Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Amaranthus gangeticus

Family: (Amaranthaceae)

(A) to 5′.  Elephant Amaranth.  South America, Africa.  This plant is a delightful point of interest in the flower or vegetable garden.  The tiny, congested sprays of crimson flowers form rounded, dense clusters that make up one extraordinarily shaped form, rather like an elephant’s trunk, or a pointing finger or two.  Sun.  3 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Asclepias curassavica

Family: (Apocynaceae)

(A/TP) to 4′.  Blood Flower, Bastard Pecacuanha.  A native of tropical America with cymes of 10+ small, cinnabar-red, five-petalled flowers with orange hoods.  Upright foliage has pointed, elliptic, and opposite leaves.  Blooms in late summer.  Easy from seed but we dig ours up to overwinter.  Sun.  3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Atriplex hortensis var. rubra

Family: (Amaranthaceae)

(A) to 5′.  Red Mountain Orach.  Asia, Central and South Europe, North America.  An ornamental Orach with glowing, blood red to purplish foliage.  We love the striking, lance-shaped foliage almost anywhere in the garden.  Tall, dense racemes of red-purple flowers are followed by decorative, terminal clusters of buff-coloured seeds that are wonderful too.  Gently self-sows.  Sun.  Best sown in situ or 3 & T2.

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Browallia americana

Family: (Solanaceae)

(A) to 2.5′.  Bush Violet.  Tropical South America.  One of our favourites.  Small, five-lobed, royal blue flowers are like little faces with a touch of white and black in the centre.  A multi-branched plant that blends well or stands alone.  A favourite of ours.  Sun/partial shade.  4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Bupleurum rotundifolium

Family: (Apiaceae)

(A) to 18″. A carefree border plant. The Euphorbia-like flower is neon yellow surrounded by green bracts. Glaucous foliage is similar to that of Eucalyptus. Self-sower. Sun/partial shade. 3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Dysphania botrys (syn. Chenopodium botrys)

Family: (Amaranthaceae)

(A) to 3.5′. Feather Geranium, Jerusalem Oak. Aromatic, airy green spires of miniature, oak-like, pinnately divided foliage. An adventurous plant that winds its way through neighbours and onto paths in the most delightful way. Perfect for the flower border or herb bed. Sun. 3 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Crepis rubra

Family: (Asteraceae)

(A) to 18″. Cretian Hawk’s Beard. We love this annual. Rosettes of toothed, pale green leaves with delicate flower stalks. Dandelion-esque heads one inch across are pale pink with darker centres. Adorable. Sun. 3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Cuphea viscosissima

Family: (Lythraceae)

(A) to 20″. Blue Waxweed. A North American native and one of our most revered annuals. This non-stop summer bloomer has six deep, magenta-purple petals with the upper two being the longest and a tubular green calyx covered in fine purple hairs. An easy-care annual that requires no deadheading or staking. Very sticky stems trap unsuspecting insects. Self-sows. Sun. 4 & T3

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Cynoglossum amabile ‘Mystery Rose’

Family: (Boraginaceae)

(A) to 2.5′. Chinese Forget-me-not. We love this plant. This wonderful selection is smothered in dusty pink blossoms. A joy in the border. Sun.  3, D & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Cynoglossum dioscoridis

Family: (Boraginaceae)

(B) to 2.5′. Grey foliage remains basal the first year. Discrete, rosy blooms tinged with blue culminate at stem tips. Definitely a plant for the front of the border. Sun. 3 & T2, cover and keep dark.