Posted: December 17, 2024
The Master Gardeners of Allegheny County have finalized selections for the 2025 Garden Marketplace in April.
Nodding Onion image by Glacier National Park Services
The Garden Marketplace will be held at Hampton Community Center in conjunction with its annual Garden & Landscape Symposium on April 26, 2025. Depending on conditions through the winter, there may be some modifications to this list. Thanks to Amy and other Master Gardeners for the hard work in assembling this exciting assortment.
Allium cernuum – Nodding Onion
Sun/Native
This Native onion is easy to grow, attractive to pollinators, especially bumblebees, and avoided by deer and rabbits. The quaintly nodding flowers vary from white to pink to lavender and bloom from early through midsummer. The best display results when planted in a cluster of 5-7 bulbs. They will naturalize slowly in moist soil in full Sun to light Shade.
- Hardiness zones 4-8
- Height 12-18 inches, spread 3-6 inches
- Blooms June to August
Amsonia 'Starstruck' – Bluestar
Sun
'Starstruck' is a compact, hybrid selection of Bluestar. Periwinkle-blue star-shaped flowers are held above dense, deep green foliage. The whole plant remains tidy all season long. This Bluestar grows best in full sun on average in moist soil. It is seldom damaged by deer.
- Hardiness zones 4-9
- Height 20 inches, width 32-38 inches
- Blooms in May
Aquilegia Kirigami 'Deep Blue and White' – Columbine
Sun
An exceptionally pretty columbine for Sun or part Shade, in well-drained soil. Deep blue and white flowers are held upright on sturdy stems. As with all Aquilegia, allow some of the flowers to go to seed, because they are short-lived perennials by nature. In my experience, they came true blue from seed and bloomed in the first year.
- Hardiness zones 4-9
- Height 16-20 inches, width 16-20 inches
- Blooms in spring
Aralia 'Sun King' – Japanese Spikenard
Shade
Golden yellow foliage complements a wide array of colors. Deer resistant and not prone to trouble, as long as it has adequate moisture throughout the season. Creamy white flowers in summer are followed by dark berries. This plant dies back to the ground each fall, but once mature, it will reach up to 4-6 feet of growth each season. Grows best in moist, fertile, humus-rich soils in part Shade. In full Shade, the foliage is lime greener than golden yellow.
- Hardiness zones 4-8
- Height 3-6 feet, spread 3-6 feet
- Blooms in summer
Aruncus 'Fairy Hair' – Goatsbeard
Shade
In late spring to midsummer, lacy sprays of creamy flower plumes bloom atop finely dissected, fern-like foliage. These compact plants resemble astilbes but are more drought-tolerant. Deer-resistant and perfect for the woodland garden or beside a shady pond or stream, it will also grow in an ordinary garden site.
- Hardiness zones 4-8
- Height 20-24 inches, spread 20-24 inches
- Blooms early to mid-summer
Astilbe 'Peach Blossom' – False Spirea
Shade
This classic astilbe has stood the test of time. Released in 1903, it is just as beautiful as ever. Peachy-pink full blooms in late spring over glossy green foliage. They grow best in cool sites, in part to full Shade and rich, moist soil. Foliage suffers in drought and heat. Deer and rabbit resistant.
- Hardiness zones 4-9
- Height 24 inches, spread 15-18 inches
- Blooms late spring
Baptisia 'Sparkling Sapphires' – False Indigo
Sun
One of the Proven Winners 'Decadence' series, this baptisia features intense violet-blue flowers over compact, blue-green foliage. Sturdy and upright, deer resistant and happy in well-drained, poor soil in full Sun. Charcoal-black seedpods linger for winter interest.
- Hardiness zones 4-9
- Height 2.5-3 feet, spread 2.5-3 feet
- Blooms in late spring to early summer
Brunnera 'Alexander's Great' – Siberian Bugloss
Shade
Siberian bugloss is a good substitute for Hosta, since the broad foliage fills the same role as Hosta, it likes cool Shade and is rarely damaged by deer. 'Alexander's Great' forms a giant mound of silvered leaves with contrasting green veins and a narrow green edge. Sprays of small, blue forget-me-not flowers in mid-spring complete the package. Grows best in cool, moist, well-drained soil in part Shade.
- Hardiness zones 3-8
- Height 12-18 inches, spread 24-30 inches
- Blooms in April to May
Brunnera 'Emerald Mist' – Siberian Bugloss
Shade
This brunnera has silvery bars that form a collar around the perimeter of the leaf. The rest of the foliage is also spangled with silver. Baby-blue flowers open in the spring. Grows best in cool, moist, well-drained soil in part Shade. Deer and rabbit resistant.
- Hardiness zones 3-8
- Height 12-15 inches, spread 12-15 inches
- Blooms mid to late Spring
Dianthus 'Frosty Fire' – Pinks
Sun
Dianthus 'Frosty Fire' is an eye-catching pink with fragrant, fiery red double flowers in early summer to midsummer. The icy blue-green mat of foliage is a nice contrast. Grows best in full Sun, neutral to alkaline, sharply drained soil. Deer and rabbit resistant.
