So what is special about these mums....they are perennial good in zone 4.  You have been asking for them, and here they are.  Just don't know the color as they are mixed colors...
Chrysanthemum × morifolium ‘Autumn Glory’ mix  Garden Mum
USDA Zone: 4-9   Here is what is special about these.  Perennial mums this spring.....comes back next year.
Garden Mums or Fall Mums are extremely popular plants for a splash of colour in late summer right through the fall. This seed strain produces naturally cushion-shaped, compact plants with double and semi-double flowers in a whole range of rich jewel tones. Best in a sunny area, with regular watering through the season. Divide every 2 to 3 years in the spring, to maintain vigorous, healthy plants. A great choice for the garden, or in tubs and mixed containers. Pinching plants in June should not really be necessary, but will result in a much greater number of flowers. This variety is no longer being actively produced by Heritage Perennials.
 
Appearance and Characteristics
 Flower Colour
  Creamy Yellow
  Deep Pink
  Gold
  Light Pink
  Mixed
  Orange
  Red
  White
  Yellow
Blooming Time
  Late Summer
  Early Fall
  Mid Fall
Flower Head Size
  Medium
Height
   20-30 cm
   8-12 inches
Spread
   45-60 cm
   18-23 inches
Foot Traffic
   None
 
Growth Rate
   Medium
taken from http://www.perennials.com/plants/chrysanthemum-morifolium-autumn-glory-mix.html
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa
beckmall@netins.net

     Centranthus is often seen spilling over borders, in photos of English gardens. Like yarrow, Centranthus prefers dry, lean soil, but it blooms longer in cooler climates. In the intense heat, it will bloom in spring and again as it feels up to it, throughout the summer. Centranthus rarely grows true from seed and is best propagated by cuttings. To be certain of what color you are getting, buy the plant while it is in flower. The plants don't live longer than about 5 years, and they resent being divided or even relocated.
■ USDA Hardiness Zones 3 - 9
■ Bloom Span: 3-4 Months
 
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/long-blooming-perennial-flowers
 
Common Name: red valerian    
Type: Herbaceous perennial
Native Range: Europe and northern Africa to Asia Minor
Zone: 5 to 8   So wondering about this one for us to grow.  Anyone here in Iowa grows this one in their perennial bed?????
Height: 1.50 to 3.00 feet
Spread: 1.00 to 2.00 feet
Bloom Time: May
Bloom Description: Pale to crimson red
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium
Maintenance: Medium
Suggested Use: Naturalize
Flower: Showy, Good Cut
Leaf: Fragrant
Attracts: Butterflies
Tolerate: Drought, Erosion
Garden locations
Culture
Easily grown in average to sandy, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Prefers slightly alkaline soils in full sun. Limestone may be added to acidic soils. Tolerates dry soils. Does well in poor, infertile soils where it usually grows in a more compact form. Freely self-seeds in optimum growing conditions to the point of being somewhat invasive and weedy. Promptly remove (shear if large planting) spent flower stems to encourage additional bloom and to prevent seeds from forming. Plants are generally less vigorous in the hot and humid summers of the Southeastern U.S. than in cool summer climates.
 
Noteworthy Characteristics
Centranthus ruber, commonly called red valerian or Jupiter’s beard, is a well-branched, bushy, clump-forming, woody-based perennial which is valued for its ability to produce, often in poor soils, a showy bloom of star-shaped crimson, pink or white flowers from spring to frost. Although native to the Mediterranean, this plant has escaped gardens and naturalized in certain parts of the United States, particularly along the west coast. Flowers (each to 1/2") appear in dense terminal clusters (cymes) atop upright to relaxed stems rising above the foliage to 1.5-3' tall. Flowers are fragrant. If not deadheaded, flowers give way to dandelion-like seed heads which are typically disbursed around the landscape by wind. Fleshy, sessile, oval to lanceolate leaves (to 4" long) are gray-green.
Genus name comes from the Greek words kentron meaning a spur and anthos meaning a flower for the spurred flower.
Specific epithet means red in reference to flower color of species plants.
 
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems. Mealy bugs and aphids are occasional visitors. Crown rot may develop in overly moist soils. Invasive spread can be troublesome in some areas.
 
