We are proud that a Hosking Nursery water garden kit was featured in the June 2006 issue of Popular Mechanics. The venerable home improvement magazine published an article on the rise in popularity of water gardens and used our easy to install, affordable kit to illustrate the hottest trend in gardening. We've assembled all the components in one convenient kit- just add rocks, water, and plants. You can read Popular Mechanics' article here and see images from the photo shoot here. You can purchase the water garden kit here.

A Hosking water garden

Want to learn more about Water Gardening? Hosking Nursery holds FREE Water Gardening Seminars at the nursery several times a year.  Bill Hosking, a leading authority on water gardens heads the discussions that includes such topics as the planning, construction, and maintenance of your water garden.  Please phone the nursery at 860-274-8889 to find out when the next informative and entertaining seminar will be and to reserve your seat.  Space is limited so call soon.  Discounts on all water garden supplies will be given the day of the seminar.  We hope to see you there.
flowers at hosking nursery

Nursery Stock
Plant varieties are subject to change throughout season.

Andromeda  Also called bog rosemary this lovely plant prefers partial shade or partial sun to full sun; soil should be moist to wet.
Arborvitae  An evergreen tree or shrub from the cypress family. The arborvitae has scale like leaves that are soft to the touch, rather than prickly. Arborvitae prefers colder climates to warmer ones.
 
Azalea Flowering shrubs making up part of the genus Rhododendron. These beautiful flowers bloom all at once, in a showy display for a month or two in the spring.
 
Barberry The common name of the berberis evergreen shrub. They are popular garden shrubs, grown for their ornamental leaves, yellow flowers, and red or blue-black berries.
 
Bayberry A popular garden shrub noted for its spiral leaves and wax coated fruit. Its nitrogen fixing ability makes the bayberry well suited to low nitrogen soils.
 
Bearberry A dwarf shrub that produces tiny leaves and small red berries. A hardy plant well adapted to cold climates.
 
Beech  Any of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia, and North America. The most commonly grown ornamental beech is the European Beech that is widely cultivated in North America.
 
Birch A variety of tree related to the oak and beech. Birches occupy habitats in cool, moist regions, including peatlands, stream banks, and lakeshores.
Blue Atlas Cedar A distinctive evergreen with silvery blue to bluish-green needles. It tolerates many soil conditions, but prefers moist and well-drained soils.
 
Boxwood The common name of the slow-growing evergreen shrubs and small trees of the Buxus genus. They are particularly favored for hedges, topiary, and mazes in formal gardens.
 
Butterfly Bush  A hardy narrow branched bush noted for its lovely lilac-like flowers and for its magnetic attraction for most species of butterflies.  
 
Caryopteris A hardy, small, deciduous shrub that is native to China, Mongolia and Japan. Bluebeards, as they are commonly known, are valued for their fragrant foliage and because they bloom in late summer and autumn, the time of year that few shrubs are flowering.   
 
Cherry A very popular garden tree, beloved both for its delicious fruit and beautiful flowers. Many varieties have been developed to cope with different temperatures and soil conditions.   
 
Cotoneaster A woody shrub in the rose family similar to hawthorne. The flowers are produced in late spring, solitary or in corymbs of up to 100.
 
Crab Apple A lovely flowering tree noted for its pink flowers and tart fruit. Depending on spring temperatures, full bloom could occur as early as late April or delay until mid-May.     
 
Deutzia  A small shrub that is smothered with white or pink flowers in late spring. Deutzia is an easy shrub to grow, tolerant of a wide range of growing conditions.
 
Enkianthus  A slow-growing large shrub or small tree that produces clusters of bell-shaped flowers in spring and early summer. Flowers range from creamy white to pink to orange.
 
Euonymus The deciduous varieties are valued for their vividly colored fruits and gorgeous autumn colors. The evergreen types are valued for their handsome foliage, which is usually multicolored, as well as their tolerance to the salty sprays and winds make them ideal for coastal regions.
 
False Cypress Also known as White Cedars, these evergreen trees are suitable for growing as hedges and for lawn decoration. They are bluish-purple with a whitish bloom early in the year, but turn brown later.
 