- Hardiness zones 3-8
- Height 6-8 inches, spread 8-12 inches
- Blooms May to July
Digitalis Arctic Fox 'Lemon Cream' – Foxglove
Sun
New for 2025, 'Lemon Cream' foxglove is perennial, deer resistant and beautiful. Tall spikes of light-yellow flowers, with a sprinkle of freckles, bloom from late spring through fall. Deadhead spent stems to encourage rebloom. Grows best in average, well-drained soil in full Sun.
- Hardiness zones 5-9
- Height 18-24 inches, spread 16-18 inches
- Blooms late spring through late summer.
Digitalis 'Candy Mountain' – Foxglove
Shade
Candy Mountain is a very full, formal foxglove with tall spikes of upward-facing flowers. Rosy-pink bell-shaped flowers with lighter interiors, speckled with dark freckles, grow up to 4 feet tall. Since it is a biennial, allow a few of the spikes to go to seed, to keep the display going year after year. Plant in evenly moist, well-drained soil in part Sun to part Shade. Avoid windy, exposed sites. Deer and rabbit resistant.
- Hardiness zones 4-9
- Height 3-4 feet, spread 1-2 feet
- Blooms in late spring
Epimedium 'Galadriel' – Barrenwort
Shade
'Galadriel' has dainty, cherry-red flowers in early spring and bright green, heart shaped leaves all summer. The foliage turns fiery orange red in autumn. Like all epimediums it is fairly tolerant of dry, root packed soil under mature trees, although it grows best in fertile, moist, well-drained soil in part to full Shade. Deer and rabbit resistant.
- Hardiness zones 5-9
- Height 8-12 inches, spread 12-18 inches
- Blooms in April
Epimedium 'Orange Queen' – Barrenwort
Shade
Barrenworts have dainty flowers on wiry stems, but they really shine as groundcover for dry Shade. 'Orange Queen's leaves emerge green with red edges, are bright green all summer, then turn bronze with red tones in fall. Pale, coppery-orange flowers appear in mid to late spring. Drought tolerant once established. Deer and rabbit resistant.
- Hardiness zones 5-9
- Height 8-10, spreads 12-16
- Blooms in April to May
Geranium macrorrhizum 'Bevan's Variety' – Cranesbill
Sun
"Bigroot" cranesbill is more drought tolerant than other species due to its thick, rhizomatous roots and 'Bevan's Variety' is an improved form. Clusters of deep magenta flowers emerge from mid to late spring. Fuzzy, musky scented foliage discourages deer and rabbits. Easily divided, it makes a dependable ground cover for Sun or light Shade.
- Hardiness zones 3-8
- Height 8-12 inches, spreads 18-24 inches, or more
- Blooms May to June
Iris Louisiana hybrid 'Black Gamecock' – Louisiana Iris
Sun
The Louisiana irises are Native to the southern/ southeastern United States and grow naturally in standing water. Despite that, they are hardy through zone 4 and do fine in average, moist, garden soil. 'Black Gamecock' is a gorgeous, vigorous hybrid. The flowers are deep velvety purple-black, with a bright yellow signal on the falls. A mature clump can reach 3 feet tall. Keep soil evenly moist, cover corms with a thin layer of soil or mulch to prevent Sunscald. Deer resistant. (Not to be confused with the non-Native, invasive Yellow Flag Iris, Iris pseudacorus)
- Hardiness zones 4-9
- Height 3 feet, spread 3 feet
- Blooms May to June
Iris versicolor 'Purple Flame' – Northern Blue Flag
Sun/ Native
New and exciting! This 'found' cultivar of our Native Northern Blue Flag was introduced by the Mt. Cuba Center in 2020. Striking eggplant-purple foliage emerges in March. In late spring to early summer dark stems produce dark purple flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. As the weather warms the foliage lightens to medium green. Requires consistently moist to wet soil. Deer resistant.
- Hardiness zones 3-9
- Height 2-3 feet, spread 2- 2 ½ feet
- Blooms late spring to early summer
*Kniphofia 'Flamenco' – Red Hot Poker
Sun
A real attention grabber, with 2–3-foot spikes of fiery red, orange, yellow, and cream. Cut spent flowers to encourage blooms all summer. Grow in full Sun in very well-drained, sandy soil. In the fall, it is suggested that you tie the leaves over the crown to form a canopy. This prevents water from settling in the crown and freezing. Deer and rabbit resistant.
- Hardiness zones 5-9
- Height 2-3 feet, spreads 1-2 feet
- Blooms early to late summer
Lavandula 'Imperial Gem' – Lavender
Sun
This is a tidy, compact lavender for a Sunny border or container. Deep purple, fragrant flowers and silvery foliage complement each other perfectly. Requires well-drained, "poor" (low fertility) soil to do its best. Excellent in a water-wise setting, also deer and rabbit resistant.
