COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The best new ornamental plants, garden products, and edible plants have won the prestigious 2020 Green Thumb Award presented by the Direct Gardening Association.
Winners of the 2020 Green Thumb Awards were chosen by an independent panel of garden writers and editors. The winning products were selected based on their uniqueness, technological innovation, and appeal to gardeners.
2020 GREEN THUMB AWARD WINNERS
Clematis ‘Lady Kyoko’
The stunning “Lady Kyoko” Clematis has medium-sized, multi-sepaled flowers with delicate light purple veining on a white background blushed with lavender. “Lady Kyoko” matures at about 4-5 feet tall, which makes it perfect for growing in containers and in flower borders with support.
This easy-to-grow variety is hardy in USDA zones 7-9 and it grows best in full sun in moist, well-drained soil. Plants are available from springhillnursery.com.
European Beech InstantHedge
There’s no reason to wait four or five years for a finished European Beech hedge when an InstantHedge can be planted in one day. The European Beech InstantHedge provides beauty and privacy immediately after installation. The hedges are available in two sizes: 3-4 feet tall and 5-6 feet tall.
InstantHedge is shipped in biodegradable cardboard boxes that can be planted right in the ground. Available at instanthedge.com.
Treasure Island Sweet Potatoes
Treasure Island is a new series of edible sweet potatoes that also look great in ornamental gardens and containers. These plants offer gardeners the opportunity to turn almost any growing container into a tropical garden.
The edible tubers come in a wide range of colors from orange to red to purple — and they taste great! Some of the varieties even have edible leaves, which range in color from dark purple to light green. Treasure Island Sweet Potatoes are available at springhillnursery.com.
KangaRhu Rhubarb
KangaRhu Rhubarb offers outstanding quality and superior summer production — even where warm summer nights restrict production of typical rhubarb varieties.
KangaRhu Rhubarb was developed using genetics adapted to Australia, one of the most challenging gardening environments to be found anywhere. The red stalks of KangaRhu are the darkest of any rhubarb. They cook up a brilliant red and they taste great. Bareroot plants are available at gurneys.com.
Garden Tutor Online Course and Kit
The Garden Tutor Online Course and Kit is a unique, multimedia course that teaches beginning gardeners how to grow a garden like a professional. Instead of learning by trial and error, Garden Tutor provides the foundation for a beginning gardener to start a lifelong hobby of successfully growing plants of all kinds.
In addition to the acclaimed Garden Tutor course, the kit includes essential tools needed to plan and plant a garden including a soil-testing kit, compass, measuring tape, soil testing jar, a handy reference guide and more. Get the Garden Tutor Online Course and Kit at gardentutor.com.
Vertex Wall Trellis
The Vertex Wall Trellis uses a unique geometric pattern to create stunning visual interest and solid support for all types of vines and vining plants. At 97 inches, this trellis is much taller than most plant supports and other trellises. Made of sturdy rust-proof aluminum, the Vertex Wall Trellis is perfect for training vines up walls and fences.
This attractive trellis is modular, so multiple units can be combined to create a custom-fit trellis for larger walls. Perfect for creating a vertical garden almost anywhere. The Vertex Wall Trellis is available at gardeners.com.