It's definitely not verbena bonariensis, since that self seeds like mad all over my garden and I'd recognize that! I looked online at verbena rigida, and it does look like that, but we are in zone 5 and v. rigida is only supposed to be hardy to zone 8. She has had this for 3 years against the foundation, so perhaps it has found a small microclimate to protect it. Thanks!!

Oh wow -- mine are going crazy with blooms and I'm in a slightly colder zone. Good drainage is all that I can think of, too. Is there some critter tunneling in your garden and creating air pockets under the soil? That's the only other thing that I can think of besides staying too wet for too long. You may want to look into finding the perennial heliotrope (it is lavender color instead of deep purple) to see if you have better luck with that as it has a similar appearance. It blooms all summer. Heliotropium amplexicaule 'Azure Skies' is the variety that I'm growing and was an Athens Select, so the trials were down your way. It grows a LONG taproot. It is nothing like the fragrant, annual heliotrope. In my photo below, the camera made it "read" a little blue (maybe because of the platycoden and geraniums), rather than the lavender color. Cameron

My faves...... *Nicotiana alata (common evening flowering white) *Datura inoxia *Matthiola incana (started blooming in 90+ degree temps!) *Clarkia elegans (Clarkia amoena does not have a fragrance) *Lilac *Blue Elderberry (Sambucus mexicana).....Native to Eastern WA. I'm scoping out seeds around the corner from me...empty lot. It's a matter of getting them before the birds do though LOL! They are still in flower and smells soooo heavenly :O *Common Milkweed (give it it's own area!) I've been yanking out runners this year 15' away from the mother plant...runners didn't start until year 4! *Phlox paniculata As far as foul smelling: *Pelargonium x hortorum *Ginkgo biloba....steer clear of females; their fruit are extremely foul smelling!! *Ligustrum obtusifolium (Privet) *Juniper (I think it smells of cat urine) Of course most herbs, however there is no smell until leaves or flowers(of some) are crushed,rubbed, etc. Some people think Catmint smells like cat urine. Not sure which Nepeta they have, but mine sure smells much more pleasant than that LOL!

Hi again, If you are interested in some of my seeds, please give me your trade list and your email address so that I can contact you. I am not interested in SASE. I donate most of my extra seeds to my "Seeds for Classrooms" program that I arranged with the local school board and schools (6,000 pkg a couple months ago). Other extra "useful" vegetable and herb seeds get donated to disaster relief organizations. Hope to hear from you about your seeds for zone 3 hardy and interesting perennials and shrubs. Happy Gardening