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 May 2005 Back to Table of Contents Back to Archives Main Page Section: Home & Garden What’s New in the Plant World? By Carolyn Schaffner A trend towards establishing personal identity through creative plant combinations in containers, and inventive uses in garden borders, are the distinctive qualities that confer individuality. Almost all gardeners are now experimenting with variations of familiar plants, chosen and grown in different ways to create new and exciting kinds of gardens. This is a breath of fresh air blowing through gardens worldwide. Hybridizers and plant scientists have brought new opportunities to the creative gardener. Breakthroughs have happened in flower color, character and overall plant form. Recent innovations have produced magnificently blooming beauties and attractive foliage plants from the mainstays of years gone by. For example, the newest peony hues are soft corals, true reds, streaked creams and salmon pinks. In contrast to the blooms of familiar favorites, some new forms are open, crimped and twisted, with scene-stealing shaggy centers. New plants tend to be stronger with thicker stems and shorter habits. Still, as with Iris, the classics tend to give off more intense perfumes. We gardeners can pick and choose almost any desired colors, height, exposure, and soil conditions. Among the new bedding plants we’ll try: Petunia hybrid “Supertunia,” Gaura (Butterfly Flower), Dianthus “Cinnamon Red Hots” (Carnation), Eupatorium “Chocolate” (Joe Pye Weed), Carex “Ice Fountains,” or “Carmen Bronze, (Japanese Sedge), “Frosted Curls” (New Zealand Hair Sedge), or — among the grasses — Miscanthus siensis “Graziella,” “Purpurascens,” or “Morning Light” (Silver Grass). Or these shrubs: Caryopteris “Pink Chablis,” Deutzia, Hydrangea macrophylla, or H. paniculata, Sambucus nigra “Black Lace” (Elderberry), the dwarf, columnar or tall conifers (or the miniature in container gardens), the tender and variegated or black Ilex “Castle Wall” (holly), and the variegated, dwarf, or tiny-leaved Buxus (Boxwood). We’re creating shade with shrubs and small trees. We’re combining chartreuse foliage with blooming blues beneath it. We’re looking at variegated foliaged dogwood with dark blue-green foliage underneath. We’re making plans to have some hosta, which feature double, or hyacinth-like, fragrant blooms. Instead of cutting those straggly stalks off, we’ll point with pride at them! Native plants in traditional gardens are now receiving the recognition they deserve. Our ancestors gave us sure cultivation of indigenous plants and the huge greenhouses have updated them for our modern garden designs. How to find what’s new? Nationally affiliated local plant societies are a great place to start. They bring into friendly contact all who love and grow specialty plants. Societies are aimed at the average gardener, with little or no experience in growing the specialty plants. Meetings are generally free. Field trips and garden tours provide a wonderful way to learn more about the genuses from experts and also afford an occasion to meet other people with a similar gardening passion. Here’s a few local societies to check out: Western New York Rose Society: David Swanka, 833-5549. Buffalo Area Daylily Society: Peter Weixlmann, 674-6289/Pweixl@aol.com. The Western New York Hosta Society: Carolyn Schaffner, 837-2285/drsnooks@buffnet.net. www.geocities.com/wnyhostasociety. The Western New York Iris Society: Judy Tucholski, President, 836-2573/irisjudy@aol.com. African Violet Society of WNY: Judy Niemira, 636-0934/gardenurse@adelphia.net or Michael Kotarski, 754-4219/mmk@niagara.edu. back to top back to table of contents Current Issue | About Forever Young | Where to Find | Advertise | Our Advertisers | Community Calendar | Contest | Clubs | Contact Us | Archives | Home |