Our initial lineup of herbaceous perennials, Urban Durables are hardy, beautiful plants, hand-picked to thrive in the often extreme soil conditions of Chicago. Urban Durables start at $5.50 in 1-gallon containers (other sizes are available upon request). An up-to-date inventory of available plants is available here
Common Name: ‘Hella Glashoff’ Yarrow
Height: 1′-2′
Spread: 1′-1.5′
Bloom: Rounded, but Flat, 2″-3.5″, Light Yellow Grouping
Bloom Time: Mid June – Mid July
Exposure: Full Sun
Common Name: Summer Beauty Onion
Height: 1′-1.5′
Spread: 1′
Bloom: Round, 2″, Light Purple Grouping
Bloom Time: Late June – August
Exposure: Full Sun – Light Shade
Common Name: Blue False Indigo
Height: 1.5′-2′
Spread: 1.5′-2′
Bloom: Small Purple Flowers on Tall Spikes with Black Rattling Seed Pods
Bloom Time: May-June
Exposure: Full Sun – Part Shade
Common Name: ‘Karl Foerster’ Feather Reed Grass
Height: 2′-3.5′
Spread: 1′-2′
Bloom: Narrow, Feathered, Purple-Tinged Spikes
Bloom Time: Late June – August
Exposure: Full Sun – Light Shade
Common Name: Catmint
Height: .5′-2′
Spread: 1′-1.5′
Bloom: Small, White Spikes of Flowers
Bloom Time: Late July – Mid October
Exposure: Full Sun
Common Name: ‘Golden Showers’ Tickseed
Height: 2′-3′
Spread: 1.5′-2′
Bloom: 0.75″ Gold Daisies
Bloom Time: May – October
Exposure: Full Sun – Light Shade
Common Name: Purple Coneflower
Height: 2.5′-3′
Spread: 1′-1.5′
Bloom: 5″, Rosy Purple Daisies with Dark Cones
Bloom Time: June – August
Exposure: Full Sun – Part Shade
Common Name: Bloody Cranesbill
Height: 0.5′-1′
Spread: 1′-1.5′
Bloom: 1″, Round, Rosy Purple Flowers
Bloom Time: June – August
Exposure: Full Sun – Part Shade
Common Name: ‘Chicago Apache’ Daylily
Height: 1.5′-2′
Spread: 2′-3′
Bloom: 3″-6″ Scarlet Flowers with a Green Throat
Bloom Time: July – August
Exposure: Full Sun – Part Shade
Common Name: ‘Happy Returns’ Daylily
Height: 1′-1.5′
Spread: 1′-1.5′
Bloom: 3.5″ Lemon Yellow Flowers
Bloom Time: June – October
Exposure: Full Sun – Part Shade
Common Name: Eastern Beebalm
Height: 1.5′-2′
Spread: 1′-1.5′
Bloom: 2″, White and Purple Globes
Bloom Time: June – Mid July
Exposure: Full Sun – Part Shade
Common Name: Blue Catmint
Height: 1′
Spread: 1′-1.5′
Bloom: Small Blue-Purple Spikes of Flowers
Bloom Time: May – June
Exposure: Full Sun
Common Name: Russian Sage
Height: 1′-3′
Spread: 1′-2′
Bloom: Small, Lavender Flowers along all branches
Bloom Time: Mid July – September
Exposure: Full Sun
Common Name: Orange Coneflower
Height: 2′-3′
Spread: 2′-2.5′
Bloom: 2″-3″ Orange-Yellow Daisies with Dark Cones
Bloom Time: June – October
Exposure: Full Sun – Light Shade
Common Name: ‘Wesuwe’ Meadow Sage
Height: 1.5′-2′
Spread: 1′
Bloom: Small Violet Spikes of Flowers
Bloom Time: May – Early July
Exposure: Full Sun
Common Name: ‘East Friesland’ Meadow Sage
Height: 1′-1.5′
Spread: 1′
Bloom: Small Purple Spikes of Flowers
Bloom Time: June – September
Exposure: Full Sun
Common Name: Stonecrop
Height: 1′-1.5′
Spread: 1′-1.5′
Bloom: Clusters of Small Pink Flowers
Bloom Time: September – October
Exposure: Full Sun
Common Name: Prairie Dropseed
Height: 0.5′
Spread: 1′-2′
Bloom: Golden Panicles on Thin Mounding Blades
Bloom Time: Mid August – October
Exposure: Full Sun
Common Name: Betony
Height: 1.5′-2′
Spread: 1.5′-2′
Bloom: Dense Spikes of Small Rose-Lavender Flowers
Bloom Time: July – September
Exposure: Full Sun
Common Name: Ironweed
Height: 0.5′-3′
Spread: 1′-2′
Bloom: Clusters of Small Violet Flowers
Bloom Time: September – October
Exposure: Full Sun