelei has semi-double flowers in a delicate light pink tone.

Hyssop, similar to lavender, is classified as a low woody subshrub. It can be used in similar types of plantings, with roses or in gravel beds of a steppe character. It also has culinary and medicinal uses. A great attraction for bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. Sweet pink flower color.

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

Lupinus, with its name and the structure of its flowers and leaves, resembles the more common lupine. It is a decorative and hardy perennial. It blooms in late May with bright yellow flowers. Its hardiness is due to the strong root system the plant develops, which is why it is even used in anti-erosion plantings.

Physostegia is native to the eastern regions of North America, where it grows on riverbanks and in damp meadows. It forms upright, bushy clumps that spread outwards by root suckers. The flowers are shaped like slender spikes with four rows of tubular flowers, resembling snapdragons. Harvest them as soon as the first flowers in the inflorescence open; they will continue to bloom in the vase. In a bouquet, they are a suitable companion for dahlias and last 10–14 days in a vase. The spent flower spikes with seeds are interesting and can also be used for drying. Alba has pure white flowers and spreads well.

This type of sage originally comes from the steppe regions of Central and Eastern Europe. It forms richly flowering small clumps with straight, upright stems. In beds, it looks best in groups. Traditionally, it is planted as an accompaniment to roses due to its matching blooming period. However, it will also look good in mixed xerophilous steppe plantings with grasses. It is an excellent source of nectar for bees. It lasts 7 days in a vase. Schneehügel blooms white.

The flowers resemble wild roses but are slightly smaller. The spherical, small rose hips are fresh red, in abundant clusters on long, upright shoots. They have perfect vase life. The cultivar Magical Sunset is a very late bloomer, with harvest until the end of the season. It is therefore perfectly suited for Christmas decorations. The leaves are dull green.