Lilies: Plant three to five bulbs together in a clump for a sensational show, or fill big flower pots with lilies and summer annuals. Many varieties are fragrant.
Dahlias: These are the brightest colors in the summer garden. Stake the tall varieties; smaller dahlias have been hybridized specially for window boxes.
Cannas: The tallest, boldest foliage in the garden. The flowers are hummingbird magnets.
Calla Lilies: Grow your own bouquet: the creamy white flowers are extraordinarily elegant, but many other colors are available.
Caladiums: Its magnificently variegated leaves, in white, green and shades of pink, give shady gardens a touch of tropical class.
Elephant Ears: Great big leaves are especially fun for kids. If you have a lot of them, you can use the leaves as placemats for garden parties.
Ismene: Charming sweetly fragrant Peruvian Daffodil, or Spider Lily, is great for smaller containers. May be grown indoors like an amaryllis.
Tuberose: Deliciously fragrant funnel-shaped white flowers are superb for cutting. Easy to grow indoors or out.
Gladiolus: Elegant flower spikes make fabulous cut flowers in a vibrant range of colors.
Tuberous Begonias: The silky-petaled flowers are as ruffled as a cowgirl's petticoat. Great for hanging baskets.