Fir  Firs can be distinguished from other members of the pine family by their needle-like leaves, attached to the twig by a base that resembles a small suction cup, and by their erect, cylindrical cones.
 
Forsythia  A deciduous shrub related to the olive tree. They are tough, easy to grow garden plants noted for their attractive yellow flowers.
 
Heather A small shrub widely cultivated as an ornamental plant due to its adaptability, hardiness, and multicolored flowers. The flowers turn brown in the winter but can remain on the plant creating a lovely affect.
 
Holly  A flowering plant used widely in ornamental gardens, it produces bright red berries that last far into the year. Holly is extremely popular in the west as a Christmas decoration.       
 
Hydrangea A popular ornamental garden shrub that grows from 4 to 12 feet in height depending on the variety. Hydrangeas produce an amazing variety of flower colors determined by the soil’s ph content.
 
Itea A flowering deciduous shrub growing 24-30 inches tall. It is covered with pleasantly scented white flowers in early summer, dark-green foliage in summer, and becomes bright red in fall.
 
Juniper  A low maintenance evergreen shrub noted for its tolerance of full sunlight and wide range of soil conditions as well as its attractive berries.     
 
Katsura  An ornamental tree grown for its delicate leaves and bright autumn colors that include yellow, pink and orange-red. It is very sensitive to drought and needs deep, permanently moist soil.
 
Larch A conifer tree in the family Pinacaea native to cooler climates. The needles turn yellow and fall in the late autumn, leaving the trees leafless through the winter.
 
Laurel A tree that produces serrated leaves and a small black berry. It is most noted as the source of bay leaves and the laurel wreaths of ancient times.
 
Leucothoe  A low growing evergreen shrub with attractive flowers resembling lily-of-the-valley in spring. The leaves are leathery and dark green, three to six inches long.
 
Lilac A very popular shrub known for its lovely aromatic flowers. If left un-pruned it produces an abundance of blooms and grows better in slightly alkaline soils.
 
Magnolia  A beautiful flowering tree that produces large hardy blooms. Because these plants evolved before bees existed, they developed very tough flowers able to avoid damage from the beetles that pollinated them.
 
Maple A lovely collection of tree and shrub species noted for their unusual leaves and small but abundant flowers. The blooms are normally yellow, orange, or red. Maples bloom relatively early in the year.
 
Pear A perfect ornamental tree with wide-spreading, horizontal, thorny branches. Leaves are thin, dull yellow-green, shiny, pubescent underneath, some with shallow lobes near tip. Flowers are produced in several flowered clusters and are mostly pink in color.
 
Pine  Any of roughly 115 species of the coniferous plant family Pinacaea. These evergreens grow well in acid conditions and most require sandy, well drained soils.
 
Plum  A lovely tree widely cultivated for both its delicious fruit and ornamental flowers. They flower early in the year and so are vulnerable to frost. Plum trees prefer mildly acidic soil with good drainage.
 
Potentilla  Also called the buttercup shrub, potentilla is a flowering bush noted for its small white flowers. They are an excellent way to attract butterflies to any garden.
 
Red Bud  A small deciduous shrub-like tree. Besides producing tiny pink flowers the bark of the tree turns an appealing cinnamon color as the tree ages.
 
Rhododendron A large genus of over 1000 species including the azalea and most have equally fantastic flower displays as well. Rhododendrons have fibrous roots and prefer well-drained soils high in organic material.
 
Rose Any flowering shrub in the genus Rosa. They are amongst the most popular of all garden plants, beloved for its lovely flowers appealing aromas. There are more than 100 varieties of wild roses and literally thousands of cultivars.
 
Rose of Sharon  While the name sometimes applies to the crocus, in North America it is another name for the hibiscus flowering shrub. The lovely blooms are white, pink, red, or lavender.
 
Russian Cypress  An evergreen with fine, feathery, soft-green pointed needles on flattened branches. The needles turn dark blue-green in maturity.
 
Scotchbroom A popular ornamental flowering shrub noted for its small yellow or orange flowers as well as a sometime audible cracking sound when its seed pods burst open.
 
Siberian Pea Shrub  A large deciduous flowering shrub with a dense, spreading root system. It produces long stalked yellow flowers.
 
