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Phoenix Perennials E-Newsletter

June 2023

Monstera 'Thai Constellation'

Available Now!

One of the rarest and hottest of houseplants for the past few years, each baby will grow into a magnificent display for your home. You can also grow them outside in a shady location in the summer for a dramatic statement on your shady patio or in your shade garden. 

Full disclosure, fellow gardeners, these special plants are $99.99. We have just 4 available.

If you are a mail order customer we can set up a special order for you. Email mailorder@phoenixperennials.com.

The nursery is now open for our 20th anniversary season! Seven Days a Week, 10am-5pm, including all holidays until November 13th, 2023.

Upcoming Garden and Botanical Tours

With the relaxation of Covid travel restrictions, we are looking forward to some amazing tours. Join Gary to explore the horticultural and botanical world up close and personal!

In this Issue

1. You Can Plant New Plants All Summer Long
2. Grow Milkweeds
3. Go Bananas for Bananas
4. Second Citrus Release
5. Mighty Matos, Tomatoes, Peppers 2 for 1
6. 2 for 1 Hellebores and Cypripedium
7. Main Mail Order Catalogue
8. Gary in the Globe
9. Ground Cover Book Updates
10. Fab at Phoenix

You Can Plant New Plants All Summer Long

A few careful steps are all that is required to successfully plant new perennials, shrubs, and trees in the summer

Many gardeners assume that once the hot weather arrives in June, July and August that it is too late to plant new perennials, shrubs, vines, and trees. Indeed, the best seasons for planting are spring and fall. But you can also plant new plants in the summer. Just follow a few easy steps and you can plant new plants in your garden all summer long!

This common misconception is likely due to confusion between the planting of new plants and the transplanting of existing plants.

Transplanting of existing plants refers to moving plants already established in the garden which results in the uprooting and damaging of established root systems, especially the fine white tip roots that are the primary conduits for water and nutrients. Once transplanted into a new location, the remaining roots will usually not have enough capacity to uptake water to support the foliage in summer’s hot, sunny conditions, even if you trim back the foliage by a third to a half.

While this type of garden work should be avoided in the summer months, the planting of new plants can continue with great success. This is because new plants can be planted with little to no damage to established root systems. Your new plant comes out of its pot and goes into the ground with its roots intact and just like when it was in a pot, the only thing you have to do is keep it watered.

Here are a few secrets of success for summer planting:

1. While still in the pot, water your new plant so that water flows freely out the bottom of the pot and the root ball is thoroughly saturated.
2. Dig a generous hole. Once dug, fill it with water and allow the water to slowly soak into the surrounding garden bed. This helps moisten the soil around your planting hole.
3. Remove your new plant from its pot and gently scuff up the edges of the root ball with your fingers. Just a little damage to the roots will encourage them to grow and branch out into their new space. Plant your new plant and fill the hole three quarters full with a half and half mix of existing soil and new compost or Sea Soil. Now fill the hole again with water and allow it to slowly drain away as before. This will thoroughly moisten the soil immediately adjacent to the new plant’s root ball.
4. Fill the remaining quarter of the planting hole with soil and gently tamp down the soil around the root ball of your new plant.
5. Collect the excess soil left over from planting and build a rim or bowl around your perennial about six to 12 inches from the base of the plant. This will create a bowl for you to water guaranteeing that water will collect in the bowl and sink straight downwards into the root ball. This step should be done with all trees and shrubs in their first year of planting even if you plant in early spring – woody plants are slower to develop good root systems than perennials.
6. Water your new plant two to three times a week during dry sunny periods by filling the bowl with water two or three times and allowing the water to sink straight down into the root ball.
7. To encourage faster rooting and long term success you can use up to three different products:

• Use a transplant fertilizer – The product we carry has rooting hormone and kelp extract which both encourage fast root growth.
• Use Root Rescue – This is soil mycorrhizae which helps plants find more water and nutrients in the soil for the life of the plant.
• Use Soil Activator – This product contains soil microbes and beneficial bacteria that also support plant and soil health in the long term.

Voilà! You can plant one new plant or a whole new garden bed and you don’t have to wait until fall! Follow these easy steps and you can plant new perennials, shrubs, and trees all summer long!

Have fun!

Check out this video of Phoenix Perennials owner, Gary Lewis, speaking to Breakfast Television host Michael Kuss on CityTV about tips and advice for summer planting.

