A new blog site!

The award-winning Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Plant of the Week blog has moved! 

Just like Through the Greenhouse Glass, the new blog site provides gardeners and garden communicators with information and inspiration for their next gardening-related project.

Just as Alice found a whole new world when she stepped Through the Looking-Glass, we know this new blog will introduce you to the fantastical world of flowering shrubs, whether you are viewing them Through the Greenhouse Glass, or in your own backyard. 

If you would like to sign up/continue to receive the weekly posts via email you can subscribe via the home page of PlantoftheWeek.com.

Plant of the week: Bloomerang® Dwarf Purple lilac

It's a great time to talk about lilacs.


 Why?

Because lilacs thrive in places that are currently burdened with snow, sleet, ice and general winter grey. We need to talk about lilacs and dream of their sweet fragrance to keep the winter blues away.

What's better than a lilac flower in spring? How about a lilac that blooms in summer, too?

Let's go one step further and have a lilac that stays about 3' tall. So that homeowner with a small yard can get maximum lilac time with a minimal square-footage investment.

That sounds like a win all around!

Bloomerang® Dwarf Purple lilac is all that, plus improved disease-resistance. It's a great fit in smaller landscapes and patios, and an outstanding container plant for retail sales.

Like other lilacs it will want full sun, and has good deer-resistance. It's hardy in USDA 3-7, and like all Syringa will tolerate tough conditions like alkaline or clay soils.

Shrub Madness
I think March Madness is such a thing in the Midwest because it's a distraction from this painful month of grim weather.

We can do better than a basketball tournament, though. How about a plant tournament? The best of March Madness (minus the injuries and off-court shenanigans) combined with LILACS! Yes, that's Shrub Madness...and it's happening right now!

Pick your plants. Trash talk with the other plant nerds. Maybe put a little money down on your favorite genus. Come on, you know you have one. You've only got a few more days to complete your bracket and thus be entered to win some sweet prizes. Then you have all month to help pick the winner. Have fun!

Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles

Plant of the Week: Pink Chiffon® Hibiscus

Plant of the Week is written by Jane Beggs-Joles

August.

It's warm - perfect for beaches and barbecue. And Hibiscus syriacus.

Pink Chiffon® H. syriacus habit

Rose-of-Sharon is beautiful right now, flowering happily when many other plants are kind of tired. What color do you want? Blue, white, purple? How about pink?

Pink Chiffon® H. syriacus is a delightful plant, charming even those of us who aren't partial to the color. The large blooms hit just the right part of pink: bright enough to stand out in the garden yet not disruptive.

Pink Chiffon® H. syriacus bloom

Like other H. syriacus, Pink Chiffon® grows best in full sun. It will get 8-12' tall and 6-10' wide, and is hardy to USDA Zone 5. It is one of several outstanding varieties brought to us by plant breeder Dr. Roderick Wood. His selections all have large, unique flowers and a full, graceful habit. They are much more appealing in containers than older varieties.

In addition to having abundant late summer flowers, rose-of-Sharon is a durable plant that will tolerate some challenging conditions. Heat, drought, clay soil - even deer in most areas don't bother it.

Get ready to celebrate!

August 18 is this Sunday, and it's a day to celebrate. Why? I'll give you two good reasons: it's the day U.S. women gained the right to vote in 1920, and it's the anniversary of the first plant patent! Wow!

The first plant patent was issued to New Jersey resident Henry Bosenberg in 1931 for the 'New Dawn' rose. Since then, thousands of plant patents have been granted. Breeding a new plant is no different than any other creation, and protecting intellectual property like songs, books, and yes, plants, is a critical element in our economy.

As exciting as plant hunting can be, it's a lot of work. It takes time, dedication, and attention to detail. And don't you think the person who spends years breeding a better hydrangea deserves both credit and compensation?

So how will you celebrate plants and women's suffrage? Buy a lady a plant! And cake! Wine, too, if she's old enough to enjoy it. After all, you only need to be 18 to vote. And if you know a young lady who's turning 18 soon, remind her to register to vote. (Young men, too).