Oh no another "best plant" thread!

But I do admit I do like reading what others consider their favourites.

Let me give a few that are relatively new but performed so well for me:

- If you like clematis I highly recommend 'Blue River' (a flower machine on a compact plant...about 5 feet in height)

- 'Cosmic Eye' coreopis (a striking flower on a shorter stem with no flop; it bloomed well into fall...and it survived its first winter)

- 'Strawberry Seduction' Achillea (smore compact then some other yarrows and so was self supporting and it continued to bloom for me into November!)

My Phlox divaricata/woodland phlox has been blooming for several weeks as have hellebore, lungwort, clematis, Brunnera 'Jack Frost,' bleeding heart, primrose & euphorbia/cushion spourge. Gaura lindheimeri/wand flower & hardy geranium bloom from early summer right up until a killing frost. Last year my stokesia bloomed for what seemed like months. Nepeta/catmint, campanula, blanket flower, gloriosa daisy & coreopsis bloomed continuously from early summer until late September.

I love hostas and have 30+ designer varieties growing in three of my full/part shade beds. My all-time favorite blue/cream-yellow variegated is 'Dream Weaver.'

gardenweed_z6a I see that you had mentioned that your hardy geranium bloom from early summer right up until a killing frost.
I am curious as to which variety(s) of geranium you are referring to (maybe it is Rozanne)?

Just yesterday I picked up relatively new introduction (at least into Canada/NAmerica) called 'Lakwijk Star'.

By chance has anyone had experience with this one...more likely our European friends would have seen it in action.

currently obsessing over Paeonia delavayii ludlowii lutea (or summat like). Waited 5 years for a flower (although the foliage has its own attractions). This year, 6 fat blooms looking like summer sun in a cup. Thrilling and a lesson in patience (always in short supply for me).

If I could only have one plant, it would be my salvia greggii "navajo". It blooms all summer with successive shearing, is a butterfly and hummingbird magnet, is fragrant, drought tolerant and mostly evergreen in my zone. I received this plant from a trader on the plant exchange several years ago. Since then I have rooted it successfully several times to increase its presence in my garden and to share with other gardeners.

I'm thrilled with whatever is growing well this year. That seems to change from one year to the next. When you say 'Favorite' that seems a little different to me than 'Best'. Only because sometimes my favorites don't grow as well as I would like and my best plants are those that do grow the best with the least amount of attention and fuss. I can't imagine narrowing it down to a single plant. I love so many, but these plants are the most dependable performers for me that I enjoy very much.

Right now, it would be Dicentra the pink, but especially the white. And I love it paired with Lunaria which blooms at the same time. Those come back every year and get bigger and better and look lovely together and NO fuss at all. Then they disappear into the background while others start blooming.

I love Japanese Painted ferns with Epimediums. Easy, dependable, lovely together and I don't seem to feel I ever can have too many. And after the Epimedium bloom, the pair looks great all the rest of the season.

Later in the summer, Perovskia, Pennisetum 'Hamelin', and Echinacea are three of my favorites that really perform again without attention and they also look good all season.