- Hardiness zones 5-9
- Height 18-24 inches, spread 18-24 inches
- Blooms late spring through early fall
Lavandula 'SuperBlue' – Lavender
Sun
As the name suggests, 'SuperBlue' (all one word) flowers are an intensely saturated Shade of blue. The fragrance is also strong, making it suitable for potpourri, crafts and décor and culinary uses.
A compact plant of 10-12 inches, it requires perfectly drained soil of low fertility to thrive. Drought tolerant once established, deer and rabbit resistant.
- Hardiness zones 5-9
- Height 10-12 inches, spread 10-12 inches
- Blooms in late spring to early summer, may rebloom in late summer
Nepeta 'Purrsian Blue' – Catmint
Sun
Purrfectly lovely periwinkle blue flowers with smoky-purple calyces cover this plant from May to September. Its compact habit stays tidy and upright. Rebloom is best if flower spikes are sheared back after first flush. Thrives in moist, well-drained soil in full Sun to part Shade. Drought tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant.
- Hardiness zones 3-8
- Height 14-18 inches, spread 18-30 inches when mature
- Blooms early to late summer
Origanum 'Kent Beauty' – Ornamental Oregano
Sun
Most unusual pink, cream and green bracts highlight this herb in summer and linger through the fall. The flowers resemble hops and are popular for dried arrangements. The silver-veined, blue-green foliage is a perfect backdrop. Grow in well-drained, gritty, neutral to alkaline soil in full Sun with good air circulation. Try allowing it to cascade down a limestone wall! Deer resistant.
- Hardiness zones 6-9
- Height 6-9 inches, spread 8-12 inches
- Blooms early summer to early fall
Packera obovata – Golden Groundsel, Roundleaf Ragwort
Shade, Native
Bright yellow flowers in early spring make this Native plant a cheerful groundcover. Grows in part Shade to full Sun in average to moist, well-drained soil. It spreads by both self-seeding and stolons. You can cut back flowerheads to control seeding or leave them for birds and wildlife to enjoy.
- Hardiness zones 3-8
- Height 12-18 inches, spread 12-24 inches
- Blooms April to June
Penstemon 'Dark Towers' – Beardtongue
Sun
'Dark Towers' boasts large, light pink tubular flowers in late spring that contrast with deep wine-red foliage. Blooms make good cut flowers. These clump-forming plants should be grown in well-drained soil in full Sun. They have the tolerance to heat, humidity, and drought but benefit from loose winter mulch. 'Dark Towers' attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, and tolerates deer.
- Hardiness zones 4-8
- Height 18-36 inches, spread 12-24 inches
- Blooms May to June
Pulmonaria 'Raspberry Frost' – Lungwort
Shade
Lungwort is a great deer-resistant groundcover, and 'Raspberry Frost' is one of the best. Coral red blooms in spring, white speckled foliage with a distinctive creamy white margin. It grows best in a part to full Shade with consistently moist soil.
- Hardiness zones 4-9
- Height 10 inches, width 18 inches
- Blooms March through May
Pulmonaria 'Trevi Fountain' – Lungwort
Shade
Pink buds quickly turn to deep cobalt blue flowers in early spring and continue for weeks. Silver and white speckled leaves lighten up a shady area the rest of the season. Deer-resistant, it spreads slowly into pretty groundcover.
- Hardiness zones 3-8
- Height 8-12 inches, width 12-24 inches
- Blooms in spring
Sedum ternatum – Mountain Stonecrop
Shade/ Native
This diminutive succulent groundcover looks great in a rock garden or sprawling over a wall. Unlike most sedums it grows best in partial Shade but will tolerate some Sun as well as deep Shade. Foliage grows in whorls of round leaves arranged in threes. In spring, white star-shaped flowers support early pollinators. Deer resistant.
- Hardiness zones 4-8
- Height 6 inches, spread 6-9 inches
- Blooms April to May
Solidago 'Golden Fleece' – Goldenrod
Sun/ Native
This goldenrod was found as a compact spontaneous seedling of our Native Solidago sphacelata. Drought tolerant and deer resistant, bright yellow flowers in late summer into fall. Outstanding for pollinators and a larval host, 'Golden Fleece' will spread slowly in full Sun and average to dry soil.
- Hardiness zones 4-8
- Height 12-18 inches, width 12-18 inches
- Blooms August through September
Tricyrtis 'Autumn Glow' – Toadlily
Shade
Orchid-like pale violet flowers with deep purple spots appear on 2–3-foot arching stems in late summer to fall. But it is the wide yellow leaf margin that sets this toadlily apart from older varieties. It thrives in light shade and requires moist, well-drained soil. Deer resistant.
- Hardiness zones 4-9
- Height 24-26 inches, width 24-36 inches
- Blooms late summer to fall
*Plant for the 2025 Garden & Landscape Symposium attendees
