AGAPANTHUS Lily of the Nile   Use as a specimen or group them together, especially attractive in containers. They do best in sun but will tolerate some shade. Long, reed-like leaves form an an attractive base from which to launch the thick, strong stems which rise well above the foliage carrying large, open clusters of funnel-shaped flowers. Bloom starts in mid to late summer and continues for many weeks. Quite tolerant of growing conditions as long as they have adequate water in spring and summer, and good drainage.  Makes a great cut flower. Zone 7. 

'Purple Cloud' NewPossibly the tallest and darkest variety with intense, blue-purple flowers on 3ft. stems in late summer. Very effective in containers, especially when a number of containers are repeated along a driveway or walkway or along the edge of any outdoor sitting area. 

AGASTACHE  Anise Hyssop   The new 'Acapulco' series has better flowering, blooms all summer, and is more compact than other Agastache. Grows to about 2' tall and retains the same deliciously fragrant foliage.  Wonderful for containers. All Agastache do well in hot, sunny conditions, and are quite drought tolerant. Zone 7.

AGASTACHE 'Acapulco ™ Salmon-Pink Bicolor'New Dazzling salmon-pink, bicolor flower spikes that blaze away all summer long in the most sun-drenched part of the garden. Hummingbirds love them' and the leaves emit such a delightful citrus aroma that it's never hard to get volunteers to weed in that part of the garden.

AGAVE americana 'Variegata' New Add architectural interest to the garden or patio with this handsome, heat loving plant. The succulent leaves are bluish green with distinctive, sharp and spiny, yellowish-white edges. Native to Mexico and requires a dry, sunny location.

ALOCASIA  Elephant Ears   These plants make a bold statement in the border with their exceptional foliage.  They also make great container specimen and even houseplants. Easy care plants but should be sheltered from wind, as stems and leaves can be quite fragile. Partial to full shade. Zone 9.

gageana 'California' New Large undulating green leaves with a prominent midrib and deep venation.  Grows up to 4ft. tall at maturity with leaves reaching 2ft. or more in size. Native of Malaysia.

'Hilo Beauty' A slower growing, smaller Alocasia with apple-green, arrowhead-shaped leaves that have showy cream and pale chartreuse markings.

ALTERNANTHERA  Joseph's Coat   Valued for its colorful foliage, this plant is easy to grow and makes an interesting companion in the border or in the mixed container. Also serves well as a houseplant. Shear back after bloom to promote neat, compact growth. Partial to full sun in humus-rich soil with abundant moisture. Zone 9.

ALTERNANTHERA 'Red Thread' This unique cultivar forms a neat mound of dark, purple-red, fine, thread-like foliage, capable of reaching 6ft. tall.

ANGELONIA  Summer Snapdragon   A prolific bloomer with excellent heat and drought tolerance. The Angelface series has been bred for larger flowers and a better, more upright branching habit. Valued as an exceptional bedding or container plant, and a great cut flower. Grows 18-24" tall. Loves full sun and moist, fertile soil with excellent drainage. Zone 9. 

angustifolia 'Angelface Blue' Gorgeous, deep violet-blue, 1" flowers.

ANISODONTEA x hypomadara Cape Mallow   Upright, multistemmed, resembling Sidalcea, bearing red -centered pink florets all summer. Great for the focal point of a container or in the border. Good cold, heat, and drought tolerance. Grows to 4' tall without pinching. Full sun. Zone 9.

ARGYRANTHEMUM  Marguerite Daisy   These daisies bloom all summer, even in the hottest weather. They make excellent container or border plants, adding a touch of grace and softness. Full sun and good drainage necessary. Zone 9.

frutescens 'Summersong™ Lavender' Lavender pompom type flowers with improved branching, stronger upright habit and a tidy, compact, mounded form.

ASCLEPIAS curassavica Beautiful, orange-red flower clusters that bloom all summer long, atop 2-4ft. stalks of attractive, lance-shaped foliage. This tropical South American native is a major source of nectar for the Monarch butterfly.