Spirea  A beautiful, hardy flowering plant whose blooms are popular additions to bridal bouquets. Most spirea plants feature long rows of tiny white flowers although they may also be purple or pink. A traditional garden favorite.
 
Spruce  Any of 35 species of the genus Picea. These evergreen trees are a very popular ornamental tree due to their quick growth while young and tolerance of a variety of soil conditions.
 
St. John's Wort A yellow flowering perennial with unusual yellow-green leaves. The leaves also exhibit translucent dots that give the plant a perforated appearance.
 
Stephanandra A dense wide spreading flowering shrub noted for a fast growth rate and curious zig-zag stem pattern. It is a  hardy plant that prefers moist, acidic soil.
 
Trumpet Vine A very fast growing flowering vine that produces an abundance of beautiful orange and red flowers. The flowers are a favorite for gardeners wishing to attract hummingbirds.
 
Weeping Cherry A flowering deciduous tree with a pronounced ‘weeping’ form. It produces an abundance of showy pink flowers. Weeping cherry trees prefer well-drained soil and full sun.
 
Wintergreen  Ground Cover with bright red berries and dark green foliage.
 
Witch Hazel A deciduous shrub that produces tiny yellow, orange, or red flowers. Witch hazel prefers evenly moist, acidic soil but can adapt to a range of soil conditions. It grows best in full sun to partial shade.
 
Yew  An evergreen tree with a stout trunk covered with red-brown, peeling bark and topped with a rounded or wide-spreading head of branches.
grasses hosking nursery

Ornamental Grasses
Blue Fescue A mound-forming, semi-evergreen perennial grass of silvery-blue hue. This hardy plant grows well in a variety of soil conditions and needs little care.
 
Dwarf Fountain The leaves are narrow and arching, and grow a seed-head that resemble bottle brushes. The overall appearance creates a lovely fountain like appearance.
 
Evergold Variegated Japanese Sedge A dense mound forming ornamental grass noted for its leathery leaves with a sunny cream-colored stripe down the center.
 
Hakonechloa A clump growing grass that produces lime green blades in shade, yellow ones with a few green stripes in full sun. It grows best in moist, well-drained soil.
 
Icalma Dwarf Pampas A clump growing long bladed grass that produces showy flower heads in mid-summer. It is a smaller version of the common pampas grass.
 
Japanese Blood Grass  A remarkably hardy ornamental grass noted for its unusual color. The blades start out a pale red early in the year growing progressively darker as the year goes on.
 
Karl Foerster Feather Reed A lovely grass with dark green, shiny foliage that appears in early spring and lasts until late fall. The flowers appear in June and are feathery and pinkish incolor, gradually turning a wheaten color.
 
Little Blue Stem  Also known as desert saltgrass, the flat, hairless leaves of this species turn bluish-green to reddish-brown at maturity. The seeds are fluffy white by the end of the growing season.
 
Morning Light Japanese Silver Grass  A clump forming plant with reed-like stems and leaves that are narrow and arch to the ground. The flower heads are puffy plumes that form in late summer to fall.
 
Zebra Grass A deciduous, clump-forming, perennial grass. It has upright or arching bluish-green leaves with pale yellowish horizontal bands across them turning Maroon-purple in autumn.
Perennial Plants Hosking Nursery

Perennials
Achillea Commonly known as Yarrow, Achillea grow large flat clusters of flowers that come in a variety of colors.  Drought resistant and fragrant, this gardening favorite can tolerate a variety of settings from full sun to shade.  Often used as landscape accents, near water gardens, in mass plantings and even in planters.  
                                                                      
Aconitum Blooms in early fall, with purple to blue flowers that resemble a monks hood - thus its common name Monkshood.  
                                                              
Aquilegia   A tradtional garden flower, Aquilegia has spurless double petaled flowers that are beloved by hummingbirds. Also known as Columbines, Aquilegia can be used in a variety of settings such as border plants, flower beds, water gardens and container plants due to their ease of care.
                                                               
Artemisia    An excellent ground cover, Artemisia is not known for its tiny white flowers but instead its full foliage which is silvery and lacy.  Enjoys full sun and good drainage, Artemisia's make a great accent plant to any garden setting.    
                                                              
