Allium ‘Medusa’ is an Ornamental Onion with green strap-like leaves that curl and twist on the ends - just like Medusa’s hair. The light purple drumstick flowers to 2" wide emerge above the foliage in late summer and early fall on long, sturdy stems. When the bloom is finished, you can still enjoy the dried seed-heads. Similar in flower color to ‘Blue Eddy’, but in a much larger form. 24 inches tall and wide. Plant in full sun in well-drained soil. Drought tolerant. Rich in nectar, the butterflies and other pollinators love it. Deer and rabbit resistant.

The gardens at the nursery showcase a number of Alliums that provide food for insect pollinators throughout the summer. We also have Allium senescens 'Blue Eddy', Allium x Millennium, Allium x 'Pink Planet' and Allium x 'Windy City' in containers.

Allium ' Medusa'

Amsonia x ‘Blue Ice’ is a more compact form of blue star, reaching just 15 to 18 inches tall. The flowers are also a darker blue that Amsonia tabernaemontana. An erect, clump forming perennial that features terminal, star-like, dark lavender blue flowers in late spring. Leaves are narrow and willow shaped, dark green turning yellow in fall. Requires no staking or support. Plant in full sun in well drained soil. Deer tolerant. Attractive to pollinators, including the hummingbird clearwing moth. Zone 4 to 9,

There are quite a few cultivars of this native plant in the gardens at Tranquil Lake Nursery. All thrive without any additional water. We also have Amsonia hubrichtii, Amsonia tabernaemontana 'Salicifolia' and Amsonia tabernaemontana 'Storm Cloud' in containers.

Amsonia x 'Blue Ice'

Baptisia x 'American Goldfinch' is a large floriferous False Indigo that produces bright yellow spikes of pea-shaped flowers for a prolonged period in spring and early summer. The flower spikes are followed by large round seed pods held above the neat green foliage throughout the summer. 40 inches tall and 60 inches wide. Plant in full sun in average well drained garden soil. Deer and drought resistant. Hardy from Zone 4 - 8.

Baptisia can't be beat as a drought tolerant garden plant with phenomenal structure in the garden. We also have Baptisia australis, Baptisia x 'Decadence Lemon Meringue', Baptisia x 'Decadence Vanilla Cream', Baptisia x 'Lemon Meringue and Baptisia x 'Purple Smoke' in containers.

Baptisia australis 'American Goldfinch'

Daphne x transatlantica ‘Eternal Fragrance’ features intensely fragrant white flowers, with an orange-yellow eye and orange anthers, in spring with irregular sporadic continued bloom on new growth from summer into fall. Branches are clad with semi-glossy, narrow, elliptical, dark green leaves (2" long). Typically grows in a mound to 2-3' tall and wide. Flowers turn pink-purple when night temperatures are cool. Plant in shade in moist, humusy, well-drained soil. Mulch in winter.

This may not be the most popular Daphne at the nursery, but it runs a close second to our gregarious poodle. We have 'Eternal Fragrance' in containers and also field dug b and b.

Daphne x transatlantica 'Eternal Fragrance'

Epimedium x perralchicum ‘Frohnleiten’ This Barrenwort or Bishop hat is a compact, 4-6" tall cultivar distinguished by its brighter yellow flower color and bloom which rises in airy clusters above the semi-evergreen foliage. Spiny green leaves are bronze marbled in spring and fall. Clump forming ground cover for shady area, that will spread by rhizomes. Plant in part to full shade in average, well drained soil. Prefers evenly moist loamy soil. Deer tolerant. And rabbit resistant.

Epimedium is well known for its drought tolerance, even under those troublesome Maple trees. We also have Epimedium Spp. nova 'Spine Tingler', Epimedium x rubrum, and Epimedium x warleyense 'Orange Queen' in containers.

Epimedium x perralchium 'Fronleiten'

Festuca glauca ‘Beyond Blue’ is valued for its clumping habit, and display of colorful, grassy foliage. This selection forms a dense tuft of slender cascading foliage that is intensely silver-blue all season. 9 to 12 inches tall and 16-18 inches wide. Light green flowers with a purple tinge appear in terminal panicles atop stems that rise above the foliage in late spring to early summer. Flowers give way to buff-colored seed heads. Impressively tolerant to cold, heat, humidity, low water, deer and poor soil conditions. Excellent for mass planting, edging or in the rock garden. Plant in full sun in well drained soil. Zone 4 to 9.

Festuca glauca 'Beyond Blue'

Fothergilla gardenii ‘Blue Elf’, the Blue Elf Dwarf Witch Elder, is a hybrid between Fothergilla gardenii 'Blue Mist' & Fothergilla gardenii 'Harold Epstein'. The former is a compact, blue foliaged form introduced by the Morris Arboretum in Philadelphia. 'Harold Epstein' is a very dwarf gem from Harold's Larchmont garden in New York. 'Blue Elf ' features the blue foliage of 'Blue Mist', with an intermediate size between the two parents. Fragrant, white, bottle-brush-like flowers in early spring and orange fall foliage color. Plant in full sun to part shade in moist, organically rich, well-drained soil. Native to southeastern US. Zone 5 to 8.