PS. These steps are also great for success with spring and fall plantings too, especially if you’re planting trees and shrubs which are slower to establish than perennials.

Grow Milkweeds

Support beneficial butterflies and insects add intriguing beauty to your garden

Asclepias is a genus of plants that belong to the family Apocynaceae and are commonly known as milkweeds. Milkweeds are well-known for their ecological importance as they provide nectar for various insects, including butterflies, moths, beetles, and other beneficial species, and are, famously, the primary larval host plant for the monarch butterfly but also for milkweed tussock moths and herbivorous beetles, among others. 

Various butterfly and moth species have coevolved with milkweeds. The relationship between monarch butterflies and milkweeds is the most famous and one of the best examples of coevolution. Coevolution is a special kind of evolution involving close interacting relationships between different species. One species evolves in response to the other, and the other species evolves in response to the first. This back-and-forth process results in the development of specialized traits and adaptations and the evolution of new species. 

Monarch butterflies lay their eggs exclusively on milkweed plants. This selective pressure has forced milkweeds to evolve more and more toxic compounds in their milky sap. Monarchs in turn evolved increasingly iron clad stomachs and the ability to sequester and store these toxic compounds that in turn protect them from predators. It has also pushed milkweeds to evolve into about 100 different species that grow in a range of different habitats from shady forests, to dry or rich fields, to moist soils and swamps all across North America.

Of all the plant genera you could plant in your garden, milkweeds are among the best for supporting a wide range of native insect species. They are also great for supporting the iconic and endangered monarch butterfly. While the main eastern population, which travels through North America from Mexico to southern Canada, is most famous, there is also a western population that overwinters in California and migrates north in summer. In warm years they can also, apparently, reach British Columbia’s Fraser Valley and Greater Vancouver!

Milkweeds are easy to grow in the garden and can be a great addition to any yard offering nectar and larval food but also great beauty from the intricate and colourful flowers and unusual seed pods filled with silky seeds.

Here are a few tips for growing milkweeds:

1. Choose the right species: There are over 100 species of milkweeds, so it's important to choose the right one for your region and your garden. This year we have 8 different species all suited to different garden conditions.

2. Plant in a sunny location: Milkweeds thrive in full sun, so choose a spot in your garden that gets at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day. Though there are some exceptions. A few species, like Asclepias verticillata, grow in shadier conditions.

3. Provide adequate water: Milkweeds generally prefer well-drained soil, but they also need regular watering, especially during dry spells. Some species, like Asclepias incarnata and A. perennis, can be grown in evenly moist to wet soils.

4. Avoid using pesticides: Milkweeds are important host plants for the larvae of many butterfly and moth species, so avoid using pesticides in your garden which can harm these wonderful garden visitors.

5. Be tolerant of leaf damage: If you are lucky enough to have beneficial insects, especially monarchs, lay their eggs on your milkweeds you’ll need to be tolerant of the fact that the caterpillars will want to munch on their foliage. But take heart, fellow gardeners. This means that your yard is part of the circle of life and playing a role in supporting the fascinating native species that call your region home.

We are growing the following species this year. They are ready now for in person shopping and mail order shipping.

Asclepias curassavica 'Monarch's Banquet' - Tropical Milkweed - Apocynaceae (The Dogbane Family)

Asclepias curassavica 'Monarch's Banquet' is a tender variegated milkweed with nectar-rich blooms in bright orange-reds all summer long.

Asclepias fascicularis - Narrow-leaf Milkweed - Apocynaceae (The Dogbane Family)

Asclepias fascicularis is a monarch butterfly host with intricate pale pink and white flowers.

Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella' - Swamp Milkweed - Asclepiadaceae (The Milkweed Family)

Asclepias incarnata 'Cinderella' has dense clusters of small rose pink and white vanilla-scented flowers that attract butterflies.

Asclepias incarnata 'Ice Ballet' - Swamp Milkweed - Asclepiadaceae (The Milkweed Family)

Asclepias 'Ice Ballet' has intriguing and ornate icy white milkweed flowers on strong stems. Beautify your garden and help the butterflies.

Asclepias perennis - White Swamp Milkweed - Asclepiadaceae (The Milkweed Family)

Asclepias perennis is a butterfly milkweed with white and pink flowers.

