Joe Pye Weed is a variety of Eupatorium purpureum that can take some shade and damp soil. In full-sun, Joe Pye will get over 6 feet tall. ‘Little Joe’ is a shorter selection. Bees and butterflies love ’em.
from left clockwise – Veronica spicata ‘First Glory’, Veronica ‘Purpleicious’, and Veronica ‘First Love’
Ornamental creeping oregano (Origanum laevigatum) makes a wonderful perennial flower for cutting and drying.
This Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’ has the deep purple-red foliage for good contrast in a part-shade border. The white puff of flowers come in very late-September and pick up the twilight beautifully.
Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) has many hybrid forms and colors now. Get a variety for blooms from late-July through September! Butterflies and bees love them.
Hens and chicks (Sempervivum tectorum) add interesting color to dry or rocky parts of the perennial garden.
Coreopsis ‘Route 66’ has some flashy color. Coreopsis will set fresh blooms if dead-headed regularly. The spent blooms to trim off are the brown nubs that surround this red and yellow bloom. You can see the greenish buds of more flowers just above it.
Don’t forget the perennial ferns – this is ‘Maiden-hair’ but we also have ‘Japanese painted fern’ and more for damp full shade.
Ligularia “The Rocket” is wonderful – late July through August. ‘Othello’ or ‘Desdemona’ have the masses of ‘rays’ or aster-like flowers.