Aster   Asters bloom late in the year - usually fall - and have daisy like flowers in shades of pink, red, magenta and purple.  Does better in wet areas and enjoys full sun the best.  Staking is usually needed as Asters can grow quite tall.
                                                                        
Astilbe   A favorite of gardeners, Astilbe grow dense feathery plumes in a variety of white, pink, red and purple flowers.   Shade loving, the Astilbe is also known as False Spirea.  Excellent as border plants, as ground cover or for a rock garden.
                                                                     
Calamintha   A low growing mint plant known for its oregano-minty smell and pretty white to lavender flowers.  Good drainage and raised beds are best during hot summers. 
                                                               
Campanula  A low growing spreading perennial, Campanula's flowers are bell shaped and a vibrant blue to white depending upon the variety chosen.  They need full sun but are otherwise easy to grow.  Used in any garden setting or as a container plant.
                                                           
Centaurea montana  Whispery deep blue flowers grow in long arrays on the Centaurea montana.  Called Montana Blue, they need sunny well drained soil.  Used in mass plantings, as border plants and in water garden areas, they are also known for their silvery soft foliage.
                                                
Cimicifuga   Commonly known as Black Cohosh, these moisture loving tall stalked ( 3 to 8 feet tall when in bloom) flowering plants do well as a part of a water garden landscape or on wooded lots.
 
Clematis    There are several hundred species of Clematis, their flowers come in a large variety of colors and are known for the massive blooms that can grow into the fall season.  From border to container plants, the Clematis has a variety of uses to any gardener.
                                                                 
Coreopsis   Flowers grow up to 2 1/2 inches across in yellow to orange. Easy to grow and adapts to most conditions, the Coreopsis or Tickseed as its commonly known, can be used in a variety of settings - as a border plant, in a rock garden or even near a water garden.
                                                                 
Delphinium   Flowers grow in a variety of colors, with 5 petals that grow together to form a hollow flower.  They are commonly known as Larkspur and prefer sunny areas with well drained soil.
                                                                   
Dianthus The Dianthus has blue-green grass-like foliage and 5 petaled  flowers with fringed edges.  Their flowers are usually pink to red, although one variety comes in yellow.  Dianthus prefers full sun and slightly alkaline soils.  They can be used in almost any setting.
                                                               
Dicentra    The pink to red flowers of the Dicentra are heart shaped with lacy green foliage.  Dicentra are easy to grow, prefer moist soil and shade, making them perfect as ground cover, in planters or near your water garden.
                                                                   
Digitalis  Purple to pink or white to yellow long tubular flowers grace the Digitalis  plant.  Digitalis needs a moist soil and at least partial sun making them perfect for your water garden or as an accent plant.
                                                                       
Echinacea   Known for their herbal properties, Echinacea - also known as Coneflowers - grow in a variety of pink, red, purple, yellow and white colors throughout the summer.  Echinacea is often used as a border plant, in containers or adjacent to your water garden.  Echinacea needs well drained soil and sun to grow well.  
                                                       
Echinops   Commonly known as Globe Thistles, a favorite for the back row of a flower garden their blue ball of flowers will bloom through the summer months.  Echinops attract butterflies and birds and are often used in dried flower arrangements.
                                                                    
Euphorbia polychroma   Bright foliage with variegated cream edges and poinsettia-like yellow flowers, the Euphorbia polychroma is also known as the Cushion Spurge.  Euphorbia polychroma make lovely ground cover as they grow in up to 3 foot mounds and are easy to care for.
                                          
Ferns  There are many different types of ferns which can be grown a large variety of settings.  However the best known Ferns grow in shady moist woodlands and can make lovely ground cover or when used in a planter.       
                                                            
Filipendula ulmaria     Delicate creamy-white flowers cluster close together on this tall flowering plant better known as Meadowsweet.  Filipendula ulmaria grow well in moist meadow lands and are perfect companion for a Water Garden.  The foliage is a lovely golden yellow if the flowers are discouraged.
                                                  
Gaura   Known for their butterfly like flowers the change color from white to pink through the day, the Gaura will bloom from late spring to  the first frost.  Gaura's need rich well drained soil and prefer a sunny spot but will tolerate some shade.
                                                    
