Happy Valentine's Day!
This week Jane writes about an alternative to roses for Valentine's Day, a peppy little pomegranate plant! (Scroll down for the post.) However, consumers will have to wait on this one, it won't be available to retail until 2020.
Until then, a rose never is a bad idea, right? So, just for Valentine's Day, here are my favorite three Proven Winners® ColorChoice® roses:
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| Oso Easy® Double Pink rose |
I fell in love with this one at CAST last year. It is an amazingly prolific bloomer and I love the bright yellow centers on the full, little bubblegum pink flowers. This rose can have up to 10 blooms per stem, so it's always bright and colorful.
I planted quart-sized plants of this rose in my garden last spring and they doubled in size by fall. Plus, it just kept blooming and blooming well past summer. I can't wait to see what they do this year!
It's brand-new at garden centers this year...if you can't find it ask if they can order one for you! When local options fail, you can also get it online on the Proven Winners website.
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| Ringo™ Rosa |
I know, we talked about this one just last week, but look at it! It's ridiculous how gorgeous it is. Okay, you can't get it until 2020 but plan a spot for it in your garden because this one will stop passersby dead in their tracks.
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| At Last® rose |
This rose has a beautiful upright habit and the soft, apricot-colored blooms are super-full and heavenly scented. Yes, this is unique for a shrub rose. Most are lovely, and the pollinators still flock to them, but the blooms have no scent at all. If you grow tea roses you'll get fragrance, but they susceptible to diseases like black spot and powdery mildew. But because At Last is shrub rose, (and a PWCC rose) it resistant to the typical diseases that befall hybrid tea roses. Plus, it's self-cleaning! When the bloom is spent, the petals simply drop to the ground so more flowers can take their place. So, if I can get a sweet-scented, fully petaled rose that is less work, I'm all in.
So that's it...my Valentine's Day rose roundup! See you next week - Natalie
Not your typical Valentine's Day gift
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| Peppy Le Pom™ ornamental pomegranate |
Yes, the same plant that your health nut cousin is always talking about has some serious ornamental appeal, too.
Peppy Le Pom™ Punica is a very cute little dwarf plant that's ideal for gifting. It has fun orange flowers that will produce tiny pomegranate fruits. They are edible, but the primary appeal of the plant is the flowers and the compact habit.
Why pomegranates?
The pomegranate is already a traditional gift in many cultures. It's presented at Rosh Hashanah, they are used to celebrate the Greek Orthodox New Year, and they make a great Thanksgiving centerpiece, too.
Don't just take our word for it: Peppy Le Pom™ was recently awarded the Direct Gardening Association's Green Thumb award.
Peppy Le Pom™ Punica is hardy to about 40F, so for most of us, it's strictly an indoor plant. But if you're in a mild climate you can expect it to get 3-4' tall and wide. It will want full sun.
Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles.
