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Inevitably, you’ll get this question —if you haven’t gotten it already: “You say it’s a good plant, but do you grow it yourself?” For many customers, that is the litmus test, whether the salesperson is just trying to make a sale or really believes in what he or she is selling.
This month, our editorial staff shares thoughts on 12 plants we really believe in—enough so that we’ve spent time digging, watering and nurturing these dozen dandies. Oh, and enjoying, too. Yeah, enjoying is definitely part of the process.
Sarah Martinez
Managing Editor
Texas Certified Nursery Professional
1. Coreopsis Coloropsis ‘Jive’
Skagit Gardens, www.skagitgardens.com
Kicking off my list is a cheery perennial that gets big points for tenacity. ‘Jive’ went directly in my garden as two small grower plugs. (Yeah. Not a stellar idea. But it was a busy weekend when the plants arrived.) Even with the odds stacked against it, ‘Jive’ thrived in the heat and grew exponentially. This tickseed’s single white flowers have a burgundy eye with orange center, and really pop in the garden.
2. Echinacea ‘Raspberry Truffle’
Plants Nouveau, www.plantsnouveau.com
I picked up this decadent treat at Garden Writers Association’s Annual Symposium last September. It established itself well despite the stifling Texas heat and humidity. ‘Raspberry Truffle’ continued to flower profusely until a hard freeze nipped it in December. I can’t wait to see how it performs this year. ‘Raspberry Truffle’ is a short, sturdy new selection with salmon-pink blooms on chocolate stems.
3. Helianthus x multiflorus ‘Sunshine Daydream’
North Creek Nurseries, www.northcreeknurseries.com
‘Sunshine Daydream’ brightened up my garden last year with its completely double yellow flowers and deep-green foliage. The plants are tall and sturdy. I was pleased that they didn’t flop over as they gained height. The butterflies loved this plant, which was a source of endless delight for my daughters.
4. Hemigraphis ‘Blackberry Waffle’
Hort Couture, www.hortcoutureplants.com
‘Blackberry Waffle’ elicited a “What is that?!” response from all my neighbors. (It’s fun to wow them with something unusual.) This plant’s colorful foliage also provided interesting texture for the garden. I planted ‘Blackberry Waffle’ in mixed containers and in a mixed-annual border. For me, it performed better in the bed, where it had more room to spread, mound and show off its unique attributes.
5. Hibiscus ‘Cranberry Crush’
6. Hibiscus ‘Summer Storm’
Walters Gardens, www.waltersgardens.com
You know you’ve got winning plants on your hands when complete strangers knock on your door to find out what you’re growing. This is precisely what happened to me when ‘Cranberry Crush’ and ‘Summer Storm’ burst into bloom. ‘Cranberry Crush’ wows folks with deep, scarlet-red, 7- to 8-inch flowers with heavily overlapping petals. ‘Summer Storm’ produces 8-inch pink flowers with rose veining and a deep-magenta eye.
7. Leucanthemum Daisy May
Proven Winners, www.provenwinners.com
Hooray for Daisy May! This was another beauty that drew butterflies like a magnet. It has all the perky qualities I love in a shasta daisy—pretty white flowers with bright yellow centers coupled with sturdy, dark-green stems/foliage. My 7-year-old made deadheading this plant her personal responsibility. So we enjoyed Daisy May throughout the summer and fall.
8. Snow-N-Summer Asiatic jasmine
Garden Debut, www.gardendebut.com
Snow-N-Summer is on my must-have list for this spring. I saw this beauty at Garden Writers Association Symposium last September, and fell in love. The new foliage emerges in delicate pink and white, shading to a rich-green summer color. According to the culture sheet I grabbed at the GWA event, the best foliage color is produced in part-sun to bright, dappled shade. I’m not sure where I’m going to put it yet, but I’m determined to get some Snow-N-Summer in my garden for 2011.
Yale Youngblood
Editor/Chief plant-hole digger
at Youngblood Manor
9. Double Take flowering quince
Proven Winners ColorChoice, www.colorchoiceplants.com
This great plant has a lot going for it, notably its thornless nature (No more pricked Yale fingers!). Also, it looks like a camellia—hence the name; people do a double take when they learn it’s a quince. Throw in a higher petal count than conventional flowering quince and that low-maintenance benefit that really appeals to today’s busy customer, and you have a (Proven) Winner!
10. Tomaccio
C. Raker and Sons, www.raker.com
Our columnist, Josh Schneider, pointed me toward this venerable veggie, which is being positioned as a “Sun-Dried Tomato.” It’s great for enthusiastic home gardeners who are interested in a little bit of “tomato fun,” as it’s a grape tomato that can be eaten fresh and is delicious. Or, you can dry it in a warm oven to be used in all manner of tomato-riffic recipes.
11. ‘Golden Celebration’ rose
David Austin Roses, www.davidaustinroses.com
The most prolific plant we’ve ever grown in our garden is David Austin Roses’ Scepter’d Isle, so when I heard the company is hyper-marketing the new ‘Golden Celebration,’ I perked up immediately. The new rose has magnificent golden-yellow blooms and is an excellent climber. Another selling point: It’s ideal for novice gardeners because it is (A) reliable, and (B) easy to grow. I definitely can (C) why you’d want to carry this new rose.
12. Bella Anna hydrangea
Endless Summer Collection, www.endlessummerblooms.com
As pink is such a big color for so many positive reasons, it stands to reason that Bella Anna, the first pink Annabelle hydrangea in the Endless Summer Collection, will be a major plant player in 2011—and not just at 5604 Trenton Drive, Watauga, Texas. Bella Anna features large, peppy pink blooms and is easy to grow – and to enjoy. Here’s to enjoying the money you make from selling this lovely Annabelle this year!
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