I recommend HeathsandHeathers.com as a source. Others have spoken well about Rock Spray nursery, but I've never dealt with them myself, so I can't say.

There are sooo many varities of heathers (calluna species) and their cousins the heaths (Erica species) (also deer resistent), that it would be impossible to make a good and specific recommendation at this point, but a few things that may help guide selection:

1) Bloom time - True heathers (the callunas) are summer bloomers. Many of the heaths that would be zone 6 hardy are winter or very early spring bloomers. Given that you probably have quite a bit of snow cover there in P-burgh, I'm gussing that you would want to avoid winter bloomers. So, unless I am mistaken, that basically leaves callunas and Erica cinereas.

2) Getting established - All these plants are drought tolerant once established, but need to be kept from drying out for the first year or two. Since I imagine this planting is not at your home, something needing frequent watering might not be a good choice. And in that case, Erica cinereas (though in my opinion definately more appealing that callunas) get knocked down a peg -- they are harder to establish and can die pretty quickly if they dry out in the first year.

3) Foliage color and flower color -- many choices here.

4) Size and shape -- There are upright growers and carpeters, and also significant differences in overall size.

5) Soil pH -- Heaths/heathers prefer acid soil, and some require it. If you can find out or check the pH of the soil where you'll be planting, you'd do yourself a favor, so you could select an alkaline-tolerant variety if need be.

So, pH issues aside, what I recommend is that you click through the heathsandheathers (or other online site) catalog, and find the plant size, foliage color and flower color that you think most appropriate.

And to sum it up, my opinion is the Erica cinerea group is the best looking of the summer bloomers, but potentially problematic because of the need for frequent watering during the first year.

Finally, if you want to post some of your preferences in regard to above issues, I might be able to suggest a specific cultivar or two.

Good luck with it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Heaths and heathers .com catalog

thanks for all the info. As far as frequent watering goes, that wouldn't be a problem. I'll check out the site you mentioned and maybe pick out a couple of different varieties. thanks again...

Cool... let us know what you pick!

Be careful in gravesites as well that sometimes maintenance men hack stuff.... plant the heaths and heathers toward the center of the site where they're less likely to get clipped by lawnmowers and other things..... put maybe stones or something obvious around it to keep people from cutting it down.... :) Sedum spurium is also evergreen.... has pink flowers in summer and reddish foliage in fall.... very easy to care for short and really ground hugging...... block off with bricks to keep from spreading into others grave sites..... :)

I hope by now you have discovered Rockspray.com
They are the best. They ship very mature and healthy plants.