New and Unusual Annual Flowers for 2016

When it comes time to order new plants for the next growing season, I am the proverbial kid in the candy store.  I want to try out everything that's new.  Unfortunately most of the recently developed cultivars are grown from cuttings and they are sold in flats of at least 50 starts.  So I am forced to experiment with a large number of plants.  I always hope my customers share my curiosity.                                           

NIGHT SKY PETUNIAPhoto Courtesy Selecta

Night Sky Petunia is one of the more unusual new plants I have to offer this year.  I’m not crazy     about this speckled look, but I don’t care for black petunias either and customers seem to love them. 

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XANTHOS COSMOS

Photo Courtesy Fleuroselect

Xanthos means yellow in Greek and that’s what this new cosmos bipinnatus is all about. Xanthos Cosmos is dwarf, early flowering and uniform.    The soft yellow should be great for bouquets. Cosmos really need deadheading to keep the new flowers coming.

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BIDENS BEE DANCE RED STRIPE

Bidens is kind of a sprawly plant which is ideal for mixed containers, but not so great as a stand-alone plant.  Until recently Bidens has been limited to solid yellow.  Bidens beedance red stripe is a new take on this cultivar.  Its star-shaped orange/red blossoms with yellow centers will spill down the edges of window boxes, large pots, and planters.  Bidens is long blooming and drought resistant,

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VERBENA ESTRELLA VOO DOO STAR

photo courtesy Westhoff

The Estrella series of Verbena come from Germany.  The blooms are close to foliage unlike many other verbenas that tend to be leggy.   Estrella Voo Doo Star is good for baskets and is drought resistant.

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CRAZYTUNIA STARLIGHT BLUE
Photo courtesy Westhoff

Crazytunia Cheesecake with it's red and white star appearance did well in my greenhouse last year, so I will give this Starlight Blue a try this season.  I will soon share MORE "new" annuals to be offered at Amanda's Greenhouse.

New Annual Flowers for the 2016 Growing Season - Calibrachoa

It’s time to rev up my blog again.  I have been planting seeds and rooted cuttings have started to arrive.   One of the most popular of these cuttings is calibrachoa (spell check makes it very hard to write that word). This plant features loads of small bell-like flowers that resemble miniature petunias. The original species is native to South America, but all calibrachoas are now hybrids and there are hundreds to choose from.  

Last year I ran out of calibrachoas (often requested as “million bells” by customers) in the middle of May, so this year I will double production, as well as introduce some new varieties. 

The Callie series are nice for hanging baskets and I have used the Callie Light Blue (above) for two years in front of the Cabot Village Store.    This year I am adding Callie Dark Blue and Callie White. 

I have had good results with the Noa series of calibrachoas, so I will add from that line  Noa Sunset,  Noa Mega Pink and Noa Cherry Blossom. All three of these scored high in last year's trial gardens.

NOA SUNSET

NOA MEGA PINK

                                         

                           

                                                              NOA CHERRY BLOSSOM

       Photos courtesy Danziger Flower Farm

I seem to have selected a lot of new very bright flowers when pondering the orders this winter.   Among them are Aloha Tiki Neon and Minifamous Cherry Red.

ALOHA TIKI NEON

MINIFAMOUS CHERRY RED

While Calibrachoa is closely related to petunias, in 1985 it was determined that this plant had 18 chromosomes, while petunia had 14.   In 1988 wild samples were collected from South America and, after breeding, the first 'Million Bells' was released in 1992.   Their trailing habit make them ideal for hanging baskets, containers or as a small area ground cover.  They are actually a tender perennial, so can also survive low temperatures. 

Perennial Late Summer, Fall Blooms

With September around the corner I have started to sell mums and asters.  Otherwise the greenhouses are pretty much empty.  It's Aug. 30 and here is what is blooming now.

Helianthus 'Happy Days' - Shorter than most helianthus and rated zone 5, 

but it made it here in zone 4.  It reminds me of a dahlia.

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Lobelia Siphilitica ('Blue Cardinal Flower')

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Sanguisorbia Canidensis  - Always welcome in the late summer as an addition 

to bouquets.  It's a spreader, is about 4' tall and has nice scalloped foliage.

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Silphium perfoliatum (Cup flower) in the back ground is 8' tall this year. 

 In the foreground is a dark-leaved cimicifugia (now renamed actea.)

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One of my favorite summer phlox varieties, 'Laura', is a heavy bloomer this time of year.

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Artemesia Lactiflora is one of the few artemesias that prefer moist soil.  It's like a very tall (4-5') delicate astilbe covered with plumes of creamy white flowers.

Vermont Perennial SALE

My sale of perennials in 4 and 1/2 inch deep pots continues -  Buy two at $3.99 and the third one is free.  There's everything from campanula to clematis.  Here are some of the phlox offered.  I concentrate on mildew resistant varieties.

Daylily Sale!

Buy Three at the regular price ($7.99) and get a fourth one (your choice) FREE.  We have more than 100 varieties.

Below is 'Early Snow' which has a huge (7 inches across) flower with strong substance.  We have other whites, like 'Gentle Shepherd,' 'Joan Senior,' and 'Sunday Gloves,' but this may be my new favorite white.

