-4 o'clocks a.: They grow about anywhere, take very poor soil and do not need a lot of water. Their pastel colors are very beautiful in the mornings and evenings. I start them from seed about 2 weeks before they go outside. They're also easy to overwinter- just dig their tuber-like roots and store in vermiculite in a cool place.
-Heliotrope a.: Absolutely beatiful foliage and nice smelling purpal bunched flowers- likes am sun/afternoon shade.
-Elephant ears a.: Great in wet shade or in large pots on a shaded patio or deck. They love fertilizer and lots of water. The leaves are easily 2 feet wide- if you want a conversation starter -grow these guys.
-Moss rose a.- I like growing this on the very front edge of a hot border- last year I did a double white flowering variety (all one color) everyone was asking what kind of flower it was. The white was especially eye catching off the edge of the sidewalk. It likes full sun/fast draining soil and is relatively trouble free.
-False indigo p.- This is a great plant that gets bushy very quickly. The flowers look a little like lupines in late spring- and it has great folliage. It likes to be neglected- I saw some growing in gravel underneath pine trees in downtown mpls!

Echinacea purpurea (purple coneflower): easy to grow and blooms from approx mid August to October.

Maltese cross: sure, the red color is not for everyone, but this is a very hardy fuss free plant.

Lambs ear: I love the greyish soft foliage. Some websites recommend removing the blooms, that they take away from the plant, but I disagree.

Lamium: between my back deck and the rocks of my small pond, I had a one foot by six foot strip of soil. Lamium filled in the area completely and looks striking as it starts to grow a bit over the rocks of the pond. I alternated ‘White Nancy’ lamium with ‘Aurea’ (gold leafed) lamium. My Mom had hostas surrounded by ‘White Nancy’ Lamium. Speaking of hostas, there is another perennial you probably can’t go wrong with. Once established it looks very striking.

Regarding annuals, geraniums and impatiens still do it for me. Especially the bold colors available now.

Regards,
Glen

Jan

Nicotiana -mutabilis & cranberry island (the 4-5ft kind)

Kiss me over the garden gate (last summer mine were close to 8ft)

Delphinium (all of em but especially royal blue)

annual Scabiosa (ace of spades especially)

I also love Elephant ears; mine were huge last summer & people were floored by them. I dug them up and have them in the basement so we'll see if they make it.

These are the things I can't wait for..