After much thought and in depth analysis, I finally settled on the six plants to include in my annual Bluestone Perennials order. Check that, it is my semi-annual order, one for spring and one for fall.

This is a very deliberate process. I use the Bluestone Perennials “Plant Finder” and immediately filter their full plant list to match my conditions:

Wet Site Tolerant

Clay

Full Sun

Deer Resistant

Once that is done and the list has been significantly cut down, I go through each plant one by one in order to cut the list down even further. Some are easy to immediately eliminate; those I already have, those I know I’ve killed in the past and those that don’t pass the eye test.

With the list that now remains, I do some cursory research on those plants I am not all that familiar with and if I think the plant is a viable option, it gets added to the shopping cart. From there I know which remaining plants are on the wish list and they get added to the cart as well.

When that process is completed, we review the cart and start to compare plants against each other with the goal of not exceeding the predetermined $100 budget. Sort of my own version of a plant shopping reality show.

“Honey, I really love that new Aster but that pushes us over our budget.”

“I know. And we can’t forget to factor the kids in here. How will they feel about living with that Aster?”

“Screw them, they won’t even know it exists. They never even set foot out in the garden.”

“Good point. Let’s take a risk and do it. I love you.”

(A great big hug follows and then collective smiles as we both click the “submit” button together).

After the list has been finalized within the shopping cart, I excitedly hit “submit” and immediately add all of the plants to my master plant spreadsheet. I also then start to map out where the plants will be located in the spring.

One hell of a good time.

So without further ado, here are the 6 different plants I ordered from Bluestone Perennials. If you click the photo for each, it will take you to the plant description on the Bluestone Perennials website.

You’re welcome.

RUDBECKIA ‘INDIAN SUMMER’ 

• Love it for the height 3-4′
• Love it for the larger flowerheads
• I’ve grown the annual Rudbeckia and it still reseeds ten years later. A little bit worried about it being invasive.

 

 

 

 

 

ASTER ‘BLUEBIRD’

• Another tall plant – 4′
• Not really deer resistant but I don’t care. I’ll hide it well.
• Will definitely be added among some ornamental grasses.

 

 

 

 

 

LOBELIA ‘BLACK TRUFFLE’

• Had me at those black stems
• Tall 3-4′ (sensing a theme here)
• A no-brainer for those of us with soggy soil

 

 

 

 

 

 

CEPHALANTHUS ‘SUGAR SHACK’

• A smaller Buttonbush. Why the hell not?
• “Loves a boggy wet spot”
• Multi season interest with blooms, berries and ever changing foliage color

 

 

 

 

 

 

PENNISETUM ‘FOXTROT’

• An ornamental grass I don’t have. Some times that is enough.
• Already imagining the breezes with this one.
• Another Kurt Bluemel creation, say no more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CALAMAGROSTIS BRACHYTRICA

• I think I tried this one before and somewhere it got lost in the shuffle.
• I like grasses, like a lot
• Those blooms are killer

 

 

 

There you have it. What do you think? Solid choices? Do you want to ruin my bliss with any negative feedback?

Have at it.