Garden

Fresh Plant Picks for 2010

Local nurseries introduce a bundle of new blossoms

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Local nurseries have pulled out all the stops this spring, introducing a bundle of new blossoms to brighten our beds and balconies.

Osteospermum Impassion Copper Pink Tried & True
Just the sort of lazy daisy to keep you and the butterflies company on slow-start, sun-drenched Sundays. Osteospermum Impassion ‘Copper Pink’ from Tried & True flowers early and takes heat better than other varieties, giving you summer-long blooms. Likes well-drained soil in full sun. Excellent for containers and cuttings.

Height: 35 – 45 cm (14 – 18 in.). Annual.
Supertunia 'Pretty Much Picassos' Proven Winners
They might be pretty, but are they art? With colour combos like these, they might very well be. Just enjoy and leave philosophy for another day. Violet and chartreuse ‘Pretty Much Picassos’ from Proven Winners’ Supertunia line are vigorous growers that prefer moist to moderate soil. Grow in full sun, as a focal point in beds or in hanging baskets.

Height: 25 – 30 cm (8 – 12 in.). Annual.
Michel Trudeau Memorial Rose Adamson’s Heritage Nursery
The ‘Michel Trudeau Memorial’ rose from Adamson’s Heritage Nursery was named for Pierre and Margaret Trudeau’s son who died while skiing in Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park. Royalties benefit the Canadian Avalanche Foundation. Like other Rugosas, it’s disease-free and extremely winter hardy. What makes it special are the snow-white streaks through deep-pink petals and full-bodied, spicy aroma. Shrub; may be used as hedge. Repeat flowering.

Height: 120 cm (47 in.). Width: 90 cm (35 in.). Zone 2.
Blanket flower Burpee/Ball
The common name for this Mesa Gaillardia is blanket flower, after the brightly coloured blankets stitched by Native Americans in the southern United States where it originates. These flowers tolerate a wide variety of soil conditions, from hot/dry and hot/humid to cool/moist (in well-drained soil). It was both a 2010 All-America Selections winner and a Fleuroselect winner mainly for its ability to produce an abundance of uniform blooms on stand-up leafy stems. Great in containers.

Height: 40 – 45 cm (16 – 18 in.). Width: 50 – 55 cm (20 – 22 in.). Zone 5.
Zinnia Zahara Starlight Rose Veseys
This Zinnia Zahara® ‘Starlight Rose’ from Veseys bursts into bloom like fireworks and gives an unstoppable performance all summer long. Plant from seed after last frost. Extremely drought tolerant with superior disease resistance. An All- America Selections winner for 2010.

Height: 25 – 30 cm (10 – 12 in.). Width: 30 – 35 cm (12 – 14 in.). Annual.
Calla Lillies Van Noort Bulb Co.
These fiery red, orange and yellow Zantedeschia calla lilies come from Van Noort’s Colourful Companions line and are aptly packaged as “Summer Sunrise.” Plant bulbs directly in the ground after all risk of frost has passed. Blooms continuously from June to September. A very long-lasting cutting flower. Like most summer-flowering bulbs they are not winter hardy, so dig them up in fall and store over the winter.

Height: 45 cm (18 in.).
groundcover camelia Monrovia
The world’s first groundcover camelia, ‘Marge Miller’ sings in silky pink, cascading over garden walls, resting under trees or perched in ornamental pots. Petals are sun-sensitive so choose a spot with filtered sun or shade, or prepare to mulch and water constantly. From Monrovia.

Height: 30 cm (25 in.) Width: 1.5 m (5 ft.). Zone 7.
Donard Variety Sea Holly Breck’s
A favourite with butterflies, the ‘Donard Variety’ sea holly (Eryngium) from Breck’s has metallic-blue flowerheads surrounded by a spiky skirt of vibrant purple bracts. Stems can be cut back after flowering, but many gardeners choose to leave the modernistic seedheads untouched or create dramatic dried bouquets or arrangements for the fall table. Highly tolerant of heat and resistant to drought. Prefers full sun.

Height: 30 – 60 cm (12 – 24 in.). Zone 3.
Lesley-Anne hybrid rose Select Roses
Named for the chairperson of the World Rose Show held in Vancouver last year, ‘Lesley-Anne’ is the first-ever Canadian-hybridized climbing mini-flora. From Select Roses, this cultivar is disease resistant, easy to grow and ideal for containers. Good cutting flowers about 7.5 cm (3 in.) across.

Height: 1.8 m (6 ft.). Width: 60 cm (2 ft.) . Zone 5 (or 4 with snow cover).
Vancouver Clematis Clearview
Clematis collectors will be interested in the new addition to Clearview’s specialty Vancouver line: ‘Danielle,’ a cross of ‘Violet Charm’ and ‘The President.’ Vigorous, disease resistant and a vibrant purple-blue with a bar. Large 12 – 18 cm (5 – 7 in.) flowers on a compact plant. Blooms May/June, then again in September. Excellent in smaller gardens or containers.

Height: 1.5 – 2 m (5 – 7 ft.). Width: 0.5 – 1.2 m (2 – 4 ft.). Zone 4 .
Vanilla Strawberry hydrangea Bailey Nurseries
Reminiscent of ice-cream cones and country picnics, the new ‘Vanilla Strawberry’ hydrangea is a sweet addition to your garden. Featuring big blooms that start out creamy vanilla before ripening to a very deep red, with colour lasting three to four weeks. New flowers give white and red colour from summer through fall.

Height: 15 – 18 cm (6 – 7 in.). Width: 10 – 13 cm (4 – 5 in.). Zone 4 .
Wild sweet pea West Coast Seeds
Couldn’t you picture these shining yellow baubles carelessly shaking off a week of rain in your summer garden? A wild sweet pea variety from Cental Asia, Lathyrus chloranthus blossoms continually if kept picked. Grow in a warm and sheltered spot. From West Coast Seeds.

Height: 2.5 m (8.2 in.). Annual.