Selected and named by Warren Leach for Tranquil Lake Nursery.

Fothergilla 'Blue Elf'

Hippophae rhamnoides ‘Sprite’ is a male selection of Seabuckthorn boasting ample, willow-like, silvery foliage held on a compact framework. Perfect as a low maintenance filler plant or for informal hedging. As a male selection, it is unable to produce seed and become a pest. Naturalizes by root suckers. Plant in full sun, in average, well drained soil. Excellent in challenging sites where low fertility, drought and extremes in temperature plant growth. Wind tolerant. Zone 4 to 8.

This is one of Warren's favorite plants for the really tough dry conditions such as banks and side walk hell strips. No longer available in nurseries, Warren has this propagated every year just for use bu Tranquil Lake Nursery.

Hippophae rhamnoides 'Sprite'

Indigofera gerardiana (Also known as Indigofera heterantha) is known as Himalayan Indigo. This lovely and unusual shrub, native to dry and sunny slopes in the Himalayas from Afghanistan to China. Clusters of deep, purple-rose colored, pea like flowers from June to fall. They stand out against the delicate grayish green to gray silver colored foliage. Drought tolerant, and will tolerate full sun to part sun. It is a spreading deciduous shrub that reaches a height of 8 feet and a width of 8 feet. Likes a hard pruning. Zone 5. Has received the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit. Zone 5 to 8

Indigofera gerardii

Lindera angustifolia, the Willowleaf Spicebush features narrow, leathery green leaves that turn the most spectacular combination of orange, red and purple in fall. Leaves are held throughout the winter, turning a very attractive tan. Leaves drop in early spring. Since it holds its leaves it offers a screening alternative to evergreens. Tiny yellow flowers on bare stems in early spring, followed by small shiny black fruit in fall. Teaches 10 feet tall and 6 feet wide. Plant in full sun to part shade in average to dry soil. Deer resistant. A shrub for all seasons. Zone 5 to 9.

This is one of Warren's favorite plants for screening air conditioners and unsightly neighbors yards, due to its 4 season leaf habit.

Lindera angustifolia

Origanum x ‘Drops of Jupiter’ is a golden-leaved oregano that is a hybrid, ornamental oregano selection that features fragrant, chartreuse-yellow foliage and dense, terminal clusters of fragrant pink flowers surrounded by persistent, dark purple sepals from mid-summer to early fall. Although the leaves are edible, they are not as intensely flavored as culinary oregano. To 2 feet tall and 3 feet wide. Plant in full sun in well-drained soil. Does very well in gritty sandy soil. Deer tolerant. Zone 4 to 9.

Origanum x 'Drops of Juniper'

Poliothyrsis sinensis, known as the Chinese Pearlbloom produces large, ovate leaves that emerge in spring flushed with iridescent burgundy overtones, then age to rich, glossy green by early summer, then turn yellow in fall. By August, plants are cloaked with a wonderful display of finely textured, creamy-white, terminal flower panicles on red stems, that look like pearly buds and are fragrant. A rarely seen small tree to 20-40 feet in height. Collected in China by E.H. Wilson in 1908. Plant in full sun to partial shade in well-drained soil. Zone 6 to 9.

Poliothrysis sinensis

Potentilla (Sibbaldiopsis) tridentata or Wine-leaf Cinquefoil is a short evergreen perennial plant growing up to 10 inches tall. Compound, trifoliate leaves grow up to 1 ½” in length and are arranged in an alternate pattern. Leaves are glossy green and evergreen, turning deep red in fall. Flowers are small and white and bloom from June to August. Plant in full sun in well-drained soil. Spreads by underground roots. Drought tolerant. Native to Eastern North America where it grows in rocky and gravelly soil. Zone 5 to 8.

Warren uses Wine-leaf Cinquefoil to replace lawns and also as an understory plant in the garden troughs. It takes some foot traffic and is very drought tolerant, growing on the rocky soil at the top of Cadillac Mountain in Maine.

Potentilla tridentata

Prunus pumila var depressa 'Gus Mehlquist' is an extremely low-growing sprawling sand cherry found along the bank of the Connecticut River in Cheshire County, New Hampshire. Collected and propagated by the Arnold Arboretum, it stands only 6-12 inches above the ground, compared to the 9-foot-tall height that a sand cherry shrub can attain. Flowers are dainty with five white petals, followed by blue-black fruits in September. It has elliptic dark green foliage through the growing season, with fall colors displaying brilliant crimson and maroon hues. Performs well in normal garden conditions and displays bolder fall foliage when planted in full sun. It is extremely adaptable to both dry and wet sites.

Prunus pumila var. depressa 'Gus Mehlquist'