New Perennials for 2020 from Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc. + Some Old Favourites

It's a gorgeous day here–sunny and warm enough for the snow to be melting. Though it feels like spring has arrived, I remind myself that it is only the first of March and winter may not be done with us just yet.

 You can see the tangled growth at the base of the lilac in this shot from June 2019.

Even though it is just a common lilac, the flowers are pretty and very fragrant.

Despite the pockets of snow, the dogs and I spent a good part of yesterday afternoon out in the garden. The temperature was mild enough for me to ditch my winter jacket and get to work pruning a neglected lilac. While this is not the proper time of year to prune a lilac (you could cut off all this year's flower buds if you aren't confident in what you're doing) I find it helpful to get a headstart on simple tasks like removing spindly suckers before I get overwhelmed with a long list of other pressing spring chores. That and it's nice to be puttering around outside in the sunshine!

Like me, I am sure you are beginning to draw up a spring wishlist. What interests me these days are plants with unique foliage and flowers. With that in mind, I've put together a list of new introductions from Terra Nova Nurseries that have captured my imagination. And as I promised earlier in the year, I'm also going to highlight some older introductions I think are worth seeking out.

A word about Terra Nova® Nurseries. They use tissue culture to propagate and grow both annuals and perennials.  Based in Canby Oregon, they have introduced over a thousand new plants to market.

As a wholesale propagation nursery, Terra Nova does not sell directly to the public. On their website, they have a handy page that will help you locate a retailer in your state or province that sells their plants (Sadly for Canadians on the East Coast and in Saskatchewan, Terra Nova is underrepresented).

Some of the New Plants for 2020

Geum Tempo™ Rose from Terra Nova® Nurseries

Geum Tempo™ Rose has dark rose-pink flowers on short, dark stems. Moist, loamy soil is prefered. Long bloom time. Full sun. Height: 8-21 inches, Spread: 12 inches. USDA zones: 5-9.

Sedum Peach Pearls has burgundy leaves and rose-gold flowers. Even in its first year, this sedum produces multiple flower crowns. 'Peach Pearls' likes soil with good drainage. Drought tolerant and attractive to pollinators. Full sun. Height: 14-20 inches, Spread: 24 inches. USDA zones: 4-9.

Veronica Vespers™ Blue has blueish-purple flowers. A long period of bloom begins in late spring and runs into mid-summer.  It prefers moist soil with lots of organic material and good drainage. Full sun. Height: 9-13 inches, Spread: 11 inches. USDA zones: 4-8.

Heuchera Northern Exposure™ Sienna has green foliage when it first emerges in the spring. In summer, it becomes a mix of sienna and orange with greenish margins. Fall sees it revert back again to green. Rust resistant. Moderately well-drained soil and average moisture conditions. Full sun to part shade. Height: 13-22 inches, Spread: 21 inches. USDA zones: 4-9.

Other Perennials that Caught my Eye:

Of all the perennials on my list, I would love to get my hands on this one the most! I find Thalictrum to be a terrific option for part-shade. This type of Meadow Rue has lovely ferny foliage, dark stems and star-like flowers. I have the mauve flowering variety but would like to add a white flowering version:

Thalictrum Nimbus™ White has clouds of white flowers and fern-like foliage. The flowers age to lavender-pink seed heads. This perennial prefers moist, humus-rich soil but adapts well to average soil with good drainage. Part-shade. Height: 28 inches, Spread: 16 inches. USDA zones: 5-9.

I have a quite number of Bleeding Hearts, but I don't have this cultivar with its combination of golden leaves and white flowers.

I can just imagine Dicentra 'White Gold' mixed in with tulips and daffodils. Beautiful! Again, it's a great option for the shady area of your garden (although, based on experience with similar 'Gold Heart', I would recommend part-shade for the best leaf color).

