Plant Sale 2025 – Drama in the Garden

Planting perennials with a dark color can create a dramatic effect in your garden, especially when contrasted with lighter, white or yellow flowering plants. The Hennepin County Master Gardener Plant Sale will feature several sun-loving perennials with a darker coloration to give gardeners an opportunity to play with their color scheme.

Beardtongue ‘Blackbeard’
(Penstemon)

For early season drama, this plant’s tall bright purple flower stalks bloom early to midsummer. And dramatic bonus, its deep purple hued foliage retains color all season.

Hollyhock ‘Spotlight Mars Magic’
(Alcea rosea)

Hollyhocks have long been a cottage garden favorite. This true perennial hollyhock (not biennial) has dramatic flower stalks reaching five feet tall. A real attention-grabber!

Hardy Geranium ‘Boom Chocolatta’
(Geranium pratense)

The dark bronze foliage of this hardy geranium perennial is a wonderful contrast with lighter green- or chartreuse-leaved plants. Lovely blue-purple flowers appear in the summer but the foliage is giving drama all season long.

Sedum ‘After Dark’
(Sedum telephium)

This sedum is a fun switch from the more typical tall garden sedum plants seen in many gardens. After Dark is a dark-leaved beauty with a dark, dusty purple foliage and deep red floral heads in the fall. Compact and sturdy, this plant contrasts nicely with more delicate foliage with brighter green leaves adding a dramatic flare to a sunny spot!