 
Garden Uses
 
Cottage gardens. Naturalized areas. Stone walls. Slope or bank cover to help combat erosion. Borders, particularly as specimens or in small groups where planting can be more easily managed. Effective ground cover.
taken from http://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net
 

     I can't believe this morning temperature and it is chilly.  HATE to say that with what is coming later in the week.  But it is overcast, windy, damp and only 65 degrees.  West of us is the front of rain, but seems to be just sitting there and not moving.  So don't know if we will get rain this morning, but it is predicted for this evening.  Over 5 inches in Mason City and Charles City Iowa so we have had enough.  We are at the 3 inches mark....
 
In talking about the buddleia or the butterfly bush we have several varieties.  Black Knight, Humdinger Little Nugget, Monarch Prince Charming....give these a try.  You will be reward with butterflies. 
 
Butterfly bush is a magnet for swallowtails, monarchs, and other butterflies. It also has attractive flowers. So why is growing it controversial? Learn about the benefits and drawbacks of this plant before deciding whether or not to grow it.
 
Taxonomy, Traits of Butterfly Bush Plants
Plant taxonomy classifies butterfly bush as Buddleia davidii. It is often treated by gardeners as a perennial flower, but, botanically speaking, it is considered a shrub.
There are many cultivars of butterfly bush, and exact plant characteristics will vary from cultivar to cultivar. Growing conditions will also have an impact on the plant's mature size. The species plant will grow to be 6 to 12 feet tall and have a spread of 4 to 15 feet, but the cultivars generally stay smaller than that.
 
Blooms on these shrubs develop in clusters on floppy panicles and can be purple, pink, white, or red, and they often have an orange throat in the center. The shrubs will bloom throughout the summer if deadheaded. Leaves are lance-shaped and grayish-green on their undersides. They are fast-growing shrubs with arching branches.
The climate is most favorable for growing this specimen in USDA planting zones 5 to 10. It is native to China, and it is with this fact that the story of the plant's controversial status begins.   USDA has put our local area into zone 5, but it is really hard to keep this plant here over the winter.  It is such a good plant for the insects, that you can plant it every year as an annual.  It is worth the price. 
 
That's because butterfly bush is considered invasive in many areas of the United States.
Butterfly bush is particularly adept at attracting tiger swallowtails and monarchs. But this nectar plant also attracts hummingbirds. The shrub will also attract the bees that will pollinate other plants in your garden. Fortunately, it is rabbit-proof and a deer-resistant shrub.
 
Care, Growing Conditions, Uses for Butterfly Bush Plants
Apply garden mulch around your plants in the fall, then prune them back to the ground in late winter.  New shoots will emerge from the roots in spring. Butterfly bushes flower on new wood. Pruning tends to improve blooming, giving you incentive to prune them. What you sacrifice in height you will make up for in flowers.
This is a plant for full sun, and it needs a well-drained soil. It is a relatively drought-tolerant shrub.
Even those who don't care about attracting wildlife often use butterfly bush plant for aesthetic purposes. As a tall plant, it is a good choice for the back row of a perennial border. To achieve maximum visual appeal, mass plantings of butterfly bush together. The natural unruliness of the plant lends itself to use in cottage gardens.
 
Controversy: The Question of the Invasive Nature of Butterfly Bush Plants
The fact that butterfly bush can be invasive is a serious point that demands clear-headed, dispassionate, rational debate.
We must not throw every possible argument in the book against it, hoping that they all stick. This will not make our case stronger. On the contrary, intermingling weaker arguments with the strongest argument only diminishes the cogency of the latter by muddying the waters. So let's state the case logically:
■ The strongest argument to be made against growing butterfly bush is that the species plant is definitely invasive in some regions. In addition, it may possibly become invasive even in other regions in the future. Furthermore, allegedly non-invasive sterile cultivars such as Blue Chip butterfly bush may not turn out to be the solution to the problem, since other plants touted as "safe" sterile cultivars in the past have turned out to be disappointing in this regard.
■ A weaker argument that has become popular is, "While it's a good source of nectar for butterflies, caterpillars don't feed on its leaves, so it's not a legitimate food plant." This may be true, as far as it goes, but it's an excessively narrow perspective. The crux of the matter is still the invasive nature of the plant. If it were to turn out that the Blue Chip cultivar is truly non-invasive, there would be no reason why you shouldn't grow it, as long as you also grow "legitimate" food plants such as common milkweed  (Asclepias syriaca). You can, after all, grow both.
■ You will also hear an argument built on #2 that runs something like this: "Because caterpillars don't eat the leaves, it does nothing for the ecosystem, so it's useless, basically just a guilty pleasure." But life would not be worth living without guilty pleasures such as a love for beautiful paintings, poetry, gourmet food, and, yes, plants that serve no function other than to delight your senses. Ascetic arguments of this sort only serve to turn off many of us.
It would be convenient if everyone found the native alternatives just as beautiful as butterfly bush, but let's not kid ourselves. We're faced with an inconvenient truth: Everyone's tastes are different, and some people will not find the native alternatives to be as beautiful as what they would replace. We can ask them to avoid growing butterfly bush and, instead, grow the native plants, anyway. But we shouldn't be arrogant about it and smugly pretend that we're not asking gardeners to settle for what are, in their own minds, poor substitutes. It's important to be honest, rather than glossing over reality.
 