BACOPA 'Gulliver white' New Masses of white flowers that contrast nicely with the dark green foliage.  Flowers are exceptionally large for this species. Grows 6ins. tall with a somewhat spreading habit.

BEGONIA  Rex Begonia   An large genus with a great range of colors, shapes and textures of both foliage and flowers. Easy to grow in the border, in containers, and as houseplants. Partial to full shade in humus-rich, moisture-retentive soil. Zone 9.

rex 'Escargot' Silvery leaves with greenish-bronze edges spiraling towards a dark green center. 8-10" tall. Planted in a gray ceramic container and set in amongst maidenhair ferns in our deep shade border, this plant was an absolute sensation last year.

rex 'Great American Cities™ Seattle Twist'New

rex 'Hurricane Bay'

BREYNIA  Snow Bush   Small shrubs that are valued for their ornamental value. A single plant makes a great accent in the border or in mixed containers.  Average well-drained soil with abundant moisture. Full Sun. Zone 9.

BREYNIA disticha 'Snow Bush' New Very trendy "clean and crisp" looking with new leaves that are truly white. As they age, leaves become attractively variegated green and white. At 18ins. tall, it's shorter than the above selection but otherwise similar in terms of culture and design uses.

BRUGMANSIA  Angel's Trumpet   Species of Brugmansia range from small to mid-size flowering trees with llarge, fragrant, trumpet shaped, downward-facing flowers. A perfect choice for the evening garden, as the flowers begin to release their fragrance in late afternoon and continue until the following morning. Does best in humus-rich, fertile, well-drained soil in full sun. 

CALIBRACHOA  Trailing petunia   Large, petunia-like flowers, with a semi-upright, yet trailing form. Grows 6 -10" tall. Great for hanging baskets, containers, or ground cover for the summer border. Cold and heat tolerant, full sun. Zone 9.

 

'Superbells® Tickled Pink' A vigorous grower with an abundance of exceptionally large, soft pink blossoms with magenta veining and center. Blooms spring to frost. 

'Superbells® Trailing Blue' An award winner with a profusion of gorgeous, deep blue, almost purple, blossoms all season.

CLERODENDRUM myricoides 'Ugandense' Pagoda Flower New A tropical bush native to Africa where it con grow to 8ft. tall. As a seasonal plant in colder climates it grows to 4ft. bearing enchanting, clear blue, butterfly-like flowers all summer.

COLEUS (SOLENOSTEMON)  Painted Leaves   Fast growing and easy, Coleus provides an array of colorful foliage for the garden or containers. They benefit from pinching back to promote branching. Humus rich, well -drained is preferred. Sun to part shade. Zone 10

'Amazon' New Spectacularly ruffled, puckered and deeply lobed, pure chartreuse foliage, 30-36ins tall.  Pretty enough to stand alone as a specimen either in the ground or in a container, but equally beautiful in combination with other darker toned plants.

'Fishnet Stockings' Brilliant, lime-green/chartreuse foliage with deep burgundy veining creates a 'net' effect. Good heat tolerance. 24-36" tall.

 

'Frilly Milly'New Strongly toothed, spade-shaped leaves colored with a dazzling blend of red to very dark red and almost black. Lightly highlighted at the tips with green. 

'Golda'  Bright yellow to chartreuse medium to large leaves with deep venation and scalloped edges. When grown in shade, coloration intensifies. 24-36" tall. 

'Lime Ruffles'  Rich, dark green leaves with sharply contrasting yellow centers and ruffled edges. 12-18" tall. 

'The Line' New Chartreuse to golden leaves with distinct, dark red mid-ribs. Beautiful by itself, but especially effective when combined with dark leafed plants allowing its dark red mid-ribs to subtly mirror the dark tones of the surrounding plants.

