Freaky Fun Foliage A-Z (part 1)

When making your next tree, shrub or perennial plant purchase, think first about plants that have attractive foliage. It could be a plant with variegated foliage, but there are many other types of leaves that add interest to the landscape. Plants offer a wide array of foliage colors such as yellow, chartreuse, blue, orange, copper, bright reds, dark burgundy and even black. 

 Albizia  Summer Chocolate

Mini Salsa Berberis 

Green leafed plants can also have interesting leaves as well. First off there is an endless range of green hues. Leaf texture also adds interest. Leave texture varies greatly from finely cut leaf, to wavy, to crinkled, to big and bold, all of which provide variation and texture that can make a garden more interesting.  

Pucker Up Cornus

Crème Fraîche Deutzia 

Goldy Euonymus 

Forsythia 'Kumson' 

Bangle Genista

Hydrangea a. petiolaris 'Firefly'

Castle Gold Ilex 

 

 More to come . . .

Lemony Lace™ Sambucus

As many of you know I have a fondness for Sambucus (elder or elderberry). Here is a new variety that should be a great garden companion to Black Lace™ Sambucus. This one is called Lemony Lace™ elder and is the result of a cross between Sambucus racemosa 'Sutherland Gold', a gold leaf selection from Les Kerr, and Sambucus racemosa 'Dropmore Fernleaf', a finely cut, green leaf plant that came from Canadian plant breeder Frank Skinner.  Lemon Lace elder combines the best characteristics of each parent giving us a compact plant, with extremely fine cut, lemon-lime foliage.  

This is one rugged plant. The seedlings that come out of the initial cross were planted out in full sun to cull out the weaker, more burn susceptible plants. After four years and a lot of dead and tattered seedlings, Lemony Lace elder emerged the survivor of the fittest.

\

Much like 'Sutherland Gold', the foliage emermges an attractive dark red, then changes to yellow as the foliage matures. Unlike Black Lace™ and Black Beauty™  which are cultivars of the European species Sambucus nigra, Sambucus racemosa does not have showy flowers. And instead of edible, black fruit, this species has bright red fruit that should never be eaten. 

Hardy in zones 3-7, Lemony Lace™ elder is adaptable most climates and to most well drained soils. In northern regions it will do best in full sun and will require some dappled shade in warmer southern climates. It appears that this selection is lower and wider in stature compared 'Southerland Gold'. It is most certainly smaller in stature than Black Beauty and Black Lace elderberries. If you love yellow leafed plants or if you like fine textured plants Sambucus Black Lace then this may be a plant for you.  

Trial Garden Update

Every picture tells a story, so today's post is photographic journal of what is looking good in our trial garden. Our test garden is a fantastic resource for our nursery. It is a big investment to maintain such a large garden, but It allows us to test new plants and compare them to older cultivars.

It is here that we learn about a plants traits, both the good and bad, and determine if a plant is good enough to be introduced. Here is a sampling of plants that caught my eye over the last few weeks. What do you like and why?  

Calycanthus 'Aphrodite'

Festivus Gold a new compact ninebark from the Netherlands with bright gold foliage

Black Lace Elderberry is at its best when you let it grow big

Golden Glitter new variegated selection of Halward's Silver dwarf spirea. Every inch is covered with flowers.

Summer Wine Ninebark is wide, cascading shrub that flowers all along the stems.

Spilled Wine Weigela continues to impress visitors.  

Happy Face White Potentilla flowers earlier and heavier than other selections

Oso happy Smoothie is thornless shrub rose. It's a personal favorite. Very hardy. Very floriferous.   

Glow Girl Spirea is as neat as a pin without pruning. Great flowers, foliage, form and fall color.

Answers for Plant Breeders

As a plant breeder, I know how thrilling it is to have a new plant make it to market.  This picture was taken at a garden center in England and you can see how excited I was. It was the very first time I had seen my plant, Summer Wine® ninebark (Physocarpus), for sale in Europe. I had the same feeling of excitement when someone in my neighborhood planted one in their yard. It is one of the main reasons why we plant breeders breed plants.

Perhaps you are a plant breeder and you are looking for answers on how you can get your plant to market, how to protect your plant and how to make good decisions regarding your new plants. I just got out of a planning meeting to help organize the next Independent Plant Breeders Conference. It's going to be held in West Michigan (most likely Grand Rapids) in September of 2014. Breeders come to network, hone their breeding skills, see old friends and to get answers. In reviewing the feedback on the 2012 conference in Portland, the most requested speaker topics dealt with plant protection (plant patents, trademarks, and breeders rights) and how to get a plant to market. If you are a plant breeder, by all means make plans to attend this excellent conference. We would love to see you there, but if you want answers now I would suggest you check out the "Advice for Plant Breeders" page at the Breedersrights.com website. I just updated the entire site and most specifically tips and advice for new plant breeders as well as commonly asked questions with answers.

If you are a plant breeder, let me know what topics you want covered and what speakers your want to hear at the 2014 IPBC. This is your conference so let me know what you need. In addition, let me know if I need to answer any additional questions at breedersrights.com.