How Can We Possibly Choose?

Visit Tootsie today for Fertilizer Friday!

Before a new hydrangea takes hold, there is another new one replacing it touting much better qualities than it's predecessor which may be only one or two years old.  Bella Anna will supposedly challenge Annabelle Invincibelle Spirit in regard to characteristics and performance.

Hydrangea Bella Anna

Part of the Endless Summer Collection

3 -5 feet

Hydrangea Invincibelle Spirit

A pink form of Annabelle 3-5 feet

Little Lime is a small version of Limelight and the Cityline and Let's Dance series give us the option of growing small compact hydrangeas in just about every part of our gardens.

Hydrangea Little Lime

3 -5 foot version of Limelight

Do you remember when Endless Summer first came out, we had never seen anything like it before, pink, blue, repeat blooming.  But, for many of us it has not lived up to our expectations so we approach all of these new varieties with trepidation.

I have Let's Dance Starlight along my front walk, struggling from the hottest summer ever, so we will see how it performs this year.  I would love to purchase a few more for the other side if it does well because it will add much needed color to the front of my home and pick up the blue tones in the walkway.

Hydrangea Let's Dance Starlight

2 - 3 feet

Let's Dance Moonlight

2 - 3 feet

I love these small ones because they bloom on new wood and can be cut down low so bulbs can bloom between them before they leaf out.  When they do leaf out they will cover the bulb foliage.

Cityline Hydrangeas are a newer group that produces larger heads on short stems, many growing only one to three feet tall.

Hydrangea Cityline Mars

1 - 3 feet

Cityline Rio

2 - 3 feet

Hydrangea Edgy Hearts

2 - 4 feet

I have only shown one or two in each category, check out http://www.springmeadownursery.com/ to see the full line of hydrangeas by *Proven Winners.  Hydrangea Bella Anna has been introduced by Bailey Nurseries.

Hydrangeas five feet and below have been highlighted in this post but there are also new introductions that grow from six to eight feet.  Check out the above website.

*no remuneration from mentioned nurseries or companies

Proven Winners Home Run Rose

We gathered for lunch looking out on Lake Michigan to hear hybridizer Tom Carruth tell us the history of two new rose introductions Home Run Red and Home Run Pink.  Our group was a mix of landscape designers, garden writers of blogs, books and newspapers and representatives of the plant growing and marketing industry.

This rose has been marketed in limited supply by Weeks Roses (who does not sell to the public) and now will be marketed on a large scale to the general public by Proven Winners Color Choice.

Home Run Red

Home Run Red is a cross of City of San Francisco and Baby Love, with their offspring then being crossed with the original Knockout Rose.  The result is the best of all worlds,  The new Home Run Red is a brighter truer red, resists powdery mildew (which the original Knockout did not) and black spot, shrub-like growth habit, quick repeat flowers, first rose to bloom in spring and fragrant buds.

City of San Francisco

Baby Love

The foliage is a deeper glossy green, more compact and hardier than the original Knockout.  The growth is spiky at first and with continued growth becomes shrub-like.  I was surprised that Home Run can set hips but does not stop flowering.

Original Knockout

The one thing that all rose people will have to remember with this plant, no deadheading recommended!  The new buds form right where the spent flower falls off so any deadheading will cut down on the continual flower display.

Home Run Red should be plentiful this year but the pink (a sport of Home Run Red) is still only offered in small pots through online nurseries.  If the pink one (which would be my choice) is your desire try these nurseries http://www.shrubsource.com/, http://www.greatgardenplants.com/ and http://www.gardencrossings.com/

These are the websites that were given to me that would possibly be marketing small containers of Home Run Pink.  In checking them at this time only Great Garden Plants is carrying Home Run Red.  I guess we can check back later to see if they are added to their websites.

Home Run Pink

Check out Mr. Brown Thumb's Blog for another look at Tom Carruth the hybridizer of Home Run. http://mrbrownthumb.blogspot.com/

The Invitation

About a month ago I received an invitation from a representative of Proven Winners to attend a luncheon in Chicago associated with the Mid-America Horticultural Trade Show in Chicago which has been held here for the past thirty-five years.  At first I thought it was a come-on but decided to check it out.  Proven Winners is one of my favorite companies for annuals, perennials and new introductions (no remunerations for saying this).