EARLY SNOW

Then we have 'Moses Fire', a cherry red double.

MOSES FIRE

And one of many "eyed" daylilies, 'Wineberry.'

WINEBERRY

There are so many terrific daylilies out there - and what an easy perennial to grow.

Inside the Greenhouse - July 8 - SALE

Yes - all annuals are on sale now and ...  it's all looking good.  In the following photo are solenia begonias.  The color is "orange", but it looks more like an apricot to me.  These begonias can take full sun.

Next are the popular nonstop begonias for shade.  Usually red is the preferred color, but this year folks leaned towards yellow.

 Below is a wall pot for shade waiting for the customer to pick it up.  Yellow non-stops and lobelia and German Ivy.

I've always liked signet marigolds (marigold tagetes tenuifolia).  They have pretty foliage and a lovely scent.

The white marigolds are fun for a change.

And below are photos of Harlequin Dahlia, grown from seed.  Usually I only plant the Figaro series, as they are pretty and dependable.  But next year I will do more Harlequin, as the blooms are really flashy and unusual.

Last photo is a dahlia grown from cuttings - Hypnotica Lavender.  It's quite perfect in form.

Perennial SALE

Buy two - get the third one free.  At the regular price of $3.99, 

that makes three of them $2.66 each.

They are nice healthy hardy plants in 4.5 " pots.  Most have been overwintered.

Achillea ‘Moonshine’ (Yarrow - yellow)

Alcea ficifolia ‘Antwerp’  (Hollyhock  ‘Antwerp’)

Anemone sylvestris (Snowdrop anenome)

Aruncus (‘Goats Beard’)

Aster - Purple Dome

Aster - Woods Light Blue

Aster - Woods purple

Baptisia australis  (‘False Indigo’)

‘Blue Clips’ Campanula

Clematis ‘Sweet Autumn’

Perovski atripilicifolia   (‘Russian Sage’)

Phlox paniculata ‘Peppermint Twist 

Phlox paniculata ‘Star Fire’

Salvia ‘May Night’

And there are others!

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

I have been beyond busy, but finally put together a list of heirloom tomatoes I have on the benches.

HEIRLOOM TOMATOES - Individual plants - $1.79 each   Warning - For most of the varieties I only grow 6 - 10 plants because of space constraints. 

Alpine:  “Early”, Ind, Oblate, red flesh, outstanding yields. Fruits average 6 to 8 oz. Nice sized fruits of high quality.  

Bounty - 70 Days. High yields of red globe large salad fruits. 

Aunt Molly’s Ground Cherry - Also known as ''Husk Cherry'. An heirloom variety from Poland prized for its flavor. Golden-yellow 1/2" fruits - excellent for pies, preserves, jams and fresh eating with a strawberry-like flavor. Productive plants 18" tall and 24" wide start fruiting in late July.

Black Cherry - 75 Days. Look like large, dusky purple grapes. Rich flavor. Large vines yield very well. 

Black Prince:  mid, Ind, 6 to 8 oz., grey-brown, semi-sweet, globe-shaped fruits.

Pink Brandywine (Suddeth Strain) - 80 Days. The most popular heirloom vegetable.   

Burgess Crackproof:  75 Days.  Ind. “Plants are unbelievably productive with an abundance of 6 to 8 oz., red globe fruits which are almost 100% crack free.” 

Burpee Gloriana - 70 Days. Globe-shaped fruit, 6 to 8 oz. A+ yields. 

Cabot - 75 Days. Excellent flavor and performance, 4 to 6 oz. red globes.  

Cherokee Purple - 80 Days. An old Cherokee Indian heirloom, pre-1890 Large sized fruit. “Real old-time tomato flavor.”  

Cosmonaut Volkov - 75 Days. A smooth and attractive, medium-large red tomato that has a full, rich flavor.     

Earl of Edgecomb - 70 Days. High yield of 6 to 10 oz. globe fruits of vivid orange, usually blemish free, assertive, delicious taste. 

Early Glee - 60 Days, 10 - 16 oz. fruits on the acidic side.

Early Rouge - 70 Days. Huge yields of top grade, uniform 6 to 8 oz. globe red tomatoes. 

Fargo:  early, Det, RL, medium size, productive red slicer from NDSU.  

Koralik - 65-70 Days. Det.  Russian 1“ cherry tomato is bright red and borne on heavy trusses of 6-8 fruit, which are sweet and flavorful.    Meaty pale yellow 1 - 2 pounders. From Indiana.

Manitoba:  “Early”, Det, 6 oz. red tomatoes, excellent yield.   Developed by Morden Experimental Station in 1956

Mountain Magic produces high yields of 2 oz., bright red, round salad tomatoes with very sweet flavor.  Some early and late blight resistance.

Moravsky Div - 60 Days. Golf ball sized fruit. Deep red, and cold tolerant. Rich flavor. Smooth and globe-shaped, 6 oz.

Moskovich:  early, SD, 10 oz. red fruits, round globe shape.

