Garden Heliotrope, Common Valeriana

At approximately 5 feet, this plant makes a statement in the garden.   Blooms July through August, and bees love the flowers.  Does not appear to be overly picky about location in our garden and is currently growing in a partly shady area which gets about 4 hours of direct sun per day.  We've had it grow in very dry conditions and very wet, so all round a pretty tough plant.  It is very hardy in our Zone 2.

It is said to be sweetly scented although I personally do not find it so.

Can be invasive, if you let it.  Having said that, I would not be without this one in the garden.  I love the yellow blooms that are so strongly enhanced by the purple centres.

Also called Speedwell.  Very easy to grow, deer and rabbit tolerant apparently, although I can not speak to the rabbit part from experience. Seems to be tolerant of many types of soils.

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This is a mix of violets in the garden.  I love violets, they are dainty, subtle wee beautiies.  No matter how mixed they are in colour, like the one shown, they are still beautiful.  

The flowers are edible and make a wonderful addition to salads.

How many common names can a single plant have?  Johnny Jump Up, heartsease, heart's ease, tickle-my-fancy, Jack-jump-up-and-kiss-me, come-and-cuddle-me, three faces in a hood, love-in-idleness, and I'm sure there are more.

Viola tricolor has a long history of being used in herbalism for many different ailments.  Worth a read on Wikipedia, fascinating that such a tiny little plant can provide so much  benefit.