DIANTHUS

MY ANNUAL DIANTHUS NEVER DIES EVEN IN THE HARSH KANSAS WINTER...(I COULD PICTURE PEOPLE FROM MINNESOTA AND NORTHERN STATES LAUGHING AT ME FOR SAYING "HARSH WINTER" IN KANSAS. I USUALLY BUY THE ANNUAL DIANTHUS BECAUSE THE GRAYISH COLOR PERENNIAL DIANTHUS COSTS LITTLE MORE.

CELOSIA

BEAUTIFUL CELOSIA ARE MY ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLANTS. THESE ANNUAL PLANTS BRING REDS, YELLOWS, ORANGES AND MORE TO YOUR GARDEN. EVEN THOUGH THESE PLANTS ARE ANNUAL THERE SEEDS CAN BE SAVED FOR NEW GROWING SEASON. THEY ARE SO EASY TO GROW. IF YOU LET THE PLANT GO TO SEEDS AND IF YOU DON'T CLEAN UP THE FLOWER BED YOU WILL HAVE ERUPTION OF SO MANY PLANTS IN THE SPRING.

NADINA

THE NADINA IN THE PICTURE ON THE RIGHT WAS GROWN FROM A SEED. NOT AN EASY PLANT TO GROW FROM SEEDS BUT THE REWARD IS THERE WHEN YOU GROW ANYTHING FROM A SEED BECAUSE YOU SEE SEEDLING SO SMALL AND DELICATE THAT WILL EVENTUALLY TURN INTO A STRONG HEALTHY PLANT. THIS PLANT IS LOOKS GREAT ON THE FRONT PORCH OR NEAR THE FRONT DOOR. THIS PLANT GIVES THE FEEL OF LIGHTNESS AND DELICATE BUT MASS AND FULL.

SEDUM

SEDUM ARE NICE PLANTS FOR BORDERS, EASY TO GROW AND FAST. IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO START A PLANT KINDA LIKE BERMUDA GRASS, BREAK OFF SMALL STEM FROM SEDUM PLANT AND STUCK IT IN THE MOIST GROUND THE STEM SHOULD START RIGHT UP INTO A NEW PLANT. I LOVE THIS PLANT BECAUSE YOU CAN MULTIPLY IT INTO MORE FULL PLANTS IN ONE GROWING PERIOD.

CANNA PLANTS

INSTANT PRIVACY WITH CANNA PLANTS, WELL MAYBE A MONTH OR TWO BUT ONCE THESE PLANTS GET GOING THEY WILL REWARD YOU WITH BEAUTIFUL BROAD LEAVES AND DELICATED TOP FLOWER PETALS. THESE PLANTS WILL GROW VIGOROUSLY SO YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CONTROLL THEM WITH DEEP EDGING OF SORT. IF YOU WANT THEM FOR NEXT GROWING SEASON YOU WILL DIG UP THE ROOTS BRING INSIDE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED WHEN THESE PLANTS ARE GROWN NEXT TO THE HOUSE THE ROOTS WILL BE OK OVER WINTER FOR NEXT SPRING BUT TO BE SAFE I USUALLY DIG UP WHAT I NEED. CANNAS ARE MOST VISUALLY OUTSTANDING WHEN GROWN IN CLOSINGLY TOGETHER.

HOSTAS

HOSTAS BEST SHADE AREA PERENNIAL PLANTS FOR THE SUMMER. LARGE, SMALL, VARIGATED LEAVES DRESS THE PLANT. HOSTAS PRODUCE BELL SHAPE PURPLE-ISH FLOWERS ON LONG STEMS IN THE FALL. DIRECT SUNSHINE IS NOT PREPERRED FOR HOSTAS, HEAT WILL CAUSE THE LEAVES WILT AND TRUN BROWN AROUND THE OUTSIDE EDGES. THE LEAVES DIE BACK IN THE WINTER BUT START UP IN THE SPRING.

Euonymus plants are best plants for the money.

My personal experience in Kansas is that Eunoymus plants are the best bang for the dollar. Eunoymus can grow to any shape you trim the plant. This plant grows to any soil condition. The best part is you can cut a tip off or branch off and stick in moist ground and it will grow a new plant...but make sure the ground is pretty much moist at all times...preferably out of the sun and clipping off the leaves so the energy would be better spent on roots.