'Tabsco' New This one is hot! Dark purple-red interiors with a lighter and brighter middle red ring surrounded, by dark red edges.

'Velvet Mocha' New Rich burgundy, elongated, almost lance-like, foliage with a velvety, lacy look. A very strong grower with an upright habit. It shows good tolerance to the sun and creates a nice contrast when planted with the lighter, brighter shades of summer. Growas 24-36ins. tall.

COLOCASIA esculenta 'Black Magic'Elephant Ear Huge, downward-facing, heart-shaped leaves, purplish black with complementary light purple venation. Grows 3-6ft. tall and wide and will tolerant a bit of shade.  Colocasiaa are not tempermental. They are very tolerant of soil types, impressively resilient in dryish locations, and, they provide a hugh amount of bang for the buck! When temperatures start dipping below 30 degrees, dig the plants, cut off the leaves and store them in sand or peat somewhere where temperatures don't go below freezing.

esculenta 'Illustris' New Large ornamental dark green leaves suffused with purple-black between the raised silvery veins. Needs consistent moisture.  Colocasias are great container subjects, especially so because the containers can be repositioned to areas of the garden that may need beefing up as the season wears on.

CORDYLINE terminalis 'Chocolate Queen' Dracaena New Stunning color combination with large green leaves that develop a burgundy cast, subtly variegated with cream and white, longitudinal bans that harmonize peacefully with the underlying burgundy. 18ins. tall.

CUPHEA  Mexican Heather A genus comprised of over 250 species of annual and perennial flowering plants native to warm, temperate and tropical regions of North and South America. 

llavea 'Flamenco Rhumba' A selection from the newly introduced Australian 'Flamenco' series with large, vivid red flowers and a well-branched habit. Blooms early spring through late fall. 15-18" tall. Heat tolerant, full sun. Zone 9.

DIASCIA  Twinspur   Early-blooming, compact, low-growing plants that are well suited to containers, rock gardens, or the front of the border. Prolific bloomers that require evenly moist, fertile, well-drained soil. Cut back in mid-season to extend bloom time. Grows 6-10" tall. Zone 8.

 

'Flying Colors™ Trailing Red' New A red-flowering, prolific bloomer that mixes well with white and blue flowers.

EUCOMIS comosa 'Sparkling Burgundy' Pineapple Lily New A unique variety with semi-upright, burgundy -purple flower clusters blooming July-Sept. from the center of semi-upright, rosetted foliage. The semi-glossy, strap-like leaves are a rich green color with a purple cast that darkens with the warm days of summer. Showy seed capsules follow the blooms. Grows up to 30ins. tall and 36ins. wide. Attracts Butterflies!

EUPATORIUM capillifolium 'Elegant Feather' New Tall lacy wands of foliage that rustle gently on every breeze.  4-6ft. tall. Flowers are small and insignificant, also sterile, so plants are not invasive as is the species. 

EUPHORBIA characias 'Silver Swan' New 2ft. upright stems of blue-green leaves topped with large, dome -shaped, lime-yellow flowers in summer. Full sun. Zone 6.

EUPHORBIA 'Diamond Frost' Spurge New Sprays of airy white flowers bloom all season over a network of delicate, wispy foliage, 12-18ins. high. Very heat and drought tolerant. A very charming plant, durable beyond belief, bringing a delicate airiness to any mixed planting.

EURYOPS pectinatus Golden Shrub Daisy New A large, marguerite-like plant bearing many 2in. yellow daisies all summer. Can grow 3-3ft. tall. Its a long bloomer that works well in containers and in the mixed summer border, and, makes a great houseplant during the cold winter months.

FARFUGIUM japonicum 'Aureomaculatum' Leopard Plant New Fascinating glossy leaves, 6ins. across, are dark green with gold and yellow spots painted randomly over the leaf surface. Large daisy-like flowers bloom in early summer.

