Extremely drought tolerant, Feathertop Grass (Pennisetum villosum) is among the most beautiful and graceful ornamental grasses with its large, fluffy, bright white flower plumes cascading down the light green foliage that rustles in the wind. While a perennial grass, it is tender and often grown as an annual. Self-seeder, it will multiply if you do not cut off the flowers before the seeds ripen in the fall

Thriving in the summer heat, Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia rotundifolia) is a warm weather annual featuring showy daisy flowers, up to 3 in. across (7 cm), in shades of brilliant orange and yellow from midsummer until fall. Very attractive and eye-catching, with abundant and joyful blossoms for weeks, this vigorous annual plant creates a striking visual impact in the garden. Fairly pest-free and low maintenance, add this charming and graceful plant to the landscape, and you will be rewarded with an army of butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other pollinators and beneficial insects.

Adding vertical interest and delicate airiness to the perennial border, Cleome hassleriana 'Violet Queen' is a fast-growing annual plant with dramatic huge, loose balls, 5-6 in. across (12-15 cm) of sweetly fragrant, rich violet flowers with fascinating long stamens that protrude out, giving them a spider-like look. They rise above a handsome foliage of aromatic, palmate green leaves with a spine at the base of each leaf. The attractive blooms are followed by thin seed pods that will split open before dispersing the seed within. Blooming over a reasonably long period, from early summer until frost, Spider Flower remains attractive in the cold season thanks to its dried flower heads, which will be visited in fall by birds that feed on the seeds.

Zinnia 'Benary's Giant Bright Pink' features rounded, fully double flowers packed with clear pink petals and opening up to 6 in. across (15 cm). As the flower matures, a circle of small golden stars surrounds its center disk. Resembling dahlias, they are borne on very long, sturdy stems and make a big statement in the landscape.

Zinnia 'Benary's Giant Lilac' features rounded, fully double flowers packed with lilac petals and opening up to 6 in. across (15 cm). As the flower matures, a circle of small golden stars surrounds its center disk. Resembling dahlias, they are borne on very long, sturdy stems and make a big statement in the landscape.

Often mistaken for dill, Foeniculum vulgare 'Rubrum' is an upright, branching perennial herb with feathery, finely divided, aromatic, bronze leaves and large, flat umbels of tiny golden yellow flowers, borne on tall hollow stems. Blooming in mid to late summer, the flowers are very attractive to butterflies and give way to aromatic, gray-brown seeds. As an ornamental plant, Foeniculum vulgare is a stunning perennial, providing height and graceful airiness to the border. Anise-scented, all parts of this aromatic plant (foliage, seeds) also have a long history of cultivation for culinary purposes.