March 31, 2014

Meet the Elite Eight Shrubs: Part Two


'Miss Ruby' butterfly bush
Buddleia

When walking through the nursery's display beds in summer, 'Miss Ruby' never fails to stand out. Perhaps it's the flutter of butterflies drawing attention. Perhaps it's the vibrant pink color of its blooms. Perhaps it's how well its neat, compact habit plays with others in the landscape. There are a lot of obvious reasons why it draws you in, but its most important characteristic is not so in your face. This interspecific Buddleia hybrid is noninvasive. 

{Choirs of angels descend from the skies.}

Yes, 'Miss Ruby' has everything you want in a butterfly bush, so it's not surprising that it has made it this far in the Shrub Madness competition.

And P.S., 'Miss Ruby' is deer resistant, too.


USDA Zone 5 AHS Zone 9 | 4-5' tall and wide | Full Sun
Fun Fact: 'Miss Ruby' was rated #1 in the All Europe Trials
Like this noninvasive butterfly bush? Try one of these: 'Miss Molly' butterfly bush, Lo & Behold® 'Blue Chip' butterfly bush, Lo & Behold® 'Lilac Chip' butterfly bush, Lo & Behold® 'Ice Chip' butterfly bush, Lo & Behold® 'Purple Haze' butterfly bush, (coming spring 2015) Lo & Behold® 'Blue Chip Jr.' butterfly bush, and Lo & Behold® 'Pink Micro Chip' butterfly bush


Oso Easy® Paprika landscape rose
Rosa

The Oso Easy® series has 11 varieties of easy-to-grow, super disease resistant roses, and Paprika is the spiciest of them all. The bright orange roses have yellow eyes, and its glossy green foliage has hints of red in the new growth. Additionally, the award-winning Oso Easy Paprika rose is hardy to USDA Zone 3.  

Orange you glad it made it this far in the competition? (Sorry, it's early Monday morning.Where did I put my coffee?)

USDA Zone 3 AHS Zone 9 | 1-2' tall and wide | Full Sun
Like the Oso Easy roses? Try one of these: Oso Happy® Candy Oh! rose, Oso Happy® Petit Pink rose, Oso Happy® Smoothie rose

Pinky Winky® hydrangea
Hydrangea paniculata

Pinky Winky hydrangea is often given a hard time because of its silly name. Before you snicker, however, you must know that the breeder, Dr. Johan Van Huylenbroeck, names his plants after his children's favorite cartoon characters. He's also dubbed such gems as Bobo® hydrangea and Mega Mindy® hydrangea. A little goofy? Absolutely, but that sort of charm deserves a "World's Best Dad" mug.

Pinky Winky hydrangea has 12-16" long blooms held upright on strong stems. They open white, turn pink, and then continue to push new white florets from the tip of the panicle, creating a two-tone effect. 

USDA Zone 3 AHS Zone 8 | 6-8' tall and wide | Full Sun/Part Shade
Like this hardy hydrangea? Try one of these: Bobo® hardy hydrangea, Fire Light™  hardy hydrangea, 'Little Lamb' hardy hydrangea, 'Limelight' hardy hydrangea, Little Lime® hardy hydrangea, Quick Fire® hardy hydrangea, Little Quick Fire® hardy hydrangea

Summer Wine® ninebark
Physocarpus opulifolius

If you read Part One, you know how I feel about dark foliage plants. Summer Wine ninebark is planted in my garden, so there may come a day you'll find me curled up in its graceful branches. It's small yet, but one day. You'll whisper, "What ever happened to that Shannon girl?" And your in-the-know friend will respond, "The one from PW? Oh, haven't you heard? She snuggled into her Summer Wine ninebark and was never seen again."

