As I get into the busiest season of the year in the garden, it's always a good time to reflect on plants I have that I've really grown to love and others that I regret planting.  I'm definitely still learning how to grow things, and I've made many mistakes over the years.  Before I get into my top picks (see what I did there?), I always appreciate it when gardeners share their location and gardening zone.  I am in western North Carolina, where we enjoy a quite mild climate, with a lot of rain.  Sounds like a good problem to have, right?  But we also battle mildew badly here because of our rain and humidity.  My garden sits in zone 7a. My favorites:  These plants will always have a home in my garden for a variety of reasons.  Some, because they are just so easy to grow and maintenance-free, while others were chosen for their beautiful or unique flowers. 1.  Hollyhock.  I rarely have any difficulty growing hollyhock.  Yes, this ...