At the terminal of every gardening season , I order next twelvemonth ’s annual works for my regular horticulture clients . I consider it a huge job perk — I get pay to foliate through plant catalog and select combinations of newer annuals for the containers , windowpane boxes and garden seam that I tend . ( Plus , it ’s really fun to buy large quantity of plants using other people ’s money . )
Flowering plants are often the most challenging to choose . There are multitudinous varieties that each claim to be the most reliable foul-up , industrial plant that will actually allow the ever - elusive “ season - farseeing semblance . ” I ’m lucky to have access to my coworkers and their extensive knowledge about the gardens they run . It ’s like we have a giant mesh of psychometric test gardens , and we report our findings to each other as we plan our flora orders . Here ’s our most recent list of top - performing newer annuals .
Archangel ™ Angelonia series
If you ’re unfamiliar withAngelonia , you should meet her . This endearing little plant has dainty erect flush spikes that bloom in shades of pink , purple and lily-white . TheArchangel ™ seriesboasts compact plants with predictable tidy growth and fantabulous warmth and drouth tolerance . At maturity , the plants will be about 1 base tall and across-the-board , with the absolute majority of their stems covered in flowers or buds . They ’re arrant for containers or small garden spaces .
In full to partial sun and with a small deadheading ( removing the expired blossom stems ) , Archangel angelonia grow flowers from previous May until October . My favorites from this serial publication include‘Raspberry’,‘Cherry Red’and‘Dark Rose ’ . The colors are vibrant and brilliant throughout the lifespan of each flower .
Cannova ® Canna serial
Past canna lily cultivars have been tremendous in size and late to bloom . TheCannova ® seriesis neither of these : its plants are compendious and tidy , with big , blousy flowers that develop in early summer . The 3 - foot - tall plants are low enough for container but large enough to check their own in a crowded garden delimitation . I ’ve develop these over the retiring few years now , and they always flower very systematically , especially with regular deadheading .
Full sunand regular watering are best for the Cannovas . Their prime colors are tropical and cheerful : I like‘Mango’,‘Rose’and‘Lemon’the well . Most variety have bright unripened leaves , while‘Bronze Red’and‘Bronze Orange’have burgundy leaves and red and orangish flowers , respectively . Canna bulbs are prolific and easy to overwinter indoors , so this yearly plant is in reality a long - term garden investment !
SuperCal ® Petchoa serial
The petchoa is a hybrid plant with genetic material from bothPetuniaandCalibrachoaspecies . Before I recommend this plant , I must emphasize that I really hate petunias . They ’re always straggly and chlorotic and flush it by midsummer . I ’m not the biggest fan of calibrachoa either , for interchangeable reasons . A petchoa , however , flowers until frost while maintaining its tidy , shaggy growth habit with greenery that match its early leap appearance . The SuperCal ® series total in deep , warm colors like‘French Vanilla’,‘Cinnamon’,‘Bordeaux’and‘Caramel Yellow ’ , along with the even pink , royal and livid shades of classic genus Petunia . I implant these on a whim last season and was continually shocked by how much I really like these hybrid Petunia . ( A few steer : Full sun . cabbage them . Watch out for aphids . )
watercourse ™ Lobularia series
Lobularia(common name : fresh alyssum ) is an old - timey plant with an outstanding new cultivar series . Stream ™ madwort blossom longer than any of the raw annuals I ’ve ever seen . We engraft hundreds of them this past April as part of a natural spring arrangement . From then on , they uprise and bloom steady and generously , until we had to yank them in later October . From dusty conditions to the summer ’s hottest hotness and then back to cold again , the Streams were unapologetically showy and only required minor trimming to keep them unfolding . serial color include‘Purple’,‘Raspberry’,‘White’and‘Lilac’among others . The plants have a delightful trailing growth habit , make them idealistic for hanging baskets and container plantings .
Sunpatiens ® Compact series
Lord’s Day - patient of impatiens varieties have explode in the last few years . They ’ve assume the darling honest-to-goodness - fashioned shade - loving varieties while also becoming one of my favourite newer annual for sun . TheSunpatiens ® Compact seriesencompasses a full spectrum of red , pinkish , orangish , blank and purple bloom . My pet vividness are‘Pink Candy’,‘Deep Rose’and‘Royal Magenta ’ . But really , they ’re all exceptional .
This impatiens is vigorous without being too bossy , growing to a substantial 2 feet tall and wide of the mark by the destruction of summertime . works bloom ( and then rebloom ) without deadheading , which is ideal considering how rightfully floriferous they are . I think they ’re best in full sun with unconstipated lacrimation , though they also execute well in part - tint . Sunpatiens have excellent heat tolerance , too .
This spring as you are doing your plant life shopping look for some of these newer annual to brighten your garden all time of year .
This article byLaura Schwarzoriginally appeared in the November / December 2020 consequence ofNorthern Gardener .
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