Download Perennials and annual flowers that offer the “Wow!”

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Perennials and annual flowers that offer
the “Wow!” factor
Perennials and annual flowers provide much-needed color to landscapes. Flowering perennials
and annuals are very easy to grow—and no one can deny their universal beauty. But that’s just
the beginning.
Flowers attract pollinators to a garden, where they help to set blooms that become seeds and
fruits. Flowers also attract beneficial insects that help control insect pests. With the recent
decline in bee populations and song bird species, a garden filled with annual flowers and
perennials offers a safe place for beneficial creatures to feed, find shelter and reproduce.
With their large and long-lasting blooms, flowering annuals can provide the “Wow” factor to
even a small garden space. Flowering perennials are versatile plants that grow in a wide range of
sun and soil conditions. In large areas, wildflowers and self-sowing perennials can be used to
create a colorful meadow that needs minimum upkeep. No matter where you plant them,
flowering annuals and perennials are beneficial and beautiful plants for any yard or garden.
Here’s a round-up of some of the best new flowering plants:
Canary Islands parentage of a new Foxglove hybrid
gives it bright pastel blooms
Digiplexis ‘Illumination Flame’ is the result of a cross between Digitalis (Foxglove) and a
Digitalis relative from the Canary Islands, Isoplexis. This ground-breaking new flowering hybrid
known as Digiplexis, boasts big, multi-colored flowers that last for weeks. Its natural hybrid
vigor makes Digiplexis a fast growing and very floriferous addition to the garden.
Digiplexis ‘Illumination Flame’ has already won Plant of the Year at the Chelsea Flower Show
and Greenhouse Grower’s Award of Excellence. The gorgeous spikes of big, multicolored
blooms add vibrant vertical color to any flower bed, border or container—and ‘Illumination
Flame’ makes an excellent cut flower.
Quickly growing to its full size of 36 inches tall and 18 inches wide, this Digiplexis grows
orderly, densely packed rows of flame-colored blossoms on upright, strong stems. Flowering
begins in mid spring (April) and continues through until the end of the summer. The sturdy stems
boast tubular flowers that resemble living flames. The outer petals are fuchsia, while the blossom
throats transition from red to orange to a pale yellow. Despite the fact that they are sterile, the
flowers still attract bees and butterflies, adding even more color to the garden.
‘Illumination Flame’ grows best in full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil with average
watering. This healthy hybrid thrives in a wide variety of conditions, although it cannot take too
much chilly weather. (It’s cold hardy in USDA Zones 8 to 11.) Each plant in a quart-sized pot
sells for $18.95, or three plants sell for $15.95 each from Wayside Gardens,
www.waysidegardens.com, 800-845-1124.
New sunflower boasts chocolate-colored flowers
Sunflowers have earned a place of honor in millions of backyard gardens for their huge flowers
that tower over most other plants. Shock o Lat is a new sunflower variety that produces large
pollen-free flowers that look great in the garden and indoors as a cut flower.
Shock o Lat is a well-branched sunflower with large, multiple blooms that grow up to 6 inches
wide. The “Shock o Lat” name refers to the deep dark chocolate brown color of the flower,
which has bright honey-gold petal tips and an ethereal gold halo around the big central seedhead.
No two Shock o Lat blooms are exactly alike, so each flower is a unique masterpiece to be
enjoyed.
Sunflower Shock o Lat is far more “cutting friendly” than older varieties because it is entirely
pollen-free. No more messy pollen to wipe up every day from your indoor arrangement. Suitable
both for fresh and dried arrangements, Shock o Lat is long-lasting and durable in the vase.
This sunflower sets numerous flower stems rather than the single stalk of traditional varieties.
The blooms open in summer, and they may need staking to hold up the bounty of big, heavy
blooms. The mature plant reaches 6 feet tall and spreads about 18 inches or more wide. For a
dense planting, space the seeds a foot or so apart.
