Agapanthus 'Northern Star'
Finally! An Agapanthus we can plant in East Coast gardens! Ordinarily, the genus is too tender to overwinter in the soil but 'Northern Star' is different. Yes,the look is classic, with globes of dark blue star-shaped flowers sitting on tall stems in midsummer; however, the plant itself is hardy up to Zone 6. That includes Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, downstate New York, and most of Pennsylvania. A British development, this cultivar has taken hold in Europe. Now we bring it over for American audiences. An important detail: it’s rabbit and deer resistant.
On the left is 'Lavender Bubbles', an Allium that blooms on the heels of the extremely popular 'Millenium'. When you plant the two together, 'Lavender Bubbles' doubles the blooming season of full stand. Since this is an ornamental onion, rabbits and deer steer clear. It’s good for dry gardens that rely on natural rain.
On the right is 'Blue Glow', popular in the floral trade for its distinctive pale blue globes and reputation as a high quality cut-and-dry flower. As it turns out, the plant is an exemplary garden citizen, blooming midsummer above surprisingly soft thistle-like foliage. We recommend this highly xeric variety for waterwise plantings.
Polemonium 'Golden Feathers'
Polemonium ‘Golden Feathers’ has several outstanding features, most notably the bright golden yellow color, especially very early on when it's cool. More green creeps in as the leaves age, but the center remains golden through the season. Under the hood are two other important features: stable variegation and sun performance. Yellow striping remains on the plant year after year, and it thrives in full sun so it’s especially successful in Southern gardens. Summer heat tolerance is surprisingly good, even in Alabama.
Echinacea CARA MIA 'Yellow'
Within the pom-style coneflowers, the best yellow belongs to Echinacea CARA MIA 'Yellow', in our opinion. The yellow is vibrant and the stem count is high, so one plant sets out a generous spread. Because the crown underneath is strong, the display lasts for a long time over the summer.
A niger-style Hellebore, 'Walberton’s Rosemary' is the most saturated pink we’ve seen in the category. This plant naturally blooms mid-winter to late spring, depending on the mildness of your winters. It’s an ideal candidate for the gift market because the flowers are sterile. Bloom count is heavy and flowers last a very long time on the plant. Another key detail: the blooms face out, not down.
An unusual cross, 'Winterbells' blends two distinct species. From the foetidus parent, the flowers are cup-shaped and nod forward. From the niger parent, the stems are cinnamon brown. The combination grows low and wide, about 15 inches by two feet. Some Hellebores want to be a groundcover, and this is one of them. It stays evergreen anywhere the snow doesn’t last long.
Festuca 'Beyond Blue'
This photo says it all. Festuca 'Beyond Blue' doesn’t suffer the summer browning or leaf tip burn that occurs in other fescues. As a crop, it stays retail prime with bright and lively foliage much longer. In the garden, the plant doesn’t fall into summer dormancy so easily. Best foliage color occurs in full sun.
Colorockz 'Coconut Crystal' is lime green and wine red, but the ratio changes through the year. At some point the deep burgundy nearly covers the plant; at other times, it shares with the lime green. A big root system means a big rosette, and also good landscape performance. Hardy to Zone 4 like all the varieties in the series.
This shade of lemon yellow-green is a rare sight among Sempervivums. Colorockz 'Lemon Flare' has it, cycling with a warm red in concentric rings on a wide rosette. The variety pups heavily, so pots are filled with alternating colors. A webbed center appears in the fall and disappears in the spring.
More than just the new.
