Award Winning New Plants at Plantarium

Every year plant breeders from around the world bring their best new plants to the Plantarium in the Netherlands. The best of the best win either bronze, silver or gold medals. With over 150 new plants being introduced, winning an award is very difficult so even those plants that receive a bronze medal are very fortunate. Here are a few of the best new plants of 2014-2015. What's your favorite?

The yellow flowered Sunny Anniversary wins a silver medal

Denny Werner's Buddleia Lo & Behold Pink Micro Chip wins a silver

Caluna 'Silvia' wins a bronze

Campsus Orangeade wins a bronze

Campsus Summer Jazz Fire wins gold

Echinacea lMooodz Shiny wins a bronze

Helenium Fuego wins a bronze

Hydrangea Miss Saori wins a bronze

Nepeta Purssian Blue wins a bronze

Tiny Wine dwarf Physocarpus wins a silver medal

Lemony Lace Sambucus wins a bronze medal to go along with it's two Far-West awards 

Bert Verhoef's All Summer Red Weigela wins a silver

New Plants: Netherlands 09

I just got back from a week in the Netherlands looking at new plants. Here are a few that I found interesting. Which do you like?

This is a greenhouse bench filled with Lo & Behold 'Blue Chip' Buddleia. It will be introduced in Europe next spring. I've never seen so many butterflies in one place in all my life. The Boskoop Royal Horticlture Society has it awared it a gold medal.

Chasmanthium 'River Mist' is acutally an American plant but it won a Gold Medal from the Boskoop Royal Horticulture Society. It was developed by Itsaul plants.



Echinacea 'Irresistible' is just one of may new Coneflowers on the market. Below is a vase shot of one assortment now on the market.





This is a new larged variety of Hibiscus moscheutos called GH7 or Guido Oak Red.

This is one the the best red leafed grasses I've ever seen. It's not hardy but can be used as an annual in the North. It's called Pennisetum setaceum 'Fireworks' and I love the contrast with the green interior leaves.

Pretty Much Picasso petunia is available here in the US but it has made a big splash in Europe as well. It won a metal from the Boskoop Roayl Horiculture Society for one of the best new plants for 2009.

New Plants at the Mid-Am Tradeshow

I just got back from a week in Chicago at the Mid-Am nursery tradeshow. Nursery tradeshows are a great place to get a feel for the nursery and gardening industry, to see what’s new and to discover new trends. Here are a few of the highlights of the show and a taste of what’s to come in terms of new plants.



One of the highlights of the show was the appearance of Dutch nurseryman, and My Monet Weigela originator Bert Verhoef. Bert was at the show signing posters of his new 18” tall, green, cream and pink Weigela. It was interesting to see people lining up to get their personally signed poster, and to hear their glowing comments of how the plant has brightened the home garden. I was able to procure some of these beautiful posters and will send a signed copy to the first five people (North America addresses only) that send in a request.

In terms of new plants here are some of my favorites:

Reblooming Hydrangea continue to hit the market. Blushing Bride Hydrangea is a new addition to the ‘Endless Summer’ line. This plant has white flowers that are tinged with pink. Personally I like this plant better than the original Endless Summer. The white flowers combine well with other plants in the garden, and the plants themselves are not as tall as the original.




I am particularly excited about Let’s Dance Hydrangea ‘Moonlight and Let’s Dance ‘Starlight; two new rebloomers with large mop-head and lace-cap blooms respectively. I had better be excited about these plants, because the Let’s Dance series comes out of my personal breeding program (full disclosure). My breeding goal was to develop rebloomers with more intense flower color and improved foliage quality. I think I’ve achieved my goals and this is particularly exciting because Endless Summer is just the starting point in the reinvention of the Hydrangea macrophylla.




Two new yellow leafed Barberry were launched at the Mid-Am; Sunjoy ‘Gold Beret’ is a new dwarf mounded plant that stands less than 12” in height, and Sunjoy ‘Gold Pillar’ is new upright, columnar plant with bright yellow foliage. Both plants are noted for superior sun burn resistance. Gold Beret was developed by Stanley Talago of the US and Gold Pillar is a new introduction out of Poland.



When looking for the best new perennials Dan Heims at Terra Nova is always a must visit during tradeshow season. The plant breeding at Terra Nova goes well beyond Heuchera. I was particularly excited about his new, zone 6 hardy Begonia ‘Metallic Mist’ that looks a lot like a tender Rex Begonia, and his new intense orange coneflower, Echinacea ‘Tiki Torch’. While there are many new Echinacea hybrids on the market this beauty is the result of a wide cross recovered through embryo rescue. In layman’s terms this means it will not set seed and become weedy in the garden like other Echinacea hybrids. I’ve always hated unwanted Echinacea seedlings in my garden and Dan has solved the problem and delivered really exceptional color.

All I can say is thank goodness I’m in the plant business. There is always something new and better each year. And what beautiful products we have; products that make the world a better place, one yard at a time.