What used to be a field with thousands of naturalized daffodils on a previous visit is now under construction for a Orangerie and a Systematic Garden. The Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Worcester County, Massachusetts, covers 132 acres and still has many, many thousands of spring bulbs. Its Visitors Center contains a theater, classrooms, exhibition space, and a library.
One of the plants on display is a glorified milkweed, Asclepias curassavica, also known as Blood flower milkweed. This is a tropical South American plant that has escaped in southern states. It will never make it in the wild in central New York. Zone 8 is required for winter survival of this three foot tall plant. Further north it is an annual, coming to flower about five months from seed so must be started indoors. Flowering continues until night temperatures are below 50°F if they are deadheaded. Full sun and a rich, moist soil are required for good flowering. It is well suited to alkaline soils. Watch it for aphids.
The lower left photo in this thumbnail has Echinacea purpurea , Purple Coneflowers in the foreground with a Miscanthus sinensis "Variegatus" leaning over them. Click on the thumbnail for useful visibility. The Purple Coneflower grows to two to four feet in height and can make it to Zone 3. It likes full sun and is easy to grow. In fact, self seeding will cause it to spread if given the room. My planting is shrinking as adjacent Viburnum lantana "Mohican" and Kerria japonica are taking over. There are still enough for Kay to use for cutting. Coneflowers were originally collected from our prairies. They have been named 1998 Perennial Of The Year. Coneflowers tolerate heat and do best on sandy soil. Perhaps that is why they are giving way on my heavy clay soil.
I have two groupings of Miscanthus sinensis with the Variegatus in the foreground of both. In one group it is backed up with Silberfeder and Strictus and in the second by both of them plus Gracillimus. The white and green longitudinally striped leaves of Variegatus stand out in contrast to the background grasses. All background varieties are in groups of three of each kind. The Variegatus, also known as Striped Eulalia Grass, is a more tender perennial in Zone 5 but I have had no trouble with it in that zone and it
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