Hot Plants for Your Garden
These award winning plants were new to garden centers. Their newness hasn't worn off...look for them again this year!
When springtime begins to spring, your first outing to the garden center is always a thrill. All the new plants are before you, and the air is rich with the scent of early bloomers and fresh humus. It makes a gardener's heart beat a little faster!
But you might feel a little overwhelmed by the many choices. And, while the throngs of gardeners run for the newest offerings, there are so many outstanding not-so-new plants that may get overlooked.
That's why we thought it would be good to revisit some past "hot new plants." Many are award winners and the most exciting and worthwhile 2006 introductions. All are widely available, both from local sources and from leading mail-order nurseries.
'Sunrise' Coneflower
Botanical name: Echinacea purpurea hybrid
What's new about it: Unique, rich coloration—citron-yellow petals and a green cone.
Flower size: 4.5"-5"
Mature plant size (height x width): 18"-24" x 24"
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9
Growing advice: Sure to be the star of your full-sun displays! Strong stems never need staking and make it a great cut flower, too.
'Perfume Deep Purple' Flowering Tobacco
All-America Selections Winner for 2006
Botanical name: Nicotiana hybrid
What's new about it: It's a new color, a rich, sultry plum-purple.
Flower size: 2"
Mature plant size (h x w): 20" x 15"-18"
USDA Hardiness Zones: Annual—can be grown anywhere
Growing advice: Full or part-day sun, decent soil. Combine it with 'Lime Green' nicotiana for a gorgeous display in a pot or the ground. Site it where you will either sit near it or pass by often, because the delicate fragrance, especially at night, is wonderful.
'Pixie Meadowbright'(tm) Coneflower
Botanical name: Echinacea purpurea hybrid
What's new about it: A true dwarf, with excellent color—pink petals, yellow cone; blue-tinted foliage. Super-productive.
Flower size: 3"-4"
Mature plant size (h x w): 18"-20" x 20"
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9
Growing advice: Shorter, denser growth habit means it can go toward the front of a flower border or in a big pot.
'Black Pearl' Hot Pepper/Ornamental Pepper
All-America Selections Winner for 2006
Botanical name: Capsicum annuum
What's new about it: Dark-leaved plant adorned with small dark fruit (that turns a sharply contrasting red when ripe). A real conversation piece!
Fruit size: Up to 3/4" (edible but fiery-hot)
Mature plant size (h x w): 18" x 12"-16"
USDA Hardiness Zones: Annual—can be grown anywhere
Growing advice: Full sun is best. Compact growth and unusual coloration make it stand out in any vegetable or herb garden, but might best be shown off in a decorative pot, alone or with some colorful annual flowers.
'Purple Haze' Carrot
All-America Selections Winner for 2006
Botanical name: Daucus carota, Imperator-type
What's new about it: Striking purple color! (Sensational as a fresh snack or in a salad; color fades if carrots are cooked.)
Mature plant size (h x w): 12"-14" x 12"-14"
Fruit size: Up to 12" long
Days to maturity: 70 days from sowing seed
Growing advice: Fertile, well-drained ground free of rocks and obstructions so the nice long carrots can grow freely and develop their sweet flavor.
'Evolution' Salvia
All-America Selections Winner for 2006
Botanical name: Salvia farinacea
What's new about it: Flowers are deep violet, not blue...a new hue.
Flower size: 6"-7" spikes
Mature plant size (h x w): 16"-24" x 16"-19"
USDA Hardiness Zones: Annual—can be grown anywhere
Growing advice: A gorgeous, medium-height addition to a sunny garden; quite drought-tolerant once established. Fertile soil is best.
'Drops of Gold' Japanese Holly
Botanical name: Ilex crenata
What's new about it: Foliage is bright gold (much superior to 'Golden Gem'). Form is as dense-growing as the species.
Mature plant size (h x w): 6'-8' x 8'-12'
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-8
Growing advice: An attention-grabbing hedge or foundation plant. Grow in full sun for brightest gold coloration.
'Supra Purple' Dianthus
All-America Selections Winner for 2006
Botanical name: Dianthus hybrid
What's new about it: Improved, rich color and heat tolerance—previous purple entries tended to bleach out in hot sun. Begins blooming a bit earlier than similar dianthus varieties, too.
Flower size: 1.5"
Mature plant size (h x w): 12" x 10"
USDA Hardiness Zones: Annual—can be grown anywhere
Growing advice: Use as a bedding plant in full sun and well-drained soil, planting groupings or ribbons in spots where you want vibrant, dependable color.
'Rainbow Sorbet'(tm) Rose
All-America Rose Selections Winner for 2006
Botanical name/type: Rosa hybrid, floribunda (cluster-flowering)
What's new about it: A lively-hued sport of the popular 'Playboy,' it's more rugged, hardier, and much more black spot-resistant.
Flower size: 3"-4"
Mature plant size (h x w): 4'-5' x 3'-4'
Growing advice: The vibrant, multihued color is ideal for tying together a multihued mixed flower bed.
'Julia Child' Rose
All-America Rose Selections Winner for 2006
Botanical name/type: Rosa hybrid, English-style floribunda (cluster-flowering)
What's new about it: Rare and wonderful combination of old-fashioned flower form, long bloom period (all summer!) and delicious licorice fragrance.
Flower size: 3.5"
Mature plant size (h x w): 3'-4' x 3'-4'
Growing advice: Neither too brassy nor too pastel, this buttery-yellow beauty brings brightness and style to any sunny garden.
