What's In Bloom Archives

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Top Plant Picks November 2026

Posted on October 28, 2026 by Philip Bartko Jr.

Colchicum × ‘Waterlily’ (Autumn Crocus)

Bloom Time: September to November

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Late season pollinators

Tolerates: Deer resistant

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 7

Other: A large hybrid crocus with double, lilac-pink flowers emerging in the fall.

Location: Herb Study Garden

Cornus florida ‘Red Beauty’ (Flowering Dogwood)

Bloom Time: April to May

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Birds eat the fruits

Tolerates: Clay soils

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 5 to 9

Other: Features burgundy to orange fall color and showy, scarlet-colored fruits.

Location: Carell Dogwood Garden

Ilex opaca ‘Dan Fenton’ (American Holly)

Bloom Time: April to May

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Birds eat the fruits

Tolerates: Deer resistant

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 5 to 9

Other: This tree sports glossy green leaves year-round and bright red winter berries.

Location: Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden

Oxydendrum arboreum (Sourwood)

Bloom Time: June to July

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Native bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies

Tolerates: Dry soil

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 5 to 9

Other: A slow-growing native tree showcasing brilliant crimson fall foliage.

Location: Howe Garden

Ginkgo biloba (Maidenhair Tree)

Bloom Time: March to April

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: N/A

Tolerates: Pollution and salt tolerant

Native to North America: No

Zones: 4 to 8

Other: Considered a living fossil, this unique tree has exceptional gold fall color.

Location: Blevins Japanese Garden

Boltonia decurrens (Decurrent False Aster)

Bloom Time: September to November

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium to High

Wildlife: Butterflies and native bees

Tolerates: Wet soils

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 4 to 8

Other: Growing up to six feet tall, this perennial produces daisy-like blooms late in the season.

Location: Burr Garden

Onoclea sensibilis (Sensitive Fern)

Bloom Time: N/A

Sun Requirement: Part Shade to Full Shade

Water Requirement: Medium to High

Wildlife: Provides shelter for amphibians

Tolerates: Heavy shade and wet soils

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 4 to 8

Other: This fern grows has deeply lobed fronds and produces interesting fertile fronds that persist through winter.

Location: Robinson Family Water Garden

Hylotelephium sieboldii (October Daphne)

Bloom Time: September to October

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Low

Wildlife: Butterflies

Tolerates: Drought tolerant

Native to North America: No

Zones: 3 to 9

Other: A low, mounding succulent with bluish-green leaves and blooms in the fall with showy flowers.

Location: Herb Study Garden

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Top Plant Picks October 2026

Posted on October 2, 2026 by Diana Rosales

Cornus kousa var. chinensis ‘Samzam’ (Variegated Kousa Dogwood)

Bloom Time: April to May

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Fruits provide food for birds, blooms attract pollinators

Tolerates: Good disease resistance

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 8

Other: A graceful ornamental tree with striking variegated foliage that turns shades of pink and red in the fall.

Location: Carell Dogwood Garden

Rudbeckia triloba (Brown-eyed Susan)

Bloom Time: July to October

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Bees and butterflies

Tolerates: Drought

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 4 to 8

Other: The long-lasting yellow blooms of this perennial adds vibrant late-season color.

Location: Wills Perennial Garden

Euonymus americanus (Strawberry Bush)

Bloom Time: May to June

Sun Requirement: Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Fruits provide food for birds

Tolerates: Clay soils

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 6 to 9

Other: This native shrub features red fruits that split open to reveal bright orange seeds.

Location: Howe Garden

Ricinus communis (Castor Bean)

Bloom Time: July to November

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Low

Wildlife: Bees and butterflies

Tolerates: Poor soils

Native to North America: No

Zones: 9 to 11

Other: Grown as an annual in Tennessee, it features spiny red seed capsules and large, palmate leaves.

Location: Robinson Family Water Garden

Andropogon gerardii ‘Blackhawks’ (Big Bluestem)

Bloom Time: August to October

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Provides seeds and nesting materials for songbirds

Tolerates: Drought

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 3 to 9

Other: A striking prairie grass forming an upright clump with foliage that deepens to a rich burgundy purple in the fall.

Location: Bradford Robertson Color Garden

Callicarpa americana f. lactea (White Beautyberry)

Bloom Time: May to July

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Bees, butterflies, and birds

Tolerates: Drought and clay soils

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 6 to 11

Other: Prized for its clusters of creamy white berries that line this shrub’s arching stems.

