The Best New Garden Plants for 2022
Updated: Mar. 07, 2022Reawaken your garden with these stunning new garden plants. You'll want to plant all of these blooming beauties!
Safari Dawn South African Phlox
Jamesbrittenia hybrid, Zones 10 to 11 or annual
Consider this when you’re looking for new garden plants that have humidity and heat tolerance. This South African native displays eye-catching bicolor flowers on plants that are 6 to 12 inches tall. Give it full to part sun, well-draining soil and a trim, if needed, to encourage fuller growth.
Why we love it: No deadheading needed to keep these plants flowering from planting until frost.
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Starship Rose F1 Lobelia
Lobelia x speciosa, Zones 6 to 10
A new color addition to the Starship lobelia series, these perennials flower earlier, have a tidy habit and improved branching. Plant them in full to part sun with moist (but not wet) soil. They will grow to be 20 to 24 inches tall, with brightly colored flowers that combine nicely with both annuals and perennials in gardens or decorative containers.
Why we love it: Lobelia’s midsummer to early fall flowers are hummingbird magnets.
Luscious Citron Lantana
Lantana hybrid, Zones 9 to 11 or annual
A tolerance for heat and drought makes this easy-care lantana suitable for containers and garden beds. The large yellow flowers stand out in landscapes. These vigorous new garden plants grow 20 to 30 inches tall and wide, producing flowers all season long. It’ll last until hard frost without the need to deadhead.
Why we love it: Hummingbirds, butterflies and bees all adore it.
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Jolt Purple Interspecific Dianthus
Dianthus barbatus, Zones 7 to 11 or annual
Eye-catching color and heat tolerance make this dianthus a welcome addition to any garden or container. Grow this 16- to 20-inch-tall upright plant in full sun and well-draining soil for best results. You’ll want to grow enough to enjoy in the garden while cutting some for bouquets.
Why we love it: Jolt Purple’s blooms tend to be deer resistant and persist throughout the growing season.
Viking Explorer Rose on Green F1 Begonia
Begonia x hybrid, Zones 10 to 11 or annual
No wonder it landed on our list of the best new garden plants. Its trailing growth habit, in addition to a tolerance to heat, drought and wind, earned this begonia a 2022 All-America Selections gold medal honor. It’s perfect for hanging baskets in full to partial sun locations.
Why we love it: Don’t fret about diseases, as it’s resistant to powdery mildew, botrytis blight and anthracnose.
Soiree Flamenco Senorita Pink Vinca
Catharanthus hybrid, Zones 10 to 11 or annual
This annual vinca is sure to impress gardeners and backyard visitors alike. The ruffled petals are light pink around the edges, intensifying to dark pink at the center. It’s best grown in full to partial sun and well-draining soil.
Why we love it: These annual flowers put on quite a show in containers, hanging baskets and garden beds.
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UpTick Red Coreopsis
Coreopsis hybrida, Zones 5 to 9
Watch the flowers transition from full red in the spring to red with yellow petal tips during summer. This is the newest member of the UpTick coreopsis series, known for its tidy 12- to 14-inch mound that maintains its shape and bright coloring all summer long. Grow these new garden plants in full sun and well-draining soils.
Why we love it: This low-maintenance tickseed attracts bees and butterflies to the garden.
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Beats Purple Verbena
Verbena cultivars, annual
This durable, sun-loving verbena won’t skip a beat during hot weather—it just keeps blooming. Very compact, it grows 6 to 8 inches tall and 10 to 12 inches wide. Plant it in a shallow container to display on a tabletop, combine with other annuals in pots and hanging baskets, or place it along a garden’s edge.
Why we love it: Noted for being low maintenance, it’s also resistant to powdery mildew and water stress.
Suncredible Saturn Sunflower
Helianthus hybrid, annual
Enjoy flowers for weeks longer with this reblooming, colorful sunflower. The 4-inch flowers bloom on plants that grow up to 2½ feet tall. Each sturdy stem displays 10 to 12 flowers. No need to deadhead to keep blossoms forming, and the blooms make excellent cut flowers.
Why we love it: It’s deer resistant while also being a favorite of bees and butterflies.
Did you know that tomatoes make great sunflower companion plants?
Stand by Me Lavender Clematis
Clematis hybrid, Zones 3 to 7
Enjoy lavender bell-shaped flowers from late spring through summer. Grow in a decorative obelisk trellis or next to sturdier plants for support. The 34- to 38-inch-tall shrub prefers full to partial sun and moist, well-draining soil. Mulch the soil to keep roots cool and moist.
Why we love it: Bees and butterflies love it. Plus, it resists damage from both deer and rabbits.
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