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Plants that Work

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United States
Columbus, OH
Plants that Work

Helping landscapers, garden centers, and gardeners discover landscape plants selected for performance, reliability, and beauty.

A house brand of Willoway Nurseries. Welcome to Plants That Work®, formerly known as Novalis®. We are your go-to source for innovative growing solutions for every garden. At Plants That Work, we believe that every garden, whether it’s a shaded nook, a sun-drenched patio, or your very own kitchen garden, deserves the perfect plants to thrive.

09/29/2026

🌿 Some trials stand out before they ever flower.

Stars and Stripes Bulrush (Scirpus pendula ‘Stars and Stripes’) has been catching our attention in the trial garden with its striped foliage and distinctive grassy texture.

We’re evaluating how it grows and performs throughout the season, including its habit, foliage quality, and potential uses in containers and landscapes where moisture-loving plants can thrive.

Unique foliage like this gives us plenty to keep watching.

09/28/2026

🌾 When texture becomes the color story.

Dream Catcher® Smoky Rose® Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum ‘Dream Catcher Smoky Rose’) brings upright form and graceful movement to the landscape, with foliage developing smoky rose tones that add another layer of seasonal interest.

Plant in full sun for the strongest habit and color. Its vertical form works beautifully in masses, mixed borders, and naturalistic plantings while adding texture well into the cooler months.

A grass that gives the landscape something to look at beyond flowers.

09/25/2026

🌟 Drama from foliage to flower.

Starry Night Rose Mallow (Hibiscus ‘Starry Night’) pairs near-black foliage with enormous soft pink flowers, creating bold contrast that’s hard to overlook in the summer landscape.

Plant in full sun with consistently moist soil and give it room to make a statement. Like other hardy hibiscus, it emerges later in spring before quickly putting on substantial growth.

For maximum summer impact, this perennial knows how to deliver.

09/24/2026

🦋 One flower cluster, more than one color.

BiColor Butterfly Bush (Buddleia × weyeriana ‘Bicolor’) stands apart with fragrant flower panicles that combine shades of lavender-purple and warm yellow-orange—and butterflies are just as interested in them as we are.

Plant in full sun with well-drained soil and give it room to develop its naturally arching habit. The long flowering season helps keep pollinators visiting through summer.

A distinctive choice for adding color and movement to a pollinator planting.

09/22/2026

🐝 The pollinators are helping with this trial.

Prince’s Plume Hummingbird Mint (Agastache ‘Prince’s Plume’) has been getting plenty of attention in the trial garden—and not just from us. Its flower spikes have been busy with bees and other visiting pollinators.

We’re watching how it handles our growing conditions while evaluating flowering, habit, and overall performance throughout the season.

Seeing this much pollinator activity is certainly one characteristic worth watching.

09/21/2026

🩷 A pop of pink with a tidy footprint.

Moody Blues® Pink Veronica (Veronica spicata ‘Novaverpin’) sends up spikes of bright pink flowers above compact green foliage, adding vertical interest without overwhelming surrounding plants.

Give it full sun and well-drained soil, and trim spent flower spikes to encourage additional blooming. Bees and butterflies appreciate the flowers, too.

An easy way to work more color and pollinator value into sunny borders.

09/18/2026

💜 A little twist on a garden favorite.

Medusa Allium (Allium ‘Medusa’) gets its name from its distinctive twisting foliage, followed by rounded purple flower clusters that draw bees and butterflies to the garden.

Plant in full sun with well-drained soil for strong performance. Its compact habit, interesting texture, and pollinator appeal make it an easy addition to perennial borders and mass plantings.

Plenty of personality without a lot of maintenance.

09/17/2026

❤️ Foliage this good doesn’t need flowers to make an impact.

SunSparkler® ‘Red Angelina’ Stonecrop (Sedum SunSparkler® ‘Red Angelina’) forms a low-growing carpet of fine, needle-like foliage that shifts through rich shades of green, orange, and red as the seasons change.

Plant it in full sun and well-drained soil where its drought tolerance and spreading habit can shine in rock gardens, borders, slopes, or mass plantings.

Low-growing, colorful, and easy to work into the landscape.

09/15/2026

🌸 Putting summer performance to the test.

Belleza® Dark Pink Wand Flower (Gaura lindheimeri Belleza® Dark Pink) has been showing off in the trial garden with airy dark pink flowers held above a compact mound of foliage.

The trial garden gives us a chance to watch plants through real growing conditions and evaluate characteristics like habit, flowering, and overall landscape performance.

It’s all part of finding plants that can earn their place in the landscape.

09/14/2026

Coral Star Honeysuckle (Lonicera × ‘Celestial’) brings climbing color to the landscape with clusters of coral-toned, tubular flowers that are especially attractive to hummingbirds.

Give this vigorous vine a trellis, fence, or arbor to climb and a sunny location for the best flowering. Its vertical habit makes it easy to add another layer of interest without taking up much ground space.

A beautiful way to bring height, color, and wildlife value together.

Address

Columbus, OH

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Website

https://www.willowaynurseries.com/collections/plants-that-work

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