by Sara Begg, Executive Editor

Today's post is inspired by a press packet that came to Horticulture a few weeks ago. We receive alot of press packets and alerts about new plants, tools, and really, any product that might remotely qualify as garden-related (reusable cement anyone?). The packet I was leafing through this morning was from Terra Nova Nurseries, one of the big breeders, growers, and plant introducers (is that a word?) in this country. They first became known for owner Dan Heim's heuchera breeding and until recently, I thought of them as rather heuchera-centric. But now, things seem to have changed. Of the 41 new perennials they are releasing in 2008, I've picked out five that particularly made me swoon on this cool, grey, dark November morning (NB: I have grown none of these plants, so cannot advise anyone on the quality, vigor, or hardiness of these plants)(NB part deux: These particular plants appealed in part because I'm planning for a pale lemon yellow/blue spring palette evolving into a hot orange/purple scheme by late summer).

Bergenia 'Solar Flare'

The variegation of this bergenia is nuts and gorgeous. This is a genera I cannot get enough of. If they die in my garden, I plant more.

Echinacea 'Tiki Torch'

There are so many gorgeous new coneflowers out there. This crazy orange (and the name) screams summer to me.

Coreopsis 'Moonlight'

Can't resist the pale lemon yellow color, even if it will be blooming when my hot orange/purple combo will be supposedly in full swing. I usually don't get that psyched about coreopsis, but I'm trying to break through my prejudice. We'll see if 'Moonlight' can do it.

Campanula 'Summertime Blues'

The printed picture looks super-blue, but I'm guessing it tends more towards a purpley-blue, which would work well for me if it really blooms for as long as they claim.

Heuchera 'Midnight Rose'

Had to include one of these guys. And this hot pink-flecked-burgundy-leaved heuchera looks really beautiful. I love using heuchera leaves in little bouquets, you appreciate their details better that way. This color combo really gets me pumped. Have you ever seen Hemerocallis 'Midnight Oil'. Ridiculous.

And that is it. Photos will be posted by noon today (and are courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries).

Read Meg Lynch's blog

Read Nan Sinton's blog

Thursday, November 29, 2007 1:33:19 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [2] 

by Sara Begg, Executive Editor

I've been off my blog for some time now, mostly because I've been travelling and been away from my computer. I've been up in Toronto for a family wedding and was there for what feels like the better part of November. And it was great. Hard, but great. In Toronto, all the streets are familiar, even if I've never been down them. Everyone I've known all my life lives there. It makes it hard to visit, because I miss it both as a city and as my former home. I was also amazed at how many gardeners  are living in the city. In any given neighborhood, most of the front yards are planted up with interesting plants---cool trees with good texture and size, unusual shrubs and perennials, not to mention vegetables and fruit trees poking out of every possible pocket of soil. It seems to me that gardening is a bigger part of the culture there than it is here in Boston. I don't know why, but it just is. I don't think I've ever really noticed that before, perhaps because I usually spend the bulk of my time north of the city.

On another note, if you do not have Acer japonicum 'Aconitifolium' in your garden, you must go out and get it now. I put it in my garden in the summer of 2006 and it has quietly been holding its place in the garden since. Quiet until now. It is simply on fire. A shockingly bright orange in late November, when everything else is turning brown, beige, or at best, muted yellow. The stem of each leaf is scarlet red and the rest of the leaf is brillant orange.  I gather from other gardeners that it is not always orange, in fact, it can be an amazing blend of red, orange, and yellow in its best years.

Read Meg Lynch's blog

Read Nan Sinton's blog

Photo courtesy Great Hill Horticultural Foundation

Wednesday, November 21, 2007 1:23:59 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)    Comments [1]