Location: Turner Seasons Garden

Danae racemosa (Poet’s Laurel)

Bloom Time: April to June

Sun Requirement: Part Shade to Full Shade

Water Requirement: Low

Wildlife: Provides shelter for birds and small mammals

Tolerates: Dry shade

Native to North America: No

Zones: 7 to 9

Other: An evergreen with arching stems that feature ornamental red-orange berries in the fall.

Location: Sigourney Cheek Literary Garden

Aesculus pavia (Red Buckeye)

Bloom Time: April to May

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Hummingbirds

Tolerates: Clay soil

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 4 to 8

Other: A small tree with showy red flowers and distinctive, pear-shaped fruits that mature in the fall.

Location: Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden

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Top Plant Picks September 2026

Posted on August 28, 2026 by Philip Bartko Jr.

Anemone × hybrida ‘Honorine Jobert’ (Windflower)

Bloom Time: August to September

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Attracts bees

Tolerates: Deer resistant

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 8

Other: Produces pure white blooms with golden centers on tall, wiry stems.

Location: Bradford Robertson Color Garden

Helianthus tuberosus (Sunchoke)

Bloom Time: August to September

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Attracts bees, butterflies, and birds

Tolerates: Most soil types

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 3 to 9

Other: A tall, vigorous perennial sunflower with bright yellow flowers and edible tubers.

Location: Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden

Maianthemum stellatum (Starry False Solomon’s Seal)

Bloom Time: May to June

Sun Requirement: Part Shade to Full Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Specialized native bees

Tolerates: Tolerates drier conditions once established

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 3 to 8

Other: Native woodland perennial with arching stems that produce striped berries in the late summer.

Location: Herb Study Garden

Lycoris radiata (Red Spider Lily)

Bloom Time: August to October

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Attracts butterflies

Tolerates: Deer resistant

Native to North America: No

Zones: 6 to 10

Other: Produces spidery scarlet blooms on top of bare stems in the early fall.

Location: Sigourney Cheek Literary Garden

Andropogon gerardii ‘Holy Smoke’ (Big Bluestem)

Bloom Time: August to September

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Songbirds consume seedheads

Tolerates: Poor soils and drought

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 3 to 9

Other: A cultivar of big bluestem with striking purple foliage and unique turkey-foot seedheads.

Location: Bradford Robertson Color Garden

Clematis ‘Guernsey Cream’ (Clematis)

Bloom Time: Reblooming

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds

Tolerates: Tolerates drier conditions once established

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 9

Other: This climbing vine bears creamy white blooms, flowering first in the spring and often reblooming in late summer.

Location: Burr Garden

Dicliptera suberecta (Firecracker Plant)

Bloom Time: June to Frost

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Low

Wildlife: Attracts hummingbirds

Tolerates: Heat and drought

Native to North America: No

Zones: 7 to 10

Other: Features soft, fuzzy gray leaves and clusters of tubular red-orange flowers.

Location: Sigourney Cheek Literary Garden

Tricyrtis formosana ‘Seiryu’ (Toad Lily)

Bloom Time: August to September

Sun Requirement: Part Shade to Full Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Attracts bumblebees

Tolerates: Deer and rabbit resistant

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 8

Other: A shade-loving perennial with interesting white flowers speckled with purple.

Location: Blevins Japanese Garden

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Top Plant Picks August 2026

Posted on July 27, 2026 by Philip Bartko Jr.

Aralia cordata ‘Sun King’ (Japanese Spikenard)

Bloom Time: July to September

Sun Requirement: Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Berries attract birds

Tolerates: Deer resistant

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 8

Other: Adds a pop of color to shade gardens with bright golden foliage and small white blooms.

Location: Bradford Robertson Color Garden

Caryopteris × clandonensis ‘Blue Mist’ (Bluebeard)

Bloom Time: July to September

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Butterflies, bumblebees

Tolerates: Drought

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 5 to 8

Other: A compact shrub with abundant blue flowers and gray-green aromatic foliage.

Location: Frist Learning Center

Clematis virginiana (Woodbine)

Bloom Time: July to September

Sun Requirement: Part Shade to Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Bees, hummingbirds

Tolerates: Black walnut

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 6 to 8

Other: This rapid growing vine is covered in fragrant white flowers, and on female plants, flowers are followed by feathery seedheads.

Location: Wills Perennial Garden

Hibiscus coccineus (Scarlet Rose Mallow)

Bloom Time: June to September

Sun Requirement: Part Shade to Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium to High

Wildlife: Butterflies, hummingbirds

Tolerates: Wet soils

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 6 to 9

Other: A tall native perennial with deeply lobed foilage and striking scarlet red flowers.

Location: Howe Garden

Salvia greggii ‘Deep Purple’ Mirage™ (Meadow Sage)

Bloom Time: May to October

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Bees, butterflies

Tolerates: Drought

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 7 to 9

Other: Provides long-lasting purple blooms that attract pollinators and features aromatic foliage.

