perennial of the week
by aaron barton
Arguably the most iconic and beloved harbinger of fall, Chrysanthemums are exceptional fall bloomers, blanketed in colorful, long-lasting blooms and right at home alongside hay bales, gourds, and warm apple cider to warm up...
by aaron barton
Mild weather, back-to-school shopping, and abundant garden harvests are here, leading the way into the beautiful fall months ahead and signaling that some of the most anticipated late season perennial color is just about to pop in the garden...
by aaron barton
As the mornings feel just a little bit crisper and the sun begins to linger ever so slightly lower in the sky, summer is hinting at its bittersweet departure in the weeks to come—but the season is not over yet, with one last flush...
by aaron barton
A breathtaking perennial classic, Russian Sage is a durable and carefree plant perfect for adding structure and long-lasting late season color in the garden, performing beautifully in the back of the border, in foundation plantings...
by aaron barton
Hibiscus, of the mallow family, Malvaceae, are some of the most impressive summer tropical plants, boasting massive colorful blooms and wonderful aromas perfect for sunny summer patios, though these Hibiscus surely do not get along well with our Minnesota winters...
by aaron barton
One of the most diverse perennial plant groups available, Sedum are durable plants offering a wide range of appearances in the garden along with showy late summer blooms sure to please pollinators and gardeners alike. A member of the stonecrop family...
by aaron barton
A cheery midsummer classic and perennial collector’s dream, Hemerocallis (hem-er-oh-KAL-iss), or daylily, are exceptional summer bloomers offering endless variety with thousands of hybrids available. While not true lilies, daylilies, of the subfamily Hemerocallidoideae...
by aaron barton
Offering a beautiful diversity of size, color, and habit, Phlox are the perfect problem-solving perennials sure to brighten up even the toughest areas of the garden. Largely native to North America in areas ranging from harsh tundra to woodland and prairie spaces, Phlox, of the Jacob’s Ladder family Polemoniaceae...
by aaron barton
Among the classic shady regulars, Astilbe (a-STIL-bee) stands out from the crowd, providing a dramatic show of bright plumes to brighten up shady and sunny spots alike. Astilbe, of the Saxifrage family, Saxifragaceae, is a stunning and durable late spring to mid-summer blooming perennial...
by aaron barton
Lilies make a statement in the garden with large, bright, often fragrant blooms fit for borders, backdrops, or planted as a stunning centerpiece. True lilies, of the lily family, Liliaceae, generally prefer areas of full sun, though tolerant of part sun, and thrive in moist, well-drained soil...
by aaron barton
A true garden staple, perennial Salvia blooms are a sure sign that summer is here, offering a versatile pop of color sure to brighten up sunny plantings...
by aaron barton
Among iconic garden staples and exciting new selections, unique and versatile perennial classics can help to liven up traditional perennial beds and set your space apart from the rest, with Baptisia providing robust...
by aaron barton
The only thing better than an elegant and bright spring bloomer is one that provides season-long foliage interest long after flowers have faded for the year. Polemonium (po-le-MOH-nee-um), or Jacob’s Ladder, of the Jacob’s Ladder...
by aaron barton
With cheery and bright spring bloomers, sunny spring gardens get a lot of the attention. However, there is so much possibility and excitement to be had in shadier gardens as well, popping with unique foliage and bright blooms all their own...
by aaron barton
A breathtaking feature of late spring perennial beds,
by aaron barton
As perennial garden beds begin to wake up and glow with early season color, spring bloomers are a sure sign that spring is here, and summer is not far behind. A staple spring appearance in any shadier perennial bed is Aquilegia (a-kwi-LEE-jee-a), or Columbine, a showy bloomer with complex flowers of many shapes and colors...
by aaron barton
One of the first perennials to make its presence known in the early spring, Pulmonaria is a phenomenal addition to add season-long interest and beauty to any shade garden. Pulmonaria (pul-muh-NARE-ee-ah) of the borage family, Boraginaceae, also known as Lungwort is an early season shade bloomer sure to liven up shadier gardens and welcome in the many spring displays to come...