Native Alternatives, Other Types
Plants native to eastern North America that are host plants for caterpillars to eat include:
■ Pussy willow (Salix discolor)
■ New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
■ Mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia)
Don't confuse butterfly bush plants (Buddleia davidii) with butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa). Butterfly weed is a type of milkweed and serves as a host for the caterpillars of monarch butterflies. Adult tiger swallowtails and black swallowtails enjoy its nectar. Both plants are sometimes referred to simply as "the butterfly plant." They are, however, unrelated.
 
Buddleia davidii Black Knight is one of the most popular cultivars of butterfly bush. Its deep purple blooms are so dark as to be almost black flowers.
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/butterfly-bush-plants-magnet-for-swallowtails-controversy-
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa
beckmall@netins.net

     So here is the last of the A's that we have here in perennials...astilbe which the variety we have is Glow( red) new in 2017.
 
All About Growin Astilbe Plants
Astilbe plants have long-blooming, plume-like flowers in soft shades of white, pink and red. The flowers are held on tall, stiff stalks, above the airy foliage. Astilbes are one of the easiest perennial flowers to grow, but they give a high return. Virtually pest free, they can light up the shade garden or soften a sunny spot. And they are very low maintenance.
■ Leaves: Astilbe foliage tends to be basal, with deeply toothed leaflets of alternately compound leaves.
 
■ Flowers: Feathery plumes of flower clusters are born on tall stalks above the foliage. Astilbe flowers come in shades of creamy white, pink, lavender, and red, and stay in bloom several week, slowly fading in color as they dry.
 
There are several species and cultivars within the Astilbe genus, with variety in the flower plumes; some spikier or fluffier than other. Most of the popularly sold Asitlbes are hybrids resulting from crosses between the species.
 
Common Names 
False Spiraea, False Goat's beard, Meadowsweet
 
Hardiness Zones
Astilbe plants are widely adaptable and are hardy from USDA Zones 4 - 8. In hot, dry climates, they need to be planted in the shade and/or given plenty of water.
 
Sun Exposure
Full Sun / Partial Shade. Astilbe will bloom in shade, but the plants prefer some sunlight to achieve their full size. However, in hot weather and dry soils, their foliage will burn and partial shade, plus plenty of water, is preferable.
 
Mature Size of Astilbe Plants
 
The size of mature plants will depend on the variety being grown, as well as the growing conditions. You can find tall Astilbe as well as dwarf plants, ranging in size from 1 - 4 ft. (h) x 1--3 ft. (w).
 
Bloom Period
Different varieties will bloom anywhere from mid-spring to late summer.
If you plant different types of Astilbe, you can prolong the bloom almost all season. The plumes remain in flower for several weeks and continue to look good as they fade and dry on the plant. No deadheading is needed, since they will not bloom again..
 
Design Ideas for Using Astilbe in Your Garden
Astilbe is valued for bringing great long-lasting color to partly sunny borders, where tall colorful flowers are few. In addition, Astilbe provides a nice textural contrast to plants with large, broad leaves like Heuchera, Hosta, and Ligularia. Astilbe can also be grown in containers.
 
Astilbe Growing Tips
Soil: Astilbe plants prefer a slightly rich, moist soil. The warmer the weather, the more moisture they need, especially in full sun. They also prefer a slightly acidic soil pH of around 6.0.
Planting: Astilbe seed is available, but it can be difficult to germinate. It's easiest to start with a plant or division. Even a small plant will quickly fill out and perform well in its first year. You can plant in either spring or fall, but try and avoid planting in the hottest part of summer. If you must plant then, keep the plant well watered, until you see new growth emerging.
 
