(Blue Ice Bluestar, Bluestar)

This is one of the best bluestars for the garden. Discovered at White Flower Farm in Connecticut, 'Blue Ice' is a dwarf hybrid that is believed to be a cross between among Amsonia tabernaemontana and Amsonia montana. It is a heavy-flowering, vigorous selection that looks good even after it has stopped blooming.

In spring this bushy perennial puts forth stems lined with linear green leaves that become covered with loose clusters of blue starry flowers. These are highly attractive...

(Hubricht's Bluestar)

This plant is beautiful in spring, summer and fall. Hubricht's bluestar is a clump-forming herbaceous perennial grown for both its beautiful flowers and foliage. This native of Arkansas and Oklahoma is tough, clump-forming and can become quite large over time.

In spring, clusters of five-petaled starry pale blue flowers appear with the first foliage. The dense upright stems are densely lined with very fine green leaves. These offer a soft ferny appearance to the garden throughout the rest...

(Willowleaf Eastern Bluestar)

Willow-leaved blue star is a vigorous herbaceous perennial prized for its size, distinctive fine texture, starry flowers, and its golden fall color. In spring, thin unbranched stems rise from the center of the roots. The inner stems grow upright while the outer stems lean slightly, giving the plant a spreading silhouette with a rounded crown. The willow-like leaves of this variety are much narrower than those of the species and grow almost at right angles to the stems, producing a resemblance to...

(Alexander's Foot)

Commonly called Mount Alto daisy, Anacyclus pyrethrum is a low growing perenial taht has a daisy like flower with yellow centers and petals that are white on the front and red on the back. It blooms in mid-summer. Its ferny foliage has a silver cast. Native to the Mediterean region, this daisy needs good drainage and full sun. It will tolerate drought conditions, but does not like humidity. Mount Alto daisy may die during extremely cold winters. Use as edging or in the front of a perennial...

(Mount Atlas Daisy)

Mount Atlas daisy is a cute, short-lived, alpine perennial that cheerfully opens white-petaled, daisy-like flowers in summer. The flowers close at dusk and reopen in the morning on this mat-like ground cover from the mountainous northwestern corner of Africa. The grayish green feathery foliage is beautiful in morning light, and is a perfect backdrop to the closed flowerheads showing the red side of their petals.

Mt. Atlas daisy is an excellent plant for gritty, well drained soils in full sun....

(Garden Gnome Daisy, Mount Atlas Daisy)

Mount Atlas daisy is a cute, short-lived, alpine perennial that cheerfully opens white-petaled, daisy-like flowers in summer. The flowers close at dusk and reopen in the morning on this mat-like ground cover from the mountainous northwestern corner of Africa. The grayish green feathery foliage is beautiful in morning light, and is a perfect backdrop to the closed flowerheads showing the red side of their petals.

Mt. Atlas daisy is an excellent plant for gritty, well drained soils in full sun....

(Flaxleaf Pimpernel)

Flaxleaf pimpernel is a low-growing, often short-lived, bushy perennial native to the Mediterranean. This plant displays striking deep blue saucer-shaped flowers, sometimes with red centers, throughout summer. Popular cultivars include the vibrantly-colored 'Pacific Blue' and compact 'Phillipsii'.

Plant in areas with full to part sun and average soil. Its compact, spreading habit makes flaxleaf pimpernel a great plant for rock gardens or border edges. In colder climates it may be grown as an...

(Flaxleaf Pimpernel, Skylover Pimpernel)

Flaxleaf pimpernel is a low-growing, often short-lived, bushy perennial native to the Mediterranean. The cultivar ‘Skylover’ is characterized by its intense blue saucer-shaped blooms that are much larger than average. Blooms appear throughout summer and require little deadheading.

Plant in areas with full to part sun and average soil. Its compact, spreading habit makes flaxleaf pimpernel a great plant for rock gardens or border edges. In colder climates it may be grown as an annual.

(Flaxleaf Pimpernel, Sunrise Pimpernel)

Sunrise flaxleaf pimpernel is a low-growing, often short-lived branching perennial that originates from the Mediterranean. In summer it produces a pretty display of dainty scarlet, saucer-shaped flowers against a backdrop of soft, gray-green foliage.

Moderately drought tolerant, flaxleaf pimpernel requires full sun and average garden soil with good drainage. Its compact, spreading habit makes it a great choice for container edges, rock gardens or border edges. In colder climates it may be grown...

(Italian Bugloss)

A lovely perennial for sunny, well-drained gardens, Italian bugloss has branched stems covered with numerous rich royal blue flowers that will attract bees. Its green to gray-green leaves are covered with coarse hairs and are long and linear.

These plants are adapted to dry climates and require little to no water once established, so they thrive where summers are long and hot. Place in moist, well-draining soils in full sun and avoid excessive winter moisture to prevent the basal plants from...