Perennials that work in zone 2a

"Photographer" in another post asked me about what perennial flowers I can grow in 2a. There are a surprising number of them...

Looking through my seed box, I've got:: Alyssum saxatile, aquilegia (columbine), achillea (yarrow), campanula, centaurea, cerastium, clematis integrifolia (it's not a climber), coreopsis, daisies, delphiniums, dianthus, rudbeckia (echinacea), gaillardia, garden gloxinia (incarvillea delavayi)--marginal; geranium, iris, Lady's Mantle, lathyrus (marginal, with protection), lychnis, lupine, mallow, monarda, potentilla, poppy, pulmonaria, rudbeckia, some pansies, violas, scabiosa (marginal); sedums, stachys (lamb's ear), Sweet William. I'm limited by short summers with coldish nights, dry conditions, and heavy soil. Oh, and more that I'm probably forgetting because I haven't the seeds...peonies, lilies, salvia, --what's that one with the big fuzzy silver leaves (not Lamb's Ear--Doronicum?)

Lots of hardy perennial herbs have pretty flowers. I guess there aren't many really showy flowers, compared to milder zones, but my orange oriental poppies and purple irises put on a great show, and some wonderful columbines.

Has anyone in a cold zone (my 2a is warming up these years!) got some ideas I could try?

Rosemary

I have a few peonies seeds here if you would like to try these, and hostas. Dmail me if your interested.

Should be able to grow Aconitum (fresh seed best, also for Delphiniums),
Artemisia, but not sure if I'd want any from seed.
Anemone sylvestris,
Anthemis - Golden Marguerite,
Aruncus - Goatsbeard,
Asclepias - Milkweed,
Astrantia - Masterwort,
Baptisia,
Centaurea montana,
Chelone obliqua - Turtlehead,
Digitalis grandiflora and lutea,
Erigeron - Fleabane,
Eryngium - Sea Holly,
Filipendula - Meadowsweet,
Helianthus - perennial Sunflower,
Lamium
Nepeta - Catmints
Thalictrum - Meadowrue
Veronica - Speedwell
and I can go on and on. I think if they are hardy here for me, they are worth a try for you. Officially, we are supposed to be zone 2b. You get good snow cover?

Snow cover--usually, although the danger period is April when we are still getting frigid temperatures, and the snow is starting to melt back.

I've a number of the ones on your list--especially fond of Eryngium, which meets my basic requirements for my limited garden space--'flowers' large enough to be seen, and attractive foliage. I'll check out the ones I'm not familiar with; thanks.

My soil is heavy clay and any new beds must first be dug down 2-3 feet, dirt removed, and more friable soil put in. So I only get new growing space when I can get a wwoofer to do the initial digging!

rosemary

does this mean you are back from your tropical break rosemary? how was it? i probably missed any info you posted during my crazy season.

Those are beautiful flowers Rosemary.

...just wrote a long answer about Cuba but realized it would be better in the Vacation forum.

Columbines are one of my favourites, partly because they survive here! They're easy to move around (very forgiving) and tolerate a certain amount of crab/couchgrass intrusion, although the bloom size starts to shrink. I wish they'd last all summer but they actually last about twice as long as they are supposed to (perhaps because of our cold nights).