Caring for Your Astilbe Plants
Extremely little maintenance is required of Astilbe plants. No staking or deadheading is necessary. The flower heads will dry on the plant and remain attractive for many months.
The flowers can be cut whenever they start to look ragged or left up, for winter interest, and cut back in the spring.
The biggest need Astilbe plants have is some relief from hot, dry weather. Either provide afternoon shade or extra water. They do not handle prolonged periods of drought well; the leaves will brown and dry and if left dry too long, the plants will die.
Divide every 4-5 years, to keep the plants healthy. Astilbe plants can grow quickly, if they are given ideal conditions. More frequent division may be necessary. Keep the plants well watered after replanting and they will re-establish themselves quickly.
 
Pests & Problems of Astilbe Plants
Astilbes are virtually trouble free, bothered by few diseases or insects. The tender, new growth may be nibbled on by groundhogs or rabbits, but once the plants have filled out, the plants were no longer bothered.
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/growing-astible-plants-
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty, Iowa
beckmall@netins.net
 

     Since midnight we have had 3 1/4" of rain....pretty wet out.  Lightning was involved and a large crack of thunder and lightning hit the cell tower which is right out our north door. Hit the tornado siren which went off....now this afternoon the sun is out, birds are singing and we are pumping water....Good day to work in the greenhouse.  I am working on displays and working on miniature gardens which is the fun part for me.  See what happens tonight and more rain tomorrow.
Now here is the next perennial in ABC order butterfly weed, butterfly plant, butterfly milk weed, many names for this plant.  It does produce orange, white, pink flowers and then little milk weed pods.  But not too invasive....I promise you as the farmers would not like them near their crops. 
Growing Butterfly Weed Plants: Tips On Butterfly Weed Care
What is a butterfly weed? Butterfly weed plants (Asclepias tuberosa) are trouble-free North American natives that produce umbels of bright orange, yellow or red blooms all summer long. Butterfly weed is appropriately named, as the nectar- and pollen-rich flowers attract hummingbirds and hordes of butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects throughout the blooming season. Do you want to know more about how to grow butterfly weed? Read on.
 
Butterfly Weed Characteristics
Butterfly weed plants are milkweed cousins with tall, clumping perennials that reach heights of 12 to 36 inches. The blooms appear atop fuzzy, green stems, which are adorned by attractive, lance-shaped leaves. Butterfly weed plants spread by way of seeds, which are released from large pods in early autumn.
Butterfly weed grows wild in a variety of environments, including open woods, prairies, dry fields, meadows, and along roadsides. In the garden, butterfly weed looks great in wildflower meadows, borders, rock gardens, or mass plantings.
 
How to Grow Butterfly Weed
Growing butterfly weed requires very little effort. The plant, suitable for growing in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 9, thrives in bright sunlight and poor, dry, sandy or gravelly soil with a slightly acidic or neutral pH.
Butterfly weed plants are easy to grow by seed, but may not produce blooms for two or three years. Once established, butterfly weed is drought tolerant and blooms dependably from year to year. Also, keep in mind that butterfly weed has long, sturdy roots that make transplantation very difficult, so locate the plant in its permanent place in the garden.
 
Butterfly Weed Care
Keep the soil moist until the plant is established and showing new growth. Thereafter, water only occasionally, as butterfly weed plants prefer dry soil. Trim old growth every spring to keep them neat and healthy.
No fertilizer is required, and may even harm the plant.
Mealybugs and aphids  may cause problems during the blooming season, but both are easily controlled by regular applications of insecticidal soap or horticultural oil.
taken from Gardening Know How - https://www.gardeningknowhow.com 
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa
beckmall@netins.net
 

       The next perennial in order is one called Goat's Beard very interesting. 
 
Goat’s Beard Plant Info: How To Care For Goat’s Beard In Gardens
By Becca Badget
The goat’s beard plant (Aruncus dioicus) is a pretty plant with an unfortunate name. It is related to other common perennials we grow in the garden, such the spirea shrub  and meadowsweet. Its appearance is similar to the elegant astilbe . A member of the rose family, it is obvious how it came by the name of goat’s beard plant, but the name does not describe its beauty.
Goat’s beard plant was around during Roman days and earned the name of Aruncus goat’s beard. It was named by Pliny during that era. It is also native to Japan and North America. As with many native plants, it is easy to learn how to care for goat’s beard.

