soil
aerating, 20–21, 36, 37, 39,
107 , 382, 387, 388
compaction, 20, 33, 36, 40,
42, 48
evaluating conditions, 15,
17
perennials that prefer
acidic, 32
perennials tolerant of dry,
344
perennials tolerant of wet,
343
pH, 32
plants adapted to lean, 43
poor, 29
preferred, 15, 17
selecting plants for
conditions, 15
standards for, 32
testing, 30–32
tilling, 40–41
too moist, 66
topsoil, 39
well-draining, 33
See also organic matter;
soil amendments
soil amendments
adding during bed
preparation, 40–41
calculating amounts
needed, 34, 42
recipe for success, 43
testing, 35–36
types, 36–39
See also organic matter
Solidago, 65, 317, 351
Solidago caesia, 317
Solidago canadensis, 317
Solidago hybrids, 316 , 344,
353, 360, 367, 368, 370,
37 5, 376, 377
‘Cloth of Gold’, 317
‘Crown of Rays’, 317
‘Golden Fleece’, 317
Solidago rigida, 345
Solidago sempervirens, 317
Solidago speciosa, 317
Solidago virgaurea, 317
solitary clematis, 121, 188
Solomon’s seal, 72, 294
Sorghastrum nutans, 345
southern lupine, 330
spacing plants, 24, 26–27, 48,
55, 67
Spanish blue flax, 261
Spartina pectinata, 345
sphagnum peat moss, 36–37,
41, 42
spider mites, 72
spiderwort, 119, 332, 333
Spigelia marilandica, 318 ,
344, 347, 354, 356, 360,
363, 370, 377
spike gayfeather, 258
spike speedwell, 338
spiny bear’s breeches, 141
spittlebugs, 72
Spodiopogon sibiricus, 229
Sporobolus heterolepis, 229,
355
spring-flowering perennials,
109–110
squirrels, 73
Stachys, 80, 376
Stachys byzantina, 318 , 344,
34 9, 351, 353, 358, 360,
369, 371, 373, 37 5
deadheading, 104
‘Helene von Stein’, 126, 318
Mighty Velvet (‘Bello
Grigio’), 319
‘Primrose Heron’, 319
‘Silver Carpet’, 318–319
thinning, 126
for winter interest, 130
Stachys macrantha, 319
Stachys monieri ‘Hummelo’,
357 , 377
Stachys officinalis, 319
‘Hummelo’, 319
‘Pink Cotton Candy’, 319
staking
cutting back to reduce the
need for, 77, 116
perennials that require,
351
in planting / maintenance
schedule, 382, 384, 386,
38 7, 388
reasons for, 75
techniques and devices,
75–77
stem rot, 66
sticky Jerusalem sage, 284
stinking hellebore, 236
Stipa, 344
Stipa gigantea, 229
St. John’s wort, 246
Stokesia laevis, 320 , 344, 353,
356, 360, 367, 373, 375,
376
‘Alba’, 320
‘Blue Stone’, 320
‘Klaus Jelitto’, 320
stoloniferous plants, 57, 58,
81
stonecrop, 310‘Angelina’, 310
‘Matrona’, 311
strawberry begonia, 308
strawberry foxglove, 202
straw foxglove, 202
Stylophorum diphyllum, 321 ,
34 7, 355, 363, 366, 371,
376
Stylophorum lasiocarpum, 321
subshrubs, 50–51, 134, 384,
388
summer gentian, 219
‘Summer Sun’ heliopsis, 234
sundrops ‘Fireworks’, 275
sunflower seeds, 391
sun patterns, 17–18
sunrose, 232
swamp sunflower, 233, 234
sweet William, 100, 198
swordleaf inula, 247
Symphyotrichum dumosum,
323
‘Wood’s Light Blue’, 323
‘Wood’s Pink’, 323
‘Wood’s Purple’, 323
Symphyotrichum laeve, 323
Symphyotrichum lateriflorum,
323
‘Lady in Black’, 323
Symphyotrichum novae-
angliae, 322 , 345
‘Andenken an lma
Pötschke’, 108, 323
‘Barr’s Pink’, 322, 323
‘Harrington’s Pink’, 323
‘Purple Dome’, 117, 323
Symphyotrichum novi-belgii,
323
‘Professor Anton
Kippenburg’, 323
‘Raspberry Swirl’, 323
‘Tiny Tot’, 323
Symphyotrichum oblongifolius
var. angustatus, 323
‘Raydon’s Favorite’, 323
symphyotrichum /
Symphyotrichum, 346, 349,
351, 360, 368, 370, 371,
37 5, 376, 377
as attractive to beneficial
insects, 65
cutting back, 117, 123
division, 80
staking, 76
thinning, 126
Symphytum, 344, 356, 358,
367 , 371, 375, 376
Symphytum grandiflorum, 14
Symphytum ibericum, 324