April 4, 2019

CAST 2019

Natalie talking about cool, new shrubs.
Hello and happy Thursday!

Oh my goodness, CAST was a whirlwind. I just got done uploading some pictures of the beautiful shrubs we showed this year. Mind you, these are plants that are available to growers this year, so they will be at garden centers in 2020.

I loved spending the week in the California sun (okay there was a little rain, but I'm not complaining) talking about shrubs. What could be better!

Two of my favorites are:

Interstella® Pieris

Whether you call it Japanese andromeda or lily of the valley shrub, Interstella® Pieris will have you seeing stars when it bursts into bloom with thousands of lantern-like ruby-colored blooms in early spring. You may have seen a Pieris with white flowers or pale-pink flowers, but we selected this one for its ruby red blooms. 

The long-lasting display is followed by the emergence of dramatic red new growth, and handsome evergreen foliage secures year-round presence and beauty. Thrives in the same conditions as rhododendrons. 

USDA Zone 5 - 8 exposure full to part sun. This will actually do well in the shade, too!

Ringo™ Rosa

I know you could say Ringo™ rose but it's so much more fun to say Ringo™ Rosa... 

This rose has already won six awards overseas, and will finally available in North American garden centers in 2020. 

The blooms of this colorful, appealing R. hulthemia hybrid open a bright golden yellow with a blazing red center. They mellow to a soft yellow, before finally turning white with a distinct pink center. The effect is of three colors blooming at once. 

Disease resistant and reblooming, hardy in USDA zones 4-8. This rose will get to about 3-4' tall. I can't wait to get my hands on one.

The rest of the photos from CAST are in my online Adobe Portfolio. I wish I could say I took them all, but that wouldn't be true... my co-worker Adriana Robinson also came to CAST this year and she took lots of great video as well as most of the photos on the page (and the photo of Ringo™ Rosa on this page.) She's super-talented and hopefully we'll be posting a few of her videos soon. 

Thanks for stopping by and see you next week!

Natalie