Name:  Ipomoea alba – aka moonflower Type of Plant: In colder zones this is an annual vine, but one that can grow ten feet or taller in one summer. The heart shaped leaves are lovely in the early summer, and in late summer the large, round, slightly fragrant flowers...

I was looking through my photos yesterday and came across this, taken outside The Green Corner Store in Little Rock, AK. It occured to me that this is a great inspiration for a garden or patio bench! Recycle old porch seating, that top of a vintage office chair, the...

Name:  Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’ aka Jeana garden phlox. Type of Plant: A tall perennial phlox known for a LONG flowering period and wonderful (dare I say spectacular?) mildew resistance. Why I Love This: I love this perennial not only because it flowers for two months...

Name:  Gomphocarpus physocarpus aka fur balls, hairy balls or balloon plant….not to be confused with balloon flower which is a whole other plant. Type of Plant: This pretty plant is a tall annual in the northeast and as a member of the dogbane family (Apocynaceae)...

Name:  Vigna unguiculata -  aka yard long bean or red noodle bean. Type of Plant: This is a legume similar to a green bean although it is actually a related to the cowpea. It is known as the yardlong bean, bora, bodi, long-podded cowpea, asparagus bean, pea bean,...

Name:  Phytolacca Americana – AKA pokeweed Type of Plant: I think this might be the first weed I’ve featured as a plant that I love. Pokeweed is a North American native plant, a large growing perennial with poisonous berries and roots. It's hard to get rid of and the...

Name:  Hydrangea paniculata ‘Ilvobo’ aka Bobo® Type of Plant: A dwarf version of the bone-hardy (zones 3-8) Hydrangea paniculata. Why I Love This: So many people love Hydrangeas in foundation plantings, flower gardens or pots, but many of them get too large. Bobo...

Name:  Ocimum kilimandscharicum x basilicum pupureum AKA (thankfully) African Blue Basil Type of Plant: A dark foliaged basil that is both ornamental and culinary, with clove-like overtones in the taste. Because it doesn't go to seed you don’t have to pinch off the...

Name:  Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’ aka Japanese forest grass or yellow hakon grass Type of Plant: A low-growing perennial grass for part-shade. Hardy in zones 4-9 Why I Love This: I love low-growing grass because it forms thick clumps that out-compete the weeds. It’s...

Name:  Hosta ‘Wheee’ Type of Plant: An unusual, variegated Hosta that stays low and adds texture to the shade garden. Why I Love This: I value a low-growing Hosta because they grow thickly and choke out weeds. Many people don't think about low Hostas as a ground...