Sugar Creek Gardens

Come enjoy 10% off Blue Star Kalimeris, Watermelon Deluxe Echinacea and Jeana Pholx while supplies last! 🙌 💚

With its ever-changing large blossoms, ‘Quick Fire Fab’ Panicle Hydrangea is indeed fabulous. Huge football-shaped blooms densely packed with many cross-shaped flowers open a coconut-lime color in summer. Delicious watermelon hues begin taking over these pillowy blooms from the bottom to the top creating a brilliant ombré effect. Flowers eventually settle to a deep cherry pink. Growing 6-8′ tall and 5-6′ wide, ‘Quick Fire Fab’ excels in hedges, as an accent or foundation plant, or as a showy backdrop to the perennial garden. Its magnificent flowers dry on the shrub and persist throughout winter.

Plant in full sun to part shade in soil that has been amended with compost. Apply a starter fertilizer or an all-purpose fertilizer when planting, we use Starter with Bio Tone Organic Fertilizer. Fertilizing consistently will give you the best results. Stop fertilizing in late summer. Although fancy pruning is not needed, Panicle Hydrangeas bloom on the current season’s growth. They can be pruned in late winter to early spring. You can cut them back to the ground, or if you want taller plants cut them back to 1-3′ feet.

If you enjoy Monarch butterflies fluttering through your garden, you will be delighted with Cutleaf Coneflower, Rudbeckia laciniata. This long-blooming butterfly magnet brightens the garden with its showy golden yellow flowers and glossy, deep green, deeply cut leaves. Growing 4-6′ tall, Cutleaf Coneflower is perfect for the back of the garden. Its long stems and blooming nature make it an excellent selection for cut flowers.

A Missouri native perennial that supplies an important food source to butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. Use it in cutting gardens, pollinator gardens, and native plantings. It also works well in more formal perennial beds, making a lush background for other plants. Also native to Illinois. Deer resistant.

Plant Cutleaf Rudbeckia in full sun to part shade. Tolerant of poor soils, but not drought. Be sure to plant somewhere where it will receive adequate moisture. To keep plants shorter and bushier, pinch before early summer.

A member of the outstanding Mammoth series of hardy Mums, you can expect Mammoth Lavender Daisy, Chrysanthemum, to return year after year. Large semi-double vibrant pink flowers with yellow centers cover plants in fall. Mature plants form large mounds 20-36″ tall and up to 48″ wide. An outstanding variety that exhibits vigor, hardiness, and mammoth size. Rabbit and deer resistant. Drought tolerant.

For best flowering place in locations that receive at least half a day of full sun. Very easy to care for, they require no pinching, pruning, or deadheading. For smaller, bushier plants keep pinched until July 4.

With its petite size and fragrant flowers, New Jersey Tea, Ceanothus americanus, has made it the must-have shrub for native gardens. Fluffy, fragrant white flowers bloom in late spring and summer. The highly scented flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds and are excellent cut. The plant matures to a 2-3′ tall mound. Its small size and great habit make it ideal for the urban landscape. This easy-to-grow Missouri and Illinois native shrub has long roots, making it drought-tolerant once established. It looks excellent as a standout specimen in garden beds, in the back of a mixed border, as a low-growing hedge, or along a woodland edge.

A fantastic plant for humans and critters alike, New Jersey Tea’s lovely blossoms attract all kinds of treasured pollinators and wildlife. Its spicy foliage makes it a host plant for the Mottled Duskywing and Spring and Summer Azure butterflies. The important smaller insects pollinating the blossoms are a tasty treat for hummingbirds. New Jersey Tea’s seeds feed songbirds. A plant with rich history, during the Revolutionary War it earned its moniker New Jersey Tea because its leaves were used as a substitute for tea.

Plant in sun to part shade in average soils to dry soils. Will grow in rocky soil. Because of its large root system, it can be difficult to move once established.

With multiple layers of pets and a bold, fresh color Fresco Apricot Coneflower, Echinacea, ushers a refreshing change to the garden. The large, Zinnia-like flowers bloom for months, beginning in June and persisting until frost.

Plant Coneflower, Echinacea, in full sun to part shade. Add a shovel full or two of organic matter to the soil when planting. Tolerant of drought, but for best blooming, keep well watered when plants are setting up bud and in bloom. Although they will bloom continually without deadheading, cutting back spent blooms will encourage more flowers. Coneflower seed heads are a favorite for dried flower arrangements and add considerable interest to winter landscapes. Goldfinches and other birds swarm to Coneflower seeds.

