As gardeners, we all need something to dream about during the cold and dreary winter months. Although the amaryllis planted in a pot for Christmas is now in full, glorious bloom, we need more this winter! Fortunately, new seed and nursery catalogs will soon be pouring in, so we can see what is available for our spring and summer gardens.
There are a number of new plants that were introduced recently and many will be available by mail order or in our local garden centers. Included in top new annuals is a beautiful purple petunia call the Glamouflage Grape petunia. This will definitely be a head-turner for your containers and beds; the foliage is variegated white and green, which really sets off the lovely, soft purple flowers. Also, because it is slower growing than other petunias, it won’t get leggy or take over your container. This plant is 6-8 inches tall and 10-12 inches wide and prefers full sun; it will be available in local garden centers.
Another new annual is the Sparks Will Fly begonia, which sports rich dark foliage and bring orange flowers that seem to glow like embers. It has a tidy mounded habit which will look great in its own container or combined with other shade-loving plants. It likes well-drained soil and is a heavy feeder, so fertilize it regularly. It grows 15-18 inches tall and wide, and is available from Burpee. Also, you can save plants for the following year by overwintering them inside in front of a sunny window.
Among the new sun-loving perennials is a coneflower, everyone’s favorite, called Southern Belle. It has deep magenta double cones with a light pink "skirt" of petals; the exciting news about this coneflower is that it will bloom from early summer for 12-14 weeks. It has sturdy stems which stay upright in the garden and the blooms make wonderful cut flowers for bouquets. This plant prefers full sun and moist, well drained soil; it will grow 30-36 inches tall and wide and is hardy from zones 5-9 (remember that we are in zone 7.) It is available from Forestfarm, www.forestfarm.com.
If you like shade perennials, there are a number of new ones introduced this year as well, including a new coral bells (Heuchera) which always brightens up a shady area. This new plant is called Paprika, and it will really spice up your garden with its really orange foliage. It has extra large leaves which open as a rosy orange in spring and then change to a deeper orange by summer. Paprika has lovely white flowers in the spring – great for hummingbirds - and tolerates our Oklahoma heat and humidity extremely well. It needs part to full shade and well drained soil, and it grows 8 – 12 inches tall, and 12 – 16 inches wide; it will be available in garden centers in our area.
We all love crape myrtles and they grow extremely well in Oklahoma. New this year is a pink crape myrtle called Pink Pig, with pale pink flowers which bloom earlier than other cultivars; its buds are a deep wine red which are attractive on their own. Additionally, because it blooms so early, you can get up to three flushes of blooms from Pink Pig! New foliage starts out as burgundy and then fades to green, which are complementing to the red-brown bark. This crape myrtle is a midsized shrub, growing 6 – 10 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide; it will fit well in the middle or back of your beds, with annuals or perennials in front of it. It prefers full sun and moist well-drained soil and will be available at local garden centers.
If you have the winter doldrums, look at the new nursery catalogs that will soon come your way this time of the year; you can certainly look forward to many new plants which will cure your winter blues!
Kautz is a retired Air Force Colonel and Master Gardener.