Geranium 'Rozanne'     This is the true Geranium, they are easy to grow and fit well in home gardens, container gardens, flowerbeds, and even as houseplants. 
                                                
Helenium   Bearing orange to yellow daisy like flowers, Helenium do best in full sun in a well watered area.  A wonderful flower to include when desiring to attract birds and butterflies, Heleniums bloom from late summer to fall.
                                                                   
Heliopsis    A short lived pretty perennial known as Ox-Eye or False Sunflower for its appearance.  Their flowers are about 2' tall with bright yellow ray flowers surrounding a brown center.  Plant in full sun in a well drained area.
                                                                 
Helliborus   A flower that blooms during late winter and early spring, Helliborus are known as Christmas Rose.  Their flowers are white to yellow - sometimes tinged with pink and are saucer shaped.  Helliborus grow in well watered areas that have at least partial sun.
                                                              
Hemerocallis  Also known as Daylilies, these popular flowering plants grow around 3 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet across.  Daylillies produce 5 to 9 stems of 3 inch long flowers in a huge variety of colors.  Hemerocallis grow even in poor soil conditions and need little care - however they do prefer cooler climates.
Heuchera   Commonly known as Alumroot or Coral Bells, Heuchera have palmately lobed leaves that grow in one foot across mounds and their bell shaped flowers grow on stalks about 2 feet above their foliage.  They do well in in a variety of settings but prefer some shade and evenly moist soil.
 
Hosta   The most popular shade loving plant Gardeners grow is Hosta.  Grown for their beautiful foliage, Hostas typically grow in leafy clumps around 2 1/2 feet tall, with funnel shaped flowers that are usually white in color.  Hostas are grown normally as ground cover around other trees and shrubs in well watered soil.
 
Iris   These popular flowers come in hundreds of colors and variations.  Irises are known for their ease of care, they prefer full sun and well drained soil.  Irises are grown in a variety of settings from flower beds to rock gardens.
 
Lamium   Wonderful for Xeriscaping, Lamium attract bees, butterflies and birds in droves.  Lamium flowers are mauve-pink to white, hooded, ½-1" long, in whorls on short spikes.   Lamium grows well in moist soil in shady conditions.
 
Liatris   A popular summer bouquet flower, Liatris grows fluffy spikes, like a feather duster, are purple/lilac or white and blossom in late summer from the top down.  Liatris grow well in a variety of settings from wetlands to dry, and thrive even when neglected.  Liatris reach about 2 feet tall with corn like stalks.
 
Lupinus  A member of the pea family, Lupinus or lupines, grow very large, showy spikes covered with unusual pea-like florets in a large variety of colors.  Grown primarily in flower beds, these flowers love cool weather and do well in average soil conditions.
 
Monarda   These tubular flowers grow in dense profusion in the mid to late summer in a variety of colors.  Monarda is also known as Bee Balm or Bergamot. Used in flower beds and borders, Monarda is known for attracting hummingbirds.
 
Nepeta A type of mint, Nepeta is also known as Catmint, it offers attractive aromatic foliage and tiny tubular bluish-lavender flowers.  Nepeta grows up to 2 feet tall and is easy to care for.  Catnip, beloved by felines, is a member of the Nepeta family.
 
Paeonia With large fragrant flowers, the Paeonia or Peony grow in rich soil in full sun.  Peony flowers come in a variety of colors, and can bloom continuously for up to 6 to 8 weeks.
 
Papaver   A form of Poppy, Papaver flowers come in a variety of colors  creating single, double or semi-double tissue paper like petals.  Easy to grow, Poppies thrive in both full sun to partial shade and thrive in a variety of soils.  Each Papaver plant grows to about 2 feet in height.
 
Pervoskia   Known as Russian Sage, blue to purple tubular flowers bloom in late summer to autumn.  Each plant grows to about 4 feet tall and 3 feet around, both birds and butterflies love the Pervoskia's scented flowers.  An easy to grow plant, the Russian Sage tolerates poor soil very well.
 
Phlox   An old fashioned garden flower that grows in large clusters of brightly colored showy flowers.  They are wonderful in any flower garden or as a border plant, but work extremely well for the window box gardener. Phlox need good drainage but will grow in a variety of landscape settings.
 