A majestic Missouri native plant, Smooth White Beardtongue, Penstemon digitalis, amazes all with its impressive 3-5′ tall spires adorned with long white bells from mid-spring through early summer. An easy-to-grow perennial that prefers full sun and well-drained soil. Butterflies and hummingbirds adore Smooth White Beardtongue, but deer hate it. Penstemon digitalis makes a good choice for rain gardens and naturalized areas.

Penstemons prefer full sun, 6 hours or so of sun, and well-drained soil.

With showy white flowers contrasting against deep glossy dark foliage, Evening Light Japanese Snowbell Tree, Styrax, is a head-turner. Enchanting white pearl-shaped flower buds open to dangling bell-shaped flowers with a spicey, sweet fragrance. Glossy, deep purple, almost black foliage stands out against the typical greens. Evening Light has a tight, upright habit, making it a stunning garden specimen great for landscape plantings or hedging. Its mall size, growing 12-16′ tall, ideally fits into small yards, under power lines, or around patios.

Plant in part shade in well-draining soil. To get roots off to a fast start, add a starter fertilizer when planting. Keep well watered until established. The trees benefit from occasional fertilizing and deep watering during dry spells.

Mr. Beans hard at work putting our spring collection together. He has some doozies picked out. Stay tuned.

Once it begins blooming Grand Bleu Bluebeard, Caryopteris, doesn’t stop until a frost! In July, puffs of violet-blue flowers begin appearing in masses. These vibrant flowers are loved by pollinators. Expect to see a frenzy of activity around these nectar-rich flowers. Shiny green foliage forms into a nicely rounded mound. Drought-tolerant, deer and bunny resistant. Grand Bleu is perfect for dry, sunny spots, mixed in the perennial border, or planted in a pollinator garden. Its even rounded habit reaches about 2-3′ tall and wide. Grand Bleu may also be massed to create a dramatic low hedge or edging a walkway or garden.

Plant in full sun in well-draining soil. Shear to the ground in winter or spring to give your Bluebeard the best form.

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Peppermint ice cream immediately comes to mind when first experiencing Candy Stripe Peony, Paeonia. Not only do its red, pink, and white blossoms attract attention, but passersby will be on the hunt for the source of its heavenly scent. Its flowers provide an important spring food source for many different species, from butterflies to hummingbirds, and of course, the notice of every passerby.

Excellent for garden beds, use Candy Stripe Peony in cutting gardens, perennial, pollinator, and cottage gardens. Its luscious blossoms are held high on strong stems and make deliciously fragrant flower bouquets. Deer and rabbit resistant.

A delightful reward for being a Peony grower is their gorgeous cut flowers. Peonies are excellent plants that are easy to grow in full sun to part shade. Although Peonies prefer a sunny location, giving them a break from the hot afternoon sun will prolong their beautiful flowers.

Peonies like rich soil. When planting, adding a shovelful or two of compost will give you the best results. Peonies must be planted at the correct depth to ensure flowering. Peony’s eyes should be 1 1/2″ – 2″ below soil level. Peonies are very long-lived. They can be left alone, never needing to be divided.

Preordered peonies will be available for pickup between October 1-21. We will contact you when your order is ready for pickup.

The dynamic Missouri native tree the Pawpaw, Asimina triloba, provides beauty and a food source to the garden. In spring, showy burgundy flowers appear at the same time as the leaves begin to emerge. Flowers give way to fruit in fall that have a flavor reminiscent of bananas. In fact, Pawpaws are sometimes known as the Missouri Banana Tree. Large oval leaves turn bright yellow in the fall, adding soft golden color to the landscape.

Pawpaws are the host plant of the Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly, their caterpillars exclusively eat Pawpaw leaves.

Plant in full sun to part shade. Although it will grow well in shade, too much shade will cause the tree to get leggy. The Pawpaw tree easily grows in average, medium to wet, well-drained soil. Prefers moist, acidic, fertile soils.

We saw this with our own eyes; it’s true: Fall In Love Sweetly Anemone could possibly be the heaviest blooming Anemone to date. Thousands of magnificent deep pink blossoms appear in late summer and fall over deep emerald-green mounds of foliage. When other plants in your garden are fading, Fall in Love Sweetly Anemone is just getting started. Semi-double rows of petals create beautiful, full flowers. A long-lived perennial that grows about 2′ tall and wide.

