I love Catmint Walkers Low, its an easy and lovely plant. I also love the Hummingbird Mint types of Agastache. My favorite Salvias are all annual here like Black and Blue, Indigo Spires and Lady in Red.

Never grown is a tough one. I can think of many that I used to have and would like to try again but when I want to mention something that I think of, I remember that I had it at one time or another.

Penstemon 'Husker's Red'
Dicentra
Veronica
and I tried to grow Joe Pye Weed from seed, but it didn't germinate. And sedums. I like Autumn joy.

Here, this is my perennials wish list.

Catmint
Foxglove
Cleome
Hardy Geranium

Amaranthus
Amsonia hubrichtii (threadleaf blue star)
Helenium
Canna (not for lack of trying, does that count?)
Castor bean (in case it doesn't):P

lobelia
monrada
blue wild indigo
paw paw
passion flower
I could go on and on.

Praiegirlz you should of been at my house last summer and the summer before, the person that lived here before me was canna crazy. I have dug up over a truck bed full of canna tubers and was begging people to take them. Now that I have reduced them greatly I am starting to appreciate them. I still have enough for me you and a few neighbors if you want some.

The only one I can think of off-hand is a tree peony. I'm not sure if that's considered a perennial or a shrub, but anyway....I saw some at a nursery here and they were big and just beautiful!

This is hard...........

Betony, stachys macrantha
alliums
wallflower
veronicastrum

I tried betony from seeds but had zero germination. It is a true cottage garden heirloom plant.

I'd love to grow, but have been afraid (yes, afraid) to try as they seem so picky (prove me wrong).

1) Peonies
2) dahlias

This is my first year where I am trying a dahlia in a container. If I can keep it alive, maybe I'll try the garden (with bunny repellent).

3) Hellebores
I have to grow a bit more shade to have a place for them.

4) Camassia

Cameron

Angelica giganta

Jerusalem sage - actually I started these from seeds and I just learned it takes 3 years to bloom. It's now in it's second year and I'm hoping to seem blooms next season.

This is such an interesting thread.

I have been considering a tree peony too, but here are some of the things I am really interested in trying...

Disporium
Spiranthes cernua odorata
Cephalaria gigantea (no room for it, but its neat)
Caulophyllum thalictroides (again no room, and again it is still neat)

-Cameron, arn't Dahlias perennial for you? My relatives in Seattle (about your zone) get them to grow perennially. I have been wanting to try another Helleborus. Mine isn't quite hardy. I only fear that they will take up a lot of room and always bloom when I cannot see them.

-Annette, those are all plants you could become addicted to, especially since you, like me, have a predisposition to collecting. ;-) I am going bonkers on Heleniums right now. I just love them.
CMK

Yes, good thread. I have to think......

Nepeta, because it always looks beautiful in forum photos

Delphinium Belladonna, because it's one of those things I always meant to plant, but haven't

Oops--I have to leave for work. If I think of more, I'll be back.

Susan

I would like to try Hollyhock, but it seems to have so many disease problems.

I would love to try many plants but I just cannot tolerate floppiness. So I am hesitant to add Cosmos and Foxgloves to the garden as much as I love them.

Cameron, here in Winston I am growing five Dahlias this year. I have a pink-orange daisy type that I bought at a nursery two years ago that overwintered in its pot the first year. It overwintered in the ground last year. I also have Ellen Houston which I bought at Lowe's last summer that overwintered in the ground; it was labeled as perennial. Interestingly, this year they were selling it as an annual, zone 9 I think! I added Ginger Willo, Crazy Legs, and Crossfield Ebony this year. I don't do anything too special to them (if they look really sad but don't need water I may mist the leaves) and they flower from June until frost. Well, I should say that I cover up the emerging spouts at night when they first pop out of the ground because slugs like them and I don't cut down the stocks after freezing to protect the tubers from water.
I don't do any of the special preening and pruning because I am not trying to grow show flowers. You should give them a try!

My two dahlias came from Lowe's. Right now, I'm wondering if anything is going to survive! Everything outside was wilted here around 2:00pm. My garden gets full sun and more full sun. The cottage garden (where I'd love to have dahlias) gets sun until 3:00pm. The deer resistant gardens (outer front, dry stream, butterfly and guest parking) get sun until 6:00pm, Only the fragrance and waterfall gardens have less sun. It's a tough environment.

rudbeckia maxima
viola odorata sulphurea
trillium luteum
forsythia

(and soooo many others)

Delphiniums, David Austin roses, astrantia, astilbe. I don't think any of these would be happy for long here in Piedmont NC but someday somewhere maybe...

Astilbe. A favorite but up until now I've never had a shade garden

Roses. Eventually.

Clematis. Another favorite that I currently don't have a spot for.

Tall delphs. Gorgeous plants but too much work1

Dahlias are perennials for this area. Just plant them in good draining soil in late fall. Peonies are easy. My neighbors have them and never do anything to them. One mows them down in late fall once the foliage really starts to turn brown. They pop back up in the spring and bloom their heads off. I've seen them 2 springs in a row.

Rudbeckia maxima (saw it in real life for the first time

Angelica gigas

Actea

Inula

Looks like I'm going in for Big things!

Astrantia
Red Valerian
Giant Rudbeckia
Angelica

I have tried winter sowing the Astrantia and got no seedlings. I did get Red Valerian to germinate but then the seedlings died. I haven't had a chance to try the other 2
Joann

I can only think of one.
A long stemmed, highly scented sweet violet.
My viola orodata is sweet but it's stems are very short.

Libby