Petite Red Imp TM Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica ‘Monimp’) is a dwarf variety of a popular, showy deciduous shrub that displays a profusion of deep crimson blossoms from summer to fall. Distinctive bark has a smooth, attractive texture. Excellent when massed in single-color plantings, or used as an individual accent. Perfect for bringing color and texture to small spaces. Thrives …

Most of us don’t think of onions as beautiful plants, but onions have some very close cousins that definitely deserve a place in your flower garden. Fast-growing ornamental alliums grow tall and have round flower heads composed of dozens of star-shaped flowers. While these plants are not edible, their leaves do have a slight onion-like scent when crushed. Ornamental alliums …

Moss rose, Portulaca grandiflora, is a drought and heat tolerant annual native to hot, dry plains in Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay. This herbaceous plant in the purslane family (Portulacaceae) is cultivated throughout the world as a garden annual for its showy flowers that bloom all summer long with little care. It is related to the weed purslane (P. oleracea), …

Big super-duper double pom-poms of peachy-apricot, 4-5” across, are densely stacked all around the stalk for maximum impact. So beautiful! Imagine these next to a garden gate or low fence or standing tall mid to back of bed. Cottage garden nirvana! To 6-8’ and branching. Biennial, they’ll bloom the first season if planted in Spring in temperate climates like ours. …

This too-pretty-to-be-a-snapdragon offers the most gorgeous rosy pink flowers imaginable. Rising to an awesome 3′ tall and smothered in bee and hummer loving flowers all spring & summer, these are snaps to make you swoon. Each of the fully double 1” flowers exudes a pleasing fragrance, making them a great cut flower to catch a sweetheart’s eye or nose. Outside, …

Begonia ‘Picotee Sunburst’ is a begonia of classic elegance. It is a summer flower with large, rich blossoms that are a definite showstopper. The blooms are a bright yellow with crimson-red tips, and can be up to 6 inches across. The petals are delicately pleated and stand out against the foliage of deep green leaves. The plant is a semi-ruffled …

Everything about this colorful mallow is perfect, from the dramatic wine-red splashes on pale pink petals, to its drought tolerance and its ready ability to self-seed. Add in that it’s one of the host plants for the Painted Lady butterfly and blooms nonstop from mid-summer to late fall and you have one of nature’s wonder plants. This hollyhock relative first …

This one-of-a-kind Calendula has a neat trick. Yellow flower buds open to reveal white flowers whose backsides are also a butter yellow. The effect is mirage-like, with the 3” white flowers having a shimmering yellow reverse. Large, dark (occasionally white) centers add a vivid contrast to the double rows of silky petals. Highly sought after by bees and butterflies. Quickly …

Gentian blue flowers are the calling card for this vigorous, sun-loving ground cover. Plants first form a 3-6” high mat of soft, dark-green foliage and then come late spring, a parade of intense, dark blue, 1/2” star-shaped flowers. Each of the 5 petals has a darker rib, accentuating its starburst shape. When smothered in flowers, there’s no blue-flowering ground cover …

Dinnerplate dahlias are near the top of the WOW! flowers list and this lovely Cafe au Lait is no exception. Showcasing eye-catching, huge flowers (10” wide) and dense with petals (formal decorative form), these flowers range in color from pale peach to a creamy beige. Whiter towards the outsides, the color intensifies towards the center. An imposing specimen, this dahlia …