Common name:Goldflame Spirea
Botanical name:Spiraea x bumalda 'Goldflame'

Goldflame Spirea has attractive bronzy new growth in the spring that matures to a soft yellow-green in the summer. Fall foliage color is a coppery-orange. Summer flowers are crimson to carmine red. Great in front of larger shrubs or as a foliage bridge in a perennial border. Moderate grower to 3 to 4 feet tall, with a slightly wider spread.

Common name:Dwarf Globe Blue Spruce
Botanical name:Picea pungens 'Globosa'

Globe-shaped evergreen shrub is is flat-topped, densely branched, and dwarf, making it a nice evergreen for small spaces or in a mixed border. Bright blue needles hold their color all year ut are brighter in summer. Full sun to light shade. Slow grower to 3 to 5 feet tall and 5 to 6 feet wide.

Common name:Moonshine Yarrow
Botanical name:Achillea 'Moonshine'

'Moonshine' is an upright, clump-forming, compact hybrid yarrow, with deeply-dissected, fern-like, aromatic, silvery to gray-green foliage. Flowers are long-lasting, bright lemon-yellow, and bloom throughout the summer on stiff, erect stems. This plant resembles A. 'Coronation Gold' except it is much smaller and the flowers are a lighter yellow. Grows about 18 inches tall and 24 inches wide, and seems to be slightly less invasive then other yarrow, keeping a more clumping habit. A great addition to a sunny perennial border.

Common name:Russian Sage
Botanical name:Perovskia atriplicifolia

Russian sage may be the ubiquitous low-water garden plant. With its grey green, aromatic foliage, and azure blue spires, it provides a long-lasting show in hot, dry gardens. It grows to 3 to 5 feet tall, and nearly as wide. It is a woody perennial and forms a very hard trunk over time. It is both airy and substantial, and partners well with herbaceous perennials, woody shrubs, or ornamental grasses. It also would grow well against a south or west facing wall or fence.

Common name:Variegated Iris
Botanical name:Iris pallida 'Variegata'

If I had to pick my top five must-have perennials, this would be on the list. A species of bearded iris, yellow variegated iris has long, sword like foliage that emerges in early spring and is colored pale, grey-green and lemony yellow. Flowers bloom late spring to early summer, are a pale blue to violet-blue, and are very fragrant (like a cross between grape and apple juice). Absolutely fills the yard. And after flowering, the foliage holds out all summer, unlike other bearded iris; the variegated leaves a striking presence, even without the flowers. The foliage is about 18 to 24 inches tall, and the flowers rise to about 30 to 40 inches. I have never had a garden that didn't include this iris. There is also a variety with white variegation, usually listed as Iris p. 'Argenta.' Fabulous anywhere, and plant enough so you can cut them and bring them indoors.

Common name:English Lavender
Botanical name:Lavandula angustifolia

English lavender is a dependably hardy, heat tolerant, drought resistant perennial, well suited to our arid, cold climate. Aromatic, green to grey-green foliage has a rich, resin scent, and grows in tight clumps 1 to 2 feet in height and width, depending on variety. Flowers form at the ends of stiff stems, in whorls of blue to lavender to purple, again, depending on variety. Flowers may add another 6 to 12 inches of height. Use in any sunny spot, such as perennial border, herb garden, parkstrip, lining a pathway.

Common name:Catmint
Botanical name:Nepeta x faassenii

Catmint makes soft, grey-green, rounded mounds from 10 to 24 inches high, depending on variety. Most will be wider than tall. This perennial has lavender blue flowers from late spring to early summer, though if you shear off the first flowers, it will frequently bloom again later in the summer. Different varieties have slightly different bloom times. Leaves are attractive, crinkled blue-grey and are aromatic.

Common name:Norway Spruce
Botanical name:Picea abies

Norway spruce is a large evergreen tree, growing 40 to 60 feet tall and 25 to 30 feet wide, with horizontal branches and pendulus branchlets, giving it a graceful appearance. It is fairly dense when young, but opens up with age. Needles are stiff, 0.5 to 1 inch long, tending to point downwards and towards the stem tip, and are medium green. Cones form at the ends of branches, are 4 to 6 inches long, and are light green maturing to brown. Bark is grey-brown and peels. There are dozens and dozens of cultivars available.

Common name:Scotch Pine
Botanical name:Pinus sylvestris

Scotch pine is a medium-large pine growing 30 to 50 feet tall and nearly as wide. It has an upright, pyramidal habit in its youth, becoming broad and flat-topped as it ages. Branches are strongly horizontal. Older bark has a distinctive orange color (look towards the top of the tree to catch a glimpse). Blue-green needles are stiff, vary in length, and twist 360 degrees. Cones are 1 to 3 inches in length. A number of cultivars are avaialble, including dwarf and prostrate forms.