When you see goldenrod in full bloom in a garden it’s enough to alter your opinion of this underestimated roadside wildflower. Because it is a late bloomer, you have to reserve some room for it in your garden and be patient, but the flowers are worth the wait, adding a Midas touch to drifts of purple asters and blue mistflowers. Like so many of our wildflowers, this tough perennial has been improved. Some varieties of goldenrod such as ‘Golden Baby’ bloom earlier in the season and on much shorter plants. One of my favorites is ‘Fireworks’. It blooms on 18 inch stems that, as the name implies, appear as golden fireworks in the garden. Another thing I like about these varieties is that they are much less invasive than wild goldenrod, which tends to run amuck in the garden.