The fragrant phlox candy crush grows well in garden soil and containers.

This year’s Flower and Food Fest affords visitors the opportunity to purchase new varieties of perennials and annuals for sun and shade gardens.

With a focus on pollinator attracting plants, you are sure to find something exciting to add to your home landscape. Here is a preview of what will be available at this year’s Master Gardener plant sale.

For sunny spots, the newly introduced Echinacea “Sunseekers White Perfection” will delight butterflies and gardeners alike with its green button center surrounded by two rings of dahlia-like creamy white petals. As the flowers age, the petals will not fade, and the cone will change to a vivid yellow color.

Monarda “Bee-You Bee-Lieve” features deep maroon buds which open to baby pink flowers. A favorite of hummingbirds and bees, this dwarf variety is significantly more mildew resistant than older varieties.

Phlox Paniculata “Candy Crush” is a new cultivar boasting a candy-patterned white and magenta flower. Both deer and mildew resistant, “Candy Crush” is a compact perennial that can be tucked into a sunny border or used in patio containers. This early bloomer adds delightful fragrance to the air; plant this perennial near your seating area where the fragrance can be enjoyed fully.

A large selection of shade-tolerant plants will be available, ranging from partial to full shade tolerance. Tiarella “Angel Wings” sends up dense stalks of fluffy pale pink flowers that provide early food for hummingbirds and offers interesting foliage with deep maroon veining for the remainder of summer.

Tiarella angel wings sports attractive blooms and bi-colored foliage.

Dicentra “Cupid” is a new tender shade of pink Bleeding Heart. The foliage is atypically bushy and compact, with a wonderful minty green color. As well as attracting hummingbirds to your shade garden, “Cupid” will be a distinctive and welcoming sight.

Caladiums are perfect annuals for providing color and interest to both garden areas and patios. “Brandywine” provides a bright pop of color with its wine-red leaves. “White Christmas” features a crisp white leaf with green veins and edging. And “Frog in a Blender” showcases a unique splatter of green shades.

Brandywine Red Fancy Leaf Caladium is a showy, shade-loving annual.

These and other unique plants will be available for purchase from the Master Gardeners, including vegetables, herbs, perennials and annuals. Arrive early for the best selection!

If you have questions about the Flower and Food Fest, or about general gardening practices, call the Master Gardener Garden Hotline at 724-287-4761, ext. 7, or email the Master Gardeners at butlermg@psu.edu.

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Renea Pomeroy is a Penn State Extension Butler County Master Gardener.