Fall In Love Sweetly Anemone looks beautiful in woodland settings and mixed with other shade perennials in cottage, cutting, and pollinator gardens. It makes an ideal companion to other fall interest varieties, such as Coneflowers, Ornamental Grasses, and Lobelia. Deer and rabbits leave it alone; butterflies, bees, and other pollinators often visit it. Referred to commonly as Windflower or Japanese Anemone. It spreads by underground rhizomes and can be used as a ground cover. New plants may grow near the original plants and can be easily transplanted elsewhere.

Plant Japanese Anemone in soil that has been amended with compost or organic matter in part shade. Its ideal condition is dappled shade protected from the afternoon sun. It will grow in full sun if adequate moisture is given. Adding a starter fertilizer at planting will encourage root growth. Although once established drought tolerant, for best results, water during dry spells and when plants are setting up buds and blooming. Better still, keep consistently moist.

An absolute delight, Red Spider Lily, Lycoris radiata, entertains us in late summer with its brilliant red spider-shaped flowers whose petals curl upwards. These beauties seem to magically appear in late summer. The fascinating flowers bring a wonderful fragrance. In spring its long thick strap-like foliage makes an attractive mound. Its leaves disappear in summer. It easily grows in sun to part shade, needing little care.

Plant Red Spider Lily in ground cover or between Hosta, Hibiscus, and other perennials or shrubs. Their foliage will cover the bare spot left by the Lycoris. Also works great in open woodland gardens, meadows, or wild areas.

Other descriptive names for Lycoris include Magic Lily, Hurrian Lily, Naked Lady, Surprise Lily, and Resurrection Lily because its leaves disappear in summer with the flower spikes seemingly rising from the dead in late summer.

Plant new bulbs 4-6″ deep, 8-10″ apart. Bulbs may be divided in late summer through early fall. Let foliage die down naturally, the foliage is creating food for the bulb for next year’s blossoms.

As beautiful as it is unique, Green Lotus Peony enchants even the most jaded gardener. Swirling petals of white, streaked lime green and pink, surround a fluffy golden center. Considered a cactus dahlia-type Peony, its early flowering blossoms measure a whopping 8″. The flowers are slightly fragrant and make memorable cut flower arrangements. Green Lotus is a vigorous, heat-tolerant peony.

Use Green Lotus Peony in perennial beds, cutting, fragrant, and pollinator gardens.

Peonies are excellent plants that are easy to grow in full sun to part shade. Although Peonies prefer a sunny location, giving them a break from the hot afternoon sun will prolong their beautiful flowers. Peonies like rich soil. Adding a shovelful or two of compost will give you the best planting results. Peonies must be planted at the correct depth to ensure flowering. Peony’s eyes should be 1 1/2″ – 2″ below soil level. Peonies are very long-lived. They can be left alone, never needing to be divided.

Preordered peonies will be available for pickup between October 1-21. We will contact you when your order is ready for pickup.

PRE-ORDER IS NOW OPEN 🤗

Add delightful whimsy to the garden with the Checkerboard Flower, Fritillaria meleagris. Charming nodding flowers with unique checkered patterens bloom in purple or white. Native to damp meadows, the Checkerboard Flower is one of the few bulbs that happily thrives in areas with drainage issues.

The heirloom plant has been a favorite in the garden since the 16th century. Also know as snake’s head fritillary, snake’s head (the original English name), chess flower, frog-cup, guinea-hen flower, guinea flower, Lazarus bell, checkered lily, checkered daffodil, drooping tulip and fritillary. Deer and rabbit resistant, in fact some say that deer hate Frittillaria so much that it can be used as a natural repellent in the garden.

Named a Missouri Botanical Gardens Plant of Merit and given the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society.

One of the most graceful of all Missouri and Illinois native shrubs, Beautyberry, Callicarpa americana, enhances the landscapes with its beautiful weeping form and spectacular berries. In summer, small purple flowers appear that later transform into bright violet berries that encircle the stem. These vibrant berries are delightful in the garden, but can also be cut and brought inside to be used in cut flower arrangements. Deep green leaves turn yellow in the fall as the berries become pronounced, creating a delightful two-toned effect in the garden. Beautyberry is easy to grow and rarely bothered by disease or pests. It is ideal for the back of the garden, in woodland-edged settings, or planted as a delightful and unique hedge.

Beautyberry seeds and berries are important late-season food sources for many species of birds. Its abundant flowers are loved by pollinators, especially our native bees.

Plant Beautyberry in soil that has been amended with organic matter. It prefers full sun to light shade, producing the most fruit in full sun. In most winters foliage will die back to the ground. Cut back foliage in late winter to early spring.

