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I like to grow this in a water garden. It's easy to start from seed and self seeds in the pots if I try to overwinter them.

These striking flowers will reseed readily if not deadheaded. They bloom best in cooler temperatures and low humidity. You can cut them back if they start to decline in the heat and they will rebloom later in the season, and will tolerate a light frost.

This is our first time growing this variety. I picked up one plant at a nursery to try it out while searching for hot peppers, which were in short supply that early in the spring. The tag said that the heat could vary quite a bit from medium to hot. Our first small harvest of a handful of peppers were not mouth-burners, but had a nice kick, with sort of a mildly sweet undertone that was quite tasty. Ours were about 3 to 3 1/2 inches long with medium thick walls. We put them in a chile relleno casserole, along with some poblanos. Yum! I think I will try to save some seed to plant these heirlooms again.

A short-lived perennial clumping grass that is often grown as an annual, but self-seeds readily. It prefers some moisture, but is somewhat drought tolerant. It is also tolerant of alkaline soil. It should be sited carefully and watched for aggressive naturalization, depending on conditions, as the seed heads are toxic to livestock.

A tidy, low-growing, evergreen ground cover that thrives in alkaline soil. Its attractive, glossy foliage will spread to 3 feet with little to no maintenance. It does not require shearing to look attractive.

These were pretty plants. I wasn't impressed much, though, as they never really formed a head for me. The description claimed they would form a main head, followed by side shoots. All I got was a loose cluster of shoots, followed by the occasional side shoot. There was never really anything to harvest; it was a 'snack on in the garden' thing. I don't usually do that well with broccoli in general though - our spring comes late and our summer is hot.

This variety is supposed to be pollen-free; a bonus for cut flowers and those with allergies. It is a medium height, branching type with gorgeous maroon flowers 6-8 inches across. In my garden, with a late start, the plants were about 4 feet tall and the flowers about 5-6 inches.

These should not be pruned in early spring or in the fall. It's best to cut them back by half immediately after they bloom.

Joe Pye Weed was named after a native American herbalist, who used it as a remedy to lower fever and treat typhus.

It likes rich, moist soil, and in a hot, dry climate it does best in part shade. It will grow in full sun as long as there is ample moisture. It will grow in meadows and semi-marshy areas at the woodland's edge in its natural habitat.

Once established, it will spread enthusiastically if conditions are right. The easiest time to divide is in the early spring, but it can also be divided in the fall if you cut the tall flowers back. You may need to saw the woody crowns apart.

If you cut the new growth back by about half in mid-spring, it will be a bit shorter and less likely to flop.

This amaranth is typically grown as a vegetable, rather than for its grains. The nutritious leaves can be cooked as you would spinach, and are a source of many vitamins and other nutrients. The cooked seeds are also edible, but are quite small. It is recommended to eat only organically grown leaves as chemical fertilizers, containing high levels of nitrogen, can result in excessive nitrates becoming concentrated in the leaves.

The petals of this flower can be used for a coloring agent if harvested soon after bloom and infused in oil. The ripe seeds are an excellent source of edible omega-rich oil. The colorful thistle-like bloom also makes a nice cut flower.

I was able to successfully overwinter this plant for a few years in my zone 5 garden with heavy mulching and a couple feet of snow to insulate it. The problem I had was that it's just too windy here for it, even on the lee side of the house. The leaves always ended up getting shredded and looking awful. It never attained any height to speak of in our short growing season. I decided it wasn't worth it after a few seasons.

This tree grows quite large in its native Australia, where it is considered a fire risk. It can be grown in a container and sheared to keep it small and even brought inside for the winter in colder climates. It is also grown as an annual for its highly aromatic leaves which are used to repel insects and have been used as a topical antiseptic. It can be toxic if taken internally.

It is easy to start from seed, but my attempt didn't amount to much in one summer and I didn't try to overwinter it.

These are considered a short-lived perennial. They will sometimes make it through a few winters and might reseed themselves. Sometimes treated as annuals. I've started them from seed a few times and they've never come back for me in my zone 5 garden.

This sedum blooms earlier than most - midsummer. The foliage will lose its deep purple color in rich soil, so avoid fertilizing if possible.

This pure white, tall iris is beautiful, but it flops in my garden. I've never had an iris that needed staking before, and there are way too many other chores to do, beside the fact that an iris with a stake is just not a good look. I moved it from prime real estate to the 'wild zone'. It is very tall and is good for cut flowers if you catch them before they fall down.

Some years we get tons of apples, other years, not so much. The wildlife love them - both the deer and a variety of birds, especially all the different woodpeckers. The fragrance is intoxicating when in bloom, and I love to set up my 'potting up' project in the shade of this tree in the spring. The white flowers brighten up the whole area.

Formerly 'Lavender Lace'.

In China the root is widely used as a detoxifier, and is often mixed in with other herbal remedies. Other claimed benefits: anti-inflammatory, antioxident, antibacterial, antiviral, digestive support. Has been used in cough medicines as an expectorant and in cold and flu preparations.

Side effects may include raised blood pressure, water retention, and low potassium levels. If you are thinking about consuming the roots of this plant, you should research it before doing so, especially if you have high blood pressure or heart disease.

There are a host of other herbal/medicinal uses for this root as well as additional side effects.

This single white peony has foliage that emerges bright yellow, with reddish blush, in striking contrast to the red stems. It deepens to a golden-yellow and by July, it matures to light green with yellow undertones.