Friday, August 19, 2011

How Does Your Garden Grow (Part 2)

As I ventured out into the fields, it was row after row of color.  All of the plantings were labeled with the variety, NEW if they would come out next year and EXPERIMENTAL with the type of plant and a number.

The New introduction Red Whopper Begonia is on the left in full sun!

This is Angelonia Archangel Pink
(looks more purple than pink but very full flowered)

This is an Experimental Celosia
(no name yet just a number)

Gomphrena Qis Red and Fireworks
This is a large airy spreading selection, have not seen this in the nurseries.

Experimental Hanging Begonia

Experimental Curly Parsley
(much tighter crown development)

What I am beginning to figure out is that if it is experimental it does not have a name just a number, test garden plants have names and if they work out well they are marked "New" and put on the market in the near future.  Many of their previous introductions are mixed in with all of these others so it does become confusing if you are not already acquainted with the selections.

Zinnia Zahara Double Fire is available through Burpee Seed, in fact I grew this for the south side of my home.  However, it was in very limited supply as a grown plant at the nurseries.


Veronica Atomic Blue

Spreading Salmon SunPatiens

Phlox Top Shelf Grenadine Dream
There were several phlox in the test garden already given names but this one looked the best after all the heat we have had.

There are many perennials in the test gardens but they have suffered with the intense heat we had, coneflowers were not worthy of photographing and many plantings had completely died out.

This was a great looking Butterfly Bush, no name that we could find, upright and full of flowers.  They do not deadhead at Ball, so this drove me crazy wanting to make these look even prettier than they were.  They just do not have the manpower to do this with all of their plantings.

Ninebark Ruby Spice

Hydrangea Sweet Summer
This was a wonderful looking hydrangea, smaller about three feet full with white flowers speckled with some pink tones.

Hydrangea Fire and Ice
(smaller hydrangea and most of the blooms were gone on this one, supposedly the flowerheads make stunning color changes throughout their blooming season)


Hibiscus Luna Rose
(a rounded bush type hibiscus)

Coleus Redhead Container

Cleome Container

Dicondra Groundcover With Petunias
(I have seen this groundcover in the nurseries but have never bought it, looked wonderful spilling over the rocks)

Container planting with impatiens and gold coleus in upper right corner, never have seen a coleus like this!


Wall of Coleus


I think they might be using the Woolly Pockets for the hangings on arbors and pergolas.

This is a new succulent that looked interesting called Bush Pearl.







21 comments:

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hello Eileen girl !
I love a lot of what you have shown here .. especially the hydrangea and butterfly bush .. and begonias for sun ? WOW!
I just bought two new echinaceas of the dwarf cultivars "Little Annie" and "Hot Pink Sombraro".
I hadn't heard of them before so I had to gather them in for my collection ? LOL
These tours were fantastic Eileen and yes .. I would feel like you when seeing the massive dead heading needed ? LOL
Joy

Beth said...

Eileen, I really enjoyed your two posts on Ball Nurseries. This afternoon I plan to go to the Better Homes and Gardens Test Garden, where they test new plants and do garden photography for various Meredith publications and websites. It's always fun to visit places like these. Thanks for sharing. I'm keeping an eye out for sunpatiens next year; I settled for vinca this year (and they worked out fine).
Hugs, Beth

Lona said...

Eileen I love seeing these new plants being tested. The Coral Sunpatiens is so pretty. Good grief my Angelonia never grow like that. Mine lay on the ground. LOL! Oh, boy more new phlox! LOL! That is a pretty little hydrangea and if it stays smaller will be good for some gardeners with limited space. The leaves on that coleus is really different. I think I like the tight leaves. Have a wonderful weekend!

allanbecker-gardenguru said...

Thanks, again, for the visit . Some of the new perennials look mighty attractive.

Darla said...

My oh my! I just looked at your last post too. What a wonderful venture this was, thanks for sharing. I really wouldn't know where to begin if I had to choose a favorite here. The Dicondra is a great groundcover or spillage plant.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Joy,

I was interested in some of the smaller shrubs that they had in the test garden, especially the small hibiscus.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Beth,

I will be looking forward to see the Better Homes and Gardens post. Where are they located?

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Lona,

My angelonia also, flopping all over. I will certainly look for this variety next spring.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Allan,

They had several types of smaller coneflowers and many varieties of phlox in the test gardens but most of them look fried.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Darla,

I am going to look for the Dicondra next year and give it a try.

Eileen

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

Hi Eileen
Aren't trial beds just amazing, like a patchwork of colour!
I trial shrubs for Proven Winners in my home gardens and am also aware of Ball HC, believe I've had a sample from them in the past.
Thanks for sharing all these wonderful plants.

Tatyana@MySecretGarden said...

Begonia for sun - at last!!!

Dave@TheHomeGarden said...

What a neat visit! I like that hydrangea Fire and Ice. I need more places for shade plants in my garden. The zinnias would do well here though!

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Lavender Cottage,

So nice for you to drop by and I do agree that the test beds are great. I am trialing Home Runs roses this year for Proven Choice a division of Proven Winners.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Tatyana,

Yes, finally a begonia that is huge and will take full sun.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Dave, I liked that FIre and Ice because it was small but there were not many blooms to observe at this time.

Eileen

garden girl said...

Nice posts Eileen! Mr.Brown Thumb, Monica Milla, and I visited Ball this week. They are so friendly and welcoming. The display gardens are wonderful. I felt like I was in a botanic garden.

Diana LaMarre said...

Is that butterfly bush a dwarf? If so, I love it!

I am also loving the coleus ‘redhead’ container –great color.

I think that gold coleus would be a stunner in so many huge container combos. Although I think their combo is a bit blah.

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi GG,

I know MBT said he was going back. We didn't get indoors so that must have been very interesting also, the scientific part.

Eileen

Gatsbys Gardens said...

Hi Zoey,

I believe that Butterfly Bush was a dwarf and upright, couldn't find a name on it.

Eileen

GRACE PETERSON said...

Wow, Eileen. Total eye candy. Thank you for taking us along. I love it all.