Alchemilla mollis, Lady's Mantel, Rosaceae

Genus and species:  Alchemilla mollis
Common Name: Lady's Mantel
Family Name: Rosaceae

This is a small perennial grown for the interest in foliage. It has floppy, hairy leaves with serrated edges, and pinkish/mauvish flowers.

Photo taken April 4, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Garden.

Ajuga reptans, Ajuga/Bugleweed, Lamiaceae

Genus and species:  Ajuga reptans
Common Name: Ajuga or Bugleweed
Family Name: Lamiaceae

This is a classic tough groundcover. It takes part to full shade and blooms dark sock-puppet like purple flowers in the spring. The stems are square, the leaves are opposite, and this plant also comes in a variegated form.

Photos taken April 4, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Garden.

Veronica peduncularis, Creeping Speedwell, Scrophulariaceae

Genus and species:  
Veronica peduncularis
Common Name: Creeping Speedwell
Family Name: Scrophulariaceae

This plant is great for sunny spots, especially between pavers. Tolerant to zone 4, this plant gets about six inches tall and blooms in the spring. It has opposite, long, narrow, and toothed leaves that turns bronze in the fall.

Photo taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.    

Tulipa species and hybrids, Tulip, Liliaceae

Genus and species:  
Tulipa species and hybrids
Common Name: Tulip
Family Name: Liliaceae

A plant you may commonly see in public gardens, this plant flowers in a variety of colors. It has six petals and very broad leaves, unless it is an ornamental species, like Tulipa clusiana (pink and white flowers with fine leaves, pictured below)

Photos taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.   

Stylophorum diphyllum, Celandine or Woodland Poppy, Papaveraceae

Genus and species:  
Stylophorum diphyllum
Common Name: Celandine or Woodland Poppy
Family Name: Papaveraceae

From the poppy family, this plant has blue/green oak like leaves with a matte texture. It has one stigma, yellow sap, and always blooms yellow flowers. It also grows as native wildflowers-- no cultivars exist.

Photos taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Pulmonaria saccharata, Lungwort, Boraginaceae

Genus and species:  
Pulmonaria saccharata
Common Name: Lungwort
Family Name: Boraginaceae

This is an old plant used for medicinal purposes. It is relatively cold tolerant (zones 5-8). It is a nice spring shade perennial and likes moist spots. This plant also has spotted leaves; like most hybrids with the species saccharata, the leaves look like they've been sprinkled with sugar. And as is most plants in the Boraginaceae family, the flower petals start pink and turn blue.


Photo taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum', Variegated Solomon's Seal, Asparagaceae

Genus and species, cultivar:  
Polygonatum odoratum 'Variegatum
Common Name:
Variegated Solomon's Seal
Family Name: Asparagaceae


This is a fabulous perennial that does well in the shade. It is hardy to zone 4 and it's heat tolerant (known to do well in Georgia). The foliage stays all summer and turns golden in the fall. It has some vertical height, spreads by rhizomes right under the soil, and blooms little bell flowers that hang.

Photos taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens. 

Podophyllum peltatum, Mayapple, Berberidaceae

Genus and species, cultivar:  
Podophyllum peltatum
Common Name: Mayapple
Family Name: Berberidaceae


Native to southwestern Virginia, this plant kind of looks like little umbrellas. The foliage is peltate--the leaf joins the stem right in the middle of the leaf. It spreads, forming colonies by rhizomes. One can tell how old the plant is by the number of leaves--usually two or one leaf per season plus a flower cleft.

Photos taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Phlox subulata, Moss Phlox, Polemoniaceae

Genus and species:  
Phlox subulata
Common Name: Moss Phlox
Family Name: Polemoniaceae

This is a super common full-sun landscape perennial. The flowers always have five petals and come in purple, pink, and white. It is fairly evergreen with prickly juniper-like foliage and a North American native.

Photos taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

 

Muscari armeniacum, Grape Hyacinth, Asparagaceae

Genus and species:  
Muscari armeniacum
Common Name: Grape Hyacinth
Family Name: Asparagaceae


This plant comes from a true bulb which is hardy to zones 5-8. The leaves are long and grassy, and the flowers look like grape clusters with a light fragrance. They tend to reseed a lot so don't be surprised if you see them sprouting somewhere else in your yard!


Photo taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea', Creeping Jenny, Primulaceae

Genus and species, cultivar:  
Lysimachia nummularia 'Aurea'
Common Name: Creeping Jenny
Family Name: Primulaceae

This is a creeping plant that grows into water. It has tiny yellow cup-shaped flowers and opposite leaves with wonderful golden color which die back in the winter. This plant is also good for baskets and containers.

Photos taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Lamprocapnos spectabilis, Bleeding Heart, Fumariaceae

Genus and species:  
Lamprocapnos spectabilis
Common Name: Bleeding Heart
Family Name: Fumariaceae


This plant can make HUGE shrubs, especially in the shade. They come in pink and white flowers. The pink flowered plants tend to have pinkish stems, while the white flowered ones are green.