Asclepias syriaca - Common Milkweed - Asclepiadaceae (The Milkweed Family)

Support monarch butterflies and plant this beautiful eastern milkweed, Asclepias syriaca.

Asclepias tuberosa - Butterfly Milkweed - Asclepiadaceae (The Milkweed Family)

Asclepias tuberosa is a hot orange butterfly milkweed native to the Eastern North America where it feeds monarch butterflies.

Asclepias verticillata - Whorled Milkweed - Asclepiadaceae (The Milkweed Family)

Asclepias verticillata is a rare eastern North American native known as the whorled milkweed.

Going Bananas for Bananas

Get a subtropical look and maybe even some bananas!

Bananas are one of the most popular of all edible fruits. Kids love them. Adults love them. They are great for making banana bread and banana splits and for a tasty snack at any time of the day. 

The fruit we love comes from beautiful and dramatic plants with vertical, suckering pseudostems and large paddle-like leaves that are fantastic for adding some tropicalisimo to the garden and to your containers. 

When the plant is ready to bloom, a large inflorescence will emerge from the top of the stem and open into rows of small tubular flowers protected by usually quite colourful bracts. These flowers will develop into the bananas that we know and love.

There are many types of bananas grown in the world, not just the ones we see in the supermarket. Many have different shapes and sizes and flavours of fruit. Some have seeds. Some are cold tolerant and even hardy in our climate. Some don’t have edible fruit but are grown for their ornamental qualities including the related genus Ensete which also offer dramatic subtropical flare. Some grow quite large while some are more medium sized or even dwarf. There is a banana for everyone.

The hardy and cold tolerant types can be grown outdoors in warm microclimates with some winter protection in coastal BC. In other regions or for the non-hardy cultivars, they can be brought inside in the winter as attractive houseplants.

At Phoenix Perennials we grow what might be Canada’s most diverse banana plantation with 15 different species and cultivars available now. Check out all the amazing options for your garden and patio. All are available now for in-person shopping except where noted. All cultivars can also be ordered online for cross Canada shipping.

Our recently arrived Citrus are ready for sale! They are GORGEOUS!

Here is a list of Citrus in stock now. We have lots of hardy and cold tolerant cultivars denoted in brackets with their lowest temperature tolerance or "cold hardy" where exact hardiness is still to be determined.

Ensete glaucum - Snow Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Ensete glaucum is a rare snow banana and a Musa relative with large, paddle-shaped leaves. Zone 7b hardy with protection.

Almost ready from production but not yet available in the nursery. Place an order online for pick-up or shipping.

Ensete ventricosum 'Maurellii' - Abyssinian Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Ensete ventricosum 'Maurellii' has 6-8 foot long paddle-like green leaves infused with rich burgundy red.

Musa 'Chini Champa' - Bhutan Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Musa 'Chini Champa' is an edible and ornamental, cold tolerant banana with red flowers and small delicious fruit.

Almost ready from production but not yet available in the nursery. Place an order online for pick-up or shipping.

Musa 'Hazaray' - Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Musa 'Hazaray' is a popular banana known for its large sized fruit, mildly sweet flavour and fragrance and heavy production.

Musa 'Jazhi' - Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Musa 'Jazhi' produces large fruit with a mild sweetness and a touch of refreshing sour with good fragrance.

Musa 'Malbhog' - Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Musa 'Malbhog' is an edible and ornamental, somewhat frost tolerant banana tree with tasty, fragrant fruit.

Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish' - Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Musa acuminata 'Dwarf Cavendish' is a fruit-bearing banana with red cone-shaped flowers and broad foliage. Highly ornamental.

Musa acuminata 'Truly Tiny' - Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Musa acuminata 'Truly Tiny' is a miniature fruit bearing banana tree with red cone-shaped flowers and broad foliage. Highly ornamental.

Musa balbisiana - Plantain Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Musa balbisiana is a tender and edible, ornamental plantain banana with red bracts and yellow skinned seedy fruit.

Musa basjoo - Hardy Japanese Fibre Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Musa basjoo, the hardy japanese fibre banana, adds subtropical flare and drama in spades! Reportedly ground hardy to zone 5 (but don't tell anyone in Ontario!).

Musa laterita - Bronze Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Musa laterita is a hardy dwarf banana notable for its upright growth habit and bold red flowering bracts.

