| Roses |
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Rosa ‘Ausbreeze’ Wisely 2008
Best Rose for Landscaping 2009 at Concurs Internacional de Roses in Barcelona, Spain. Soft pink petals are shallowly cupped, forming a delicately beautiful rosette. The fruity fragrance of Wisely 2008 is reminiscent of raspberries and tea. This shrub rose grows to 5 feet tall. Zones 5 to 9. Source: David Austin Roses, 800-328-8893, www.davidaustinroses.com.
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Rosa ‘Baiage’ Como Park
An ideal choice for beginning gardeners, this easy-to-grow shrub rose is packed with bright red double blooms. Disease-free foliage also offers hints of red. Named for a historic park in St. Paul, Minn., this hardy beauty is part of the Easy Elegance series and grows 30 inches tall. Zones 4 to 7. Source: See store locator at www.baileynurseries.com
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Rosa ‘Meisweetdom’ Sweet Drift
Abundant soft-pink double flowers top the glossy green foliage of this disease-resistant rose. Like other roses in the Drift series, this is a cross between full-size ground cover roses and miniatures, making it a superior choice for borders and planters. Grows to 18 inches tall. Zones 5 to 9. Source: See store locator at www.conrad-pyle.com.
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Rosa ‘Radcancan’ Cancan
Cancan, a hardy climber from Bill Radler, breeder of the popular ‘Knock Out’ rose, offers up captivating semi-double blooms with creamy white centers and petal colors ranging from deep magenta-red to light pink. Hardy and disease resistant. Grown on its own root. Zones 5 to 9. Source: Jung Seed Company, 800-297-3123, www.jungseed.com.
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Rosa ‘Witharoma’ Secret’s Out!
Unlike the original ‘Secret’ rose, this hybrid tea offers no hint of pink on its snow-white petals. Hardy and disease resistant, this fragrant rose makes a stunning addition to beds and bouquets. Grows to 36 to 48 inches tall with flowers 4 to 6 inches across. Zones 6 to 9. Source: Edmund’s Roses, www.edmundsroses.com.
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Perennials
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Euphorbia x martinii ‘Ascot Rainbow’
Selected by an Australian hybridizer for its variegated foliage and flowers (technically, bracts), ‘Ascot Rainbow’ grows 20 inches tall with a similar spread. Gray-green foliage with a yellow edge and center vein is at times brushed with hints of red or pink. Clusters of variegated bracts in shades of cream, lime, and green appear in spring. Zones 5 to 9. Source: Local garden centers; see retail locator at www.perennialresource.com.
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Gaillardia x grandiflora ‘Mesa’ Mesa Yellow
This long-lasting, drought-tolerant blanket flower in great in containers or gardens beds. Golden yellow flowers on 16- to 18-inch stems attract bees and butterflies starting in early spring. All-America Selections winner for 2010. Zones 5 to 9. Source: See store locator at www.ballhort.com.
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Lavandula angustifolia ‘Thumbelina Leigh’
This dwarf English lavender was selected from a cross between two older varieties: ‘Hidcote’ and ‘Munstead.’ Compact size and prolific dark blue and lavender flowers give this plant its wow factor. Grows to 12 to 15 inches tall. Zones 5 to 10. Source: High Country Gardens, 800-925-9387, www.highcountrygardens.com.
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Monarda didyma ‘Purple Rooster’
Behold, a mildew-free bee balm that never requires staking. Given its name by David Nedveck of The Flower Factory in Stoughton, Wisconsin (because he really likes roosters), ‘Purple Rooster’ has stunning, deep purple flowers and grows 3 feet tall. Zones 4 to 9. Source: Local garden centers; see retail locator at www.perennialresource.com.
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Penstemon ‘Prairie Twilight’
Blooms of Bressingham introduces this pretty bearded tongue, which is noteworthy for its beauty and its ability to withstand tough winters. Pink flowers with white tips and throats appear atop sturdy 22-inch stems in the spring and last and last. Looks good paired with ornamental grasses. Zones 4 to 9. Source: Local garden centers; see retail locator at www.bobna.com.
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Stachys ‘Pink Cotton Candy’
This new betony sage produces showy pink flowers atop long green stems that grow 24 inches tall. Tidy clumps of leaves look good even after blooms are gone. Zones 4 to 8. Source: Klehm’s Song Sparrow Farm & Nursery, 800-553-3715, www.songsparrow.com |
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| Annuals |
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Coreopsis ‘Mango Punch’
Long-lasting petals of mango-orange with a hint of red make this plant a standout in any sunny garden. Its mounding form works particularly well in borders and containers and in mass plantings in beds. Cut back for continuous bloom. Grows 12 inches tall with an 18-inch spread. See store locator for retail and mail order sources at www.terranovanurseries.com.
