2026 Energy Park Gardens

Thanks to We Energies sponsorship, I am lucky enough to speak at WE Energies Energy Park every day of the Wisconsin State Fair and this year is no different. I never have enough time or space on my handout  to cover the three topics I present. Whether you were able to attend one or more of my presentations or not, I hope you will find this information helpful as you plan, plant and tend your gardens.

New, New to You & Often Overlooked Perennials 

We read about brand new perennial varieties but often can’t find them for sale until several years after their introduction. So, these “new” perennials may have been around for several years, or I do not often see them in gardens, but most are available to purchase.

When selecting any plant, new or a traditional favorite, make sure it is suited to the growing conditions in your landscape and will fit the space once mature. Consider your gardening goals, care you can provide and landscape design when selecting plants. Check the plant tags for information on the plant’s preferred growing conditions, any benefits it provides, pest resistance and care needed. Look for perennials that require no staking and little or no deadheading if these are not tasks you have time for or enjoy doing.  Avoid plants that reseed or are aggressive, requiring you to remove unwanted seedlings or frequent division. Proper plant selection will help you grow healthier and more beautiful plants and gardens with much less effort.

Don’t be fooled by AI-generated varieties promoted online and in social media. If a plant seems too good to be true, it probably is. Instead, do your research using reliable sources and shop at trusted garden centers and from well-known and respected online nurseries. Red Ninja™’ Hosta from Bloomin’ Easy® is the real thing. Selected as the 2026 Royal Horticulture Chelsea Flower Show Plant of the Year. It’s the first hosta with deep burgundy foliage with green edges. It sold out fast at a $65 price tag.

Sombrero Poco Red Coneflower

Here are a few to consider adding to your landscape:

*Perennials and Native Plants that are drought tolerant once established.

SUN

• *Yarrow - Achillea 'Firefly Sunshine' and 'Firefly Red Pop' - 2', sun, fine foliage, bright yellow or red flowers, clumping, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 3 to 8
• *Blue Star - Amsonia tabernaemontana 'Storm Cloud' - 30 x 36", full to part sun, dark stems, olive green leaves with silver veins and periwinkle blue flowers in spring, deer and drought resistant, Zones 4 to 9
• *Big Bluestem cultivars - Andropogon gerardii
  • Red October - 6', purplish-red foliage in late summer, scarlet in fall
  • Blackhawks - 4-5', dark purple foliage highlights in midsummer, turning nearly black in fall
  • Holy Smoke - 3'+, deep purple-rose fall color
• *Montbretia - Crocosmia 'Forbidden City' - 24-36", full sun, heat and humidity tolerant, grown from a corm that squirrels may dig, vibrantly colored orange-yellow flowers, Zones 4 or 5 to 9
  • Lucifer - red flowers, Zones 4 to 9
• Bleeding Heart - Dicentra 'White Diamonds' - 14-16", sun to part shade, white flowers throughout the growing season, blue-green foliage, Zones 3 to 9
  • Pink Diamonds - same characteristics, but pink flowers
• *Coneflower - Echinacea Sombrero® Series - compact, vibrant colors, Zones 4 to 9
  • Sangrita - 18-22", full sun, scarlet-red flowers with burgundy stems
• *Coneflower - Echinacea Cara Mia® Spicy - 20-24", full sun, pomegranate anemone flowers with a skirt of petals around cone and then going fully double, Zones 4 to 9 (my plant is 3 years old)
• Joe Pye Weed - Eupatorium fistulosum 'JoJo' - 3-4' x 3-4', full sun, sterile pink flowers are long blooming, Zones 4 to 8
• *Fescue - Festuca 'Glow Sticks' - 12-18", sun, upright dark evergreen foliage, showy yellow wheat-like flower plumes, 2026 National Garden Bureau Green Thumb Award recipient, Zones 3 to 8
• Avens - Geum Tempo™ 'Fiesta' - 8 x 17", sun, mounds of green foliage, yellow and orange flowers in spring, Zones 5 to 9
• *Hellebore - Helleborus Frostkiss® Elemental® - 12-18", part to full shade, marbled foliage, long blooming, pink petals edged in magenta, Zones 5 to 8
• *Tall Bearded Iris - Iris 'Immortality' - 30", sun, fragrant white flowers, one of the most reliable reblooming irises that may be worth giving a try with our changing climate, deer tolerant, Zones 3 to 9
• *Catmint - Nepeta 'Catwalk Queen' - 10 x 18-20", sturdy growth habit, large blue flowers, heat tolerant, Zones 3 to 8
• *Little Bluestem - Schizachyrium scoparium 'Carousel' - 24", sun, dwarf clump forming, variegated foliage, fall color; deer and black walnut resistant, Zones 3 to 9
  • Little Red Fox - 24-30", compact growth, gray-green leaves turning red, Zones 5 to 8
• *Black-eyed Susan - Rudbeckia 'Treasure Trove' - 32 x 36", full to part sun, bright yellow daisy-like flowers with brown centers, leaf spot resistant foliage, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 4 to 9
• *Ironweed - Vernonia lettermannii  'Iron Butterfly' - 2-3', full to part sun, compact size, fine foliage, purple flowers, Zones 4 to 9
• *Longleaf Speedwell - Veronica longifolia Skyward™ Blue - 14-18" x 16-19", full sun, compact upright habit, long blooming blue spike flowers, Zones 4 to 9
• *Adam's Needle - Yucca 'Dragon Slayer' - 24 x 36" foliage, powdery blue foliage, creamy flowers 48" tall, heat tolerant, Zones 5 to 10
  • Color Guard - creamy yellow leaves with green edges, Zones 4 to 10

