Not all of these plants are unusual, says master gardener Paul James, "but to my mind, they're all cool." The first is the 'Mariesii' viburnum, hardy to USDA Zone 5 (
figure A). The branches of 'Mariesii' grow horizontally, an unusual trait among shrubs, and as a result, its flowers almost seem to float. Like all viburnums, this beauty needs a fair amount of afternoon shade in the South, but the farther north you go, the more sun it can handle. It also needs a fairly rich, slightly acidic soil that drains well.
A relatively new and exciting ornamental grass is a fescue called 'Golden Toupee' (figure B). "I haven't had time to plant this newcomer," says James, "but when I do, I'll put it in a spot that gets full sun to partial shade--whether it's in the ground or in a container." Hardy to Zone 5, 'Golden Toupee' will grow eight to 12 inches tall.
Equally interesting is Jack-in-the-pulpit, or Arisaema triphyllum (figure C). This Zone 4 native is easy to grow in a woodland shade garden where the soil is rich and moist. It's sure to spark a conversation.
"Finally, I wanted to show you this plant (figure D). It doesn't look like anything special, but it is special to me." James grows this coffee plant as a houseplant during fall and winter months and as a patio plant during the rest of the year. "And believe it or not, in time it should flower and produce enough berries or beans to produce a cup of coffee. Of course, I'm talking about a really tiny cup of coffee."
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