Bring the lush tropics to your containers and gardens with Caladium. These gorgeous tropical plants work fantastic in mixed containers or on there own. They prefer a part shady location.

Try mixing them up with annual Sweet Potato vine, Torenia, and Begonias for a colorful container. Caladium make fantastic center plants in containers, the “thriller.” A container filled with mixed caladium is an amazing sight to behold. Caladium make stunning landscapes when planted en masse in garden beds.

Caldium like it warm and will not survive a frost.

Pink Pearl Hummingbird Mint, Agastache, glows with an incredibly unique, brilliant light pink color that brightens any garden. Its blossoms are larger than others. The dense blooms cover the entire plant, displaying a dynamic two-toned effect with contrasting deeper-colored flower buds. Long blooming, spring through frost. A top pollinator plant and hummingbird favorite, don’t be surprised when you have daily visitors of hummingbirds and other flying beauties. A vigorous plant with a full habit, it creates a significant landscape presence. Grows 16″ tall and wide.

Agastache is well-adapted to thrive in dry soils and is right at home in rock gardens and xeric container plantings. It is one of the easiest perennials to grow. Its mint-scented foliage adds to its many great qualities. The best performance comes in full sun with well-drained soils. Deer and rabbits don’t touch it. Treat it as a short-lived perennial or annual. We often use Hummingbird Mint in mixed containers. You’ll want to place it in the middle of your pot as your “thriller” focal point.

Plant in full sun, at least 6 hours a day. If you get afternoon sun, you can get away with a little less. It is easy to grow and prefers well-drained soil. Although drought tolerant, keep consistently watered for best blooming.

WE ARE CLOSED TODAY FOR THE 4th OF JULY! Regular business hours will resume tomorrow 9am-5pm. Stay safe and enjoy your holiday.

2018 Perennial Plant Of The Year

A stunning beauty, Millennium Ornamental Onion, Allium, is adored for its profusion of flowers and ease of care. Its compact, upright clump of glossy green, thick and strappy leaves emit a slight smell of onion when crushed. In mid to late summer a profusion of large 2″, bright rosy purple, tightly rounded clusters of flowers appear on strong stems just above Millenium Allium’s attractive foliage.

A landscaper favorite! Its thick, emerald green leaf blades look great in and out of bloom, making Millenium Allium ideal for mass plantings and edging in formal and cottage gardens.

Bees, butterflies, and other pollinators adore it, and deer and rabbits leave it alone.

Plant in full sun. Add compost or other organic matter, along with slow-release fertilizer when planting. Although plants will bloom fine without fertilizer, for maximum blooms fertilize.

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A vast improvement over older varieties, New Vintage Rose Yarrow, Achillea, brings deep rose pink flowers that mature to attractive shades of pink instead of fading to brown like other selections. Excellent rebloom and a tidy, tight habit make it superior for containers and the garden. Flowers appear over a long time, from late spring into fall.

Yarrow are easy-to-grow plants that thrive in high heat and humidity. They are deer-resistant. Butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators adore their nectar. Yarrow makes beautiful cut fresh flowers and dried flower bouquets. Easy to grow sun perennial.

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One of our top perennials, Blue Star Kalimeris is fast becoming a summertime blooming favorite due to its prolific, blue daisies that just keep coming. Tolerant of heat and humidity, it always looks great, even in the hottest of summers. Single one-inch, sky-blue daisy-like flowers appear on emerald green compact mounds all summer. It is very easy to grow with hardly any maintenance. Prefers well-drained areas in full sun. Grows to 18″. Fantastic in mixed pots and adored by butterflies.

If you love Asters but can’t wait until fall, this is the plant for you. Sky blue aster-like flowers appear all summer.

Plant in full sun to light shade. Shearing back after flowering will encourage more blooms.

Pugster Pinker Butterfly Bush, Buddleia, produces full-sized flowers on short stocky frames. Plump bubblegum pink flowers appear from summer into fall. Only growing 2′ tall and wide, it is a great choice for mixed borders, flower gardens, and low hedges. Butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators adore its honey-scented blossoms. It blooms continually from summer into fall.

Butterfly Bushes are easy to grow in full sun, are deer and rabbit-resistant, and are drought-tolerant. Most will bloom continually from summer into fall.

Plant in full sun in well drained locations.

A fantastic improvement over older selections, American Gold Rush Black Eyed Susan, Rudbeckia, brings brilliant mounds of golden yellow daisies with black centers to the garden from July through September, with some additional lighter blooming until frost. What really sets this delight apart is it is extremely resistant to Septoria, a leaf spot fungus that wreaks havoc on many others. Even in wet, humid conditions, this hybrid Rudbeckia shows no signs of the fungus.