Musa sikkimensis 'Bengal Tiger' - Hardy Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Musa sikkimensis 'Bengal Tiger' is a dramatic hardy banana with great burgundy stripes and a burgundy flush below.

Musa thomsonii - Bhutan Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Musa thomsonii is an edible and ornamental banana tree that is cold-tolerant. It has sweet yellow seedy fruit.

Musa velutina - Pink Velvet Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Musa laterita is a unique banana variety with hot pink, fuzzy flowers and pink bananas. Fruit is edible and contains seeds.

Musa x paradisiaca - Banana - Musaceae (The Banana Family)

Musa x paradisiaca is a tender, edible banana plant with yellow flowers and purple bracts and very large paddle-shape leaves.

Second Citrus Release

90 Different Citrus Available Now!

We've just received our second major shipment of Citrus and we are now at our peak availability with 90 different cultivars!

Citrus are fun, beautiful, fragrant and tasty. And with more so many different cultivars this year, they are great for exploring and collecting.

If you have pre-ordered, we have pulled your plants to assemble orders. We'll contact you this week to come pick up once we have your order ready.

In the meantime we have lots of extra citrus to shop for!

Our recently arrived Citrus are ready for sale! They are GORGEOUS!

Here is a list of Citrus in stock now. We have lots of hardy and cold tolerant cultivars denoted in brackets with their lowest temperature tolerance or "cold hardy" where exact hardiness is still to be determined.

Come on down and shop!

To learn more about these varieties and plan your purchases, click on the "More Info & Shop for Citrus" link.

If you need shipping, you can also still place a pre-order for the above list. However, a few are surprise last minute additions. If you don't see them on our pre-order, you'll need to request a special order by putting a note on your order at check out or by emailing the mail order team at mailorder@phoenixperennials.com.

Mighty Matos, Tomatoes & Peppers

2 for 1!

We have some great grafted Mighty Matos and seed-grown tomatoes and peppers still available that need homes. We're offering them now at buy 1 get 1 free to make sure they find a happy place to grow!

Late May and early June is still a great time to plant annual veggies.

Make this a tasty summer and grow these great veggies!

In person shopping only. Sorry. Not for mail order.

See you soon!

2 for 1 Sale

Hellebores and Cypripedium 

Lady's Slippers

We have some nice plants that need homes so they are now 2 for 1! 

Hellebores are one of the most valuable of all shade plants offering winter and spring colour and evergreen mounds thereafter which give structure and greenery to the garden. There are also hellebores for sun and containers. You can use them all over the garden!

Cypripedium are like the special jewels of the part shade or morning sun garden offering exquisite beauty and intrigue.

Now's your chance to get more of these great plants into your garden.

Fine Print: In-person shopping only. Sorry. Not for mail order. Buy one and get the second of equal or lesser value for free. The hellebores on sale include all that are currently available on our retail side. It does not include our new crops on production currently available for purchase on our mail order site for pick-up or shipping. These remain at full price.

Main Mail Order Catalogue

1200 Amazing Plants for Canadian Gardeners

We are so excited to launch our Main Mail Order Catalogue for the new season. We have so many amazing plants to share with you this year including more than 300 plants that are new to horticulture or new to our mail order catalogue. At 1200 plants, this is our largest selection ever. We hope you enjoy shopping for your new treasures.

We welcome orders for both shipping and pick-up. If you're a pick-up customer, please follow this link to our Plants to the People page and read the "What type of customer are you?" section to understand how your order will be handled and for advice on how to best use the services connected with our mail order site.

Please remember to place separate orders for the Main Catalogue and the Pre-Orders as all must ship at different times. Please don't mix main catalogue items with pre-order items and please don't mix pre-orders together. All the sections in the main catalogue can be ordered together as these plants all come ready in May and June.

There are lots of plants to go around. Please forward this email to all your gardening friends across Canada!

Gary in the

Globe and Mail!

Top garden trends for 2023: Ground cover, vertical planters, allergy-friendly plants

GAYLE MACDONALD

PUBLISHED MAY 12, 2023, THE GLOBE AND MAIL

Ground covers finally get some respect

B.C. gardener Gary Lewis, owner of Phoenix Perennials in Richmond, had a clear goal in mind with his new book: make ground covers sexy again.

