I have the same "tree" in the ditch as the original picture in this post and I think the leaves look sumac-like. The hogweed has fern-like leaves. Based on that, what do y'all think we have here with the Queen-Ann_lace flowers and Sumac-like leaves?

I don't know, but I will be interested when you find out. The fruit looks like some kind of magnolia fruit. But the tree is wrong. The tree looks and sounds like it just might have been a pawpaw, but the fruit is wrong. I hope someone knows.... I will be interested.

Missouri Plants may not be of much help since he only has a page for Solidago altissima. Many authorities consider S. altissima to be a variety of S. canadensis (var. scabra), one of the differences being that S. altissima has grayish leaves and a uniformly hairy stem (as opposed to the lower half being mostly smooth in typical S. canadensis). The leaves of S. altissima also tend to have only a few shallow teeth or no teeth, unlike the plant in the picture. Another possibility is S. gigantea, which has mostly smooth and somewhat waxy stems below the inflorescence. More pictures of the whole plant, stem, and inflorescence might be useful.

1) Purple Allium - I don't know the variety. It is a bulb. the foliage is probably buried under the rest of the "stuff" in that garden. Definitely an interesting looking flower - I find that people love them or hate them. I'm not particularly fond of them, but they do add color to the garden this time of year. 2) Irises - yes they are supposed to look like that. Personally I think they look gorgeous - irises are my favorite flower! 3) Columbine. The flowers do tend to look toward the ground. Not a weed. They do self seed - though may have difficulty self seeding with competition from all that other foliage. 4) I'm blanking on the name - maybe star of bethlehem or mayflower. Grows from a bulb. You could always dig them up and put them where you want them. 5) Wild plantain. Weed. Will be killed with any broadleaf herbicide. They "flower" - send up a green spiky thing. IMO - one of the ugliest "flowers" in the world! http://www.altnature.com/gallery/plantain.htm I will happily take any of these flowers from you if you decide to do away with them.