Balloon flowers.

 The plants form a low, neat mound and bear 2- to 3-inch cup like blossoms accented with delicate purple veins and yellow stamens. Balloon flowers are a cottage garden standard, and they are excellent for cutting.

 This heavy bloomer gets its name from the way each flower bud swells before its starry petals unfold. Balloon flowers are one of the easiest perennials you'll ever grow, and they bloom in profusion in mid to late summer, when many other perennials are beginning to fade.

 Start new plants from seeds in spring, just after the last winter frost, or summer, up to 2 months before the first fall frost. When starting indoors, sow in individual pots 6-8 weeks before the last expected frost. Seeds require light to germinate, so press them lightly onto the soil, and don't cover. 

 Clumps of balloon flowers are very well behaved in the perennial garden - they don't spread and never crowd their neighbours. The blue shades of balloon flowers are striking when planted in combination with gold or deep orange cosmos or yarrows. 

Type: perennial
Propagation: seeds
Light: full sun or part shade
Flower Color: blue, pale pink, white
Bloom Time: summer
Height: 2-3 feet
Width: 12 inches
Soil Requirements: neutral pH, average moisture
Zones: 3-8
Uses: cutting bed, border,