Spring is the time of year when we search for fresh and exciting additions to our garden landscape.

New varieties of perennials are delivered daily to local nurseries, greenhouses and garden centers.

Look for this year's debuting perennials that are designed to delight with beauty and deliver on blooms!

For part shade-to-shade gardens, coral bells (Heuchera variety “Toffee Tart”) add summer and fall interest. This new variety of coral bells changes from amber to ginger-colored leaves over the course of the summer. Small, white flowers bloom in early summer, attracting bees and butterflies. These coral bells reach eight to 10 inches in height, with a 16 to 18 inch spread. Plant “Toffee Tart” for edging and ground cover.

Smokebush (Cotonis coggygria, variety “Velvet Fog”) thrives in gardens with partial to full sun. This variety produces clouds of pinky-red blooms that sit atop blue-green foliage. “Velvet Fog” is a more prolific bloomer compared to the conventional smokebush. Vertical growth ranges from 60 inches to 96 inches with a spread of 72 inches, making “Velvet Fog” a striking specimen plant or garden focal point.

Full sun gardens will pop from the deep purple hues of phlox “Ultraviolet” (Phlox paniculata variety “Ultraviolet”). This year's new phlox is a more floriferous performer, as well as more resistant to powdery mildew, as compared to traditional varieties. This summer-blooming plant has a full bushy habit with a bright green foliage. “Ultraviolet” reaches 32 inches to 36 inches in height with a 28-inch to 32-inch spread. Phlox are pollinator-friendly, so expect to see bees, hummingbirds and butterflies visiting frequently.

The Perennial Plant of the Year program awarded nepeta (Calamintha nepeta, subspecies nepeta) the 2021 Perennial of the Year. Nepeta is a full-sun plant that is low mounding, making it a welcome addition to rock gardens or to fill in for leggy plants. Tiny white or pale blue blossoms grow throughout the summer and into fall, attracting pollinators into the garden. This plant is disease-resistant and deer-resistant. Nepeta grows about 12 inches to 24 inches in height and 24 inches in spread. This plant is a must-have for gardeners seeking to create or expand their pollinator and native plant gardens.All of these perennials grow in Butler County's United States Department of Agriculture zones 5b and 6a. They are easy to care for and tolerate a wide range of soil conditions; some are pollinator-friendly. Look for these new varieties of old favorites when integrating additions to your landscape.<i>Penn State Extension offers suggestions for other new perennials for 2021 (https://extension.psu.edu/new-perennials-for-2021). For more information on perennial gardening, email the Master Gardeners at butlermg@psu.edu.</i>

Prolific blooms of Smokebush (Cotonis coggygria, variety “Velvet Fog”).

Phlox paniculata variety “Ultraviolet” brightens the garden and invites pollinators.

Nepeta (Calamintha nepeta), the 2021 Perennial of the Year, is deer- and disease-resistant.