Summer Wine ninebark combines the fine texture and branching of 'Nana' with the dark foliage of Diabolo® ninebark. In mid-summer, it is accentuated by buttons of flowers along the length of its branches. The most exciting thing? Summer Wine ninebark was rated as the most mildew resistant variety in a University of Connecticut study. "Among the purple ninebark cultivars we studied," they said, "'Seward' Summer Wine®, with an overall mildew rating of 1.1, was the clear statistical and visual standout with minimal infection on very few leaves." Read the study, "Layers of Intrigue: Physocarpus and Powdery Mildew," for more information. Love that title.

USDA Zone 3 AHS Zone 7 | 5-6' tall and wide | Full Sun
Like this ninebark? Try one of these: Coppertina™ ninebark and Tiny Wine® ninebark

March 26, 2014

Meet the Elite Eight Shrubs: Part One

This week's Shrub Madness match ups determine the Elite Eight shrubs, which will then compete to determine our Floral Four, i.e. the Grand Prize. Who are these heavy hitters? Let's get to know the first batch of potential winners.

Let's Dance® Diva! hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla

Last June, a knot of bitty toads was crossing a path between greenhouses. When such a discovery of adorable, baby amphibians is made, there is only one thing to do: you place them on the largest flower in bloom and take pictures. That flower was Let's Dance Diva! hydrangea.

Though just arriving at retail this year, Let's Dance Diva! hydrangea has become an instant favorite. Each bloom is comprised of sterile florets the width of a grown man's palm, creating a dinner plate-sized lacecap flower. Its coloring is soft, shifting between the perfect baby shower shades of pink and blue. As part of the Let's Dance series, it is, of course, a strong rebloomer.

USDA Zone 5 AHS Zone 9 | 2-3' tall and wide | Full Sun/Part Shade
Fun Fact: During its trialing process, Diva! was called Flying Saucer.
Like this lacecap? Try one of these: Abracadabra® Star bigleaf hydrangea, Edgy® Orbits bigleaf hydrangea, Let's Dance® Starlight bigleaf hydrangea, Tuff Stuff™ mountain hydrangea, Tiny Tuff Stuff™ mountain hydrangea

Cityline® Mars hydrangea

Hydrangea macrophylla

If you have been following along with Shrubs Center, you might think I have it out for this shrub after its devastating win over Summer Shandy™ hop, one of my Floral Four. Not at all. Cityline Mars hydrangea joined my garden last year, and I can't wait to see its showy bicolor blooms again. Coincidentally, it's planted just a few feet from Summer Shandy hop.

The Cityline series doesn't get as much attention as the Let's Dance rebloomers, but these super compact plants also offer an answer to the age old question, "Why isn't my hydrangea blooming?" Often, a few mistimed snips of the pruning shears remove the old wood buds on bigleaf hydrangeas, eliminating the season's flowers. With such a compact size, only 1-3' tall and wide, the Cityline varieties never need pruning. Ever. This short stature also means they are perfect for growing in containers.

USDA Zone 5 AHS Zone 9 | 1-3' tall and wide | Full Sun/Part Shade
Like this tiny variety? Try one of these: Cityline® Berlin bigleaf hydrangea, Cityline® Paris bigleaf hydrangea, Cityline® Rio bigleaf hydrangea, Cityline® Venice bigleaf hydrangea, Cityline® Vienna bigleaf hydrangea

'Sweet Summer Love' clematis

Clematis flammula hybrid

I'm going to go out on a limb to say that 'Sweet Summer Love' is one of the most anticipated releases for 2014. It has already won multiple awards, most recently the 2014 Green Thumb Award from the Direct Gardening Association. Why all the hype? Three words: colorful 'Sweet Autumn.' And one more word because I know you're going to ask: noninvasive. 

While 'Sweet Summer Love' has many similarities to 'Sweet Autumn', like scent and easy growth, it is actually a different species all together. This hybrid can be planted without the risk of a take over. Need extra reassurance? Check out Clematis flammula's UDSA invasiveness map.

Now let's just sit back, enjoy those vibrant cranberry-violet blooms, and dream of summer...