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Eschscholzia californica ‘Copper Pot’
These cheery, coppery-red blooms are much more eye-catching than the orangey California poppy shades we’re all used to. An excellent choice for borders or containers, these attractive flowers are clustered atop bushy mounds of green, feathery foliage. Drought tolerant. Source: Thompson & Morgan, 800-274-7333, www.tmseeds.com.
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Lobularia Snow Princess
This vigorous grower is no ordinary alyssum. Tough-as-nails Snow Princess loves heat and blooms continuously for months—it does wonders for hanging baskets, and turns heads when combined with petunias or coleus in beds and containers. Long-blooming flowers smell intensely of honey. Source: See store locator at www.provenwinners.com.
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Petunia x hybrida ‘Rhythm & Blues’
Spectacular blue flowers with a delicate white rim make a colorful display all season long. The mounded, spreading habit of this stunning annual make it a perfect choice for hanging baskets and containers. Grows 8 to 12 inches tall. Source: See store locator at www.ballhort.com. |
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Viola wittrockiana ‘Viva La Violet’
Part of the new Mammoth series of large-flowered pansies, ‘Viva La Violet’ boasts showy, flat flowers up to 2½ inches across for maximum visual impact. A vigorous spreader in warm climates. Plants grow 6 to 8 inches tall. Source: Goldsmith Seeds, www.goldsmithseeds.com.
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Edibles
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Lettuce ‘Skyphos’
A dark red butterhead lettuce, ‘Skyphos’ tolerates heat well, so it can be grown as a spring, summer, or fall crop. Sweet, tender leaves are perfect for salads or sandwiches. Heads are 6 to 8 inches in diameter. Harvest in 47 days. Source: Johnny’s Selected Seeds, 877-564-6697, www.johnnyseeds.com.
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Pepper ‘Naga Jolokia’
“¡Ay, caramba!” This chili pepper is officially recognized as the world’s hottest by the Guinness Book of World Records: a little more than 1 million Scoville Heat Units. Orange-red fruits grow 2 to 2½ inches long. Staking is required. Harvest 150 days after planting seed. Source: Thompson & Morgan, 800-274-7333, www.tmseeds.com.
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Pepper ‘Padron’
In the Galicia region of Spain, these peppers are used to make a delicious tapas or appetizer. Pick them small and sauté in a bit of olive oil for a superb snack. Vigorous plants bear early and keep on giving through most of the season. Start seeds indoors. Harvest 80 to 85 days from transplanting. Source: Renee’s Garden, 888-880-7288, www.reneesgarden.com
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Plum ‘Lydecker’ Black Ice
A cross between cherry plums and conventional Japanese dessert plums, Black Ice is exceptionally winter hardy and early ripening, making it a great choice for northern gardeners who want to grow fruit. Compact growth makes it easy to manage. Requires a pollinator (Toka or La Crescent). Zones 3 to 8. Source: Jung Seed Company, 800-297-3123, www.jungseed.com. |
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Radish ‘Rover’
Say goodbye to radishes that get bitter and misshapen once the summer heat really gets going. This new hybrid stays round and delicious all summer long! Enjoy high yields and particularly uniform plants. The plant’s red roots offer a rich flavor with a bit of a nip. Harvest in 28 days. Source: Jung Seed Company, 800-297-3123, www.jungseed.com.
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Shrubs
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Camellia sasanqua ‘Marge Miller’
Be the first on your block (heck, the first in your state) to grow a prostrate camellia. Use ‘Marge Miller’ as a gorgeous ground cover, train it as a weeping standard, or send it spilling over a stone wall. Abundant pink blooms and rich green foliage make this evergreen shrub an outstanding specimen. This fall bloomer prefers filtered sun. Zones 7 to 10. Source: See store locator at www.monrovia.com.
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Hydrangea arborescens ‘NCHA1’ Invincibelle Spirit
Yes, it’s true! This Annabelle hybrid is the first mop-head form of Hydrangea arborescens to have pink flowers. Better still, to help raise $1 million dollars for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, Proven Winners will donate $1 to BCRF for every plant sold. Zones 3 to 9. Source: see store locator at www.provenwinners.com.
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Magnolia grandiflora var. ‘STRgra’ Baby Grand
If you’ve wished you could have a magnolia but never had the space, now is your chance. Welcome this dwarf evergreen magnolia with a rounded form and large, fragrant, white flowers. An excellent addition to smaller gardens. Use as a single specimen or hedge. Grows 8 to 10 feet tall. Zones 7 to 9. See store locator at www.monrovia.com.
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Mahonia fremontii
This evergreen desert holly has characteristically holly-shaped leaves in gorgeous green-blue hues and an attractive, irregular branching structure. Mature plants offer highly fragrant yellow flowers in late spring, followed by orange-red berries (plant two or more shrubs for pollination). Grows 5 to 10 feet tall. Zones 5 to 9. Source: High Country Gardens, 800-925-9387, www.highcountrygardens.com.
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