'Wild Blue Yonder'(tm) Rose
All-America Rose Selections Winner for 2006
Botanical name/type: Rosa hybrid, grandiflora (taller plant; large flowers in clusters)
What's new about it: Unique new color in grandifloras—wine-purple.
Flower size: 4.5"
Mature plant size (h x w): 4'-5' x 4'-5'
Growing advice: A big, vigorous bush full of richly colored flowers that radiate a citrusy perfume—it deserves a prominent spot in full sun, with ample elbow room.
'Tahitian Sunset'(tm) Rose
All-America Rose Selections Winner for 2006
Botanical name/type: Rosa hybrid, hybrid tea (one bloom per stem).
What's new about it: Gorgeous pastel flower looks lit from within; highly productive, disease-resistant plant.
Flower size: 5"
Mature plant size (h x w): 5' x 3'-4'
Growing advice: Warm tropical hues, large flowers, strong anise perfume—site where you can savor these fabulous qualities. Full sun.
'Autumn Blush' Coreopsis
Botanical name: Coreopsis auriculata
What's new about it: Best bicolor to date (peachy yellow with cranberry-red eye); cooler weather inspires a beautiful wine-rose blush. Very floriferous, too.
Flower size: Large for a coreopsis, 1.25"
Mature plant size (h x w): 18"-20" x 18"-24"
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
Growing advice: A tremendous plant for summer-long color in a sunny
garden. Very prolific!
'Vernon Morris' Linden Viburnum
Botanical name: Viburnum dilatatum
What's new about it: Larger and more yellow berries than any previous
viburnum—something to look forward to in the late-summer/fall landscape.
Mature plant size (h x w): 8'-10' x 6'-10'
USDA Hardiness Zones: 5-7
Growing advice: Handsome specimen plant or shrub-border candidate, with glossy dark-green leaves and white springtime flowers. Fall's extravagant show of yellow berries is worth the wait!
'Zowie Yellow Flame' Zinnia
All-America Selections Winner for 2006
Botanical name: Zinnia elegans
What's new about it: Shorter than most zinnias (resembles blanket flower, Gaillardia). Also, the bicolor flower is really intense.
Flower size: 3"-4"
Mature plant size (h x w): 24"-29" x 26"-27"
USDA Hardiness Zones: Annual—can be grown anywhere
Growing advice: Best in full sun, moderately fertile soil. Compact enough to grow in containers. Terrific cut flower!
'Sunset' Coneflower
Botanical name: Echinacea purpurea hybrid
What's new about it: Stronger color, stronger plant than much-hyped
'Orange Meadowbrite.' Bright orange petals and a "henna-brown" cone.
Flower size: 4"
Mature plant size (h x w): 30" x 30"
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4-9
Growing advice: Great in full sun; allow ample space. Single stems don't need staking; splendid for bouquets.
'Pink Chablis' Lamium
Botanical name: Lamium maculatum
What's new about it: Brighter color. Really prolific—improved flowers steal the show when in bloom!
Flower size: Small clusters, individual ones 1" or less
Mature plant size (h x w): 8"-12" x 12"-24"
USDA Hardiness Zones: 6-10
Growing advice: A good, spreading ground cover for dry shade, but fine
in sun as well (also pretty in hanging baskets). Avoid overwatering; look
out for slugs and snails!
'Lemon Leigh' Lavender
Botanical name: Lavandula stoechas
What's new about it: This is a Spanish lavender in a brand-new color—yellow to chartreuse flowers!
Flower size: 1" spikes
Mature plant size (h x w): 20"-28" x 18"-36"
USDA Hardiness Zones: 7-9
Growing advice: A splendid dry-border or cottage-garden plant. Full sun and well-drained ground a must. Site where the rich, romantic scent and visiting butterflies can be appreciated.
'Tickled Pink' Spike Speedwell
Botanical name: Veronica alpina x spicata
What's new about it: Pastel pink, a new color! Also, shorter than most veronicas, so can be tucked into smaller spaces or pots.
Flower size: Long spikes, 8"-12"
Mature plant size (h x w): 8"-12" x 19"
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-8
Growing advice: Makes a lovely addition to soft-hued or cottage-garden displays. A sport of the excellent 'Goodness Grows,' it, too, blooms all summer and is durable and dependable.
2006 PERENNIAL Plant of the Year
Every year, the Perennial Plant Association, based in Hilliard, Ohio, votes for its "plant of the year." The members are experts—wholesale and retail nursery folks, professional horticulturists, leaders and lecturers in the gardening world—so their choice is always informed and interesting. Their criteria: The winner must be gorgeous, versatile in a garden, tough and adaptable. Only really exceptional plants make the cut, and only one is chosen each year. So while the plant is not, strictly speaking, brand-new, by receiving this honor, it is highlighted as an outstanding choice. And you can be sure it's widely available.
'Firewitch' Dianthus
Botanical name:Dianthus gratianopolitanus
What's special about it: Lots of upward-facing flowers with spicy clove fragrance. Hot-pink color is a fabulous contrast to the blue-tinted mat of foliage.
Flower size: 1"
Mature plant size (h x w): 7"-8" x 7"-8"
USDA Hardiness Zones: 3-9
Growing advice: Use as an edging plant or tuck into the front of a flower bed or rock garden. Also nice in a pot or planter. Best in loose, well-drained, slightly alkaline ground, in full or part-day sun. Keep it watered well for good-looking, productive plants.