Named for the ivory-white color that the pale yellow flowers turn with age, ‘Alabaster’ blooms late and, with dried seed heads, keeps our interest well into winter. Its form is stiff and upright and its foliage gray-green, making an excellent neighbor for Aster ‘Little Carlow’ or grasses such as Miscanthus sinensis ‘Nippon’.

Blooms August–October.

Size: 2-1/2' high x 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Throughout the summer, gray-green filigree textured foliage anticipates the autumn reveille. Planted in drifts, the flower heads, composed of tight clusters of tiny florets, form bold slabs of gold, a timely reflection of the harvest moon. Contrast this tall growing Yarrow with Eupatorium purpureum.

Blooms June–July.

Size: 3' 0" high x 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

A well-loved garden mainstay, this steadfast AGM recipient features dense golden floral plates, rising like harvest moons, on stout upright leafy stems above a handsome pewter-green mound of deeply dissected aromatic foliage. Grateful for lean somewhat dry sites, ‘Parker’s Variety’ asserts a regal stature and richly colored corymbs with complementary accents amid blue-flowering neighbors such as Salvia ‘Nekan’ or Agapanthus ‘Back in Black’.

Blooms June-August

Size: 3' 0" – 4' 0" high x 18" wide.

Hardy to zone 3.

With imposing clusters of fire engine red flowers heightened by prominent saffron yellow eyes and a strong, self-supporting stance, this preeminent German-bred Yarrow has a lot to offer.

Arising from airy and finely cut, grayish green foliage, its stiff, upright stems shoulder a fervid fiesta that continues for months as the blooms age to soft apricot and toasty orange shades, then finally to hushed golden tones.

Blooms June-early August.

Size: 2' 0" – 3' 0" high x 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

In clear creamy-lemon hues, the large flattened umbels are lifted on short, firm leafy stems above a lace-like delicacy of green foliage. Later to bloom and not as tall as most of our other Achillea offerings, this softly colored AGM winner is an exemplary choice for smaller gardens, given border frontage and Aster ‘Twilight’ as a companion.

Blooms August–October

Size: 15" high x 15" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

A stalwart old favorite, ‘Hoffnung’ has proven itself to be a strong performer, faithfully producing fuzzy, feathered iron-green millefolium foliage and pale apricot-colored flowers that fade to a creamy-yellow. Pair it with Lavandula ‘Peter Pan’ for complementary bloom color.

Blooms July–September

Size: 2' 0" high x 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

This truly architectural Yarrow blooms on three different levels. Flowers, ranging in color from rust to sandstone, unfurl from terracotta buds at 16, 24 and 30 in. upon a backdrop of cool green fern-like leaves and erect stalks. ‘Inca Gold’ mixes well with the scented foliage of Agastache ‘Tango’ or the cream-colored flowers of Anthemis ‘Susanna Mitchell’.

Blooms early July–early October

Size: 3' 0" high x 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

The silver-gray filigree foliage, sturdy, upright flower stalks and abundant yellow-centered white flowers combine to give this attractive hybrid a crisp, refreshing look. Even on our windy coast, it remains steadfast and lively. In the rock garden, en masse, or contrasted with the bronze blades of Stipa arundinacea or the deep green foliage of Dracocephalum ‘Fuji Blue’, this plant will quickly become a favorite.

Blooms May – September

Size: 8" high x 8" wide.

Hardy to zone 5.

Just hearing this warm-colored Achillea’s name conjures a sweet and satisfying image. Finely cut, grayish green foliage offsets paprika-toned buds and thick slices of small, individual old-gold florets. Position ‘Marmalade’ next to Kniphofia caulescens and Nepeta ‘Joanna Reed’ so you can indulge in its cozy autumnal shades.

Blooms July–October

Size: 2-1/2' – 3' 0" high x 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

‘Pretty Belinda’ struts lovely flat-topped dense flower clusters in vibrant lilac and pink hues on steady straight stems. Finely incised feather-like foliage cloaks an aromatic tidy green foundation that is more compact, more upright and shorter than most millefolium cultivars. This long summer bloomer won’t need staking, entices butterflies and brings colorful good looks to Lavenders, Geum ‘Mango Lassi’ and Salvia ‘Sweet Esmeralda’.

