The shape and form of shrubs help to build the year-round structure and framework of the garden while perennials, once they emerge in spring, define the spaces in our landscape, filling it with colour, texture and beauty. As homeowners in search of the Holy Grail, that is, achieving the perfect garden, we don’t always make the perfect choices. If we did, our landscapes would be populated by only native plant species that are well-suited to the vagaries of our climate.
With a smorgasbord, though, of intriguing new plants to try each spring, the temptation often is to experiment and push the boundaries of our growing zone. Any fears, therefore, that some of our borderline hardy plants may not have made it through this mild winter with less snow cover than usual, could be justified. The answer? Don’t despair. Look forward to welcoming back the plants that survived, embrace the opportunity to fill empty spaces with the best choices possible, and if you decide this spring to take a few chances on marginally hardy plants, be sure to take the necessary steps during the growing season to improve their chances of winter survival.
What are some of this year’s new introductions to consider along with proven selections that have reliable, enticing appeal?
In spring the showy, fragrant blooms of lilac shrubs provide some of the season’s loveliest, most satisfying displays. When Bloomerang Lilac made its debut a few years ago, it was with the promise of repeat blooms in mid-summer. Now Dark Purple Lilac, the newest entry in the Bloomerang series, brings increased vigour as well as a somewhat larger size than the original and recurring blooms throughout the summer that are said to also be larger and more rounded. Mature height and width is 150 cm. Situate in full sun to partial shade, ensuring moist but not wet, well-drained soil.
Shawna Bell, vice-president at Jeffries Nurseries, a wholesale grower and supplier in Portage, says that Sense & Sensibility Lilac, a new listing for this year, has performed well in their shrub trials. Classified as a dwarf lilac, Sense & Sensibility has a mature height of less than one meter and a spread of about 1.5 meters. A zone 3 shrub, dark pink buds open to fragrant flowers that are a soft lilac-pink.
Prairie Petite Lilac is a dense, compact dwarf-growing French lilac designed for the prairies. Gerry Aubin, owner of Aubin Nurseries in Carman, describes it as a real beauty. A hardy selection, it is smothered in pink blooms in May and grows to a height of only 75 cm and width of one meter.
Ready to invite the potentilla shrub back into your garden? Once a staple in most gardens for its dependable hardiness and long blooming period, potentilla is stepping back into the spotlight. This spring the Happy Face potentilla series from Proven Winners offers bigger blooms in a range of colours including pink, white, and yellow. Owen Vanstone, co-owner of Vanstone Nurseries, a wholesale nursery in Portage, is pleased with their performance in trials and likes their coarse foliage, dense form and extra large flowers.
Morden Snow, the last potentilla variety from the Morden Research Station’s breeding program, has the most intensely white blooms, says Aubin, as well as a neat, globe shape.
Two delicious-sounding new varieties of potentilla, Lemon Merinque and Creme Brulee, trace their lineage back to Morden as well where Dr. Campbell Davidson carried out much of his breeding work on potentilla. When the program ended, some of the genetics were offered to Bailey’s Nurseries in Minnesota which this year is introducing Lemon Meringue and Creme Brulee. Both these potentillas bloom all summer long and form a round, compact ball that requires little pruning. Potentilla, a tough shrub that is hardy to zone 2, thrives in part sun to full sun and is tolerant of poor, dry conditions once it’s fully established.
For the back of the border, consider Atomic Amur Maple. Jan Pedersen, sales representative for Bylands Nursery, says that this hardy shrub (zone 2) with three-lobed green foliage, turns a gorgeous, brilliant red in fall. A selection from an open pollinated population of Amur Maple by respected plant breeder Rick Durand, don’t be concerned by this shrub’s mature height and width of 1.8 by 2.4 meters. If desired, it prunes easily to a more manageable 1.2 meters.
There is always considerable interest each spring in knowing the name of the plant selected by the Perennial Plant Association as the Perennial Plant of the Year. Although in some years the winner may not be hardy to our zone, we’re nevertheless motivated to try it. Last year’s Perennial Plant of the Year was Biokovo Cranesbill, a lackluster geranium with washed-out pinkish-white flowers that excited few. Forming a low carpet at the front of the perennial border, Biokovo blooms in spring and again, sporadically, in summer and is hardy to zone 3.
The 2016 Perennial Plant of the Year is Honorine Jobert Anemone, a spectacularly beautiful perennial with handsome white flowers that have frilly yellow stamens with chartreuse centers on narrow stems with rich dark green leaves. Bloom time is late summer to early September. Plant this medium-sized perennial (80 cm) in a location with full morning sun and some afternoon shade. With a hardiness rating of zone 4, choose a protected location if possible that has organically amended, well-drained soil that is kept evenly moist. To ensure added winter protection, mulch in fall.
For full sun areas, the Oscar Peterson rose will be an equally stunning white flowered selection. Hardy to zone 3 with excellent disease resistance, this latest addition to the Canadian Artists Series of roses offers an upright, narrow habit, glossy foliage, and large pure white semi-double flowers with a centre of yellow stamens. Suitable for the middle of a bed, it grows to a height of about 1.8 meters.
Grass selections this spring will be more varied than ever, some varieties with distinctively smoky shades. I saw Blood Brothers Switch Grass (a Panicum virgatum variety) for the first time last summer and was struck by its green-blue leaves that had tips with blood-red tones. With an attractive vase shape and height of 130 cm suitable for the back of your shrub or flower bed, Vanstone says that this attractive grass will produce sprays of small reddish flowers that develop into tan seedheads by late fall.
Vanstone says that Red October Bluestem (Andropogon Gerardii) is an outstanding ornamental grass that is hardy to zone 3. In spring, the narrow leaves are deep green with red highlights. By fall the red increases, deepening to burgundy. Seed heads also have shades of red.
I admit I’ve been waiting for Hot Rod Panicum Virgatum, a compact switch grass (90 to 120 cm) said to have the earliest developing purple colour, turning fully burgundy during the summer. Discovered by Canadian gardener Dale Smith as a sport of Heavy Metal grass near St. Thomas Ontario, Hot Rod may not be fully hardy to our growing zone. Still, it’s sometimes possible to identify a micro-climate in the home landscape that provides some extra protection. Brian Heembrock, sales manager for Aubin Nurseries, says that Hot Rod will be available by mid-summer in limited quantities.
Heembrock says that Smoke Signal Little Bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) is another selection with a different look. Blue-green foliage takes on scarlet tones in late summer before turning a deeper purple in fall. Tan seedheads provide good contrast.
What about the front of the border? For a splash of colour, Totally Tangerine Avens (geum) forms a low mound of coarse, fuzzy green leaves with tall branching stems (60 to 75 cm) with large blooms in bright apricot to tangerine. Bell says that Jeffries is carrying it for the first time this year. It’s supposed to be a fairly abundant bloomer and is hardy to zone 4. Moisture needs are average to moist. Mulch in fall and remove any dead leaves.
Looking for something to tuck into a small space? Curly Fries Hosta is the 2016 Perennial Hosta of the Year. At only 15 cm tall and 40 cm wide, its bright chartreuse leaves are extremely narrow with rippled edges. Colour is brightest if planted in an area that receives morning sun. For hot, dry spots at the front of the border, there is new Sedum Firecracker, a burgundy-red stonecrop that thrives in full sun.
Whether you are looking for replacements or new additions this spring to your garden beds, there will be no shortage of interesting choices.
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