Cushion Spurge (Euphorbia) Sun – Part Sun.  6” - 24” This family has a lot of funky members with foliage that is a lot showier than their spring flowers. Either way, they make a statement. The most commonly sold variety is polychroma. It has bright yellow flowers in spring and green leaves. But why not step it up a notch and plant ‘First Blush’ (pink, white and green leaves), ‘Bonfire’ (burgundy-red leaves),‘Chameleon’ (bronzy purple leaves) or ‘Ascot Rainbow’ (green and yellow leaves with orange tips in cooler weather)? All have bright yellow flowers and benefit from a hard shear after blooming to create a neat, tight mound. Don’t be timid when pruning these back. I shear them by 1/3 to ½ their height. If you have sensitive skin, wear gloves when pruning spurges as the sap may cause a rash. Polychroma, Zones 3 - 8. All others are Zones 5 – 8.  (excerpt from my new ebook, The Smart Plant Shopper’s Top Ten Lists for Exceptional Perennials, Shrubs, Annuals and More for Zones 3 – 7)

Passion Vine (Passiflora caerulea)  Sun – Part Sun.  Feed your passion.  I did and I can’t tell you how pleased I’ve been with my Passion Vine (Passiflora caerulea), a tropical, twining, flowering plant.  It supposedly was given its name by Catholic missionaries who believed the flower’s unique shape spoke of the Passion of Christ.  The three stigmatas suggested the three nails in Jesus’ hands and feet; the filaments and threads resembled the thorny crown; the tendrils were said to be like the whips that scourged Jesus; the pointed leaf tips spoke of the spear that entered Jesuss side and lastly, the blue and white flowers stood for purity and heaven.  Thus the name ‘Passion Flower’.  Study the intricate beauty of this unusual flower and come to your own conclusion.  Similar to Group III Clematis, this beauty enjoys a sunny spot and sets its flowers on new growth in the spring.  This budding habit is great for colder climates where bitter winters can annihilate flower buds formed on prior year’s wood (like Forsythia, Lilac, and Rhododendrons).  I planted the Passion Vine in a colorful container and set it next to a lattice fence to scramble its heart out.  You can also place it near a trellis, chain link fence or railing. When colder weather approaches, simply whack the stems back to 6” to 8”, spray the leaves with insecticidal soap (Safer makes a good product), and bring it inside as a houseplant.  Give this ‘snowbird’ a sunny window until warm weather returns.  After danger of frost, start the sequence again.  Even though Passion Vine is more work than a cold-hardy perennial flower vine, its exotic beauty will win you over.  I bought my Passion Vine at Kulak’s Nursery (www.kulaksnursery.com), a local garden center, but they can also be purchased online

Hypericum Hypearls Renu   Sun to Part Shade.  This perky little shrub packs a lot of punch.  It has cheerful yellow flowers in summer that become bright pink berries for a spectacular autumn display.  Renu, and its counterpart Olivia (yellow flowers, salmon berries) top out between 30” and 36”.  Because of their showy berries and compact, stiff-stemmed habit, they also make terrific additions to fall containers.  Although these are rated as only hardy to Zone 6, I have other Hypericums that have wintered over just fine on my Zone 4/5 property.  For added insurance I plant them in a protected spot out of the path of wicked winter winds. 

Louisiana Iris  Sun.  These perennials are absolutely breathtaking!  And far too underused.  This is not surprising as Louisiana Irises are uncommon at many garden centers in the Northeast.  Thanks to MJ, this ‘curse’ has been broken.  I had the pleasure of meeting MJ while speaking at the Syracuse (NY) Flower Show last March.  MJ is a Master Gardener and passionate about these elusive beauties.  MJ embraced the challenge of growing these southern gems in a northern climate; more specifically in upstate New York just 85 miles south of the Canadian border.   From the first seven cultivars obtained in 2007, her gardens have grown to over 4000 square feet and more than 140 cultivars, plus a large number of seedlings under evaluation.  Loisiana Irises bloom around the ame time as Japanese Iris, late June and early July depending on your zone.  They are heave feeders and benefit from an application of time-released fertilizer like Plant-Tone in spring.  For an eye-popping assortment of Louisiana Irises for sale, as well as detailed planting and care instructions, visit MJ’s web site at http://www.louisianairisgardens.com/. 

Sun – Part Sun.  Many times I pick plants to be featured based on how many oohs and ahhs it receives at one of my open houses.  Tamarix shrub is often confused with Tamarac tree, a deciduous conifer.  They are distinctly different!  Tamarix has blue-green, needle-like foliage that is semi-evergreen.  The shrub can grow 10’ to 15’ tall and can have a ‘loose’ habit.  It works best placed at the back of a border where other shrubs and perennials skirt its base.  Wispy pink flowers adorn the shrub in late June and July.  It is a breathtaking sight.  I keep my Tamarix pruned to 6’ to 7’ so that it is more in scale to its location….plus you can see the fluffy flowers better.  Prune it in late winter.  Tamarix is drought and salt tolerant.  I first saw this native plant in Lake Placid, NY and began to hunt it down for my garden.  It is not always commonly available.  Tamarix is invasive in the western part of the United States.  It grows in Zones 2 – 8.