The last two remind me of herbs. Second to last looks like some kind of basil, and the last might be a mint... like spearmint or catnip. Easy to tell by rubbing leaves and sniffing.

Thank you FireVicar, you are very kind. Here are a few pictures. I intend to take some additional photos this weekend and post them, which will help give a better overall picture of the grounds. well it turns out that the 'creek' is actually man made, to help channel the water off the property. What I thought was a 'pond' is actually a "collection pool" (once the water rises to a certain level, it then flows out the other side, down a channel ('creek') to the neighbors property). I need to tackle the grasses, that are choking the 'creek'. Before I used my weed eater & rake, the water was hardly moving at all, now it is flowing pretty good. I have only tackled about a 1/3 of it so far. I need to know how to stop the grass from choking the flow again, as this 'creek' is essential to the drainage for most of my property. I was thinking of using river rock, to 'line' the 'bed' of the channel. I thought the river rock would allow the water to flow, while preventing the grasses from laying seed in the soil bed - would this work? Is there something else that [you] would/could suggest that we try? I know I couldnt use sand or small pebble rock, as the water would just wash it 'dowstream', into the collection pond. River rock was the only material that I thought would work.

but dont get confused with the fact that it is named after archies girlfriend ... the link below says: Although many species in the genus are used in gardens (such as V. exalta, V. incana, V. gentianoides, V. longifolia, V. perfoliata, and V. spicata),[6] this species is generally seen as a weed[7] and has no known horticultural uses. its a weed in my garden .. regardless of the color of the flowers .... ken https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veronica_persica

No it has never had leaves. Not for my friend or me. - but you helped me identify something I find in my yard sometimes :), Thanks you for the response!