A classic late summer staple of the Asteraceae family, perennial Black-Eyed Susan, Rudbeckia fulgida (rud-BEK-ee-uh FUL-jih-duh) is an iconic late summer bloomer. Blooming from mid-July through mid-fall...
Trees and shrubs offer a variety of textures and shapes that anchor your garden, frame your design, or even serve as the focal point of your space. Unlike herbaceous perennials, deciduous trees...
Native perennial shrubs are an excellent way to add carefree structure and beauty to help anchor and frame a perennial garden. Shrubs also provide showstopping color and serve as the focal point of your space. ...
A longstanding and familiar favorite, Hosta (HOSS-tuh), plantain lily or funkia, of the family Asaparagaceae and are native to China, Japan, Korea, and Russia. With over 6,000 named varieties in cultivation, Hosta are excellent low-maintenance, reliable growers, thriving in partial to full-shade gardens..
Perennial grasses provide a wonderful array of textures and colors that when planted in mass provide and excellent backdrop in the garden either to showcase specimen plants or provide a place for your eyes to rest. Grasses can also stand alone as focal point...
One of the most challenging pursuits of perennial garden is ensuring that there is always something of interest in the garden throughout the year. Despite our brutal Minnesota winters with frigid temperatures and feet of snow, interest is still possible...
As the intense heat of summer continues, mid and late summer bloomers are flourishing, offering a whole new assortment of bright colors and intoxicating aromas in the garden. Among them, Monarda didyma, (Mo-NARR-duh DID-ee-muh) commonly known as Bee Balm, of the mint family, Lamiaceae, is an animal resistant choice that provides not only bright, beautiful color..
Warm temperatures, bustling pollinators, and emerging summer blooms signal that the hot months of summer are here and with them, an expansive new array of summer color in the garden...
With their showstopping blooms and timeless shape, hydrangeas are an garden staple. Native to China, Korea, and Japan, hydrangea (hy-DRAIN-juh) are commonly available as cultivars of three species...
When planning your garden, it is important to not only keep bloom times in mind, but also know and implore the value of foliage interest in the garden. Ligularia (lig-you-l-AIR-ee-ah), commonly known as leopard plant or ragwort is a member of the Aster family...
There’s nothing quite like the commanding presence of summer perennial blooms, especially the familiar, striking blooms of the coneflower, or Echinacea (eck-in-A-sha), an important perennial native to North America...
There are endless possibilities with herbaceous perennials in the garden, but don’t forget the important role shrubs play in livening up any cultivated space. Shrubs are an excellent way to draw attention to certain areas, create a backdrop for plantings, help anchor your garden design, or even steal the show. Weigela are great choice for any garden, providing color, texture, abundant flowers, and a range of size options...
Perennial gardening in the heat of summer is a breeze for the brightest of prairie gardens and the driest of rock gardens, the hot summer sun providing an ideal environment for some of the best and brightest perennial flowers nature has to offer. As many gardeners know all too well, especially here in the woods of Minnetonka, it can be challenging to keep shadier gardens looking bright and colorful, but it is far from impossible...
There is a style of gardening for everyone, from vegetable gardening to pollinator gardening, some prioritizing delicious fruits and veggies and others aiming to display as many lovely flowers as possible…but why choose?
Spring is in the air, with perennial gardens beginning to burst with color. One of our favorite garden staples is the Iris (eye-riss). Irises, with their striking and unusual flattened, sword-like fan of leaves, are in the family Iridaceae, an incredibly diverse family offering a wide variety of appearances for any garden site. Irises can grow either from bulbs or from rhizomes (rye-zomes), however all varieties offered at Tonkadale are rhizomatous...
As Spring continues to rouse slumbering perennials from their winter dormancy, breathing new signs of life into dormant garden beds and giving way to exciting shades of green, one of our favorite spring bloomers to watch for is the peony (pee-uh-nee). There are many species of cultivated peony, all of which are in the family Paeoniaceae.....
When you are looking for a sweet and delicate plants for your spring perennial garden, we recommend the Lamprocapnos spectabilis, formerly named Dicentra spectabilis. More commonly called Bleeding-Heart, this plant is a member of the Papaveraceae family - the Poppy family...