Have you ever planted Purpletop Verbena (V. bonariensis)? If not, it’s actually a great choice for perennial and cottage gardens. Their wiry green stems easily support the lavender flower clusters adding an airy charm to the landscape. It is a South American native so we grow them as an annual up here in the northeast. Plant in full sun for best flowering. As an annual they seed quite freely, so if you don’t want them saying hello every year, it may not be the plant for you – but who could deny the pollinators a snack like this?!

One other plus: Growing more than 3 feet, their lankiness and minimal foliage brings the blooms up above other perennials without crowding them out and, if allowed to spread throughout the garden, it can be what you need to bring it all together! If pinched back early in the season they will stay around 2-3 feet.

We currently have them in 1 gallon containers – in bud and bloom so it’s not too late to add them in and see what happens next summer! Looking for a shrub companion? Purple Beautyberry (Callicarpa dichotoma) matches perfectly!