Last year for the first time I gardened in raised beds at a community garden and concentrated on growing annuals and herbs. Prior to that I lived on a small urban lot and the emphasis had been on trees, shrubs and perennials.

Which annuals or herbs have you grown that fit the tall splashy description? The approach to this garden is a long one and I discovered that gardening on what would have felt like a grand scale on my urban lot is perfect here. My repeats for next year will be:

African Blue Basil...a gorgeous multi-branched mound 3 feet by 2 ft with airy spikes of small purple buds.

Salvia 'Victoria Blue'...nonstop airy spikes of purple.

Sunflowers...Italian White were absolutely beautiful to see from near and far. They had a 4 foot upright branching form with beautifully shaped flowers. (Moonwalker from Thompson & Morgan were sickly and ugly.)

Zinnias...tall, sturdy, violet types.

I'd like to hear about any large, bold annuals that you have grown and liked. I plan to try several more sunflowers next time around. The garden is in zone 6 in full sun with soil that has been amended over several years and is wonderful to plant in.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sara's Superb Herbs