He spent almost a decade compiling an encyclopedic list of 4,000 plants – everything from fast spreaders to more sedate crawlers, in every colour, texture and shape imaginable. The result is The Complete Book of Ground Covers, in which he makes the case that it is high time these small but mighty plants got some long-overdue respect. Typically low-growing, they are perfect for controlling erosion, require little to no maintenance and bring that extra layer of dynamism to gardens, plus containers, hanging baskets, living walls and green roofs.

“I feel like ground covers are the perfect plant for the moment we live in,” Lewis says.

“They can be used as a sustainable alternative to lawns. They can lower the carbon footprint in a garden because they use less water, fertilizer and pesticides. They create a diverse landscape for native insects, birds and other wildlife.”

As a finishing touch, ground covers unify a garden, knitting plants together, and provide a bridge between hardscapes (patios and walkways) and gardens. A plant such as golden creeping Jenny, for instance, is perfect for providing a burst of bright green and gold along a dark, shady path. Creeping thyme can be used to frame a garden sculpture, while Mexican feather grass fits nicely in tight spaces (it’s used between pavers at the High Line in New York).



Another of Lewis’s favourites is the Himalayan maidenhair fern, beautifully textured, with fronds that come up a glowing copper in the spring. “No matter what kinds of conditions you face – shade, dry soil, heavy clay or excess moisture – there’s a ground cover that will thrive and beautify your garden.”

Ground Cover Book Updates

Books Available Now!

After nine years of research, photography, and writing The Complete Book of Ground Covers has been published by Timber Press and is now available at the nursery and across North America. It will be available around the world starting in December.

Here is Gary with our shipment of books which has just arrived.

Pick-ups of pre-ordered signed copies will be available for pick-up starting this afternoon. Orders for mailing will ship this week. We have lots of extras available as well so you can get one for yourself and everyone you know. After all, Christmas is coming!

It is an encyclopedia of more than 4000 different species and cultivars that is a textbook of ground covers for the temperate gardening world with sections on the practical, aesthetic, and environmental benefits of ground covers.

And it was written right here in BC by Phoenix Perennials owner Gary Lewis!

Order Your Book Now!

You can order signed copies for pick-up or shipping within Canada from Phoenix Perennials. You can order from your favourite neighbourhood book seller. Or you can order online around the world from your favourite online sources.

Please Review the Book

Whether it's social media or online sales, everything is about clicks and engagement. When it comes to online sales of books, the algorithms of online retailers will prioritize selling titles that receive more reviews - especially positive ones! If you have an account with any online book sellers - especially Amazon - you can go online and leave a review.

Thank you so much for your help!

Please Ask Your Local Library to Offer the Book

Ground covers offer many benefits to make our communities more sustainable and more beautiful. The more people who can access the book, the better.

Please bring The Complete Book of Ground Covers to the attention of your local librarian and ask them to add it to their collection.

Richmond Public Library Talks

Fab at Phoenix 

Gary's picks of what's exciting right now at the Phoenix Candy Store

These plants are available now for in-person shopping at the nursery and for ordering online for shipping this spring.

Ratibida columnifera 'Red' - Mexican Hat Plant - Asteraceae (The Aster Family)

Ratibida columnifera 'Red' is a Mexican hat plant with blooms of deep red and yellow that appear to float above feathery foliage.

Salvia 'Ember's Wish' - Sage - Lamiaceae (The Mint Family)

Salvia 'Ember's Wish' has large, bright coral-red flowers are produced all summer long atop scented foliage. Plant, stand back, and watch the hummingbird madness begin.

Salvia 'Wendy's Wish' - Sage - Lamiaceae (The Mint Family)

Salvia 'Wendy's Wish' blooms from spring to summer with large, magenta flowers and scented foliage. A hummingbird magnet.

Salvia Color Spires 'Violet Riot' - Garden Sage - Lamiaceae (The Mint Family)

Salvia 'Violet Riot' has fragrant two-lipped flowers in violet-blue with dark purple sepals and aromatic, green foliage.

Viola walteri 'Silver Gem' - Prostrate Blue Violet - Violaceae (The Violet Family)

Viola walteri 'Silver Gem' is a trailing, ground-covering violet with silver foliage and reblooming purple flowers.

Salvia Color Spires 'Violet Riot' - Garden Sage - Lamiaceae (The Mint Family)

Salvia 'Violet Riot' has fragrant two-lipped flowers in violet-blue with dark purple sepals and aromatic, green foliage.

