What can you do about the very toughest weeds – the woody, aggressive plants like kudzu, scotch broom and wild blackberry, or even worse, dermatological nightmares like poison oak, poison ivy and poison sumac?

Bayer Advanced has the answer with Bayer Advanced™ Brush Killer Plus Ready-To-Use. The special penetrating formula kills the toughest brushy weeds and vines, roots and all. It can also be used to kill tree stumps. To achieve the best results, apply when weeds are fully leafed-out and actively growing. The formula will damage any plants it contacts, so follow the label instructions exactly. Contact with poison oak or poison ivy any time of the year can cause an allergic reaction. Handle dead plants with rubber gloves. Dispose of dead plants and gloves in tightly sealed garbage bags. Do not burn the debris. Simply breathing the smoke can cause a severe reaction. To kill stumps, completely cover the freshly cut stumps with undiluted product, using a paintbrush.

Plants with silver or gray foliage are superstars in the color garden. Like any superstar, they always shine on their own, but their true value comes by making other plants look better. Silver is one of the most complementary tones. It highlights soft colors like blue, pink and white, making them stand out strong where they might otherwise fade into the background. Silver also softens strong colors like red and orange, providing a smooth transition between normally combatant shades.

As you plant summer flowers this month, blend in some silver or gray plants. You'll be surprised how well superstar will play in your garden.

Among our favorite silver-foliaged plants are yarrow, artemesia 'Powis Castle,' dusty Miller, snow in summer (Cerastium tomentosum), Crete dittany (Oreganum dictamus), germander sage (Salvia chamaedryoides), lavender cotton (Santolina), lamb's ear, bush germander (Teucrium fruticans) and silver thyme.

Check plant labels or your favorite garden book for appropriate growing conditions and eventual size to see how each plant will fit in your planting site.

You can turn your summer blooms into everlasting bouquets by planting flowers that are easy to air-dry. These would include bells of Ireland, cockscomb, Edelweiss, globe amaranth, larkspur, scarlet sage and blue sage, sea lavender, statice, strawflower and yellow yarrow.

To get the best dried results, pick flowers that are in prime condition but a little on the immature side. Remove all the foliage from stems. Group the flowers into small bunches and secure with a rubber band. Hang the bunches upside down in a warm, dry, dark area, such as an attic, closet or furnace room. Avoid damp rooms or direct sunlight on the flowers. Good air circulation is very important.

Allow the flowers to dry thoroughly. This normally takes two to three weeks. If stems are weak or become brittle after drying, remove them and attach the flowers to stiff wires before arranging.