Goat’s Beard in the Garden
Aruncus goat’s beard provides tall, fluffy, creamy white blooms in late spring to early summer, brightening shady spots. Grow goat’s beard in the garden as a background plant, as a center feature in an island garden  or even as a screen to block a view.
Goat’s beard is hardy in USDA plant hardiness  zones 3-7. Grow goat’s beard in shade in the South and full sun in more northern areas. Goat’s beard in gardens is adaptable to only partial shade in some areas, but needs to be planted where it gets afternoon shade in hotter areas.
Remember to leave plenty of room when planting Aruncus goat’s beard. It can grow to 6 feet across. Height of goat’s beard plant is 3 to 6 feet.
 
Care for Aruncus
When learning how to care for goat’s beard, begin with planting in the right spot. Choose a location with the right sun exposure for your area.
Make sure the soil is well draining and retains moisture. For soil with too much clay or sand, add amendments before planting. Since care for Aruncus includes providing consistent moisture and rich soil, it is easier to plant Aruncus goat’s beard in the right soil from the beginning.
Goat’s beard in the garden can be used as part of an all-white garden design or as a complimentary background for colorful spring and summer blossoms. Care is simple when planted in the right place and blooms are long lasting. Give this friendly native a spot in your shady garden bed .
taken from : https://www.gardeningknowhow.com
till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

     Here is the next perennial in ABC order....to get thru these I will be posting more than one a day.  Columbine is a favorite of mine and many of my gardening friends.  There are a zillion kinds, types and varieties.  Have them in your garden for early blooms in the spring.  Here is how to grow them.
One of the sweetest flowers in spring gardens is the Columbine. Columbine plants (Aquilegia) have an airy appearance, with small, rounded leaves and tall flower stalks that hold the blooms above the foliage. Aquilegia's bell-shaped flowers are popular with hummingbirds, bees, and gardeners. The mid-spring blooms fill the void between early spring bulbs and peak garden season. Columbine flowers are associated with woodland gardens, but most are widely adaptable.
Many of the species are native to areas throughout North America, from Canada to Texas.
 
Most varieties of Columbine plants will bloom for at least four weeks. They are tougher plants than they appear, but they tend to be short-lived perennials. However, they will seed and spread, remaining in your garden for years.
■ Leaves: Flat fans of oval dark green leaves that turn red in the fall.
■ Flowers: Each dangling, bell-shaped flower has five petals that flare out from the base, surrounded by a collar of five larger sepals. The long, nectar holding spurs arch backward out of the flowers. Petals and sepals come in a variety of colors and combinations, in shade of light blue, pink, purple, red, white and yellow
 
Columbine plants are adaptable to almost every garden, growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 - 9. The columbine species are wildflowers native to many areas of North America.
 
Sun Exposure
For the best flowering and healthiest plants, a spot in partial shade is ideal. Columbine plants can handle full sun in spring, but after they have flowered and are re-building their store of energy, they appreciate some shade in summer's heat.
 
Mature Plant Size
Size can vary greatly, by variety.
There are dwarf Columbines that don't get much taller than 4 - 6 inches and taller varieties that can top 3 feet. In general, expect Columbine plants to be about 24 - 36 inches (h) x 6 - 12 inches 
 
Bloom Period
Peak flowering time is late spring to early summer. Columbines will remain in bloom 4 to 6 weeks, depending on the weather.
 
Using Columbine Plants in Your Garden Design
Aquilegia plants are naturals in woodland and rock gardens. Their delicate fan-shaped foliage is a nice contrast to ferns and Hostas and since they hold their flowers high above the base of the plant, they blend well with other shade lovers, like Hellebores and bleeding hearts.
 
You can use Columbine plants in containers, but they'll need regular watering. Place the containers somewhere where hummingbirds will feel welcome because this is one of their favorite plants.
 
Soil: Columbine plants are adaptable, but they prefer an acidic soil pH of about 5.0 to 6.0.
 
