Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Euphorbia marginata

Family: (Euphorbiaceae)

(A) to 3′. Snow-on-the-Mountain. A prairie native found growing wild from Dakota to Texas. Small, white flowers in clustered heads with large, long-lasting, petal-like bracts and oval, light green upper foliage striped and margined to almost all white. The oval to pointed, oblong, lower leaves are sparse but an attractive greyish green. Best planted in loose drifts or directly sown in garden beds where it will add a cool, soothing palette to the summer border. Sun. Well-drained soil. 4 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Verbena bonariensis

Family: (Verbenaceae)

(A/TP) to 5′.  South American Vervain.  A great “see-through” plant for the flower border.  Bristly, dark green, stiff stems have a few, three-inch long, clasping, lanceolate leaves.  Numerous, small, rosy purple, tufted flowers cluster in flat-topped cymes.  Blooms all summer.  Gently self-sows when happy.  Sun.  3 & T2, cover and keep dark.

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): Hibiscus trionum

Family: (Malvaceae)

(A) to 2′.  Flower-of-an-Hour.  East Mediterranean.  Cup-like, two-inch, creamy yellow, five-petalled flowers with dark burgundy centres and orange stamens.  Inflated, translucent, five-sectioned seed pods with purple veins persist.  Simply beautiful.  Sun.  3 & T2

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Artemisia annua

Family: (Asteraceae)

(A) to 5′. Sweet Annie. Southeast Europe. Fast growing with finely cut, aromatic, bright green foliage bearing lots of loose clusters of tiny, yellow flowers in late summer. Makes a great temporary screen or hedge. Adds a nice touch to dried arrangements. Self-sows readily. Sun. 3 & T1

Scientific Name (Genus/Species): Impatiens balfourii

Family: (Balsaminaceae)

(A) to 5′. A lovely Himalayan Touch-Me-Not. Hooded, white flowers are flushed pink and display an inflated, elongated, incurving honey spur. The spurred sepal and connate anthers capping the stigma are unique. Seed capsules explode at a touch and self-sow readily. Carefree. Flowers all summer. Sun/partial shade. 3 & T1

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): Impatiens glandulifera ‘Alba’

Family: (Balsaminaceae)

(A) to 7′. A Himalayan native with cool white flowers with short spurs on a many-branched, succulent plant. Long, spear-shaped leaves are sharply serrate. Tall, choice and beautiful. Moist soil. Self-sower. Partial shade. 3 & T1

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): Lunaria annua ‘Rosemary Verey’

Family: (Brassicaceae)

(B) to 3′. A rare variety of the Honesty or Money Plant with deep purple, irregularly marked and margined heart-shaped leaves which are topped with branching stems of four-petalled, bright purple-magenta flowers. The unique purple, papery seed cases are an added delight and great in dried arrangements. Spring. Sun/partial shade. 3 & T1