Photos taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Iberis sempervirens, Candytuft, Brassicaceae

Genus and species:  
Iberis sempervirens
Common Name: Candytuft,
Family Name: Brassicaceae

This is a so-called old-fashioned plant you may find in your grandmother's garden. The foliage looks a lot like Phlox subulata (conifer-like) and it always has white flowers. The flowers have four petals, though it looks like two. It is a full sun perennial, needs drainage, and is good for walls. It also has a nice long bloom time starting in mid-spring.

Photos taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Geranium macrorrhizum, Bigroot Geranium, Geraniaceae

Genus and species:  
Geranium macrorrhizum
Common Name: Bigroot Geranium
Family Name: Geraniaceae

This plant likes part shade to full sun. It has very pungent foliage, a common flower with five petal, always with a bulge in the back where the ovary is. It gets to be about 6" tall and spreads by sending out large micro-rhizomes.


Photos taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Erythronium hybrids & species, Trout Lily, Liliaceae

Genus and species:  
Euphorbia species & hybrids
Common Name: Trout Lily
Family Name: Liliaceae


This plant has very broad glossy foliage and little lily flowers. The flower parts are in threes. Native trot lilies have spotted leaves.


Photos taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Euphorbia species & hybrids, Euphorbia, Spurge, Euphorbiaceae

Genus and species:  
Euphorbia species & hybrids
Common Name: Euphorbia, Spurge
Family Name: Euphorbiaceae

The flowers on this plant are really bizarre! The stigmas and stamens are separate and it has a basil bract that looks like bulb and flowers float off it.The stems, when snapped, release white sap that is caustic. The leaves are in a whorled arrangement. There are some variegated varieties of this plant which look really cool. The zones are very species dependent, the new ones are very finicky.

Photo taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Epimedium species & hybrids, Barrenwort, Berberidaceae

Genus and species:  
Epimedium species & hybrids
Common Name: Barrenwort
Family Name: Berberidaceae

This herbaceous plant with vinelike stems with heart shaped flowers. It has an obtuse(uneven) leaf base with leaves that start out small and get big. It is a very tough perennial--good in dry shade though it prefers good garden soil and it's deer-tolerant.

Photo taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Aquilegia alpina, Alpine Columbine, Ranunculaceae

Genus and species:  
Aquilegia alpina
Common Name: Alpine, Columbine
Family Name: Ranunculaceae


This plant has a very distinctive flower that is very violet-blue and has blue-green broad foliage.


Photos taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Anemone blanda, Grecian Windflower, Ranunculaceae

Genus and species:  
Anemone blanda
Common Name: Grecian Windflower
Family Name: Ranunculaceae

This plant has lovely compound foliage that looks a bit like Eranthus, however the leaves are more fringed and lay atop longer pedecels. The flowers come in white/pink, and blue flowers that last a while. They close up when cloudy and nighttime and open up on sunny days.

Photos taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens. 

Acorus gramineus 'Ogon', Variegated Sweet Flag, Acoraceae

Genus and species, cultivar:  
Acorus gramineus 'Ogon'
Common Name: Variegated Sweet Flag
Family Name: Acoraceae

This herbaceous plant looks like a grass, but isn't one. It spreads by rhizomes, has very pressed/flattened stems, and sends up little flower spikes. It's grown for its texture and grassy look.

Photos taken March 28, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Viola x wittrockiana, Viola/Pansy, Violaceae

Genus and species:  
Viola x wittrockiana
Common Name: Viola, Pansy
Family Name: Violaceae


Compared to pansies, violas always have a smalloer flower than pansies, more flowers, and are a bit more cold tolerant. Pansies are zygomorphic, meaning they have different sized petals (and 5 petals). They are edible. The foliage is compact, green, and if they have a purplish tinge it may be due to lack of phosphorus.

Photo taken March 14, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Stachys byzantina, Lamb's Ear, Lamiaceae

Genus and species:  
Stachys byzantina
Common Name: Lamb's Ear
Family Name: Lamiaceae

A common perennial ground cover, this plant is drought tolerant and takes full sun. It has furry foliage and the flower stalks look like a big q-tip.

Photo taken March 14, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Scilla siberica, Siberian Squill, Lilliaceae

Genus and species:  
Scilla siberica
Common Name: Siberian Squill
Family Name: Lilliaceae

This plant is native to Europe, and is extremely cold tolerant. It is the first to pop up in the garden, and similar to Chionadoxa forbesii, this plant has blue flowers with six petals. In comparison, however, it spatula shaped foliage.This plant also self sows itself.


Photos taken March 14, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Narcissus hybrids, Daffodil, Amaryllidaceae

Genus and species:  
Narcissus hybrids
Common Name: Daffodil
Family Name: Amarylidaceae

They are what they are :) Coming in a yellow and yellow/orange combination, the main identifying feature is the shape, texture, and size of the trumpet to the flower petals.

Photo taken March 14, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.

Mertensia virginica, Virginia Bluebells, Boraginaceae

Genus and species:  
Mertensia virginica
Common Name: Virginia Bluebells
Family Name: Boraginaceae

I think we all can agree, the foliage of this plant looks like spinach with a bluish green and matte texture. The flowers on the plant bud in pink and turn blue as they open. It grows two feet in height and takes part shade.

Photos taken March 14, 2012 at Virginia Tech in the Hahn Horticulture Gardens.