USDA Zone 4 AHS Zone 9 | 10' tall | Full Sun/Part Shade
Like this eye-catching vine? Try one of these: Summer Shandy™ hop, 'Scentsation' honeysuckle, Rose Sensation® false hydrangea-vine

Black Beauty™ elderberry

Sambucus nigra

Maybe it's just me, but deep black plants like Black Beauty elderberry make me want to nestle into their branches and just hang out. Weird? I don't deny it. Dark foliage is enchanting.

This deer resistant shrub is more than a pretty face. Did you know that the fruit of Sambucus nigra is edible? In fact, it's widely consumed in Europe. Of course, there are a few important caveats: the leaves and stems are toxic, and the berries must be ripened and cooked. Use a bit of caution, however, and you can enjoy the purple-black fruit in elderberry jam, muffins, liqueurs, and more. On a hot summer day, soak the lacy pink flowers with lime slices in a pitcher of water, and you have a refreshing and beautiful beverage.

USDA Zone 4 AHS Zone 8 | 8-12' tall | Full Sun/Part Shade
Fun Fact: Elderberries were named the 2013 Herb of the Year.
Like this edible fruit? Try one of these: Black Lace™ elderberry, Big Lifeberry® goji berry, Sweet Lifeberry® goji berry, (coming spring 2015) Sugar Mountain™ Blue sweetberry honeysuckle

March 25, 2014

Shrub Madness: Round Two Recap

Round Two brought the first hydrangea defeats, demolished my bracket, and crowned the Sweet 16. It's been a whirlwind of activity, but we've still had time to dazzle the world with our wit and wisdom in episodes of Shrubs Center. You can watch all five episodes below if you're up for our cheeky brand of humor.



Round Two Standings
(1) Bloomerang® Purple lilac vs. (9) Tuff Stuff™ hydrangea: 252 to 264
(1) Lo & Behold® 'Blue Chip' butterfly bush vs. (8) Let's Dance® Diva! hydrangea: 92 to 226
(1) Little Lime® hydrangea vs. (8) Brandywine™ viburnum: 171 to 110
(1) Sonic Bloom™ Pink weigela vs. (8) Dream Catcher™ beauty bush: 176 to 75
(2) Bobo® hydrangea vs. (5) Lavender Chiffon™ rose of Sharon: 106 to 123
(2) Invincibelle® Spirit hydrangea vs. (7) Fine Wine™ weigela: 149 to 91
(2) Oso Easy® Mango Salsa rose vs. (7) Double Play® Big Bang™ spirea: 242 to 78
(2) Incrediball® hydrangea vs. (7) Lo & Behold® 'Purple Haze' butterfly bush: 210 to 100
(3) 'Sweet Summer Love' clematis vs. (11) Double Take™ 'Scarlet Storm' quince: 399 to 163
(3) Fire Light™ hydrangea vs. (6) Oso Easy® Paprika rose: 140 to 161
(3) Home Run® rose vs. (6) Black Beauty™ elderberry: 106 to 174
(3) Cityline® Mars hydrangea vs. (6) Coppertina™ ninebark: 160 to 145
(4) 'Miss Ruby' butterfly bush vs. (12) Abracadabra® Star hydrangea: 212 to 120
(4) Pinky Winky® hydrangea vs. (5) Little Henry® Sweetspire: 192 to 118
(4) Summer Wine® weigela vs. (12) Soft Serve® false cypress: 194 to 105
(4) Let's Dance® Rhapsody Blue hydrangea vs. (5) My Monet® weigela: 251 to 264

(#) denotes bracket seed placement

March 14, 2014

Shrub Madness Round One Recap

Round One of Shrub Madness has left the Proven Winners ColorChoice marketing department scratching our heads. We know our 200+ shrubs better than anyone, the varieties of which we have great photography, and how our die hard fans react to a blue flower, but there are outcomes no one saw coming. Every hydrangea won its match up. Every. Single. One. Soft Serve® false cypress dominated Fine Line® Rhamnus in a match that left our jaws brushing against the dusty nursery floor. Dream Catcher™ beauty bush, a plant that next to no one talks about, beat Show Off® forsythia by 13 points. Spring starts this Friday. How was forsythia not everyone's very favorite thing?