Vasconcellea x heilbornii - Babaco Papaya/Champagne Fruit - Caricaceae (The Papaya Family)

Vasconcellea x heilbornii is a hybrid related to papaya that produces similar-looking fruit but is more cold tolerant.

Ananas comosus 'Florida Special' - Pineapple - Bromeliaceae (The Pineapple Family)

Ananas comosus 'Florida Special' produces delicious pineapples studded with red highlights.

Fragaria ananassa Berried Treasure 'Red' - Everbearing Strawberry - Rosaceae (The Rose Family)

Fragaria x ananassa Berried Treasure 'Red' is long-blooming with semi-double red flowers and sweet fruit all summer long.

Fragaria x ananassa Berried Treasure 'White' - Everbearing Strawberry - Rosaceae (The Rose Family)

Fragaria x ananassa Berried Treasure 'White' is an everbearing strawberry with semi-double white flowers and sweet red fruit.

Mentha requienii - Corsican Mint - Lamiaceae (The Mint Family)

Mentha requienii or Corsican mint has a delicious fragrance when caressed. It is the flavouring for creme de menthe.

Fragaria x ananassa 'Gasana' - Strawberry - Rosaceae (The Rose Family)

Fragaria 'Gasana' has beautiful pink flowers that produce mid-sized yummy strawberries.

Delphinium elatum 'Red Lark' - Larkspur - Ranunculaceae (The Buttercup Family)

Delphinium 'Red Lark' is a compact larkspur with fully double flowers in bold coral-red atop lacy green foliage.

Delphinium Highlander 'Sweet Sensation' - Larkspur - Ranunculaceae (The Buttercup Family)

Delphinium Highlander 'Sweet Sensation' is magnificent with ruffled, fully double flowers in shades of deep lilac purple and blue.

Delphinium New Millennium 'Purple Passion' - Delphinium - Ranunculaceae (The Buttercup Family)

Delphinium New Millennium 'Purple Passion' blooms with dense spikes of frilly, warm, rich, purple, single flowers with white centres.

Delphinium New Millennium 'Blue Buccaneers' - Delphinium - Ranunculaceae (The Buttercup Family)

Delphinium New Millennium 'Blue Buccaneers' offers dense spikes of glowing deep blue, single flowers with black centres.

Senecio candicans 'Angel Wings' - Senecio - Asteraceae (The Aster Family)

Senecio candicans 'Angel Wings' is a "wow" plant with large, silver-white, ruffled, velvety leaves with toothed edges.

Romneya coulteri - California Tree Poppy - Papaveraceae (The Poppy Family)

Romneya coulteri or Matilija poppy has incredible, crepe-paper thin, pure white petals with large yellow centres atop bluish foliage!

Echeveria 'Trumpet Pinky' - Echeveria - Crassulaceae (The Stonecrop Family)

Echeveria 'Trumpet Pinky' is one of the craziest succulents with bluish to lavender leaves rolled into trumpet-like, flared tubes!

Echeveria 'Christmas' - Mexican Hen and Chicks - Crassulaceae (The Stonecrop Family)

Echeveria 'Christmas' forms attractive rosettes of thick, apple-green foliage edged in dark red with yellow-orange flowers.

Echeveria 'Chroma' - Mexican Hen and Chicks - Crassulaceae (The Stonecrop Family)

Echeveria 'Chroma' offers a kaleidoscope of colours from blue-green, apricot, pink, gold, rose-red and near-white all swirled together!

Echeveria 'Cupid' - Mexican Hen and Chicks - Crassulaceae (The Stonecrop Family)

Echeveria 'Cupid' has long, narrow, succulent leaves with truncated, diamond-shaped tips each with a terminal dimple.

Echeveria 'Lenore Dean'/'Compton Carousel' - Mexican Hen & Chicks - Crassulaceae (The Stonecrop Family)

'Lenore Dean'/'Compton Carousel' is a stunning Echeveria with blue green leaves with broad ivory to creamy white margins.

Haworthia 'Hime Jukin' ('Princess Jukin') - Haworthia - Asphodelaceae (The Asphodel Family)

Haworthia 'Hime Jukin' ('Princess Jukin') is a spectacular variegated cultivar with long, pointed, tongue-like, variably variegated leaves.

