MPost said:

This is a shrub about 6 feet tall, and quite spindly (perhaps because it's
being crowded out by another bush). The dried flower/seed head is from
last year, and it's just starting to bud out this spring...quite late compared to
everything else in my yard.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/PhotoVie...13258108&photo
id=46594678108

Does this die back to the ground? Or does it regrow on wood above
ground? The seed pod looks to be either a rose mallow (Hibiscus
moscheutos) if it dies back to the ground or rose of sharon (Hibicus
syriacus) in the other case. Either are usually slow to sprout out in
the spring.

rose of sharon (includes photo of seed pods):
http://www.hiltonpond.org/ThisWeek040622.html

rose mallow (includes photo of seed pod):
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/6707.html/


This is a perennial that is about 2 feet tall, also not very full. I think
this is because it gets almost no sun. Flowers are nice, but I only get 3-4
on this plant.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/PhotoVie...258108&photoid
=76594678108&&refreshkey=1117491036860

This is some member of the Composite family. (It would help to have
a picture of the leaves.) This could be a doubled Rudbeckia ("Golden glow")
or a double Coreopsis, but I lean toward "Golden Glow." (I discount Dahlia
as Dahlia's aren't winter hardy in cold-winter areas.)

Golden glow:
http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/65950/

--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)