I have had good luck with the Sombrero Salsa Red Coneflower for two years now, not long enough to really endorse it, but I do really like the bright red color and it was loaded with blooms this year. Still, it can't compete with the old purple coneflowers that just bloom and bloom for such a long period.
I have crape myrtles directly under my huge power lines, and so far they have never messed with them, but this year the things have grown like mad, so I wouldn't be surprised if when they come around trimming this year they don't cut them. They are inside my fence so that may be one thing that has protected them I think, I do have four or five outside the fence but only a couple of them have grown very tall.