Haworthia truncata 'Jade Fan Variegated' - Horse's Teeth - Asphodelaceae (The Asphodel Family)

Haworthia truncata 'Jade Fan Variegated' is a large, robust cultivar with bright green leaves variably streaked with ivory white. Every plant is different.

Haworthia limifolia 'Variegata' - Fairy Washboard - Asphodelaceae (The Asphodel Family)

Haworthia limifolia 'Variegata' is has grey-green rosettes of sharply-pointed leaves with raised ridges and bold, variable gold striping.

Arbutus menziesii - Pacific Madrone - Ericaceae (The Heath Family)

Arbutus menziesii is an attractive evergreen tree with peeling red/brown bark, clusters of fragrant white or pink flowers and edible scarlet fruit.

Haworthia pumila 'Emperor' - Haworthia - Asphodelaceae (The Asphodel Family)

Haworthia pumila 'Emperor' has long, pointed, grey-green leaves covered with pure white, raised dots.

Sanguisorba hakusanensis 'Lilac Squirrel' - Burnet - Rosaceae (The Rose Family)

'Lilac Squirrel' comes from a rare species of Sanguisorba or burnet. It has intriguing, pendulous, lilac-pink bottlebrushes.

Sanguisorba tenuifolia 'Pink Elephant' - Burnet - Rosaceae (The Rose Family)

Sanguisorba 'Pink Elephant' produces masses of squiggly bottlebrushes on tall stems that are deep pink with light pink stamens.

Cuphea 'Vermillionaire - Cuphea - Lythraceae (The Loosestrife Family)

Cuphea 'Vermillionaire' is a low-mounding, tender, evergreen perennial with tubular, orange and yellow flowers popular with hummingbirds.

Ugni molinae - Chilean Guava - Myrtaceae (The Myrtle Family)

The Chilean guava, Ugni molinae, is an evergreen shrub with fragrant late spring flowers and tasty ruby red fruit.

Cordyline 'Dancing Paso Doble' - Cabbage Palm - Asparagaceae (The Asparagus Family)

Cordyline 'Dancing Paso Doble' is a subtropical cabbage palm with dramatic deep purple foliage with hot pink edges.

Colocasia esculenta 'Mojito' - Taro - Araceae (The Arum Family)

Colocasia 'Mojito' has incredible black-speckled taro/elephant ear leaves. A magnificent focal point for containers or garden.

Agastache 'Blue Boa' - Anise Hyssop - Lamiaceae (The Mint Family)

Hot sunny spots will never be the same with long-blooming Agastache 'Blue Boa'. Butterflies and bees will love you!

Agastache 'Morello' - Hummingbird Mint - Lamiaceae (The Mint Family)

Agastache 'Morello' is a dramatic hummingbird mint with huge, dense infloresences of deep burgundy rose flowers.

Agastache Kudos 'Red' - Hummingbird Mint - Lamiaceae (The Mint Family)

Agastache Kudos 'Red' hummingbird mint has bright true red flowers atop aromatic foliage for months in the sunny garden.

Agastache 'Pink Pearl' - Hummingbird Mint - Lamiaceae (The Mint Family)

Agastache 'Pink Pearl' is a stunning hummingbird mint with dense spikes of mid pink buds opening to glowing light pink flowers.

Agastache 'Crazy Fortune' - Anise Hyssop - Lamiaceae (The Mint Family)

'Crazy Fortune' is a sport of Agastache 'Blue Fortune' with lavender blue flowers and variegated foliage.

Agastache 'Black Adder' - Anise Hyssop - Lamiaceae (The Mint Family)

Among the best of the blue Agastache, 'Black Adder' has blue flowers and deep purple blue bracts for a bicolour effect.

Dactylorhiza foliosa - Madeira Orchid - [Summer B&B Pre-Order] - Orchidaceae (The Orchid Family)

Dactylorhiza foliosa, the Madeira orchid, is endemic to the Portuguese island of Madeira with 2 foot tall magenta spikes.

Dactylorhiza foliosa x maculata ssp. podesta - Marsh Orchid - [Summer B&B Pre-Order] - Orchidaceae (The Orchid Family)

Dactylorhiza foliosa x maculata ssp. podesta has 16 inch spikes of deep pink flowers with magenta markings atop spotted foliage.