Shock o Lat is so easy a child can grow it, and planting sunflower seeds is a great way to get kids
started in the garden. Just plant the seeds directly into a warm patch of sunny, well-drained soil
to create a sunflower forest. A packet of 50 seeds sells for $3.95 exclusively from Park Seed,
www.parkseed.com, 800-845-3369.
‘Wild Swan’ brings delicate blossoms to shaded
areas
Finding perennials that will flower in partially shaded areas is always a gardening challenge.
Anemone ‘Wild Swan’™ is a Japanese hybrid that produces long-lasting white blooms with
yellow centers in a wide variety of lighting conditions—including partial shade. Wild Swan™
matches the desirable qualities of Anemone rupicola with an extended period of bloom that goes
right up until frost. The subtle beauty and enhanced longevity of the blooms earned Wild
Swan™ the Plant of the Year Award at the Chelsea Flower Show. As a border plant, Wild
Swan™ adds an elegant accent that’s perfect for a Zen garden theme. In wooded areas, a large
planting of Wild Swan™ complements any cottage-style garden.
An ideal groundcover for partially shaded areas, Wild Swan™ blooms from June to the first
frost, combining delicate charm with extreme resilience. Its glistening white, cup-shaped blooms
feature a stunning violet reverse to the petals. Measuring nearly two inches across, the single
flowers appear on bare stems above dark green, divided leaves. Once the blossoms fade from
atop the 18-inch stems, attractive white, woolly seed heads remain.
Wild Swan™ grows easily in average, medium-moisture, well-drained soil in part shade, even
tolerating full shade. It spreads readily in loose soils, making an ideal under-planting for
perennials such as Asiatic Lilies. The plant is perfect for naturalized areas or wild gardens, and
its charming blooms make wonderful additions to cut flower arrangements. Also known as
Snowdrop anemone or Snowdrop windflower, this adaptable little plant tends to be undesirable
to deer. Cold hardy in zones 5 to 9. Each plant in a quart-sized pot sells for $18.95, or three
plants sell for $15.95 each from Wayside Gardens, www.waysidegardens.com, 800-845-1124.
Create an authentic prairie wildflower garden
Are you interested in creating a natural, pollinator-friendly, drought-resistant habitat with native
North American prairie plants? Prairie Moon Nursery offers authentic native perennials that
attract pollinators such as bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. “These are the real plants that
filled the prairies more than 200 years ago, before this country was settled, and we are working
to preserve them” says Bill Carter, President of Prairie Moon Nursery. “Native perennials are
what native pollinators depend upon for food and habitat.”
Prairie Moon’s Mix & Match Potted Plant Tray lets you create your own native wildflower
garden with up to six species of perennial wildflowers. Select wildflowers that can stretch the
season with vibrant color, choose an assortment of flowers and grasses for a natural prairie look,
or simply create a mix of your favorite North American native plants specific to your sun and
soil conditions. The Mix & Match Potted Plant Tray includes 38 plants and sells for $119
exclusively from Prairie Moon Nursery, www.PrairieMoon.com, 866-417-8156. Order online
this spring and save $10 with promo code TRAY14.
Attract hummingbirds with dazzling penstemons
‘Dazzler Blend’ Penstemon is a beautiful but tough new addition to the Botanical Interests
assortment in 2104. Its charm comes not only from its dwarf stature (12 inches tall) and inviting
blend of pink and purple tones, but from the vast array of flying beauty it attracts. Gardeners will
find hummingbirds sipping nectar from the tubular flowers of these perennials while happy little
bee butts protrude from every blossom, signifying the abundance of nectar and pollen it provides
to pollinators of all kinds.
‘Dazzler Blend’ is great for cut flowers and, unlike many perennials, will re-bloom after cutting.
This penstemon provides reliable color and hardiness in zones 3-8, where it’s at home in just
about any well-drained, full-sun location. In warmer zones, it can be grown as a short-lived
perennial with all the same benefits and versatility as colder zones. ‘Dazzler Blend’ is a dazzling
addition to rock gardens, pollinator habitats, borders, wildflower gardens and containers. A
packet of seeds sells for $2.39 from Botanical Interests, 877-821-4340 or
www.botanicalinterests.com.
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