More than 100 species of plants are cultivated in the bonsai garden, about half of which are native to the Southeast. You can find the name of every species intentionally planted in the garden on this list. There are numerous “volunteers” in the garden (primarily ferns and mosses) which have not been included.
This list does not include bonsai or accents; you can find the list of bonsai and accents currently on display here.
Perennials
Deciduous
Siberian Squill Scilla siberica
Hosta Hosta ‘Allen P. McConnell’
Dwarf Blazing Star Liatris microcephala
Dwarf Joe Pye Eupatorium dubium 'Little Joe'
Dwarf Mountaindandelion Krigia montana
Rocky Top Hybrid Coneflower Echinacea tennesseensis ‘Rocky Top’
Wood's Blue Aster Symphyotrichum 'Wood's Blue'
Astra Blue Balloon Flower Platycodon grandiflorus ‘Astra Blue’
Cardinal Flower Lobelia cardinalis
Black Cohosh Cimicifuga racemosa (syn. Actea racemosa)
Black Snakeroot Cimicifuga ramosa ‘Chocoholic’
Canadian Columbine Aquilegia canadensis ‘Little Lanterns’
Yellowroot Xanthorhiza simplicissima
Sessile-leaved Bellwort Uvularia sessilifolia
Butterfly Plant Asclepias tuberosa
Thread-leaf Bluestar Amsonia hubrichtii
Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia
Split-beard Broom Sedge Andropogon ternarius
Dwarf Crested Iris Iris cristata ‘Vein Mountain’
Siberian Iris Iris siberica ‘Caesar’s Brother’
Hibiscus Hibiscus 'Midnight Marvel'
Bee Balm Monarda ‘Petite Delight’
Pink Turtle-head Chelone lyonii
Small’s Penstemon Penstemon smallii
Blue-flowered Leadwort Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Goat’s Beard Aruncus aethusifolius ‘Noble Spirits’
False Spirea Astilbe arendsii ‘Bridal Veil’
Plantain-leafed Sedge Carex plantaginea
Autumn Fire Stonecrop Sedum ‘Autumn Fire’
Painted Fern Athyrium niponicum
Cinnamon Fern Osmunda cinnamomea
Marginal Shield Fern Dryopteris marginalis
Golden Fern Selaginella caulescens
Evergreen
Dwarf Mondo Grass Ophiopogon japonicus ‘Nana’
Green and Gold Chrysogonum virginianum ‘Allen Bush’
Snow Lady Shasta Daisy Leucanthemum x superbum ‘Snow Lady’
Largeflower Heartleaf Hexastylis shuttleworthii var. harperi ‘Callaway’
Allegheny Spurge Pachysandra procumbens
Biokovo Geranium Geranium x cantabrigiense ‘Biokovo’
Bearberry Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Massachusetts’
Wintergreen Gaultheria procumbens
Creeping Germander Teucrium chamaedrys ‘Gold Tip’
Moss Phlox Phlox subulata ‘Snowflake’
Comb Speedwell Veronica pectinata ‘Blue’
Caramel Alumroot Heuchera villosa ‘Caramel’
Pink Fizz Heucherella Heucherella 'Pink Fizz'
Timeless Night Coral Bells Heuchera 'Timeless Night'
Blackbird Spurge Euphorbia ‘Nothowlee’
Angelina Stonecrop Sedum rupestre ‘Angelina’
Blue Carpet Sedum Sedum hispanicum
Hen and Chicks Sempervivum 'Virgil Ford'
Trees
Deciduous
Redbud Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy’ | Featured in Journal entry “The Wet and the Dry - Part 1, the Wet”
Fair Elaine Cherry Prunus incisa ‘Fair Elaine’
Chalk Bark Maple Acer saccharum ssp. leucoderme
Japanese Maple Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’
Rusty Blackhaw Viburnum Viburnum rufidulum
Japanese Stewartia Stewartia pseudocamellia | Featured in Journal entry “The Wet and the Dry - Part 1, the Wet”
American Hornbeam Carpinus caroliniana | Featured in Journal entry “The Circle Garden”
Evergreen
Dwarf White Pine Pinus strobus ‘Biltmore Blue’
Japanese Red Pine Pinus densiflora ‘Tanyosho’
McDade’s Dwarf Hemlock Tsuga canadensis ‘McDade’s Dwarf’
Scotch Pine Pinus sylvestris | Featured in Journal entry “Upper Level Entry Garden”
Dilworth Variegata Falsecypress Chamaecyparis thyoides ‘Dilworth Variegata’
Nana Gracilis Falsecypress Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Gracilis’
Shrubs
Deciduous
Dwarf American Cranberry Bush Viburnum trilobum ‘Compactum’
Little Devil Ninebark Physocarpus opulifolius 'Little Devil'
Purple-fruited Chokeberry Aronia x prunifolia
Dwarf Oakleaf Hydrangea Hydrangea quercifolia ‘Ruby Slippers’
Smooth Hydrangea Hydrangea arborescens ‘Dardom’
Sunset Magic Crape Myrtle Lagerstroemia ‘PIILAG-IX’ | Featured in Journal entry “Life and Death - Part 1, In the Garden”
Common Winterberry Ilex verticillata
Winterberry Ilex verticillata ‘Winter Red’
Hazel Hamilton Oconee Azalea Rhododendron flammeum ‘Hazel Hamilton’
Mount Saint Helens Azalea Rhododendron ‘Mount Saint Helens’
Concorde Barberry Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea ‘Concorde’
Heavenly Bamboo Nandina domestica
Evergreen
Dwarf Juniper Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’
Duke Gardens Plum Yew Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Duke Gardens’
Kaleidoscope Abelia Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope'
Dwarf Inkberry Holly Ilex glabra 'Shamrock'
Hybrid Holly Ilex crenata ‘Helleri’
Amagasa Satsuki Azalea Rhododendron satsuki ‘Amagasa’
Matsu-No-Arti Satsuki Azalea Rhododendron satsuki ‘Matsu-No-Arti’
Nova Zembla Rhododendron Rhododendron ‘Nova Zembla’
Rhododendron Rhododendron ‘English Roseum’
Pristine Mountain Laurel Kalmia latifolia 'Pristine'