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GARDENER'S
READING ROOM
The Art of Gardening
Trees and Shrubs
Plants of Interest for 2006
Every year we see new plant introductions - often accompanied by a media blitz. This stirs our appetite for the new and unusual. The question is, how do we know they will work for us? After more than twenty years of observing new releases, I have a certain experience separating the wheat from the chaff. Let me share with you a few of the winners I’ve spotted among this year’s releases.
Bailey Nursery introduced a remarkable development in Hydrangeas last year. ‘Endless Summer’ can be pruned in fall or spring (or even killed to the ground by cold) and still bloom profusely that summer. Now Bailey brings us ‘Blushing Bride’, which has the bloom of ‘Endless Summer’ but with a white flower. The flower fades to a pale pink or blue depending on your soil acidity. I think Bailey’s has another winner.
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Sambucus 'Black lace' |
Black plants have become increasingly popular in the last few years; they are particularly eye-catching placed among plants with silver, pale green, or lime green foliage. Proven Winners has introduced a wonderful ornamental elderberry, aptly named ‘Black Lace’. The finely textured foliage contrasts nicely with the pale pink flower heads in late spring. This is also an easy care plant. Try it in a container with Heuchera ‘Lime Ricky’.
Another Proven Winners introduction that has caught my attention is Abelia ‘Silver Anniversary’. Add up its good points: Low growing. Compact neat habit. Clean looking evergreen foliage edged with silver or cream. White flowers. Hints of pink and red in the new spring growth. Add in “easy to grow” and this one has my vote.
Next is a breeding breakthrough in Dogwoods from Rutgers University. For years we have been enjoying their Eastern/Kousa crosses such as ‘Stellar Pink’, which combine Kousa disease resistance and Eastern flowers. Now they’ve raised the bar. They’ve crossed our beloved native Pacific Dogwood with the anthracnose-resistant Kousa. What did they get? How about disease resistance, glossy dark foliage, a 6” white flower, lovely red fall color, and orange fruit? If that sounds appealing, come check out new ‘Venus’ and ‘Starlight’.
If you need a lovely small tree for a bed or container, consider another Bailey introduction, the Flowering Pear ‘Silver Ball’. This 10-12’ charmer is covered with white flowers in April/May - but what really makes it a standout is the silvery green foliage. It’s great for a cool-looking summer focus - then it lights up in the fall with a blaze of orange and yellow.
These are only a few of the new introductions we’ll carry in 2006. I wish I had room to detail them all. These advances in plant breeding keep us excited, and we’re always happy to share that with you. Keep an eye on the “What’s New” section of our website, or give us a call and ask!
By Bill Bloomfield
Skylights Spring/Summer 2006 Vol. 21, No. 2
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