In spring 2013, 32 new Proven Winners® ColorChoice® shrub varieties will make their debut at garden centers across North America. Each addition to the flowering shrub collection is a colorful, low maintenance option bred for superior hardiness, continuous bloom cycles, or more compact, dwarf habits. Consider these top five selections to add interest and excitement to your garden from first bloom to frost.
Tuff Stuff™ Hydrangea
Tuff Stuff™ hydrangea’s semi-double to double florets form an attractive mass of lacecap blooms that open with creamy centers and deepen to rich pink or blue, depending on soil PH. These mountain hydrangeas are tougher than they look, however. Bred for improved bud and stem hardiness, they are reliable rebloomers that flower on both new and old wood. Even in cooler climates, Tuff Stuff hydrangea produce new blooms from early summer to frost.
Size: 2 – 3' tall and wide
Exposure: Sun or partial sun
Uses: Mixed borders, foundation plantings
Soil: Prefers moist, well drained soils.
Zone: 5 – 9
Awards: 2012 Plantarium Gold Medal
Bobo™ Hydrangea
Bobo™ hydrangea’s dwarf form is covered in large white blooms early and continues to frost. The strong stems grow and lengthen throughout the season to keep the sizable blooms upright. In fall, Bobo hydrangea’s white coloring deepens to blush then rich pink for a lush autumnal display in any garden, large or small.
Size: 2.5 – 3' tall and 3 – 4’ wide
Exposure: Sun or partial sun
Uses: Mixed borders, foundation plantings, or grown in a container
Soil: Adaptable to most well-drained soils.
Zone: 3 – 9
Awards: 2010 Gold FLORALL award for best novelty plant
Lo & Behold® ‘Lilac Chip’ Buddleia
‘Lilac Chip’ dwarf buddleia, the new addition to the sterile Lo & Behold® series, are low-maintenance shrubs perfect for perennial borders or mass plantings. The soft lavender-pink flowers bloom continuously to frost without the need to deadhead. ‘Lilac Chip’ buddleia reach a petite size of 18-24” tall and 24-30” wide, making them more compact than ‘Blue Chip.’ The entire Lo & Behold series is approved for sale within Oregon, where buddleia is considered invasive.
Size: 1.5 – 2' tall and 2 – 2.5’ wide
Exposure: Full sun
Uses: Groundcover for mass plantings, perennial gardens, or mixed borders
Soil: Prefers well drained soils.
Zone: 5 – 9
Awards: 2012 Colour Your Life Award, beating ten years of Plantarium Best in Show Gold Medal winners (‘Lilac Chip’ buddleia was honored in 2011).
Show Off® Sugar Baby
Show Off® Sugar Baby forsythia continue the series’ tradition of reinventing and redefining the genus with miniature, upright habits perfect for small gardens. During its impressive spring display, Show Off Sugar Baby forsythia produce more flowers per inch than other varieties and stay small without the need of pruning.
Size: 1.5 – 2.5'
Exposure: Full sun
Uses: Specimen plant, mixed borders
Soil: Adaptable to most soils.
Zone: 4 – 8
Sonic Bloom™ Weigela Series
Blooms abound with the newest breakthrough in weigela: the Sonic Bloom™ series. Tubular flowers engulf this dense, reblooming shrub from spring until frost, giving gardeners three seasons of nonstop color in zones 4-8. They bloom on new and old wood without deadheading, creating virtually maintenance free plants once established.
The three Sonic Bloom varieties reach a compact 4-5’ tall and wide in full sun- a great choice for display beds, a low hedge, or in mass planting. Sonic Bloom™ Red weigela boast lipstick red color, Sonic Bloom™ Pink weigela bring hot pink blooms to the series, and Sonic Bloom™ Pearl weigela open white with a yellow throat before edging itself in pale pink. They are deer resistant and a delight for hummingbirds.
Size: 4 – 5' tall and wide
Exposure: Full sun
Uses: Shrub borders, mixed borders, foundation plantings
Soil: Adaptable to most well-drained soils.
Zone: 4 – 8
For more information or high-resolution electronic photos of these plants, please contact Shannon Springer at shannon@springmeadownursery.com.
About Proven Winners® ColorChoice®
Proven Winners ColorChoice is the brand name of Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc., a market leader in flowering shrubs, potted liners, and starter plants. Located in Grand Haven, Michigan, Spring Meadow Nursery has over 500 varieties in their catalog, including 200 varieties marketed under the Proven Winners ColorChoice brand, including Incrediball® Hydrangea, ‘Limelight’ Hydrangea, My Monet® Weigela, Wine & Roses® Weigela, Quick Fire® Hydrangea, and Invincibelle® Spirit Hydrangea. For more information, visit www.colorchoiceplants.com and www.springmeadownursery.com.
Source: Proven Winners® ColorChoice