Each year there are countless plant varieties that are introduced to the green industry. They all look wonderful in catalogs, but we choose carefully. After a year or two on trial in our garden, we let everyone have a chance to enjoy them at home. Here are some of the recent additions to our nursery.
The Raymond Evison® series of Clematis is the result of 50 years of breeding, offering colorful flowering vines that are beautiful, very hardy and bloom a long time. Their smaller stature makes them ideal to plant near a patio to be appreciated up-close during summer months. Last year in Barb’s garden, they bloomed in June and July… and re-bloomed again in September and October! Some of our favorites: ‘Abeline’ (3-4′ h) with deep pink flowers with yellow anthers, and deep pink stripes appears as the flowers fade; ‘Crystal Fountain’ (6′ h) with double lilac blue flowers with large anthers, giving blooms a full, ruffled appearance; ‘Cezanne’ (3-4′ h), which has lavender blue flowers with a yellow center; and ‘Rebecca’ (6-8′ h) with impressive, 5-inch deep magenta-red blooms.
Golden Hops is another vine that makes quite a statement in a garden and is perfect for beer lovers and home brewers. Easily grown in a full sun location, it quickly covers an arbor with bright chartreuse foliage. Its vigorous growth may require regular cutting back for maintenance. Hops are ready to be harvested in the fall, dried and used in home brewing.
Looking for something to delight your senses from spring to frost? We’ve got two easy-care, long-blooming roses with wonderfully fragrant flowers. Miracle Sensation Shrub Rose has delightful, single pink flowers, while Milwaukee’s Calatrava Rose bears pure white, double flowers fading to pink. Both grow 3-4 feet tall.
To add pizazz between smaller perennials and large shrubs in a shade location, Bobo Dwarf Hydrangea is ideal. Small in size, growing only 3 feet tall, it’s big in presence, covered in large, cone-shaped white flowers that fade to pink. The flowers, held on strong stems, even appear to grow longer as they bloom for weeks!
Rufa Bamboo imparts a distinctive Asian feel and makes a pretty focal point by itself, or massed as a hedge. Graceful and well-behaved, clump-forming and non-invasive, it grows 4-6 feet tall, and can thrive in either sun or shade. Another plus: it stays evergreen even in winter.
Two Kousa dogwoods are not particularly new to us… but could make the perfect new addition to your garden, with their pretty flowers, beautiful horizontal branching habit and wonderful fall color. Heart Throb Dogwood offers large deep pink flowers in summer and brilliant red leaves in fall. Samzam Dogwood has clear white flowers in summer, and wavy, variegated leaves that turn burgundy in fall. Both mature to 15-20 feet tall, and require sun.
Columnar Purple Beech, with its dramatic, dark purple foliage and tight, neat upright habit, is perfect for tight spaces and screening. Slow-growing to 40 feet.
Ryusen Weeping Japanese Maple, makes a wonderful accent in a part shade garden bed, with its cascading, bright green, palm-shaped leaves that turn a vibrant orange-red in the fall. Grows to 10 feet tall.
These are just a few of the endless plants that are available in our nursery. Our landscape designers can help you create the perfect combination of plants to express your personality and tastes, while enhancing your property.
