(Summer Squash, Yellow Crookneck Summer Squash)

Cultivated for centuries by native populations of North America, summer squash ‘Yellow Crookneck’ remains a popular favorite in the United States. The bumpy, bottle-shaped fruits of this classic heirloom are bent at the neck, and have glossy, golden-yellow skin surrounding firm, delicious, buttery flesh. They are best picked and eaten when very young and tender, and are ready for harvest approximately 65 days from sowing.

Like many summer squash, ‘Yellow Crookneck’ is a member of the New World...

(Summer Squash)

The distinctively patterned, yellow and green fruits of this F1 hybrid squash are also notable for their firm texture and delicious nutty flavor. The slender, club-shaped fruits are mostly yellow, but each has a pale green tip that appears "hand-dipped." This productive variety forms big, bushy, open plants which grow from seed to harvest in about 54 days. The fruits are best when 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) long, and will be produced from summer to fall if regularly harvested.

Like most summer...

(Large-fruited Mix Gourd, Ornamental Gourd)

Seed mixtures sold under this name yield a crop of large decorative "gourds" in a wide variety of shapes and colors. Numerous cultivars from several species of Cucurbita (including C. pepo) are typically included.

Most "gourd" seed mixtures contain cultivars of Cucurbita pepo, C. moschata, C. maxima, Lagenaria siceraria, and other members of the squash family (the Cucurbitaceae). These warm-season, trailing or...

(Ornamental Gourd, Small Formula Mix Gourd)

Seed mixtures sold under this name yield a crop of small decorative "gourds" in a wide variety of shapes and colors. Numerous cultivars from several species of Cucurbita (including C. pepo) are typically included.

Most "gourd" seed mixtures contain cultivars of Cucurbita pepo, C. moschata, C. maxima, Lagenaria siceraria, and other members of the squash family (the Cucurbitaceae). These warm-season, trailing or...

(Cumin)

Mexican and Indian foods are renowned for their flavors of cumin, but surprisingly this annual herb originates from North Africa along the Mediterranean, most specifically Egypt. It is a fast-growing but short-lived plant that completes its life cycle in only three or four months. Cumin may be grown during the frost-free times of year when temperatures are comfortably cool, such as spring or fall. The cumin spice is the dried fruit and the seeds, which are typically ground.

An upright plant...

(Firefly Cigar Flower, Hybrid Cigar Plant)

The fiery flowers of this low semi-evergreen subshrub continue from spring to frost, or year-round in frost-free sites. Perennial in mild climates, it is often used as an annual in areas where it is not winter-hardy.

The upright to lax, nearly knee-high stems of ‘Firefly' are hairy, glandular and sticky to the touch, as are its whorls of medium- to dark-green leaves. Loose clusters of bright cherry-red flowers appear at the stem tips in mild weather. Each bloom has five ruffled, flaring segments...

(Candycorn Flower, Candycorn Plant)

Candycorn plant is a fantastic drought-tolerant tender perennial with flowers sure to strike up a conversation or smile. Native to Mexico and parts of Guatemala, it appreciates heat, sunshine and well-drained soils. This plant will grow waist-high with its barely arching stems with pretty orange-red flowers that are tipped in yellow. Yes, the flowers will remind you of candy corn! Flowering occurs throughout the warm months in tropical climes, but is more early fall blooming when the plant must regrow...

(Arizona Cypress)

A tough tree with feathery needles and interesting cones and furrowed bark, Arizona cypress is a tall, columnar, evergreen that originates from the American Southwest. Drought tolerant and sun-loving, this tree has soft, handsome green to gray-green scale-like foliage that is mildly fragrant when crushed. The female cones are round and prickly and are pretty in contrast with the needles.

Grow Arizona cypress in full to partial sun and well-drained soil that is not too heavy; amend clay with grit...

(Arizona Cypress)

The Arizona cypress is an upright evergreen conifer tree with branches of soft gray or blue-green foliage. The undersides of the scaley leaves are covered in white resin glands. Small, prickled, round cones add seasonal interest as does the smooth reddish bark.

A sunny dry location is needed to grow Arizona cypress and it is not a particularly good choice for climates with humidity and wet summers. Best used as large plant screens or windbreaks inland or near the coast, cultivars 'Carolina Sapphire',...

(Arizona Cypress)

Named for the silvery blue color of its foliage, Blue Ice Arizona cypress is a slow-growing, conical evergreen conifer native to the southwestern United States but adaptable to slightly damper climates. The tiny, scale-like, clasping leaves are densely arranged on finely divided branchlets, giving the tree a feathery texture. Small reddish brown cones and smooth mahogany bark add to the year-round display. Cultivar 'Blue Ice' was a chance seedling discovered in a garden in New Zealand in 1960. It...