Appalachian Trail Foamflower

SHADE

• *Barrenwort - Epimedium x perralchicum 'Frohnleiten' - 6", compact, slow spreading, dry shade tolerant, leaves emerge mottled bronze in spring along with yellow flowers, leaves turn green for summer and mottled again in fall, Zones 5 to 8
• Hosta - Hosta 'Flower Show' - 18" x 4', part sun to light shade, introduced in 2024 by Plant Delights Nursery as a limited, specialty plant, Zones 3 to 9
• Lungwort - Pulmonaria 'Raspberry Frost' - 10 x 18", part to full shade, coral-red flowers, variegated foliage that continues to emerge after flowers fade, Zones 4 to 9
• Foamflower - Tiarella 'Appalachian Trail' - 4 x 36", part to full shade, attractive foliage, white flowers in spring, spreads, but not overly aggressive, Zones 4 to 9

Summerlong™ Lilac Mexican Giant Hyssop

Annuals that May Overwinter (for those who like a challenge)

• Mexican Giant Hyssop - Agastache mexicana Summerlong™ Series - 16-22" tall and wide, spikes of long-lasting flowers, I had one plant overwinter in my garden and one in a pot stored in the garage to overwinter, Zones 7 to 10
• Snowflake Dusty Miller - Centaurea ragusina 'Silver Swirl' - 8-12" x 11-14", full sun, silver dissected foliage, deer and rabbit resistant, has overwintered in a pot in my garage, Zones 6 to 11

Native Plants for Home Landscapes

Many of us are looking for ways to add native plants to our landscape. When shopping you will find some local native plants that have grown, evolved and adapted here naturally. Others labeled as native and sold here may occur naturally in other regions of North America but are suitable to our climate. Whichever you prefer, consider growing non-aggressive native plants that attract and support pollinators and songbirds, help manage stormwater and improve our soil without overwhelming our gardens. 

Some gardeners opt for cultivars of native plants, often referred to as nativars. These are bred for features that may make them easier to add to smaller gardens and landscapes. Some of the new Big Bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) cultivars like Blackhawks, Holy Smoke and Red October are shorter and less aggressive than the species. 

When adding native plants to your gardens consider how and how quickly they spread. Some like Hoary Vervain (Verbena stricta) and Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum) grow in slowly expanding clumps. Others, like Rudbeckia and Coneflowers (Echinacea spp.), spread by seed quickly filling a space. Cup Plant (Silphium perfoliatum), Ostrich Fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris) and some others spread by underground rhizomes quickly taking over a space. Still others like Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) spread by seed and its deep rhizomes makes it difficult to contain.

Start small if you are just starting to grow native plants. Consider using native plants to fill voids in the garden or when replacement plants are needed. Look for plants that will fit the available space when mature and provide seasonal interest to the garden.

As you gain experience and confidence, consider creating a garden of native plants. Look to nature for attractive and functional combinations and design ideas. If you decide to go all out, inform your neighbors of your plans and include birdhouses, birdbaths, garden art or other signs this is a purposeful design.

