Common name:Lilac Beauty Lilyturf
Botanical name:Liriope muscari 'Lilac Beauty'

This little plant isn't a true grass but is actually in the Lily family. Lilyturf is a perennial with grass-like foliage that is deep green, grows in clumps, and spreads by rhizomes. Produces dense spikes of deep lilac flowers, usually early to late fall. It is also generally listed as being evergreen. Given our climate, lilyturf frequently doesn't flower as it gets too cold, and is semi-evergreen. But it's worth a gamble as it is a lovely addition to a dry shade area, even if it never blooms. Grows around 6 inches tall and wide.

Common name:Redtwig or Red osier Dogwood
Botanical name:Cornus sericea

Red osier dogwood is a deciduous shrub that adds needed color to the winter landscape. Upright to rounded form, growing 6 to 9 feet tall and wide, its new wood is bright red, creating a fabulous accent any time of year. Leaves are a medium green, turning a reddish purple in fall. Creamy white flowers occur in spring and contrast attractively with burgundy colored young twigs. Flowers are followed by white fruit. Attracts birds and butterflies. A good choice in a landscape that borders one of our riparian corridors...there are some planted at the 900 South Wetland.

Common name:English Ivy
Botanical name:Hedera helix cultivars

English Ivy is a self-clinging vine used as a groundcover or climbing vine. Though usually green, with lobed leaves, there are many varieties of ivy with variations in leaf size, shape, and color (some ivies have variegated leaves with margins or splotches of white, yellow, or red). All ivies are evergreen but not all are winter-hardy, so check the plant label. A bit slow to establish in our region, once it gets going it spreads quickly up walls, chain link fences, or over the ground. It is praised for its ability to cover an area quickly but loathed by others for the very same reason.