Notable Additions to Our 2027 Program

Every year we introduce over 30 new cultivars to our active production. Each one has a good reason behind it, but several cultivars stand head and shoulders above the rest. Here’s a quick rundown of our most interesting additions. These plants can be ordered through your favorite broker or through the Creek Hill shopping cart. We also accept orders directly via email or phone.

Silene 'Jackson Valentine'

Discovered on Salt Mountain in Alabama, 'Jackson Valentine' has an unusual trait for a silene: persistence. Unlike other ones that die away like annuals, this one is hardy down to zone 4. It’s a quirk that you would find a northern trait in a southern state, but there it is. Like Limon 'Dazzle Rocks', it brings dazzle to the perennial garden.

Liatris 'Butterfly Magnet'

This liatris is remarkable for its unmatched ability to attract monarch butterflies during their migration, and 'Butterfly Magnet' does the job through fragrance. Timing counts too. The abundant nectar-rich purple spikes appear primarily in late summer, synchronizing with their massive migration south.

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POL Violet Heart 50 78 Trays	GO
KNI Papaya Popsicle 72 10 Trays	GO
SED Tight & Tidy Yellow Angelina 21 9 Trays	GO
ECH Sunseekers Pink Grapefruit 21 2 Trays	GO

Four in the Shade

'Prince' captivates us because of its calyxes. They have a dark purple color and last a really long time after the light blue flowers fade away, lasting well into summer. The foliage will also display purple during the cool months of spring and fall.

We chose 'Dark Vader' for the pastel pinks and deep violets. Colors emerge light, then saturate with age. Heavily silvered, spotted leaves add another layer of interest. It’s noticably bright in our shade garden.

For the buyer with an eye towards delicate details, we have 'Violet Heart', a polemonium that displays a small violet heart embedded in the eye of the flower. The second detail is the stand of very tall stems displaying the color above the foliage.

Such a strikingly pastel take on lungwort is rarely seen. 'Pretty in Pink' are fully soft salmon pink. Also, plants bloom earlier and longer than other lungworts.

Helleborus 'Valentine Blush'

This is a nodding-style of hellebore with a more rounded flower, so the pink on the petal backs made us take notice. This feature means the color display because as soon as the buds begin to open, and that color isn't dependent on the flowerhead swinging upward. The pink can saturate as the season progresses.

Two New Hydrangeas

On the left is Hydrangea 'Bonfire', rising about waist high. It starts out lime green but progresses to an intense deep pink. By the end of the season, the plants deepen to fiery ruby red. Bushes are so covered with flowers, it can be hard to see the foliage. Stems are very thick, and plants bloom reliably on new wood. Impressive as a 'Bonfire' hedge.

On the right is 'Little Fresco', a dwarf hydrangea with big blooms. It is meant for garden places where a standard paniculata would be too tall or bulky. It’s ideal for flanking walkways, for example. Despite the plant’s small size, the flowers are dense and showy, supported by a firm stem. They emerge lime-white, then transition to a full light pink.

Scirpus 'Stars and Stripes'

The first brightly variegated bullrush we know, 'Stars and Stripes' takes a rugged, native wetland plant and elevates it to a striking ornamental plant. Its strap-like leaves have bright yellow centers and, come July, flower clusters emerge in a fireworks pattern. Best of all, the cultivar is perfect for places where water pools for a while. Think catchments in commercial developments, homes with directed runoff, or public spaces that drench and dry out. As a native, it provides food for pollinating moths, butterflies, and birds, and is naturally deer resistant and pest free.

Two New Echinaceas

Totally, totally different. On the left is 'Fringe Festival', an echinacea with split petals, not doubled. Interesting orange and apricot tones appear in the pink that fills the entire ball-shaped flower. When you hold the blossom in your hand, it feels substantial and the cone is nearly invisible. Long, strap-shaped pine green foliage goes all the way to the ground.

On the right is 'Sunseekers Pink Grapefruit', a mid-range pink that sits between 'Salmon' and 'Sweet Fuchsia' in both color and ruffly-ness. To us, it looks like an Elizabethan collar.

Hardier Coreopsis

Coreopsis isn’t known for its durability but that’s what impressed us about the Solar series. The sturdy plants come back true each year with that popular two-toned look, anchored by heavy bloom counts.