Polemonium   These flowering plants grow to well over 3 feet in height.  With lance-shaped leaves and mostly blue flowers, they are also called Jacob's Ladder. Preferring even moisture, Polemuniom need excellent drainage and prefer shade to sun.
 
Primula   A hardy plant, the Primula, also known as Primose, has 2 major varieties: one grows well in wet soil while the other prefers rocky soil.  Primrose flowers come in a variety of colors, all are sweet smelling and bloom throughout the summer season.
 
Pulmonaria   An herb that is also known as Lungwort, with light spotted semi-evergreen leaves and pretty little blue, purple or pink flowers. Pulmonaria does well in both sun and shade, they prefer a moist soil and their blooms come early in the spring.
 
Rudbeckia   Known as coneflowers, Rudbeckia's produced yellow to orange daisy-like petals. The flowers grow in thickly rooted clumps preferring wetlands to dry. The Black-eyed Susan is the most famous member of the Rudbeckia family. 
 
Salvia   A member of the mint family, its most popular variety is the herb sage.  Ornamental varieties of Salvia produce flowers that whorl around upright spikes and come in many different colors.  Salvias are easy to grow and often a gardeners favorite flower for their beauty and wonderful smell.
 
Santolina  A wonderful edging or ground cover plant, Santolinas are also called Lavender Cotton. They are an evergreen subshrub that grow up to 2 feet tall.  If kept untrimmed, the Santolina will produce lovely showy yellow button flowers in mid-summer.
 
Saponaria   A gardeners favorite, this flowering herb is also known as Soap Wort, its pretty 5 petaled flowers come in lavender, pink or yellow and bloom and are easy to grow.  They bloom in May and June.
 
Scabiosa   They have many prolific small flowers of soft lavender blue, lilac or creamy white colour on a single head on a tall stalk in a small mound. They are nicknamed Pincushion Flower.  They are deer resistant but are loved by butterflies and birds.
 
Sedum   Known as Stone Crop or Stone Orpine, these plants come in a wide range of leaf and flower colors.  Used in a variety of ways - as border plants, ground cover, rock gardens, in planters - and as cut flowers.
 
Sempervivum   Quite frost resistant, this hardy alpine succulent is a favorite of rock gardens.  Their star shaped flowers have 8 to 16 petals and come in a variety of colors - depending on the species chosen.  They are known as Houseleeks and long ago were grown as decoration on roof tops in mountain villages.
 
Sisyrinchium   A low growing member of the iris family.  They are often mistaken as being in the grass family - thus their nickname Blue-eyed Grass.  Their flowers are white to blue with yellowish centers.  Sisyrinchiums make a love addition to any landscape surrounding your pond or rock garden.
 
Thymus serpyllum   A type of thyme plant, this variety is also called Mother of Thyme.  A hardy low growing evergreen with pretty little lilac to purple flowers. The plant gives off a minty odor when crushed, they are often used as border plants, pond bank plants, rock garden plants and with stepping stones.
 
Tiarella   Commonly known as Foam Flower, their wide heart shaped leaves are graced by creamy white delicate flowers.  Tiarella's grow best in moist to wet soil.
 
Tradescantia   With smooth bluish to silver stems, Tradescantia - also known as Spiderwort will grow lovely thick foliage as a shade plant.  If given full sun Tradescantia will blossom beautiful blue hued flowers - often blooming twice in a season.
 
Veronica   Tiny blue, pink or white flowers adorn the spikes - Veronicas grow to 1 to 3 foot mounds. 
Annual Plants

Annuals
Available early May through the end of August
Hanging Baskets are also available in May
Mums are available mid August through November
Alyssum These small plants, growing 6 to 9 inches tall, are known for their abundant flowers - most commonly white, however they come in pink, violet, purple and lavender. Alyssum's make pretty rock garden and border flowers.
                                                              
Bacopa Known for its attractive small white flowers, Bacopa's are an aquatic wetland plant that are also known as Water Hyssops. 
                                                                   
Begonia   An extremely versatile plant, Begonia's flowers come red, white, pink,or yellow - and every flower has a bright yellow center.  Begonia's are also known for their attractive leaves, they come in a large variety of types as there are over 1500 species of Begonias.
                                                                 
Browallia This shade loving annual grows in neat 12 to 18 inch tall mounds covered in purplish, blue, violet, white star-shaped flowers. Also known as star flower or sapphire flower, they need plenty of moisture and flower from spring until fall.
                                                                
Cleome  Nicknamed the Spider Flowers, their flowers are showy heads of pink, lavender and white cascading like a firework.  Cleome's grow quite tall - 3 to 6 feet high, they make wonderful border or background plants.
 
