July and August are the months that test the decisions we made earlier in the spring. The heat kicks in and so does the humidity; rain may be generous, but often it is not. Still, in the face of these conditions, our customers want their garden beds to look beautiful so we turn to the reliable Titan vinca.

Our Rudbeckia in the 8-inch pot is looking very fresh—it’s just coming into bloom with a good set of buds. Year after year we see strong sales amongst the popular hirta species because the flowers are so showy. ‘Toto Rustic’ and ‘Toto Gold’ are the two best varieties because of their reliable performance and large flowers.

We are shipping four kinds of ornamental millet this summer: two tall varieties (a red leaf and a green leaf) and two not-so-tall ones (a red leaf and a green leaf as well). These four selections cover all the bases, providing height for a garden backdrop and lower-growing interest for decorative planters and the front of the garden. They’ll add form and texture to full sun areas with stately, grass-like foliage that’s colorful and dense—creating the perfect foil for other neighboring plants in the landscape.

Long-lasting arrow-shaped plumes add unmatched texture and an exotic flair to the landscape—simply stated: they’re striking. Our new Glorious series is a dwarf celosia, compact and nicely branched with larger, bushy flowers and vibrant green foliage. Both the plants and the flower plumes are notably uniform, so you can depend on this series for reliable performance all summer long.