Location: Sigourney Cheek Literary Garden

Heuchera ‘Wildberry’ (Coral Bells)

Bloom Time: July to August

Sun Requirement: Full Shade to Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Bees, butterflies

Tolerates: Deer resistant

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 9

Other: A compact perennial with scalloped purple foliage that is accented with deep charcoal veins.

Location: Bradford Robertson Color Garden

Ratibida pinnata (Grey-head Coneflower)

Bloom Time: June to August

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Butterflies, songbirds

Tolerates: Drought, Clay soil

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 3 to 8

Other: This prairie wildflower has bright drooping petals and prominent brown cone centers.

Location: Howe Garden

Helenium amarum ‘Dakota Gold’ (Sneezeweed)

Bloom Time: June to October

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Low

Wildlife: Butterflies, bees

Tolerates: Rabbit resistant

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 8

Other: A reseeding annual that features fine foliage and abundant yellow flowers to create a blanket of color.

Location: Sigourney Cheek Literary Garden

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Top Plant Picks July 2026

Posted on June 29, 2026July 27, 2026 by Philip Bartko Jr.

Gaillardia pulchella (Firewheel)

Bloom Time: June to October

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Low to Medium

Wildlife: Attracts birds

Tolerates: Drought

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 2 to 11

Other: A reseeding annual wildflower with vibrant red and yellow blooms.

Location: Howe Garden

Allium ‘Serendipity’ (Ornamental Onion)

Bloom Time: July to August

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Low to Medium

Wildlife: Attracts butterflies and bees

Tolerates: Deer resistant

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 8

Other: This compact perennial features dense globes of purple flowers.

Location: Sigourney Cheek Literary Garden

Catalpa speciosa (Northern Catalpa)

Bloom Time: May to June

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium to High

Wildlife: Moth host plant

Tolerates: Drought and clay soils

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 4 to 8

Other: A wonderful shade tree with large heart-shaped leaves and showy white flowers.

Location: Robinson Family Water Garden

Rosa ‘Caldwell Pink’ (Caldwell Pink Rose)

Bloom Time: May to October

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Provides shelter to small mammals

Tolerates: Heat

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 6 to 9

Other: A shrub rose offering longlasting color with pink blooms until the first frost.

Location: Rose Study Garden

Thymus vulgaris (Thyme)

Bloom Time: May to July

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Low to Medium

Wildlife: Attracts honeybees and butterflies

Tolerates: Drought and rocky soils

Native to North America: No

Zones: 5 to 9

Other: Valued for its culinary uses, this plant is also quite drought resistant making it ideal for rock gardens.

Location: Herb Study Garden

Cestrum aurantiacum ‘Orange Zest’ (Orange Jessamine)

Bloom Time: May to September

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies

Tolerates: Drought

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 7 to 11

Other: A tropical shrub featuring terminal clusters of vibrant orange flowers.

Location: Sigourney Cheek Literary Garden

Echinacea ‘Balsombabur’ Sombrero® Baja Burgundy (Coneflower)

Bloom Time: June to August

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Low to Medium

Wildlife: Bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds

Tolerates: Dry and rocky soils

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 9

Other: This compact coneflower has burgundy red blooms, adding striking color to the garden.

Location: Bradford Robertson Color Garden

Echinacea 'Balsombabur' Sombrero® Baja Burgundy

Mimulus ringens (Allegheny Monkey Flower)

Bloom Time: June to September

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium to High

Wildlife: Attracts butterflies and bumblebees

Tolerates: Wet soils

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 3 to 8

Other: Native perennial with lavendar flowers that thrives along streams and ponds.

Location: Howe Garden

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Top Plant Picks June 2026

Posted on May 29, 2026 by Philip Bartko Jr.

Sarracenia × ‘Lunchbox’ (Pitcher Plant)

Bloom Time: April

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: High

Wildlife: N/A

Tolerates: Boggy conditions

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 6 to 9

Other: These carnivorous plants add dramatic color and unique interest under the right garden conditions.

Location: Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden

Crocosmia ‘Emily McKenzie’ (Montbretia)

Bloom Time: June to August

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Hummingbirds and bees

Tolerates: Heat tolerant

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 5 to 9

Other: The vibrant orange and red blooms arch gracefully above the foliage on this perennial.

Location: Sigourney Cheek Literary Garden

Filipendula rubra (Queen of the Prairie)

Bloom Time: June to August

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium to High

Wildlife: Beetles and native bees

Tolerates: Clay soils, deer resistant

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 3 to 8

Other: Truly garden royalty, growing up to eight feet tall with plumes of cotton candy pink flowers.