Pulmonaria 'Shrimps on the Barbie' - Lungwort - Boraginaceae (The Borage Family)

Pulmonaria 'Shrimps on the Barbie' has white-spotted green foliage and clusters of large, pink, bell-shaped flowers.

Pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain' - Lungwort - Boraginaceae (The Borage Family)

Pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain' has silver-spotted foliage with profuse clusters of large cobalt-blue flowers.

Dryopteris wallichiana Jurassic Gold - Alpine Wood Fern - Dryopteridaceae (The Wood Fern Family)

Dryopteris wallichiana Jurassic Gold 'Hollasic' has stunning gold and orange new foliage.

Geum 'Pretticoats Peach' - Avens - Rosaceae (The Rose Family)

Geum Pretticoats Peach is a gorgeous avens with highly ruffled, double flowers in shades of peach, pink, yellow, and cream.

Loropetalum chinensis 'Jazz Hands Pink' - Chinese Witch Hazel - Hamamelidaceae (The Witch Hazel Family)

Loropetalum chinensis 'Jazz Hands Pink' is a vigorous evergreen shrub with purple foliage and fragrant pink flowers.

Loropetalum chinensis 'Jazz Hands Variegated' - Chinese Witch Hazel - Hamamelidaceae (The Witch Hazel Family)

Loropetalum chinensis 'Jazz Hands Variegated' is an evergreen shrub with pink and white foliage maturing to purple with pink flowers.

Buddleia Monarch 'Prince Charming' - Butterfly Bush - Buddlejaceae (The Butterfly Bush Family)

Buddleja Monarch 'Prince Charming' is a mid-sized, long-blooming butterfly bush with huge cones of fragrant, raspberry-pink flowers.

Buddleia Cascade 'Pink Cascade II' - Butterfly Bush - Buddlejaceae (The Butterfly Bush Family)

Buddleia 'Pink Cascade II' is a mid-sized, long-blooming, sterile butterfly bush with huge cones of fragrant, pink flowers.

Fatsia japonica 'Spider's Web' - Japanese Fatsia - Araliaceae (The Aralia Family)

'Spider's Web' is a version of Fatsia japonica with dramatic evergreen foliage speckled with white.

Darmera peltata 'Nana' - Umbrella Plant - Saxifragaceae (The Saxifrage Family)

Umbrella plant (Darmera peltata 'Nana') is a great shade perennial that is smaller than the species.

Penstemon xylus 'Tushar Blue' - Beard Tongue - Scrophulariaceae (The Figwort Family)

Penstemon xylus 'Tushar Blue' is an evergreen ground hugging perennial with lavender-blue tubular flowers.

Penstemon pinifolius - Pineleaf Penstemon - Scrophulariaceae (The Figwort Family)

Penstemon pinifolius has bright scarlet red, tubular flowers that will draw every hummingbird from miles around.

Penstemon pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow' - Pineleaf Penstemon - Scrophulariaceae (The Figwort Family)

Penstemon pinifolius 'Mersea Yellow' has lemon yellow flowers that will draw every hummingbird from miles around.

Penstemon 'Cha Cha Lavender' - Penstemon - Scrophulariaceae (The Figwort Family)

Penstemon 'Cha Cha Lavender' offers tubular lavender purple and white flowers all summer long.

Penstemon 'Cha Cha Cherry' - Penstemon - Scrophulariaceae (The Figwort Family)

Penstemon 'Cha Cha Cherry' offers tubular bright bright red flowers all summer long.

Penstemon 'Flock of Flamingos' - Penstemon - Scrophulariaceae (The Figwort Family)

Penstemon 'Flock of Flamingos' offers tubular, two-tone pink flowers all summer long.

Gerbera Garvinea 'Sweet Memories' - Gerbera Daisy - Asteraceae (The Aster Family)

Gerbera Garvinea Sweet Memories has soft-pink, white, and yellow flowers, blooms from spring until fall, and is hardy to zone 7!

Gerbera Garvinea 'Sweet Sparkle' - Gerbera Daisy - Asteraceae (The Aster Family)

Garvinea 'Sweet Sparkle' is a gerbera daisy with pink flowers and dark centres that blooms from spring to fall. Hardy to zone 7!

This is just the tip of the Phoenix Perennials iceberg.

For the rest you'll need to visit us in person or online!

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