Mule Team:  75 Days.   Ind,  large set of globe fruits near one pound, usually blemish free, “great taste.” 

Olomovic:  “Early,”  SD, uniform 4 to 6 oz. tomatoes, a Czech variety, huge yields. Originally introduced by Abundant Life in the 1980's. 

Orange Minsk - 90 Days. Huge meaty orange beefsteaks. 

Paul Robeson -  early, Ind, RL, greenish red-brown fruits about 6 oz.  

Peacevine - 78 Days. Almost identical in fruit size and growth habit to sweet 100. “Bears gazillions of sweet clusters each with 8 or so 1" fruits.” Has the currant tomato in its ancestry.  

Prudens Purple - 72 Days. Some say Prudens is superior to Brandywine It is is earlier .  A great sandwich tomato. 

Ras:  mid, SD, RL, flat, ribby, bright scarlet red fruits, high yields, Spanish heirloom.   

Riesentraube - 76-85 days. This old German heirloom.  The sweet red 1-oz fruit grow in large clusters, and the name means "Giant Bunch of Grapes" in German.  

Rosabec - 60 Days. Nice, 6 to 8 oz. pink fleshed tomato from Quebec. Tart tasting, excellent yields. 

Rose de Berne - 80 Days. French émigré could be considered the Brandywine of continental Europe. Not quite as large, but same great flavor. 

Russian Bogatyr:  80 Days, Ind, 1 to 2 pound beefsteaks, sometimes slightly oblong globes, excl taste, great yield.  

Soldacki - 80 Days. Excellent large pink sandwich tomato. Originally from Krakow Poland.

Taxi - 65 days.  Heavy yields mild,  nonacid YELLOW tomatoes.   Det.

Urbikany:  70 Days, Det, 6 to 8 oz., red-fleshed fruit, above average yield. Another Czech variety

Washington Cherry - 60 Days.  1 1’4” Meaty and Flavorful.

Whippersnapper:  “Very early” , Det, pink/red cherry, plants seem to have more fruit than leaves.

Yellow Brandywine - 90 Days. Some say more delicious than pink Brandywine. 

Yorkbec - 60 Days. Red globe fruits, 4 to 6 oz. size from Quebec.

NEW New Guinea Impatiens

Plant breeders have put a lot of energy into developing new varieties of New Guinea impatiens, many of which can now tolerate sun.   Impatiens downy mildew swept across the country (and the world) a few years ago, decimating many plantings of seed grown (walleriana) impatiens.  New Guinea impatiens are immune to this disease.   Typically impatiens grown from seeds have more flowers and a lower and more spreading growing habit than New Guinea impatiens.

Impatiens 'Bounce Pink Flame' is a winner of All American Selections (AAS) for 2015.  It looks like an Impatiens walleriana in habit, flower form and count, but is completely downy mildew resistant. Breeders promise "...a massive amount of stunning, bright pink bicolor blooms with tons of color to brighten your garden, be it in shade or sun."

BOUNCE PINK FLAME

(Selecta Photograph)

'Florific® Sweet Orange' is the first bicolor in seed-raised New Guinea impatiens.  This one prefers the shade.  It is a showy, full plant with huge flowers that present nicely above the foliage. Its color ranges from deep orange to light orange.  

FLORIFIC SWEET ORANGE
(Syngenta Photos)

I like variegated leaves on New Guineas (and on any flowering plant) and am offering 'Strike Orange' this year.  It is a more compact grower.

STRIKE ORANGE

(Danziger photo)

Customers like the "Sunpatiens" series of New Guineas, which thrive in sun or shade  and this year I will add 'Spreading Pink Flash'.  Spreading SunPatiens can grow 18-36" tall and 24-36” wide in the garden.  Their aggressive spreading nature allows you to plant further apart (14-24” spacing) and increase your coverage versus traditional annuals.

SUNPATIENS SPREADING PINK FLASH

(Sakata Photo)

New Guineas will let you know when they are too dry by kind of collapsing.  They look like they have "had the radish" in that situation, but with a watering they bounce right back.  New Guinea impatiens are excellent choices for containers and hanging baskets.  

  

And MORE New Flowers for 2015 - "Million Bells" (CALIBRACHOA)

Customers often ask me for "Million Bells" petunias, which shows how good marketing pays off. "Million Bells" is a brand name one company gave to their line of calibrachoas, a close relative to petunias. Calibrachoas have smaller blooms than petunias and more of them.  So when someone comes in and asks what I have for "Million Bells" I show them all the different calibrachoas.  So here are some million bells  calibrachoa that I will grow for the first time this season.

I am trying 'Noa Papaya' this year from the Danziger company, because 'Noa Blue Legend' always does so well.  (And I think the two will be pretty in combinations as well.)

Noa Papaya by Danziger

Another new calibrachoa in the Noa series I will grow this year is 'Noa Purple Black'.

Noa Purple Black by Danziger

Another nice calibrachoa I saw last year that filled out baskets is 'Callie Light Blue.'

Callie Light blue by Syngenta Breeding

And lastly, from the Proven Winners series,  'Pomegranate Punch'.

Pomegranate Punch