You can expect armloads of cut flowers as American Gold Rush blooms very heavily. Extremely versatile, try it in mixed borders or containers, in mass plantings, or in your cut flower garden. Fantastic for cottage, prairie, and rain gardens. Butterflies, bees and other pollinators relish its sweet nectar. Easily grown, disease resistant, and heat and drought-tolerant.

Comments of All American Selection judges:

“Was very attractive in the perennial garden with nice full bloom coverage late in the season.”
“Great habit and longevity.”
“Would make an excellent addition to a yard, especially in any sort of mass planting.”
“The foliage texture, plant habit, and flower show are refined in appearance.”
“I believe this is one of the very best rudbeckias I’ve trialed and one of the very best perennials, too.”

Plant in full sun to light shade. Although drought resistant, for best blooming, keep well watered, especially when setting up buds and in bloom.

Hardly a shrinking violet, the magnificent Ultraviolet Phlox screams, “Look at me!” Its electric magenta flowers are so brilliant they grab all eyes, even at a distance. A vast improvement over older selections, Ultraviolet Phlox brings considerably more huge flower panicles and better disease resistance. Its beautiful foliage features dramatic dark stems and bronzed leaves. Hummingbirds and hummingbird moths will delight and visit these beauties daily as their sweet fragrance fills the summer air.

Ultraviolet Phlox mixes well with white, light pinks, and even yellows in mixed plantings and foundation plantings. It is a long-bloomer, and its flowers appear in summer and fall.

Plant in full sun to light shade in soil that has been amended with compost or other organic matter. Keep well watered, especially when plants are blooming and setting up buds. For best results, apply an all-purpose fertilizer following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Not just for Monarchs!

We found this fuzzy friend munching out our Butterfly Milkweed. Tiger Moths caterpillars also love to eat milkweed. We let them be at Sugar Creek because they are an adorable part of our ecosystem. At Sugar Creek Gardens we practice holistic pest management. While you may see some holes in our leaves at Sugar Creek the reward of experiencing the life cycle of our native insects, pollinators and fauna is well worth it.

Winner of top honors, Cheyenne Sky Coneflower, Echinacea, has won the gardening world over with its rich, saturated colors and superb habit. A delightful mix of flower colors from rich purple, pink, red, and orange tones to lighter yellows, creams, and white appear on well-branched, durable plants. Drought tolerant, Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower works well in hot dry areas or where low-maintenance plants are desired. Its sturdy stems stand up to wind and rain and make them ideal for cutting. Butterflies and hummingbirds adore Cheyenne Spirit Coneflower.

With loads of blossoms, it creates fabulous displays for mass plantings, gardens, and containers. Although it will bloom continually without deadheading, cutting back spent blooms will encourage more flowers.

Important Note: Each plant blooms a single color, you will not know what color flowers your plant will have until in bloom.

Plant Coneflowers in full sun to light shade, and well-drained soil.

Though dwarf in size, Pardon My Cerise Bee Balm, Monarda features showy, full-sized cherry pink flowers. From mid through late summer, dark cherry pink flowers adorn the garden with brilliant color. Though the plant may be dwarf, the flowers are the same size as taller selections, measuring a full 2½-3″ across. A compact, bushy selection, it only grows a little more than a foot tall. Its petite nature makes it ideal for the front of the garden or in containers.

Native Monarda can be found along riverbanks, where it thrives in rich, organic, moist soil. However, it will also grow in average soil. Full sun is best, but light shade is tolerated. Plants will spread more quickly in the shade. Pardon My Cerise Bee Balm will multiply rapidly either by underground stems or self-sowing. Deadheading spent blooms will prolong the bloom time.

Powdery mildew is a common fungal problem with Monarda. Yet Pardon My Cerise Bee Blam is more resistant to it than others. To prevent this fungus from appearing, large clumps should be thinned out so that the air circulates freely around them. Ideally, keep the soil consistently moist; dry soil promotes powdery mildew. Deer and rabbit resistant. Its aromatic foliage smells like mint and can be used to flavor teas.

A pollinator powerhouse! The flowers’ sweet nectar attracts hoards of hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees to the garden.

Growing instructions: Plant Bee Balm in average to rich soil in full sun. Keep watered, especially when plants are setting up buds and blooming.

Happy Memorial Day 💙🤍❤️