Breeders are developing plants to meet increased demand for heat-resistant, sun-tolerant perennials
Breeders respond to rising demand with an Echinacea explosion
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The iconic native plant with star appeal has become the emblem of the pollinator gardening movement, and the cultivars just keep coming.
Unsung perennials
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A treasure trove of options is available for those who want to go beyond the staples Thousands of books are written about them, as are poems, and there are even songs sung about the flowers we know as perennials. Perennials are the backbone of most garden designs and some container gardens, as well. Consumers adore […]
Reblooming is booming
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Consumers are drawn to new annuals, perennials and shrubs offering easy, continuous interest When many consumers approach a garden designer or visit a garden center, they know two things for sure: They want low maintenance, and they want color from spring till fall. “I’m looking for successive bloom,” said Jenna Bayer, owner of Jenna Bayer Garden […]
Visions of white
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These white-blooming plants brighten up landscapes Part 1 of 2: This month: Perennials, groundcovers, bulbs, vines, edibles and Hydrangeas. June: Woody trees and shrubs. Blooms come in all variations of color and hue, but there is a special place for white blooms in a garden or landscape. “White goes with everything,” said Justin Hancock, senior director […]
March 2020
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Take a look at the next wave of annual, perennial, and woody favorites breeders and growers are introducing to the marketplace, and copy down some notes from our valuable column on plant patent and copyright protections. Growers will also benefit from tips for detecting boxwood blight symptoms in the field. In this issue: The next […]
Beauty from the ground up
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These bulbs offer great color and fragrance with disease resistance, and some are native to boot When gardeners, landscapers and restoration managers look to buy bulbs, they’re finding exceptional and versatile material that meets their design goals and gardening aspirations. Breeders and growers are providing an outstanding selection of commercial bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, corms, […]
A perennial favorite
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Traditional and new Agastache varieties offer beauty, fragrance and other endearing qualities If not for agastache’s manifold attractive qualities, growers and landscapers may have given up on this sun-loving flowering perennial long ago for its finicky and sometimes sprawling growth habit. Agastache has endured as a garden favorite with growers and landscapers because it checks […]
Small, tall and packed together
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The trend toward smaller spaces drives intensive use of perennials and grasses The midcentury ranch house with the huge yard is a thing of the past. Replacing it is the tall house with a small yard — and that’s changing the shape of home landscaping. Everywhere across the country, homebuilders are squeezing as many new homes […]
New USDA zone map released
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture has released its first new climate zone map in more than new decades. The new 2012 map, downloadable here (various other versions here), replaces the previous map published in 1990. According to USA Today, the new map is much more localized — in fact, it’s accurate down to one-half mile. […]