During those times in a year when cabin fever really begins to become a problem, you can relieve that closed in feeling by dreaming about and planning for your next garden planting. To get things started I am going to tell you about a few my favorite brand new Proven Winners® plants. These are all cultivars that will be available for the first time in the spring of 2007.
My top two new introductions are 'Flambe™ Yellow' and 'Senorita™ Rosalita.' Both of these plants are unique, new classes for Proven Winners.
'Flambe Yellow' is a Chrysocephalum with bright yellow button-like flowers on soft silvery-grey foliage. The plant is heat tolerant, drought tolerant, and it is self cleaning so it doesn't need to be deadheaded. It will tolerate many types of soil but will perform best if fertilized regularly. It is excellent as an annual landscape plant where it will be a spreader or in containers where it spills over the pot edge. This plant is SO easy and it will just keep doing its thing well into fall. 'Flambe Orange' is also quite good but if I have to choose one 'Flambe Yellow' is the choice.
'Senorita Rosalita' is a Cleome or Spider Flower. However, it is completely different from the other Spider Flowers on the market. It will grow several feet tall and 2 feet or more wide. It will flower all over the plant, all summer. It is very heat tolerant, doesn't self seed, and is often spineless. Planted in the landscape it resembles a flowering shrub although it is an annual.
We have some great new additions to existing series including the fantastic new 'Opal Innocence™' Nemesia. 'Opal Innocence' has pink to lavender-blue flowers with the color changing day to day and flower to flower. It is quite fragrant. Like all Nemesia it is best when the weather is cooler but it will also perform reasonably well in the summer.
Petunias have been around, seemingly, forever. They were revolutionized in the 90's with the first spreading Petunias. Since then hundreds of varieties have been introduced. Our 'Supertunias®' are some of the best summer garden and container performers available. Now comes 'Supertunia Raspberry Blast' which sports a unique bicolor flower. It is a spreader/trailer and works well in landscapes or pots. It will do best if fertilized regularly. I apply a slow release fertilizer when I transplant and then feed every week with Proven Winners Water Soluble Fertilizer. It doesn't need to be deadheaded to bloom all summer.
We also have 5 new 'Superbells®' varieties coming on to the market: 'Superbells Cherry Blossom,' 'Superbells Coral,' 'Superbells Tickled Pink,' 'Superbells Trailing Light Blue,' and 'Superbells Trailing Plum.'
My favorites are 'Superbells Cherry Blossom' and 'Superbells Tickled Pink.' 'Superbells Cherry Blossom' has smaller flower size than many varieties but makes up for it with shear flower number. The color is a unique, soft, cherry pink. 'Superbells Tickled Pink' on the other hand has larger than normal flower size with a pronounced dark pink eye.
If you are looking for a bit of height consider planting 'Angelface® Wedgewood Blue.' This is another heat tolerant, drought tolerant annual that shines in the landscape and in pots. It will bloom all summer. On warm afternoons, if you stoop down close, you will able to catch a hint of concord grape emanating from its foliage.
I'm running out of space but you should also look into 'Intensia® Star Brite' and 'Intensia Pink' which are heat tolerant, mildew tolerant annual Phlox. Plus one more bonus plant, check out 'JoDonna' Coleus. It has performed very well in our summer trialing program.
I hope you've enjoyed this sneak peek at some of our best new varieties.
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