Coleus  Known for its colorful leaves, the Coleus thrives in bright sunshine. Both an indoor and outdoor plant, they need rich soft soil and must be spaced one foot or more apart when grown outdoors.
                                                                           
Cosmos   A beginning gardeners' friend, they are quick tall growers and come in brightly colored single or double flowers which include white, pink, orange,yellow, and scarlet.  Cosmos grow well in even less than perfect soil, insects and disease are rarely a problem for this hardy flowering annual.
                                                                       
Dahlia  Extremely easy to grow, Dahlia's originally come from Mexico and are known for their pompom. flowers that ranges from small to several inches in diameter. They grow in a wide range of orange, salmon, bronze, apricot, yellow, crimson, scarlet and lavender colors in both single and double bloom.  The plant itself is one to five feet across, making them perfect for a Gardener's flowerbed.
                                                                           
Dracena Dark green, upright blades make this plant an excellent centerpiece in container plantings. Used as an accent piece to be grown with a variety of flowering plants in both hanging plants and containers.
                                                                  
Dusty Miller Grown for it's fern-like silvery-gray foliage. Dusty Miller makes wonderful border and edging plants, offering a contrast to the colorful flowers in your garden.
                                                          
Gerber Daisy  Actually a member of the sunflower family, these flowers come in yellow, orange, white, pink or red colors.  Used as a decorative garden plant or as cut flowers.
                                                                 
Geranium Known for their large bright blooms, these flowers are easy to grow and are used in a variety of settings, they grow well with other flowers.
 
Impatiens  A shade loving flower thats also known as  "Touch-Me-Not's" and "Snapweed" due to their easily bursting seeds.  Wonderful as an indoor or outdoor plant, Impatiens come in a wide variety of colors.
 
Licorice Vine  Not the source of licorice, but a  great hanging basket plant. They come in lemon, silver/white, silver green, and grey foliage.
 
Lobelia These cool weather flowers will bloom all the way to frost. The Lobelia's most popular color is blue however they come in a variety of colors.  Used primarily as border edging, along creek beds, in containers, or in windowsill planters. They look great in hanging baskets, too.
 
Marigold  Known for its pungent insect - repelling odor, the marigold comes in white, yellow, orange, red and mixed colors.  They are easy to grow and quite prolific.
 
Pansy They are both popular and fun to grow.  A rainbow of colors to choose from, these flowers are among the first to bloom and prefer cool climates.
 
Petunia Produce bright and colorful funnel shaped flowers in a variety of shades.  Easy to grow, enjoy full sun and rich soil.
 
Potato Vine   These flowers have a scientific name of Solanum jasminoides Paxton - they originate from South America.  Their flowers are bluish-white or purple, star-shaped, and grow to one inch across.
 
Salvia   There are over 700 species of Salvia flowers so flower enthusiasts have a large choice of colors to choose from with this bushy plant.  Sage is a type of Salvia...and many Salvia are known for their fragrant leaves - be they fresh or dried.
 
Snapdragon  The snapdragon known for their "dragon face" petals, these lovely cutting flowers come from the Mediterranean.  Their flowers are long lasting and come in a wide range of hues in such colors as white, yellow, purple, crimson, bronze, and pink.
 
Verbena  A  fragrant old fashioned flower, this flower comes in a large variety of colors.  Small but lush, the Verbena x hybrida are bushy plants that can be used as ground cover, in window boxes, flower beds, and containers.
Zinnia   An easy to grow flower that comes in a variety of colors: orange, pink, red, white, and yellow. Their scientific name is Zinnia elegans.