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 Helleborus 'Cherry Blossom'
Persicaria ‘Pink Elephant’ is one of these newer kids on the block. Its short blue-green foliage is a complement to the graceful wands of pink flowers waving above. This fleeceflower is almost never out of bloom during the warm months. 16 inches tall by about the same width, Pink Elephant will signal for passersby to take a look at the front of the sunny border. Hellebores are taking on dramatic changes in flower form and deep color. It has taken 15 years of selection to form the new Helleborus Winter Jewels™ line. They have been hand-picked for color, form, and picotee edging. Helleborus ‘Cherry Blossom,’ one of the Winter Jewels™, blooms with abandon. A creamy white base is lightly freckled in raspberry but this is not from over-sunning. All hellebores desire shade with some moisture in humus rich soil. Cherry Blossom has the added appeal of a ruffled raspberry center called a collar. Another of the Winter Jewels™ is simply called Red . This is name enough for hellebore lovers who know that red just isn’t one of your more common hellebore colors. Red’s flowers dry naturally on the plant and, here is the best part, they keep their red color even when dry.  Hosta 'Dark Shadows'
Just when you think there cannot be another new hosta leaf of any merit or distinction, along comes a new hosta leaf color. Hosta ‘Dark Shadows’ large leaves begin blue bathed with lightening strikes of gold around the edges. So far, this is not so unusual. As the seasons progress the gold transforms to chartreuse, then the blue is suffused with green, creating aquamarine. Who knew? These are hosta leaves with a difference. Now that we have passed through the shade garden, it’s back to the sunny border with another new butterfly plant. Actually, this isn’t new at all; it’s an Arkansas native plant that is hardy all the way from zone 9 to zone 4. Vernonia lettermanii ‘Iron Butterfly’ is deemed very garden worthy by Dr. Allan Armitage of the University of Georgia. Dr. Armitage is author of many books on perennial plants for the garden and is considered an expert on the subject. Vernonia ‘Iron Butterfly’ is a late bloomer, just in time to rescue a tired summer garden from the doldrums and inject some life into the border. Life comes in more ways than fresh pink color from this plant. Butterflies, grateful for the late summer/early fall banquet, dance from flower to flower, clothing the garden in happy movement. Fall is the very best time to plant perennials in the garden. The cooler days and fall rains induce the plants to put down roots so that they are ready to take off without delay next spring. Add something new, something pink or something blue, to your garden. ---Posted by Coach Anne, June 27, 2008--- |
