A long-lived native perennial of central and eastern US woodland borders and prairie meadows with deep blue pea-shaped flowers in late spring, blue-green leguminous foliage, attractive black seed pods for winter interest, and a nitrogen-fixing root system (Fabaceae). Larval host for 6 documented butterfly species per NC State (orange sulphur, clouded sulphur, frosted elfin, eastern tailed-blue, hoary edge, wild indigo duskywing) — among the highest Lep-host-count perennials in the eastern flora.

An architectural, branching perennial grown for the metallic steel-blue flush it takes on in summer: small, egg-shaped flowerheads, each ringed by a collar of spiny, silvery-blue bracts, are held on rigid, blue-tinted stems above a basal rosette of leathery, heart-shaped leaves. It is a tough, genuinely drought-tolerant plant for hot, dry, sharply drained, even poor sandy or gravelly soil in full sun — it resents rich, wet ground, where it rots and flops — which makes it ideal for gravel gardens and coastal, seaside plantings, and one of the best long-lasting cut and dried flowers. At the height of summer it is a magnet for bees, butterflies, and hoverflies. It is grown purely as an ornamental and is not eaten.

A bold, moisture-loving native perennial of eastern North America that dies back to a woody base each winter and returns to throw up stout 2-6 ft stems topped with enormous 4-8 inch saucer-shaped flowers — white, pink, red, or burgundy, each with a contrasting central eye — from June into September. NC State Extension describes a herbaceous perennial hardy across USDA zones 4a-9b that thrives in wet to constantly moist soils, tolerates heat, humidity, and even brief flooding, and draws hummingbirds, butterflies, and other pollinators. The tropical-looking dinner-plate blooms make it a dramatic focal point for rain gardens, pond edges, and the back of a sunny border.

Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa) is an evergreen Mediterranean shrub grown for its bold foliage and its distinctive tiered flowers. Through spring and into early summer the stems carry whorl upon whorl of hooded, butter-yellow blooms stacked in neat tiers up the stem, set against sage-like, wrinkled, grey-green leaves that are softly felted with hairs. Despite the name it is not a true sage and is not culinary — it is grown purely as an ornamental. It is a tough, sun-loving, drought-tolerant shrub for hot, dry, sharply-drained places: gravel gardens, Mediterranean-style borders, and hot sunny banks. The honest caveat is that it resents wet, heavy soil and cold winters; it is only borderline hardy (RHS H4), so in cold-winter areas it needs a warm, sheltered spot and very sharp drainage to come through. Trim it lightly after flowering to keep it bushy and compact, leave the dried seedheads for winter structure, and enjoy it as the good bee plant it is.

A large, vigorous, fountain-shaped deciduous shrub that earns its common name in late spring, when its arching stems are smothered in masses of pale-pink, yellow-throated, bell-shaped flowers. Native to China, it is one of the great old-fashioned spring shrubs — spectacular in full bloom, much loved by bees, and offering peeling brown bark for quiet winter interest. It is also genuinely big: expect 6 to 10 feet tall and wide at maturity, so give it room rather than fighting its size with the shears. The form to seek out is the Award-winning "Pink Cloud", which carries a clearer, richer pink than the variable seed-grown species.

A large deciduous European-native shrub grown for a three-season show: maple-like lobed leaves that color well in autumn, flat white lacecap flower clusters in late spring, and heavy drooping bunches of translucent red berries that hang on into winter. Each flower head is a showy ring of large sterile outer florets surrounding a fertile center, giving the lacecap its distinctive look. It is one of the best all-round wildlife shrubs you can plant — the open flowers feed hoverflies and bees, and the red fruit feeds birds through the cold months — and it tolerates wet soil, making it a natural choice for hedgerows, damp corners, and wild gardens. Two honest cautions go with it: the raw berries are mildly toxic to people, and this is the European guelder rose, not the North American cranberrybush.