Location: Burr Terrace Garden

Monarda citriodora (Lemon Mint)

Bloom Time: May to August

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Low to Medium

Wildlife: Butterflies, hummingbirds, bees

Tolerates: Drought, deer resistant

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 2 to 11

Other: The citrusy foliage and tiered purply-pink flowers make this native flower ideal for cottage gardens.

Location: Howe Garden

Sanguisorba minor (Burnet)

Bloom Time: June to July

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Leaves foraged by mammals

Tolerates: Deer resistant

Native to North America: No

Zones: 4 to 8

Other: An herb used for salads, soups, and drinks which features round purple inflorescences.

Location: Herb Study Garden

Achillea ‘Firefly Peach Sky’ (Yarrow)

Bloom Time: June to July

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Bees, butterflies, moths

Tolerates: Drought, salt

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 3 to 8

Other: The clusters of peach, apricot, and yellow flowers add a colorful blend to sunny locations.

Location: Wills Perennial Garden

Rosa ‘Cecile Brunner’ (Climbing Rose)

Bloom Time: May to November

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Shelter for birds

Tolerates: Poor Soil

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 11

Other: A climbing rose producing delicate, light pink flowers throughout the growing season.

Location: Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden

Rhododendron viscosum ‘Summer Eyelet’ (Swamp Azalea)

Bloom Time: May to July

Sun Requirement: Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium to High

Wildlife: Butterflies

Tolerates: Wet soils

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 9

Other: Flowers much later than most native azaleas with fragrant, white flowers in clusters.

Location: Howe Garden

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Top Plant Picks May 2026

Posted on April 27, 2026 by Philip Bartko Jr.

Arisaema heterophyllum (Dancing Crane Cobra Lily)

Bloom Time: May to June

Sun Requirement: Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium to High

Wildlife: Fly pollinated, berries comsumed by birds

Tolerates: Wet conditions

Native to North America: No

Zones: 5 to 9

Other: An interesting addtion to any shade garden featuring a hooded, cobra-like spathe when in flower.

Location: Carell Dogwood Garden

Nigella damascena (Love-in-a-mist)

Bloom Time: May to July

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Attracts bees

Tolerates: Drought

Native to North America: No

Zones: 2 to 11

Other: A reseeding annual with lacy bracts that create a ‘mist’ around dreamy blue flowers.

Location: Wills Perennial Garden

Baptisia australis ‘Dutch Chocolate’ (False Indigo)

Bloom Time: May to June

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Low to Medium

Wildlife: Attracts butterflies

Tolerates: Drought and erosion

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 9

Other: A cultivar of a native perennial showcasing spikes of rich chocolate-purple blooms.

Location: Robinson Family Water Garden

Deutzia longifolia ‘Veitchii’ (Deutzia)

Bloom Time: May to June

Sun Requirement: Full Sun to Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Attracts bees and butterflies

Tolerates: Drought tolerant once established

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 5 to 8

Other: A deciduous shrub with arching branches that explodes with clusters of light pink blooms.

Location: Wills Perennial Garden

Euonymus americanus (Strawberry Bush)

Bloom Time: April to May

Sun Requirement: Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Birds consume fruit

Tolerates: Clay soils

Native to North America: Yes

Zones: 6 to 9

Other: A native shrub with crimson red fruit that split open to reveal bright orange seeds.

Location: Sculpture Trail

Salvia nemorosa ‘Rose Marvel’ (Woodland Sage)

Bloom Time: May to August

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: Attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds

Tolerates: Deer and rabbit resistant

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 9

Other: Vibrant rose-pink flower spikes provide architectural structure and color for months.

Location: Petite Swan Garden

Hydrangea macrophylla ‘PIIHM-II’ Endless Summer® Bloomstruck® (Bigleaf Hydrangea)

Bloom Time: May to June

Sun Requirement: Part Shade

Water Requirement: Medium

Wildlife: N/A

Tolerates: Heat tolerance

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 4 to 9

Other: This reblooming hydrangea features vivid pink or purpley-blue flower heads depending on the soil pH.

Location: Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden

Hydrangea macrophylla 'PIIHM-II' Endless Summer® Bloomstruck®

Iris louisiana ‘Wow Factor’ (Louisiana Iris)

Bloom Time: May

Sun Requirement: Full Sun

Water Requirement: Medium to High

Wildlife: Attracts bumblebees

Tolerates: Salt tolerance

Native to North America: N/A

Zones: 6 to 10

Other: A showstopping iris with lemon yellow flowers with burgundy veins.

Location: Bracken Foundation Children’s Garden