Navy Pier extends out into Lake Michigan, changing from an open air pier with boats docking along it's sides, a carnival like atmosphere in the summer with outdoor antique markets, to an enclosed building that goes on for blocks.  Top notch restaurants line the long walk from one end to the other, retail stores of every description and fast food to die for all with the view of the big ships docked at the side for the winter.

Look what's coming in March!  I wonder if they would want a Garden Blogger to cover this?


My contact said they would like to have some garden writers (bloggers) attend, interview the speaker, etc.  Wow, someone actually wants a Garden Blogger to take photos and interview without worrying about being on the Internet!

The I Max Theatre on one side and Harry Carey's Tavern on the other.

I realized this was not an invite to the trade show so I emailed the Communications Director of the show and told her about my lunch and asked if I could possibly attend the trade show as a garden writer.  The answer was yes with the stipulation that I send her a link to my blog and subsequent posts about the show.  A few days later I received via email scanable entrance passes to the show.

It was quite a trek getting there, an hour on the train, another twenty minutes on a bus but I had arrived wide-eyed like a squirrel in a newly planted tulip bulb garden.  I didn't know where to strike first, exhibitors everywhere.  I could have looked at the exhibitor map online before the show and I would have been better prepared, knowing I would not have time to see everything.

The Smith Museum of Stained Glass is housed at Navy Pier and is worth a visit just to see this beauty.

This is only a small sampling of the beautiful stained glass, goes on for at least the equivalent of two blocks.

Chicagoland Grows is an organization that partners with the Chicago Botanic Garden and the Morton Arboretum to make the community aware of new introductions and appropriate plants for our area.

I have never seen so many mulch selections!

Rooftop Gardens

I love Stepables

A great display of David Austin Roses

This has been a very positive experience for me, we are seen as professionals in the industry, our opinions are are considered important and we do influence opinion.  I guess I have been concerned about being accepted by the wrong choir (the general public) when the music is resounding in my own element, writing about gardening.

I'll be back on this subject, haven't even talked about the new introductions and who I met!

Visit Tootsie for Fertilizer Friday!

Plant Of The Year

In my garden the 2010 Plant of the Year was Phlox Paniculata.  I don't have a very large property, so I am limited in regard to how many varieties I can grow.
 

Phlox Blue Paradise

Phlox Blue Paradise in part shade - this is a phlox that can change colors during the day, from a very deep blue to a lighter magenta to a lighter blue.

Phlox Eva Cullum

Phlox David

I think I will be moving this one into the border.  It is in a very narrow planting area and is not growing to the size it should.

Phlox Franz Schubert

Phlox Laura

Phlox Franz Schubert and Phlox Laura

Phlox Miracle Grace

This is a new one planted last fall
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Volcano Phlox Pink With White Eye

New last fall

Phlox Bubblegum Pink

This was an expensive one planted new last fall.

Phlox was not the only good performer last season, daylilies, lillies and heucheras were all stars.  However, phlox was a surprise adding not only color but a softness to the garden with many repeat blooms after deadheading.



The Best Laid Plans

I can't wait until spring to show all of those bulbs I planted last fall, but this is not going to help the gardener as far as planting for this year's show.

I have decided to share some of the plants which have done very well in my garden last spring and summer.  It was very rainy and hot last year which contributed to the huge growth of many plants and the demise of others.

Variegated Solomon's Seal

Dicentra Spectablis

Astilbe Chinesis Pumila

Carex Ice Fountains

These are mostly plantings that do well in shade to part shade.  I am going to be adding some shade perennials and move some of the hosta which fill in when the Bleeding Hearts die back.

I like the way Halcyon and August Moon look together but I have got way too many of them along the north side.  It's time for some diversity.

They do look nice most of the summer, but I think I need a little color in here!

Hydrangea Endless Summer

This is one hydrangea that did not perform well in the heat.  It had a great first bloom but then sort of shut down with a few new blooms off and on during the summer.  The previous year it bloomed beautifully all summer.  I am going to stick with them another year to see how they perform this summer, not great reports from many of the nurseries I frequent.

I really hope they do well this year because I love the colors!

Hydrangea Unique

Euonymus Wintercreeper

The euonymus still had scale last year after using an all season oil spray.  I will have to try something else in the spring.

Heuchera Raspberry Ice

Japanese Painted Fern

Dinosaur Fern
Cannot find the Latin name of this fern

All of the above plants will survive and do very well in part shade, the ferns and hostas even in deeper shade.  They withstood the heat of last summer on the north side of my home.

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