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Lamiastrum

Lamiastrum galeobdolon 'Herman's Pride'

Dark green leaves are overlaid with silver veining. Densing mounding plants grow to 10" and are dappled with yellow flowers in late spring. Excellent fast spreading groundcover for shade, it also makes a wonderful conatiner foliage with elephant ears, New Guinea impatiens and other shade plants. Zone 4

Lamium

Lamium maculatum 'Aureum'

Delicate golden foliage variegated with white stripes with pink flowers. Less vigorous grower than 'Beacon Silver'. Great for containers, or underplanting purple heucheras for contrast. Brightens up dark shade gardens. Zone 3

Lamium maculatum 'Beacon Silver' (dead nettle)

Bright, variegated foliage. This groundcover is a vigorous grower and is drought tolerant. Pink flowers appear in May. Grows 4-6" high. Zone 3

Lamium maculatum 'Chequers' (false salvia)

Excellent, hardy and fast growing groundcover for any most conditions. Heavily marbled foliage covers densely, with rose-pink flowers. Grows 6-10" tall at most. Zone 3

Lamium maculatum 'Pink Pewter'

Silver foliage is covered with showy pink blooms in late spring atop groundcover growing to 6". Zone 3

Lamium maculatum 'White Nancy

Frosty silver foliage topped with white flowers in late spring. Great foliage contrast plant for the shade garden. Hardy and easy to grow. Zone 3

Leucanthemum

Leucanthemum 'Becky'

2 1/2-3" single white daisies last from mid to late summer. Plants grow to 3' tall. Zone 5

Leucanthemum 'Marconi'

Long stemmed double white daisies open 6" across atop 30" stems. Great cuts. Zone 5

Leucanthemum 'Polaris'

Enormous blooms up to 7" across top 4' tall stems in mid summer. Shasta on steroids. Zone 5

Leucanthemum 'Shasta Alaska'

Showy single white blooms atop 24" plants in mid summer. Please don't eat the daisies! Zone 5

Leucanthemum 'Silver Princess'

Compact 12" plants are covered with large single blooms mid summer. Great edger. Zone 5

Leucanthemum 'Snow Lady'

The smallest shasta daisy, blooms top these 10" plants in mid summer. Try them mixed throughout a bed with blue fescue. Zone 5

Liatris

Liatris ligulistylis (large-headed liatris)

42" tall plants make a show with large purple florets along spikes July through September. This type originates from eastern South Dakota. Zone 4

Liatris spicata (gayfeather, blazing star)

Early summer blooming lavender spikes grow to 3' tall. Great flower arrangement subjects that also attract butterflies. Plant in full sun to part shade. Drought tolerant plants will grow in poor soil. Zone 3

Liatris spicata 'Alba'

White flowering form of Liatris with spikes to 36" tall. Zone 3

Liatris spicata 'Kobold'

Deep purple flower spikes grow to 24" tall. A more maneagable size for the suburban garden with all the hardiness of the native. Zone 3

Lilium

Lilium davidii var. Willmottiae (Turk's cap lily)

Many large, bright orange trumpets with purple spots hang from tall stems growing to 6' high. Zone 5

Limonium

Limonium latifolium (perennial statice)

One of our favorite perennials, this hardy, heat and drought tolerant perennial produces airy sprays of lavender flowers on 30" plants. Great for cuts and for drying. Wonderful interplanted with shasta daisies, black-eyed Susans, conflowers, Liatris ... Zone 4

Linum

Linum perenne (flax)

Stunning 1" blue flowers cover fine foliage in summer. Plants grow in a dense, round 16" ball shape in full sun in well-drained soil. Zone 5

Liriope

Liriope muscari 'Big Blue'

12" dark green grassy foliage is semi-evergreen and produces purple flower spikes in spring that resemble grape hyacinth. Browns in severe winters, and can be mowed back to clear for new growth in spring. An excellent groundcover under trees where turf won't grow, and as a border. Nice texture. Zone 5

Liriope muscari 'Silver Queen'