Yes, Shrub Madness has been a learning experience. I invite you to take a look at which plants advanced to round two, which began today. Are you surprised? Do you think your readers would vote the same way?

Round One Standings:
(6) Coppertina™ ninebark vs. (11) Ghost™ weigela: 151 to 104
(6) Oso Easy® Paprika rose vs. (11) Lil' Kim™ rose of Sharon: 201 to 64
(6) Black Beauty™ elderberry vs. (11) Crème Fraiche® deutzia: 184 to 65
(6) Big Lifeberry® goji berry vs. (11) Double Take™ 'Scarlet Storm' quince: 44 to 208
(3) Cityline® Mars hydrangea vs. (14) Summer Shandy™ hop: 216 to 29
(3) 'Sweet Summer Love' clematis vs. (14) Vanilla Spice® summersweet: 217 to 60
(3) Home Run® rose vs. (14) Castle Spire® blue holly: 178 to 76
(3) Fire Light® hydrangea vs. (14) Sugar Shack™ buttonbush: 197 to 69
(4) Summer Wine® ninebark vs. (13) Spice Girl™ viburnum: 193 to 105
(4) Pinky Winky® hydrangea vs. (13) Azurri Blue Satin® rose of Sharon: 160 to 139
(4) 'Miss Ruby' butterfly bush vs. (13) Berry Heavy® winterberry holly: 179 to 108
(4) Let's Dance® Rhapsody Blue hydrangea vs. (13) Oso Happy® Candy Oh! rose: 195 to 77
(8) Brandywine™ viburnum vs. (9) 'Amy Cotta' rhododendron: 150 to 91
(8) Dream Catcher™ beauty bush vs. (9) Show Off® Sugar Baby forsythia: 122 to 109
(8) Let's Dance® Diva! vs. (9) Chardonnay Pearls® deutzia: 185 to 67
(8) Sugar Tip® Rose of Sharon vs. (9) Tuff Stuff™ hydrangea: 93 to 156
(7) Lavender Chiffon™ rose of Sharon vs. (10) Glow Girl™ spirea: 192 to 59
(7) Fine Wine™ weigela vs. (10) Bloom-A-Thon® Red azalea: 153 to 104
(7) Double Play® Big Bang™ spirea vs. (10) Sunjoy® Gold Pillar barberry: 146 to 95
(7) Lo & Behold® 'Purple Haze' butterfly bush vs. (10) Petit Bleu™ bluebeard: 129 to 115
(2) Invincibelle® Spirit hydrangea vs. (15) Marie Rose™ New Jersey tea: 195 to 44
(2) Incrediball® hydrangea vs. (15) Pinky Bells™ abelia: 149 to 105
(2) Oso Easy® Mango Salsa rose vs. (15) Sky Pointer® Japanese holly: 186 to 62
(2) Bobo® hydrangea vs. (15) Handsome Devil™ viburnum: 209 to 48
(5) Little Henry® sweetspire vs. (12) Arctic Fire™ red twig dogwood: 168 to 99
(5) Spilled Wine® weigela vs. (12) Abracadabra® Star hydrangea: 95 to 145
(5) My Monet® weigea vs. (12) Red Wall® Virginia creeper: 211 to 32
(5) Fine Line® buckthorn vs. (12) Soft Serve® false cypress: 61 to 198
(1) Sonic Bloom™ Pink weigela vs. (16) Happy Face® White potentilla: 192 to 48
(1) Lo & Behold® 'Blue Chip' butterfly bush vs. (16) Good Vibrations® Gold juniper: 189 to 28
(1) Bloomerang® Purple lilac vs. (16) 'Frozen Flame' hebe: 82 to 35
(1) Little Lime® hydrangea vs. (16) Celtic Pride™ Siberian cypress: 116 to 14

(#) denotes bracket seed placement

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