Caring for Columbine Flowers
Columbine plants can handle full sun. It's the combination of heat and dry soil they don't like and mulching will help alleviate that.
Columbine flowers will self-sow, but new plants can be lost if the summer gets too hot. Also, plants tend to be short-lived, fading out within 3 years. Hedge your bets and save some seed to sow in the fall or falling spring.
Keep in mind that Aquilegia varieties readily cross-pollinate. If you plant more than one variety, be prepared to see new colors and combinations.
If self-sowing becomes a nuisance, shear the plants back in mid-summer, to prevent seed pods from forming.
 
Pests & Problems of Columbine Plants
 
Aphids, caterpillars and leaf miners all love Columbine plants. Leaf miners are by far the biggest problem. The miners tunnel inside the leaves and can quickly make an unsightly mess. Shearing the plants, after blooming, will usually avert the problem. Since Columbine plants do not usually rebloom, shearing is the best way to control insect problems. The leaves will eventually fill back in.
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-grow-and-care-for-columbines-
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa

       The perennials look really good, and are growing on the rack.  So for the way of describing what we have here I will go by ABC order.  So the first perennial we have here is Alchemilla or Lady's Mantle. 
DO you have this in your garden?  Here is a description about it.  What I like the most about this plant is that the water beads up on it so it looks like dew drops when water is on it. 
Overview and Description
If you want to add some cottage charm to your garden, Lady's Mantle is a plant you should know. Lady’s Mantle (Alchemilla Mollis) is an old-fashioned flower that is still very popular today. And no wonder. Its fuzzy, cupped leaves hold glistening droplets of water after a rain and it blooms in frothy sprays of dainty, yellow flowers that spill over in late spring and early summer.
Besides being beautiful, it is also used in making lotions and soaps. Lady’s Mantle is a long-lived perennial flower that is fairly low maintenance and blends well with other spring bloomers.
Lady’s Mantle plants form a nice sized clump, although they will also self-seed in many gardens. The seedlings are easy to lift and move to another spot in the garden, or give away to grateful friends, so don't worry about them becoming invasive.
■ Foliage: The leaves of Lady’s Mantle are like shallow, pleated cups. The soft hairs make water form droplets that roll around on the leaves. These hairs make the leaves feel velvety, not scratchy or unpleasant to touch.
■ Flowers: Lady’s Mantle flowers are airy masses of tiny, yellow-green flowers that sit above the foliage until they flop down from their own volume and weight, becoming a froth of blooms. They are somewhat like a chartreuse baby’s breath and make nice cut and dried flowers.
 
Hardiness Zones
Lady's Mantle is reliably perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 - 8
 
Exposure
Lady's Mantle will grow in either full sun or light shade. If grown in full sun, your plants may need more frequent watering.
 
Mature Size of Lady's Mantle Plants
The size of Lady's Mantle plants will depend on the growing conditions, but expect them to grow about 18 - 24 inches high, and 18 - 26 inches wide.
 
Bloom Period
Late Spring to Early Summer. The flowers hang on for several weeks.
Design Suggestions
Lady’s Mantle is wonderful along the edge of a garden or walkway where it can lean over and soften hard edges. The foliage looks good all season and can make a nice ground cover under small trees.
A mass planting of Lady’s Mantle is very eye-catching when in bloom, but kind of loses its impact after flowering. Lady’s Mantle makes a nice contrast for bright daylilies and roses that bloom at about the same time. It's especially eye-catching used in contrast to burgundy and purple foliage.
 
Soil Requirements: Lady’s Mantle isn’t terribly particular about soil. It is drought tolerant and doesn’t like to sit in wet soil, but in high heat or full sun, regular watering is required to prevent the leaves from turning dry and brown.
Soil pH: Lady’s Mantle does best in a soil that is slightly acidic to neutral, with a soil pH of 5.5 - 7.5.
Mulch around the plant, but not up to the stem. Lady’s Mantle tends to hug the ground, so keep the mulch from covering the plant.
 
Caring for Your Lady's Mantle Plants
The only maintenance Lady’s Mantle really needs is the occasional cleaning up. Deadhead the flowers as they start to dry and remove older leaves as they brown. New leaves will quickly fill in.
Leave Lady’s Mantle standing in the fall. It is semi-evergreen and will over winter better if left in tact and cleaned up in the spring.
 
Pests and Problems
Few problems plague Lady’s Mantle. Areas with high humidity may experience some fungus problems, particularly if the crown is kept damp. Good air circulation and allowing the soil to dry slightly should help.
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/growing-ladys-mantle-alchemilla-mollis-in-the-garden
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa