Snapdragons make excellent cutflowers and excel in beds and at the front of borders. Gardeners used to be less than enthusiastic about snapdragons as cut flowers because blossoms tended to “shatter”–drop off shortly after being fertilized by bees, but plant breeders have developed shatterproof strains. Snapdragons flourish in well-fertilized soil and full sun.

Sow seeds indoors eight weeks before the last frost. Moving seedlings outdoors as early as a the bed can be worked. They will tolerate frost. In Zones 8-10, seedlings started in a sheltered seedbed may be moved outdoors any time in the fall for winter and spring flowering. Plants should stand from 6 to 12 inches apart, depending on the size of the variety planted. Seedlings purchased from a garden center where conditions are carefully controled will usually bloom earlier than those started at home. If possible, choose rust resistant varieties. When the plants are 2 to 4 inches tall, pinch off the stem tips if shorter but more abundant flower spikes are desired. Then, as the flowers mature, use them freely for bouquets; the cutting will force plants to produce additional stems that will bloom later in the season. These plants will benefit from deadheading, which will prolong their flowering period.

Celosia does best in warm or tropical climates. Full sun is a must, and you’ll get the best results in well-drained soil enriched with compost. Start seeds indoors in spring, then transplant when the seedlings are large enough to handle and danger of frost has passed. Seeds can also be sown directly outdoors. Space tall forms 12-15 inches apart, and dwarf forms 6-8 inches apart. Keep the plants well-watered until the plants are established, then reduce to once a week unless the weather is very hot. The plants tolerate dry conditions well. You won’t need to add supplemental fertilizer if the soil has been well prepared with compost.

Plant the hibiscus by digging a hole twice the size of the root ball. Center the plant in the hole and cover. Water thoroughly to remove any air captured around the roots. Provided the soil is fertile, little or no fertilizer is needed. Mulch heavily around the base of the plant to help retain moisture, but keep the mulch approximately 3 inches from the trunk of the plant.

Prune the hibiscus during the winter to encourage growth the following year. Use a liquid insecticide soap to spray the plants for its common adversaries: ants and aphids, spider mites, white fly and mealy bugs. Should a fertilizer be needed, small amounts of a balanced blend with trace minerals should be used. The hibiscus plant should be protected from wind and ice during the winter months.

It is a drought tolerant perennial with showy spikes of red flowers beginning in late summer and fall. Zone 7. Deer tolerant too!

If pruned often, this could be a replacement for Salvia splendens or the red annual salvia. Salvia van houttei bears wine-red flowers on 3′ tall plants in late summer and fall. No matter how tall and wide it might get – a good five by five feet if not cut back every six weeks- these are jewels.  Well-amended soil and a good layer of top mulch.

Sow seeds indoors six weeks before the last frost and plant outdoors after frost danger is past as young plants are susceptible to chilling cold. They will not grow substantially until temperatures are above 50 degrees. Zinnias are one of the easier annuals to start from seeds. Sow the taller varieties in 3 inch peat pots because they resent transplanting. Alternatively, seeds can be sown directly outdoors when the soil has warmed sufficiently. Pinch the tops out of young plants when they are 4-6 inches high to make them bushy. Remove faded blossoms to keep them producing. Plants should be spaced 4 to 12 inches apart according to variety.