Hoary Vervain

Native Plants for Sunny Locations (in order of bloom)

• *Prairie Smoke - Geum triflorum - 6", pink flowers, unique seedheads, tolerates dry soil, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 3 to 6
• *Blue False Indigo - Baptisia australis - 3-4', blue flowers, black seed pods, deer and rabbit (not this year) resistant, Zones 3 to 9
• *Pale Purple Coneflower - Echinacea pallida - 3-5'; narrow, drooping pink petals; adaptable to all but wet soil, deer resistant, Zones 4 to 8
• *Butterfly Weed - Asclepias tuberosa - 2-3', orange flowers, well-drained soil, slow to emerge in spring, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 3 to 10
  • Clay - a naturally occurring variety is more tolerant of clay soil
• Red / Swamp Milkweed - Asclepias incarnata - 3-5', fragrant pink flowers, tolerates moist to wet soil and adapts to drier sites, may reseed, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 3 to 9
• Blazing Star - Liatris spp. - 3-5', narrow, whorled leaves, spikes of purple flowers, Zone hardiness varies with species
• *Rattlesnake Master - Eryingium yuccifolium - 3-5', small round white flowers, yucca-like leaves, attracts many beneficial insects, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 4 to 9
• Mountain Mint - Pycnanthemum virginianum - 2-3', white flowers in summer, moist to wet soil, deer resistant, Zones 3 to 7
• *Wild Quinine - Parthenium integrifolium - 3-5', white flowers, long blooming, attractive to a number of pollinators, Zones 4 to 8
• *Purple Prairie Clover - Dalea purpurea - 1-2', fine foliage, unique blooms, Zones 3 to 8
• *Lavender Hyssop - Agastache foeniculum - 2-4', prefers moist, but handles dry soil, a moderate self-seeder, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 2 to 6
• *Hoary Vervain - Verbena stricta - 2-4', short spikes of blue flowers, tolerates dry soil, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 3 to 8
• *Showy Goldenrod - Solidago speciosa - 2-4', clumper, yellow flowers in late summer, deer resistant, Zones 3 to 8
• Ohio Goldenrod - Solidago ohioensis - 3', yellow blooms, nice foliage, tolerates moist clay soil, deer resistant, Zones 4 to 6
• *Smooth Aster - Symphyotrichum laeve - 2-4', lavender-blue flowers, dry soil tolerant, black walnut tolerant, Zones 4 to 8
• *Prairie Dropseed - Sporobolus heterolepsis - 2-3', uniquely fragrant flowers, attractive foliage turns gold in fall, deer and rabbit resistant, black walnut tolerant, Zones 3 to 8
• *Little Bluestem - Schizachyrium scoparium - 2-3', blue-green leaves turn reddish-bronze in fall, tends to flop in rich soils, black walnut tolerant, Zones 3 to 8

Marsh Marigold

Native Plants for Shady Locations

• Marsh Marigold - Caltha palustris - 1', sun to shade, bright yellow flowers, glossy green leaves, moist to wet soil, deer and rabbit resistant, black walnut tolerant, Zones 3 to 7
• Jacob's Ladder - Polemonium reptans - 1', sun to shade, lavender-blue flowers in spring, nice foliage, deer and rabbit resistant, black walnut tolerant, Zones 3 to 7
• Wild Geranium - Geranium maculatum - 1-2', eventually forms groundcover, purple flowers, black walnut tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 3 to 8
• Canadian Ginger - Asarum canadense - 6-12"; moist, well-drained soil, can be aggressive in ideal conditions, I have used it successfully in dry shade, black walnut tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 4 to 8
• Blue Flag Iris - Iris versicolor - 2-3', sun and wet soil tolerant, great shoreline plant, blue flowers, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 3 to 6
• Bugbane / Black Cohosh - Actaea racemosa (near native) - 4-6', naturalizes, moist soil to fairly dry, spikes of white flowers over astilbe-like foliage, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 3 to 8
• *Zigzag Goldenrod - Solidago flexicaulis - 1-3', dry shade, yellow flowers in late summer, black walnut tolerant, Zones 3 to 8
• *Bigleaf Aster - Eurybia macrophylla - 1-2', sun to shade, moist to dry soil, lavender-white flowers, black walnut tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 3 to 7
• Calico Aster - Symphyotrichum lateriflorum - 2-3', part shade, white flowers, black walnut tolerant, deer resistant, Zones 4 to 9
• Christmas Fern - Polystichum acrostichoides - 1-2', evergreen, black walnut tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 3 to 9
• Lady Fern - Athyrium filix-femina - 1-3', part to full shade, deer and rabbit resistant, Zones 4 to 8

Dealing with Our Wild Weather

Drought, floods and extreme temperatures add to our gardening challenges. Selecting plants that tolerate, even thrive in these conditions is the first step to success. Note those plants that perform well and begin replacing those that are struggling in our changing climate. 

