One of the darkest Dahlias with its masses of dark velvety red flowers, almost black at their heart, Karma Choc is a remarkable Dahlia. Especially suited for cutting, it has an outstanding vase life (7-12 days). The fully double flowers, up to 4-6 in. wide (10-15 cm) rise atop dark, sturdy stems and are not top-heavy. They remain standing up nice and straight even when it rains. Dahlia 'Karma Choc' belongs to the 'Karma' Collection, a series of Dahlias bred to produce exceptionally long-lasting cut flowers.

Quite compact, Dwarf Chinese Silver Grass 'Yakushima Dwarf' enjoys a small size that makes it extremely useful in the landscape. Its fine-textured foliage, which consists of arching, silvery-green leaves borne on short, upright stems, creates an exquisite fountain shape that stands out beautifully and sways gracefully in the slightest breeze. Blooming in late summer to fall, 'Yakushima Dwarf' displays long-lasting, pinky-brown plumes, which change to silvery white as they mature and provide good winter interest. Rarely flopping, it is easily grown in a dense, upright 3 ft. tall (90 cm), rounded fountain-like clump. Drought tolerant, it is attractive to birds but deer ignore it!

Award-winner Helenium 'Moerheim Beauty' is highly prized by gardeners for its extremely long blooming season and its unique and outstanding color. It features deep, rich, dark orange-red petals surrounding a prominent chocolate brown center disk rimmed with gold and covered with golden pollen that attracts butterflies. The large flowers, up to 3 in. across, are a feast for the eye! Grows up to 4 ft. tall (120 cm). Very attractive as cut flowers, it has a good resistance to most insects and diseases

Among the most fashionable Michaelmas daisies of the moment, award-winning Aster 'Little Carlow' is a lovely hybrid between Aster cordifolius and Aster novi-belgii. This attractive perennial plant produces masses of single flowers, 1 in. wide (2 cm), with lavender-blue petals and bright golden-yellow centers. Borne on soft stems, their gentle color blends with almost any other color in the garden. Healthy, 'Little Carlow' forms a dense clump of dark green leaves, which reach the ground.

Very distinctive and vigorous, Crocosmia 'Limpopo' features clumps of erect, bright green, sword-shaped leaves and striking sprays of large, wide-open, coral flowers, 3 in. across (6cm), with a contrasting sunny-yellow throat. Borne on dark bronze stems, they bloom from mid through late summer and provide a glowing floral display.

A vibrant player in the landscape for the length of the growing season, award-winning Physocarpus opulifolius 'Diabolo' is a stunning purple-leaved ninebark cultivar with an exquisite fountain shape and incredibly decorative exfoliating bark. Profuse creamy-white flowers, delicately pink-tinged, appear in dense, rounded clusters in late spring before they give way to drooping clusters of red fruit in fall. They contrast beautifully with the interesting maple-like foliage of deep purple, rounded, lobed leaves which may fade to green in hot summer climates or partial shade. Hidden by the foliage during the growing season, the bark is revealed in all its splendor later in the season, peeling in multiple strips to display layers of reddish to light brown inner bark, providing winter interest.

Noted for its deep bronze foliage and showy flower spikes, Ricinus communis 'Carmencita' (Caster Oil plant) is a fast-growing, tender shrub that adds interest and drama to the sunny garden. This new variety features large, shiny, dark bronze-red, palmately lobed leaves, resembling maple leaves. In mid to late summer, clusters of bright red female flowers give way to eye-catching, scarlet, spiny seed pods. Grown as an annual in temperate climates, this Castor Oil plant will grow much taller in warm winter areas. All parts of this plant are toxic if eaten, and the foliage may affect skin allergies, so take care with children and pets.

Noted for its intense red flowers, Salvia microphylla 'Red Velvet' is a tender perennial Salvia that will reward you with masses of exceptionally large, brilliant red velvety flowers, beautifully contrasting with their dark chocolate stems and calyxes. Enjoying a long blooming season, from early summer to frost, they rise above a handsome bush of glossy, rounded rich green foliage. The very attractive flower stalks are of great aesthetic appeal in beds or borders and attract scores of butterflies, hummingbirds, and beneficial insects.

Grown for its cheerful bright flowers and abundant blooming, Calendula officinalis (Pot Marigold) is a fast-growing annual or biennial plant that commands attention in any landscape and rewards you with weeks of blooms, from late spring until the first frosts. Borne in succession, the vibrant blooms provide not only a splash of color in the summer garden, but they are edible and may be added fresh or dried to soups, salads, or rice dishes for both color and flavor.