Blooms June–September.

Size: 18" – 2' 0" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Applauded as the best of the red Achilleas, this Yarrow’s signature is its splendid horizontal mass of velvet-rich, dark rosy-red flowers. Tall resilient stalks clad in fine textured gray-green foliage bolster full flashy heads that last all summer and refuse to fade. Dutch-bred ‘Red Velvet’ can harmonize with Sanguisorba ‘Red Thunder’ and Monarda ‘Jacob Cline’ for sumptuous color echoes.

Blooms June–September

Size: 2-1/2' high x 2-1/2' wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

For its dense, sizeable heads of elegantly layered, bright creamy white flowers, this sterling Achillea earns the namesake ‘Moon Pagoda’. Never fading to murky grays, the bold display opens from soft yellow buds supported by strong, branching stems and a green base.

Straight-up ‘Mondpagode’ is a highly touted, AGM victor that always behaves, and dignifies the border with Sedum ‘Matrona’ by its side.

Blooms September–October.

Size: 2' 0" high x 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Similar to the seasoning, this vigorous Galaxy hybrid flavors the garden with a distinctive red snappiness. The large flattened heads showcase gilded eyes, their bright rubescent coloring eventually fading to a deep pink hue, while delicate-looking green-gray foliage provides a tidy tranquil counterpoint. Persicaria ‘Golden Arrow’ heightens the recipe.

Blooms June–September

Size: 2' 0" high x 2-1/2' wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

A tasteful gray-green foundation of airy, fine-textured foliage furnishes russet-tinted buds, which are held in dense flat flower heads. Eventually paling to soft yellow, the earthy orange hues turn on the heat for Campanula ‘Prichard’s Variety’s cool violet-blues in our garden.

Blooms July–September

Size: 2-1/2' high x 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

This hard working hybrid Yarrow has plenty to brag about: dazzling deep golden flower heads wielded atop an upstanding, compact bushy foundation of handsomely arranged stalks and delicate-looking feather fine silver-green foliage. Springing from an Achillea filipendulina and Achillea ptarmica cross that was introduced in 1987 by Longwood Gardens in collaboration with the National Arboretum, Achillea x schwellenberg proposes additional attributes such as copious blooms, no self-seeding and enough pluck to thrive just about anywhere, including the humid southeast.

Blooms June–August

Size: 18" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 3.

Making its way from the Middle East to England in 1640, this refined form first caught our eye at Bernwode Plants, a small nursery in England.Making its way from the Middle East to England in 1640, this refined form first caught our eye at Bernwode Plants, a small nursery in England.

Large finely feathered broad leaves, bathed in hushed silvery greens, compose a sturdy well-groomed clump that looks impeccable all season. Luminous umbels of clustered pale cream flowers bloom later and longer than most Yarrows, affording a welcome place for the eye to rest amid the lush greens and more boisterous blooms associated with summer.

Blooms July–September.

Size: 18" high x 18" – 2' 0" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

Woolly, narrow, and finely feathered, small gray-green leaves knit a tidy, low growing mat that is both attractive and extremely drought tolerant. Tightset, flat clusters of perky lemon yellow flowers perch on 6 to 10 in. stems above dense soft-looking foliage. Championed as a choice candidate for clambering about the rockery, filling in small crannies, or edging a path, this tenacious charmer can pal around with Scutellaria ‘Texas Rose’, though it resents hot humid weather.

Blooms June–August.

Size: 6" high x 10" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

True to its German heritage, this cross between millefolium and ‘Taygetea’ is strong and steadfast. Refined gray-green foliage serves as a tranquil foil for the large umbels of petite brick-red flowers.

Blooms June–August

Size: 18" high x 12" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.

A cozy mélange of buff, creamy rose and deep antique pink distinguishes this lovely cultivar named after the German river that flows to the North Sea. Atop deeply feathered green leaves and staunch stems, the multicolored display is marked by light centered individual florets, lending a feminine flair to companions like Aster ‘Lutetia’ or Eryngium ‘Blaukappe’.

Blooms July – September.

Size: 2' 0" high x 15" – 18" wide.

Hardy to zone 4.