NA, re your plants, I haven't grown those cultivars but have grown evidently similar one. Re Echinops ritro: would also recommend Echinops ritro myself: Had no problem at all with several cultivars. Have found even great globe flower (different species), think we have 'Arctic Glow', takes up space, but is very clump-forming. Re the tree mallow (the Lavatera): only grown Kashmiri tree mallow; relatively short-lived but, in this case, gently reseeding. Very hardy here. Re the hollyhocks (Alcea): never had any success with them. Not sure why, but they're apparently short-lived but reseed themselves. No problem with invasion, by seed, with that sort of perennial to my knowledge (at least in our growing conditions). Re that heritage Anemone cultivar: have tended to avoid garden (hybrid) anemones as too prone to run. Was one already there when I put a mixed perennial garden in in 2000 (garden which I still maintain). Never succeeded in eradicating (by hand) that one well established hybrid Anemone. It's very worst behaviour was running into shrubs. However, after reading other folk on the GW Anenome 'Honorine Jobert' thread you were on, I came to change my mind about that plant. I still chop away at bits of it, but it really adds to providing flower colour at a time of the growing season when fewer attractive perennials are coming into bloom. I guess then if you're attractive enough, you can get away with a bit of misbehaviour!

Often called/mistaken for fireweed (and closely related) but most likely Epilobium ciliatum or northern willowherb. Probably one of the most prolific weeds of both gardens and containers in the PNW. Appears almost overnight and grows with the speed of light. "weeds are never those plants native to a given area" Not precisely true :-) Botanically speaking, a 'weed' is any plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth, especially one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants. Many native plants are considered weeds in more highly cultivated gardens or in areas of commercial agriculture. 'Noxious weeds' are a bit different.....they do tend to be hitchhikers or imported exotics and are true invasives. Typically they are listed as of economic concern, either in the cost of their eradication or their impact on agriculture.

I don't know how experienced you are at ragweed control, so I'll throw in my 2 cents. Work religiously to get them all removed, killed, pulled, hoed, smothered, etc. while they are small and never, ever let them get big enough to go to seed. They are common in disturbed soil, and you'll find you generally have to fight them for years, but it is a battle you can win. It took me a good 5 to 7 years to get all the common ragweed out of my garden, and there's no guarantee it won't return someday, so I keep my eyes open and if I see so much as one tiny plant sprouting, I get rid of it.

Not New England aster, though I'm not sure what it is. Any flowers or buds?