FELICIA amelloides 'Santa Anita Variegated' Blue Marguerite New 15-18in. semi-woody plants with white vareigated foliage and sky blue daisies with yellow centers from late spring through early summer. Its flowers remind me of Chicory flowers, which I admire greatly but never seem to get around to collecting.

FUCHSIA A classic summer beauty that blooms all season. Lends itself to multiple uses, depending on the growth habit of the particular variety. Prefers rich, moisture-retentive soil with good drainage. A wonderful patio plant that is loved by hummingbirds. Zone 8.

 'Baby Bricat' White flowers with light pink sepals give this Fuchsia a soft, two-toned effect. An upright grower reaching 12". Needs shade from strong sunlight.

'Dark Eyes' New Displays a trailing habit with flowers that have a double row of purple corollas nestled in bright red sepals.

GYNURA aurantiaca 'Purple Passion' Purple Passion Vine New Striking, velvety leaves are coarsly toothed and covered in purple hairs. Immature plants are upright but, as they age, they succumb to the weight of their exuberant early growth and assume a more trailing habit. Tends to out grow its space in most gardens and should be cut back when it begins looking gangly. Foliage is invaluable in mixed containers. Can be kept as a house plant over the winter.

HELICHRYSUM petiolare 'Limelight' Licorice Plant New A sub-shrub that forms mounds of trailing chartreuse foliage and creamy yellow, double flowers in late summer. Wonderful in combinations to accent the colors of other plants, and cute enough to be scattered here and there across the front of the border where they may engage without screaming for attention.

HELIOTROPIUM arborescens 'Fragrant Delight' Heliotrope New Lovely violet flowers with a vanilla fragrance, blooms in summer over rich green, deeply ribbed foliage. Grows 15-18ins. tall. Don't expect the heady aroma of grandma's Heliotropes for it has been bred into oblivion in the quest for the "New and Improved". All was not lost however and todays plants retain some of that evocative fragrance.

HELIOTROPIUM arborescens 'Marine'     Fabulous dark purple vanilla scented flowers and dark green leaves. Grows 18" tall. Good for beds and containers. Heliotorpe always look better in groups and the bigger the group the better. Large drifts are spellbinding.

HELIOTROPIUM arborescens 'White' New A fabulous plant, suitable for containers or hanging baskets, will not disappoint. The luscious white flowers that cover the plant all summer long have an incredibly sweet fragrance.

IPOMEA batatas 'Black Heart' Sweet Potato Vine New Purple, almost black heart-shaped leaves on a creeping vine. Great as an annual ground cover or in hanging baskets or mixed containers.

IPOMOEA 'Sweet Caroline™ Bronze' Sweet Potato Vine   This fabulous cultivar with maple shaped leaves will add a touch of golden purple to the potted container. As vigorous as any trailing Sweet Potato vine, this new variety will give the gardener yet another choice in design and color schemes. Fast growing.

IPOMEA batatas 'Sweet Caroline™ Light Green' New Deeply lobed, bright, lime-green foliage.

IPOMEA batatas 'Sweet Caroline™ Sweet Heart™ Red' New Rich, brownish-red foliage.

IRESINE herbstii 'Chicken Gizzard Red' Bloodleaf New This spectacular foliage variety will be the talk of your summer garden or planter with its stunning foliage that has bright red venation and red coloring throughout, masking much of the green foliage. It grows 12-18ins. tall with an upright habit.

LANTANA   Lantana makes a nice ground cover for very hot dry areas with poor soil conditions. They bloom all summer long.

camara 'Bandana™ Cherry Sunrise' New Showy flower clusters ranging from yellow to pink to deep cherry. The rich, dark green foliage contrasts nicely with the brilliantly colored flowers.

camara 'Bandana™ Orange Sunrise'   Grows to 12" with large flowers of orange, yellow and peach all colors of the sunset.

camara 'Samantha' New Bright, lemon yellow flower clusters complement the unique lime-cream variegated foliage. Semi-trailing habit. Grows up to 18ins. tall.