Begin creating a sustainable landscape better able to tolerate these challenges. Improve the soil as needed. Incorporating one inch of compost for every inch of garden soil you plan to amend. Compost improves drainage in heavy clay soils, increases the water holding ability of fast draining soils and promotes healthy plant growth. Consider going No Dig and topdressing existing gardens with an inch or two of compost. Use an auger bit on a cordless drill to aerate heavy soil and mix some of the compost into the soil. Or create a rich planting mix from landscape trimmings and plant-based food scraps using the Lasagna or Hugelkultur gardening techniques.

Keep the soil covered with plants and mulch. This protects the soil from compaction and erosion during periods of heavy rain. Plus, covered soil helps keep plant roots and the surrounding space much cooler.

Keep roots in the ground year-round. They provide pathways for stormwater to enter the soil and add organic matter as the old roots die and decompose. The roots along with the soil help remove impurities from stormwater before it reaches the groundwater.

Grow a diversity of plants suited to the growing conditions. Different plants add different chemicals to the soil, helping create a healthy soil ecosystem. 

Group plants together by both sunlight and moisture needs. You will save time and conserve water when all the moisture-loving plants are in one location.

Water established plants thoroughly and less often to encourage a robust, more drought tolerant root system. Mulch the soil with leaves, evergreen needles or other organic matter to conserve moisture, suppress weeds, insulate plant roots from temperature extremes and improve the soil as they decompose.

Install a rain barrel to capture and use rainfall on ornamental plants. Keep a 5-gallon bucket in the bathtub to capture warm up water to use on houseplants and container gardens.
Plant trees if space allows. These long-lived members of our landscape help clean the air, shade our homes, release oxygen and help manage storm water.

Together we can make a difference when growing healthy, beautiful and sustainable gardens.

Soiree® Kawaii Coral Reef Vinca

Drought Tolerant Annuals

• Zinnias - Zinna spp. - various heights and flower colors (Profusion is featured in the We Energies logo in the Energy Park gardens)
• Suntory BeeDance® Bidens - Bidens - compact, trailing, large flowers, frost tolerant
• Fan Flower - Scaevola aemula - heat and drought tolerant, trailing, rabbits have been devouring mine this year
• Moss Rose - Portulaca - succulent foliage, flowers close in low light (cloudy days and evenings)
• Axilflower - Mecardonia - low growing and spreading, covered with bright yellow flowers
• Lantana - Lantana camara - upright and trailing cultivars, fairly free-flowering
• Suntory Soiree® Vincas - free-flowering, excellent growth habit
  • Kawaii Series - small, dainty flowers
  • Flemenco Series - ruffled single and double flowers
• Angelonia - Angelonia - various heights and flower colors
• Globe Amaranth - Gomphrena - white, pink or red flowers; no deadheading needed
• Cockscomb - Celosia spp. - wheat, plume and crested type flowers in various colors
• Granvia Strawflowers - Xerochrysum bracteatum - more vigorous, larger flowers and plants than older cultivars
• Mandevilla & Dipladenia - Mandevilla, Dipladenia - short and upright, trailing and tall cultivars for trellising

A special Thank You to those who helped make the Energy Park Gardens come alive:

• Ansay & Associates
• Crawford Tree & Landscape Service, Inc.
• Createscape Landscaping Service, Inc.
• Diggers Hotline
• Ebert's Greenhouse Village
• Gateway Technical College
• Groth's Country Gardens
• LandWorks
• Long Fine Gardening LLC
• Melinda Myers LLC
  • Dawn Stark
  • Diana Paul
  • Julie Brothen
  • Kathleen McLaughlin
  • Maya Espino
• Milorganite
• Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District
• Eric Morgan
• Plantskydd Animal Repellent
• Blue Ribbon Organics Certified Products
• SavATree
• Summit® Mosquito Dunks®
• Summit® Year-Round® Spray Oil
• Suntory Flowers: Soiree® Kawaii Vinca
• Terra-Firma Landscape
• Wild Valley Farms Wool Pellets
• WI Department of Natural Resources Terrestrial Invasive Species
• Susan Zakszewski
• Nate Zilles

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