perennial plants
Perennial plants are herbaceous plants which die back to the ground during winter and grow back in spring. Some can be left undisturbed for years while others need to be divided every few years to maintain their vigour. You can find a perennial plant for any situation, whether it's a stone wall or a shady corner. Some are grown for their flower displays, others for their beautiful foliage. Evergreen perennials and half-shrubs are included in this category.
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Lamium - Dead nettles
Lamium is a genus of around 50 species in the Lamiaceae family, native to Europe, Asia and Africa. Many are ground covering and shade tolerant, and make good ground covers in shady spots in the garden.
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Lamium galeobdolon
Lathyrus
Lathyrus is a genus of around 160 species in the family, Fabaceae, native to Europe, Asia, E-Africa and America. The genus includes both species grown for food and garden plants.
Leucanthemum
Leucanthemum is a genus in the aster family, Asteraceae, with the greatest distribution in Central- and S-Europe.
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Leucanthemum maximum
Leuzea
Leuzea is a small genus in the aster family, Asteraceae, very similar to corn flowers. The accepted name of the genus is now Rhaponticum.
Lewisia
Lewisia, is a small genus of 19 species in the family Montiaceae. They are alpine plants, all native to mountains in NW-America.
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Lewisia cotyledon
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Lewisia longipetala
Ligularia - Leopard plants
Ligularia is a genus of over 120 species in the aster family, Asteraceae. Most species are native to Central- and E-Asia, but a few are native to Europe. They are generally very large plants with clumps of large leaves and long spikes of yellow flowers. Many grow on stream banks and on shores of lakes and prefer moist, fertile soil.
Lilium - Lilies
Lilium is a large genus in the lily family, Liliaceae, native to temperate regions, the majority in Asia and N-America and a few in Europe. They are usually tall plants with large, colourful flowers in all colours apart from blue. A great number of garden cultivars are grown in gardens.
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Garden hybrids:
Linaria - Toadflax
Linaria is a genus of around 150 species in the family Plantaginaceae. It's distribution is temperate regions in Europe, Asia and N-Africa, the majority centered around the Mediterranean.
Linum - Flax
Linum, is a genus of 200 species in the flax family, Linaceae. Common flax belongs to this genus, which is the source of linen and linseed oil. It is widely cultivated, but not found growing wild. Linum species need full sun.
Lithophragma - Woodland stars
Lithophragma is a small genus of 8 species in the Saxifragaceae family. They are woodland plants, all native to the western part of N-America.
Lotus
Lotus is a genus of over 100 species in the legume family, Fabaceae, with a wide distribution around the world, infrom shores to mountains. Most species have yellow flowers, but there are some that bear orange or red flowers. They are nitrogen fixing as many other species of the legume family.
Lotus
Lotus is a genus of over 100 species in the legume family, Fabaceae, with a wide distribution around the world, infrom shores to mountains. Most species have yellow flowers, but there are some that bear orange or red flowers. They are nitrogen fixing as many other species of the legume family.
Lupinus - Lupines
Lupinus is a genus in the legume family, Fabaceae. It is a large genus of around 300 species native to N- and S-America. Smaller distribution areas are found around the Mediterranean. They are nitrogen fixing and some can grow in poor, dry soil.
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Lupinus polyphyllus
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Lupinus x regalis
Lychnis - Catchfly
Lychnis is a small genus in the Caryophyllaceae family, native to Eurasia and N-Africa. It is closely related to the genus Silene, one of the differentiating characteristics being that species in the Lychnis genus have sticky flower stalks. The flowers are fairly large and often in bright shades of red or pink.
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Lychnis flos-cuculi *
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Lychnis x haageana
Lysimachia - Loosestrifes
Lysimachia is a genus of around 100 species in the primrose family, Primulaceae, native to Eurasia. Most species native to Europe have yellow flowers, while species native to Asia often have white flowers. They prefer fairly moist soil.