Aurinia saxatilis-Perennial Alyssum, Basket of Gold

Propagating Aurinia or Perennial Alyssum is difficult because of its tight clump but if you’d like to try its best to be done in the spring, spread seed directly in the ground in the fall or it can be a good self seeder or attempt hardwood cuttings after bloom. The term saxatilis means “growing among rocks,” so it prefers a gritty or a sandy well draining soil. It blooms among the spring bulbs, April to June, and the basic color is yellow but some cultivars can be obtained in white or gold. It is evergreen, deer resistant, blooms are fragrant, and is drought tolerant. It reaches a height of 8"-12", takes full sun, and is native to Asia and S. E. Europe.

Calamintha grandiflora-Large-flowered Calamint

Propagating Calamintha or Calamint is done either in the spring or fall by locating well rooted rhizomes to transplant or if in a great location is does self seed. A native to the northern temperate regions of Europe, Asia and America. It is considered drought resistant after being established but it needs a well draining soil. It blooms appear along the stem while it leaves can be mottled and blooms through most of the summer reaching a height of 12"-18". It is deciduous and attracts butterflies and honeybees and is also deer resistant. Colors can range from pink, to purple to blue to white and could stand either full sun or partial shade and belongs to the mint family so when the leaves are bruised it gives off a mint fragrance.

Caryopteris x clandonensis-Bluebeard

Propagating this woody plant can only be done by softwood cuttings or layering but its varieties are patent protected. This is one plant that blooms from August through to frost and is deciduous and should be pruned back to six inches in the spring. Its blooms are deep blue to purple, are fragrant, and deer resistant. It is native to China and Japan and it attracts butterflies. Once established it is drought resistant and needs a well draining soil, full sun, and grows to a height of 2'-3'.

Cyclamen hederifolium-Hardy Fall Cyclamen

It’s stated that Cyclamen can only be propagated by seed, it is a profuse self seeder, but it forms a tuber from a corm and I have known examples when people have broken tubers apart and were successful in transplanting, but they were either lucky or more knowledgeable then most. When the seed capsule splits that’s the time to sow the seed in a composted damp mixture in the shade or allow the birds to do the work for you. Hederifolium is the hardiest of cyclamens, it is native to the Northern Mediterranean, blooms from August until frost, and flowers appear before the leaves. This cyclamen is pink but there are white, purple and red varieties as well, hardy to Zone 5, and deciduous in the colder zones. The blooms are fragrant, deer resistant and this is one perennial that will grow under large deciduous trees, i.e., maple, oak, and still bloom. It doesn’t mind dry soil in the summer or wet soil in winter. It reaches a height of 4"-6".

Tanacetum niveum-Snow Daisy

Propagating the relatively unknown Tanacetum or Snow Daisy is accomplished in the spring by digging up the plant and separating the crown into good rooted transplants or allow the plant to self seed since it is a short lived but profusely blooming perennial which will flower from June until frost. It’s petals are white with a yellow center similar to mums/daisies and reaches a height of 12"-18", it also attracts butterflies, is deer resistant, deciduous, does not like wet feet and once established is drought resistant.

Actinidia kolomikta-Kiwi

Propagating Actinidia or Kiwi is sometimes propagated from store bought fruit but the problem is in the second year it must be grafted so I presume cuttings might be the best alternative as is buying stock from a nursery. Surprisingly it is winter hardy down to Zone 4 although a native to Asia. The blooms are fragrant and white in late spring or early summer and it will take 3-4 years before the woody vine bears fruit. It’s growth habit is similar to grape but is much faster, shallow rooted so it needs protection from drying out because it does best with a southern exposure in a well draining soil, and one plant can produce up to 200 pounds of fruit that ripens in the fall. Pruning is done either in the spring or fall and needs a sturdy trellis to support the vine.

Allium neapolitanum-Naples Flowering Onion

Propagating Allium or Naples Flowering Onion can be accomplished by allowing the plant to prosper then dig up the parent plant and separate the bulbils from the parent bulb or allow it to self seed on its own, however be aware it can become invasive in the Zones it thrives in, which are 7-10. This is one plant that does not like moisture except when transplanting bulbils so it does not like clay soils. It prefers full to partial sun. Its characteristics remind me of the wild onion that seem to sprout up in my lawn even after I assumed I eradicated all the bulbs, however the blooms are white and fragrant and attract butterflies. It is deer resistant. The leaves die back in summer after reaching a height of 12"-16" and is native to the Mediterranean.

Echinops tienschanicum-Giant Globe Thistle

Propagating Echinops or Giant Globe Thistle should be done in the spring, wearing gloves and a long sleeve shirt, by digging up the parent plant and dividing into good rooted transplants and should be done at least every 3-4 years. Since they can grow upwards of 6', including the flower head, the plant may need staking in windy locations. Some prefer leaving the dry plants through the winter for its effect but others prefer cutting them back to the ground in the fall. Their light blue blooms flower in August/September, are deer resistant, however its flowers attract butterflies, they do not like wet feet in the winter, and prefers full sun.

Pycnanthemum virginicum-Virginia Mountain Mint

Propagating Pycnanthemum or Virginia Mountain Mint is done in the spring by digging up the parent plant and dividing into good rooted transplants or will self seed in the right environment. The plant prefers rich loamy soil, wouldn’t all plants prefer loam, and must remain moist either in sun or partial shade. The plant exudes a minty fragrance and butterflies and honey bees enjoy it flowers which are pink to white and bloom August-September. Its height can vary from 12"-36" I’ll presume depending on the richness of the soil, is deer resistant, deciduous, and native to North America.

Smilacina racemosa-False Solomon’s Seal

Propagating Smilacina or False Solomon’s Seal can either be transplanted in the spring or fall by locating well rooted rhizome leaders that spread out from the parent plant. It blooms are white and make a show in June/July which are also fragrant. The plant is deer resistant and prefers a moist well drained woodland environment, partial to full shade. Red berries appear in the summer and stay until fall and reaches a height of 24"-36", is a native of North America, and is deciduous.

If you live in or near a major city search craigslist.org for cheap plants

I check craigslist.org every now, farm+garden, and then for sales on perennials and plants. This weekend someone advertised 3 2.5 quart containers of perennials for $5.00 in suburbia. I bought lavender, verbena, soapwort and primrose and repotted into 5 gallon because a 2.5 pot is a bit smaller then a 1 gallon. Early in the spring I bought specific colored azaleas, foster holly, gardenia and repotted into 5 gallon and a 5 gallon Candy Stripe phlox subulata for $5.00 and took cuttings of the plant and planted 4-1 gallons. There are sometimes great deals instead of waiting for close-outs at big box stores. Also in the free people sometimes give away iris and daylilies if you dig. It is a wonderful place to find the plants to increase the color of your garden beds.