Oh Man I love Drama Queen (maybe because I'm one?) Also the hydrangea looking one is beautiful. thank you for posting. The most unusual thing I have bloomed is the spreklekia.

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It has a tropical look to it.

kay

What a beautiful poppy Tom! Very unique indeed.

First of all, I love unusual plants. Anything that is strange looking is right up my alley! Here are a few of my favs:

Vancouveria hexandra- Inside Out Flower/Duck's Feet. The flowers do indeed look like they have been turned inside out! And the foliage resembles the shape of a ducks foot. Related to Epimedium.

Stachys 'Hidalgo'- 7UP Plant. Foliage smells just like the soda!! I was able to get this plant to overwinter a few times, but it is really only a perennial in warmer zones. Pretty orange flowers too.

Lonicera japonica 'Aureoreticulata'- mostly interesting for the variegated foliage. The veins are a gold color, and depending on what form you get the leaves are shaped like mini oak-leaves.

Rudbeckia occidentalis 'Black Beauty'- Naked Coneflower. Has no petals whatsoever, only black cones. Kind of weedy looking though...

Salvia argentea- huge silver leaves that are wonderfully whooly in texture (much like lamb's ears).

Tolmiea menziesii- Piggyback Plant. This one is very hardy! Little brown colored flowers- new plants for on the stems.
That is it for now :-)
CMK

That's one stunning poppy!

I am growing jerusalem sage. It takes 3 years to bloom and I'm just seeing flowers this year. I was expecting yellow blooms but it turns out mine are pink.

I also grow Filipendula & veronicastrum.

I sowed seeds for Veronicastrum this winter. I think they failed to survive the 4 weeks of drought we had early this spring. Watering every day couldn't keep some things alive. I'll try again another year, maybe.

I've also got Green Wizard. It hasn't bloomed yet, but it's one of those petal-less rudbeckias too. It reminds me of a dead echinacea stem from the photos I've seen.

I have a friend who grows orlaya and it is quite prolific, reseeds easily here in SE PA, but no complaints,it is beautiful.

Carol

I have a few, ones that come to mind are Cardiocrinum giganteum, Medinilla magnifica (not an outside plant, Periploca graeca (silk vine, stinky flowers), Golden Maiden Hair fern, Soleirolia soleirolii Aurea, Kirengeshoma palmata and soon will have another start of a double flowering Lily of the Valley. I'm sure I have a few more but that's all I can think of right now.

Annette

Cow parsnip (Heracleum maximun) that I planted in the back of so-called wild garden

Looked in my garden for something unique, found nothing. This
hollyhock kinda has a unique color. Fighting the rust right now.
First bloom.

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Token, I love the Orlaya! How long does it bloom? White in the garden is striking right before sunset.

I don't have anything unusual. This is only my second year at having a "serious" flowerbed, so give me about 5 more years. lol

-Roper, that is an awesome looking hollyhock!!! So do all the flowers have red markings and streaks on them?
CMK

unique plants used to be my "thing". But after several years of drought I had to lay off of many of them.

I have one Orlaya blooming in the garden. How did she get there? I have no idea! It's been years and years since I've tried seeding her. I seeded out batch, poppy (including drama queen), orlaya and annual candytuft but only batch and the one orlaya germinated (after a cold wet winter, you'd think I'd have done better!!!).

I like emelia javica http://www.finegardening.com/plantguide/emilia-coccinea-tassel-flower.aspx and have it back again this year.

Ida Maia http://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-taxon=Dichelostemma+ida-maia Not unusual in California, but it is out here!! I also like the purple version (which looks totally different)

Candy Lily: http://www.wiseacre-gardens.com/plants/perennial/candylily.html

I have tried by seed to germinate many of the plants you have all listed with no luck. I would eventually love some piggy back plants, Vernoicastrum etc. and have had no luck with them. It's frustrating. I only got a very few unusuals to grow from seed this year. Guess I'll try again next year!!!

I'm so glad you posted this, Token. I wintersowed the same monarda (I think). On my seed packet it was called Monarda 'Lambada.' I had no idea it was an annual. Silly me. Guess I need to get it planted out now!

One thing that I am growing that I think is relatively unique is Cuban Oregano. Very cool looking plant with a strong and interesting scent. I have the variegated version.

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Another plant that I'm growing that I haven't seen much is this huge verbascum:

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It looks like a gigantic lambs ear right now. I don't know which one it is exactly, so if anyone can identify it, please let me know. I'm guessing it's verbascum olympicum? It is supposed to grow a very tall spike of yellow flowers that I need to deadhead promptly or face many, many seedlings! I really love the fuzzy leaves, silver color and great contrast opportunity the large-leaf form provides. It's pictured next to an Endless Summer Hydrangea and Coreopsis 'Tequila Sunrise.'

Lisa

Of course it's too early to tell but it looks like common mullein (V. thapsis).

CMK, that is Nigra Hollyhock. Those are not actually streaks on the flower.
The sun was shinning through that part of the flower. It looks pretty black.
I thought it would be interesting to try it out.

Lisa 33, I have been trying to find Cuban Oregano at the garden center's,
but no luck. Will definately get seeds next year.

Lisa33
Whoops it probably isn't thapsis. I now recall seeing large Verbascum at a nursery but don't know the name. It was more robust than thapsis and quite rank in bloom.

girlgroupgirl,

I just purchased the Ida Maia today. Can't find much on culture requirements. Could you tell me the conditions you are growing yours in and how it's doing for you? Thanks in advance!!

Kristi

I don't know if they are rare, but some things I don't see often in my area:

Rodgersia henrici and podophylla
persicaria virginiana
amsonia hubrichtii
clematis recta 'Midnight Masquerade'
Veronicastrum virginicum 'Fascination'
Rheum Palmantum v. tanguticum

Here is a link that might be useful: My Blog

roper, would you like a cutting? I understand they root easily and make nice house plants.

Squirejohn, thanks for the input on the verbascum. I have yet to find an image that truly resembles what I have. It is very silver with no real greenish tinge. It also isn't ruffly like some of them.

Lisa

Ida Maia likes decent soil, mine is in clay - two different areas, some in full-sun some in AM only sun. They need to be planted in a group and in between tall plants that will help hold the flower heads up. The stem is super long and a bit lax. Just finished blooming for me. I do not really fertilize them, and they prefer a drier summer and would prefer not to be soggy all the time (not a pond plant). Simple to grow, but short blooming. Nice filler!

Some of my favorites....so far:
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Thank you for offering Lisa. I think I will order seeds next year. Hopefully
it's as hardy as my greek oregano.

Jaynine, I like your geraniums, especially the 4th and 6th one.

Linda