Common name:Purple Coneflower
Botanical name:Echinacea purpurea

The Purple Coneflower is a long-lived, reliable standby for the perennial garden. Rosy purple petals fall below the prominent orange-tinged cone and blooms in late June to September. It should be placed toward the front or middle of the border, or interplanted with Ox-Eye Daisy in the cut flower garden. It should be grown in fertile, well-drained soil. The plant blooms well in shade, but does even better in sun.

Common name:Catmint
Botanical name:Nepeta X faassenii

Nepeta faassenii makes soft, gray green, undulating mounds that are 1.5' high when blooming. The small leaves are attractive to cats. This perennial has lavender blue flowers in late spring and early summer.

Common name:Crape Myrtle
Botanical name:Lagerstroemia indica

The new leaves of this species are 2" long, bright green, and tinged with bronze. Some cultivars have spectacular fall color. When it has a bare outline, its rounded seed capsules add interest. Its delicate flowers bloom in 6"-12" long clusters. The flower colors could be shades of red, rose, pink, purple, and white, blooming in summer. It thrives on heat, and new cultivars have been created that resist mildew. This tree prefers full sun and has low watering needs once it's established.

Common name:Early Sunrise Coreopsis
Botanical name:Coreopsis grandiflora 'Early Sunrise'

The 'Early Sunrise' is a wonderful cultivar and showy, southern U.S. native. Golden yellow, double flowers on 18" tall bushy plants bloom from June to September in full sun and average to dry soils. It's a bit shorter than other cultivars. It makes for good cut flowers, and pruning keeps the plants abundant with blooms.

Common name:Petunia
Botanical name:Petunia X hybrida

This plant will grow 1'-3' tall and has medium-sized green leaves with multi-colored flowers that bloom in spring and summer.

Common name:Iceberg Floribunda Rose
Botanical name:Rosa 'Iceberg'

This is a shrub rose (there are climbing varieties) with an abundance of fragrant, medium sized, white blooms. It is one of the most popular roses and very tough.