For years and years I have used 1 part skim milk and 9 parts water - mixed that together and then spray away on the phlox, lilacs, roses (for black spot), asters and so forth - just anything that will get powdery mildew. Instead of going to just specific plants I just start spraying at one end of the gardens and go to the other end - hitting all the plants as I never know where the PM will strike. It is inexpensive and it works - and it has worked for me for many years. I have one phlox that I was given in the spring and I didn't treat it immediately. It (PM) zoomed thru that poor plant before you could say "phlox". I pulled off the dead leaves and sprayed down the plant and soil with the mixture and it put out new growth and is blooming beautifully. I also cut back most of my plants to make them bush out and not get so leggy (just as with mums) and they reward me with tons of blooms. Just a suggestion.

If you'd like better luck getting your plants ID's here, I'd suggest you take pix of them individually & post. From what I can see, I could make suggestions about ones that seem obvious to me, like the Tephrocactus, but it's a pain to have to point out which pot & where it is in the pic, without getting very confusing. We won't be able to give names for species without seeing the plants a bit closer. As for the Agave, there are a couple folks here who specialize in them & will probably have a better idea than I what it is. I think it could be Agave parrasana, but that species name may be outdated. Could be something else altogether. (Pix of the others, like you've done for this one would be great!)

Thanks esh! I believe you are exactly right on the second one being a japanese ligustrum. The pictures I see on the web match it exactly especially with the drupes. I have been trying to find out what it was for years as we have several in our front yard. The other one that has the slightly red leaves with the new growth is another shrub that is growing nearby. I have not witnessed any drupes, berries, or seeds on any that we have although I believe that there were some present on a much larger one that we had that had to be taken down due to size (30-40 ft tall) and location. Mostly what we have now are the "saplings" from it that I am interested in making a formal hedge with. They are about 3 feet tall now and have grown that much just over the last 4 months. The clipping in the picture is from one that is more established and currently is a shrub with a 6 foot spread and 6 foot tall and growing. I will include a picture of it as well if that will help. Thanks so much!!!

tlbean, Your hardy hibiscus seeds don't need chilling. I collected some from mine last summer of 2014, and 2013, I keep them in a paper bag over the winter in a closet. They grew good after both winters. You aren't going to have seedlings that look like the parent plant. A lot of mine were all white flowers. Personally, I don't think they are really worth growing from seed, unless you have a huge area that you want all hardy hibiscus growing. Then I would grow from seed. They get very big after a few years, just to warn you, and if mulched and fed well, they will take up quite a bit of room after a while. But I love them, and they aren't expensive to buy nice hardies at local nurseries.