What plants or veggies surprised you in the best way this year?

I planted hollyhocks, (a bit too close, BTW, mites eeeeek) and the pepto bismal pink one has been sending up 5 foot flower stalks for 4 months. They are some of the nicest cut flowers I've had.

I'll remember in the future to keep them 6 feet apart so the mites stay at a dull roar, but the soldier bugs showed up and kicked some butt, which was nice to see!

The purple pansies bloomed for about 6 months total. I cut them back when I usually take them out, and they just kept on blooming. They were originally in the lettuce bed, and that changed to the pole bean bed.

My find for the season is Burpee's Spicy Saber Basil, which not only has an incredible flavor equal to genovese, but also grows as well in pots as in the ground, and was the longest ever to go without bolting. While only 12-16" tall, it is very bushy, and produces more leaves than I can use in half the number of plants it would take with genovese (which I also had growing, and it got leggy and bolted in the usual time, though still good, as always). I am going to try it indoors this winter - I have not had great luck with basil indoors, as it tends to get leggy, without many leaves, but this one grew well in the shade in windowbox pots around my deck, so I have my hopes up...

I have also rooted a cutting of it - a 3 leaf cutting got roots in only 10 days, and in 20 days is a bushy 5 inches tall, under flourescent lights.

Dave

Last fall I bought a distressed plant at Lowe's. It was basically a stick with a couple of green leaves at the base. No plant tag. It was only 75 cents so I bought it. It turned out to be a false sunflower which was really pretty this summer. Nice surprise.

My red petunias planted by the garden gate that survived a summer of drought, weeds (our extended "vacation"), and total neglect, and are out there blooming like champs. Somewhat leggy, but they survived a MS summer in full sun without attention.

My over-40 lb. Jubilee watermelons. Also thriving despite said neglect. And they are still setting fruit. I think I may be saving some seed. Not the Moon and Stars I'd ideally like to be growing, but they're not fussy, and a good performer here.

My sweet potatoes. I dug them up this weekend. Probably earlier than I should have. I probably got 50 (?) pounds out of 5 plants (haven't weighed them yet).
- I have no idea if that is a good yield or not, but I'm satisfied with my first try at them.

My best surprise for 2006 would have to be the mum that is in full bloom right now.

I vaguely remember putting a potted mum in that spot last fall. This spring I noticed the plant coming up, but didn't remember what color it would be or anything. It's now in full bloom and the flowers are the most gorgeous deep red with yellow centers. Not bad for something that must have been on clearance.

Another very nice surprise was the gift of two angel trumpet plants from an elderly gentleman down the road. They pretty well cooked all summer in the spot where I put them, but when we got that September rain, they burst into bloom and were quite a show for a few days.

my best garden surprise was Mr. Toad I met one morning.