12" dark green grassy foliage is green and white striped and topped with pruple flower spikes in spring. Best planted in afternoon shade. Also nice used in containers. Zone 5

Liriope muscari 'Silver Queen'

12" dark green grassy foliage is green and white striped and topped with pruple flower spikes in spring. Best planted in afternoon shade. Also nice used in containers. Zone 5

Lobelia

Lobelia cardinalis (cardinal flower)

Green foliage is topped with 3' scarlet flower spikes July through September. Prefers moist soils, in sun to shade. Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. This is a native plant. Zone 3

Lobelia fulgens 'Queen Victoria'

Spikes of brilliant scarlet-red flowers atop 3-4' tall plants with maroon foliage. Blooms open late summer, and plants grow well in boggy conditions, where they'll tolerate mor sunlight. Zone 3

Lychnis

Lychnis chalcedonia (maltese cross)

2" flower clsuters of brilliant, dark red-orange in summer over dark green foliage. Plants grow to 24". Zone 4

Lychnis coronaria 'Blood Red' (rose campion)

Pretty silver greay foliage is topped with red blooms in spring. Plants grow 18-24" high. Can be short-lived, but will self seed. An heirloom garden plant. Zone 4

Lysimachia

Lysimachia ciliata 'Purpurea'

Nodding yellow flowers atop 24" stems over deep purple foliage. Spreads by seed, and seems to do equally well in dry gravel! Zone 3

Lysimachia nummularia (moneywort)

Round, green leaves create a low-growing mat with small yellow flowers. 'Aurea' is a bright chartreuse selection. Both spread rapidly in moist locations, and also make fantastic trailing foliage plants in hanging baskets and containers. Will grow in sun or shade, but requires more moisture in sunnier locations. This is a native plant. Zone 4

Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea' (golden creeping Jenny)

Golden yellow version of the native, this little spreader is so pretty we use in in annual containers and hanging baskets. Especially nice with tuberous begonias. Also wonderful as a contrast foliage underplanting in the shade garden with hostas, heucheras and other large leaved perennials. Zone 4

Lysimachia punctata 'Alexander' (variegated garden loosestrife)

Golden yellow flower spikes 24-36" tall on hardy, easy care perennials with pretty green and cream variegated leaves that are blushed with pink in cool weather. Zone 4

Macleaya

Macleaya cordata (plume poppy)

Fantastic ornate foliage resembles a huge oak leaf and is green overlaid with silver frost. Stems are succulent with an orange tinge. Foliage grows to 36", and is topped in summer with 5-7' tall spikes with orange plumes. Very showy, very hardy. Can spread, so plant where it won't overwhelm the garden. Zone 5

Mertensia

Mertensia virginica (bluebells)

Nodding clusters of blue flowers in early spring on 2' plants that go dormant by late spring. Plant in partial to full shade in humus rich soil. Zone 4

Monarda

Monarda 'Gardenview Scarlet'

Highly mildew resistant bee balm with scarlet-red blooms in June and July. Plants are tall, growing to 24-36" high, and can become invasive. Plant where the spreading plant won't overwhelm more delicate perennials. Zone 3

Monarda 'Jacob Cline' (bee balm)

Large red flowers in June through August on mildew resistant foliage growing 4-5' tall. Heat and drought tolerant, flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies and make great cuts. Zone 3

Monarda 'Petite Delight'

Dwarf plants are covered in lavender-rose blooms in summer. Excellent mildew resistance on compact plants that grow only 24" tall. Heat and drought tolerant, flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies and make great cuts. Zone 3

Monarda 'Prairie Gypsy'

3" raspberry pink blooms are fragrant and open atop 18-24" stems. Attracts many species of butterflies, and the fragrant foliage is released when brushed. Zone 3

Nepeta

Nepeta subsessilis 'Sweet Dream' (catmint)

Large pink and white two-tone blooms open on upright clumping stems over serrated green foliage. Plants grow 12-24" tall. Zone 4

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