Dicentra 'White Gold' has heart-shaped white flowers and golden leaves on a vigorous plant. This perennial prefers moist, loamy soil. Part to full shade. Height: 24-30 inches, Spread: 36 inches. USDA zones: 4-8.

When you're a plant collector, it's hard to resist adding more of your favourites:

Geum Petticoats™ Peach has semi-double peach flowers on a compact plant with green foliage. Moist, loamy soil is prefered. Reblooms. Full sun. Height: 10-12 inches, Spread: 20 inches. USDA zones: 5-9.

Every year I try to invest in at least one new hosta with interesting features. Here are two with very attractive reddish-purple accents:

Hosta 'Purple Heart' has glossy lime-green foliage with red-purple at the base of each heart-shaped leaf. 'Purple Heart' has a neat, uniform growth habit and good slug resistance. Full shade. Height: 15-24 inches, Spread: 30 inches. USDA zones: 4-9.

Hosta 'Raspberry Sundae' is a compact hosta with creamy-white variegation through the centre of the leaf. It has deep burgundy petioles, leaf bases and flower stalks. Its flowers are deep lavender-purple. Part-shade to full shade. Height: 9-23 inches, Spread: 21 inches. USDA zones: 4-9.

Yet another personal favourite is Penstemon (I already have Penstemon 'Husker Red' and 'Dark Towers'). Many of the newer introductions aren't hardy here, but I was very excited to see two that are reputed to be tough, hardy perennials:

Penstemon Dakota™ Verde has violet flowers on dark stems. Seed heads are a lovely dark burgundy color and the foliage takes on a purple tinge in the fall. Average, well-drained soil is fine for this perennial. Full sun. Height: 12-24 inches, Spread: 18 inches. USDA zones: 3-8.

Penstemon Dakota™ Burgundy has violet flowers. This penstemon is shorter and more compact than popular 'Dark Towers'. Average well-drained soil and moisture conditions are fine for this plant. Full sun. Height: 12-24 inches, Spread: 18 inches. USDA zones: 3-8.

I thought I would also throw in a few annuals that caught my attention. Some people struggle with Rex Begonias, but I seem to have good luck with them. I keep them as houseplants year-round in an east-facing window. Each spring, I divide them and move the divisions outdoors to fill part-shade containers.

I often take cuttings in the fall and keep Coleus over the winter as houseplants. Last fall I didn't have a chance to take the usual cuttings, so this spring I am definitely in the market for some new plants. Here are a couple I am going to watch for:

I hope this post has inspired you to add a few plants to your own wishlist for 2020. 

Have a wonderful weekend!

Photos in this post are courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries. www.terranovanurseries.com

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Welcome to my Spring Garden

In the middle distance: maroon colored Clematis 'Bourbon' reaches a height of 4-5 feet.

Wild, untamed and wonderfully fragrant! Welcome to my spring garden!

Gas Plant with blue Amsonia in the foreground. Manchurian Lilac 'Miss Kim' in the distance.

Gas Plant with blue Amsonia.

Gas plant, Dictamnus albus forms a bushy, upright clump of bright green leaves and has tall spires of white flowers in late May/early June. The plant gets its common name from the tiny amount of methane gas its flowers produce. A lighted match will flair if held near the flowers.

This plant is very slow to establish. Average soil is fine. Height: 60-90 cm ( 23-35 inches), Spread 45-60 cm (18-23 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9.

Catmint, Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' 

Catmint, Nepeta racemosa 'Walker's Low' 

Deutzia x lemoinei 'Compacta': has an upright habit and white flowers in spring. Plant it in sun to part-shade in average garden soil. It likes growing conditions to be on the moist side. Height: 4-6', Spread: the same. USDA Zones: 4-8. No serious diseases or problems. Prune in spring after flowering.

Lychnis viscaria 'Splendens': When not in flower forms Lychnis viscaria 'Splendens' forms a low mound of grass-like foliage. Then in early spring magenta flowers appear on tall stems. Height: 45-50 cm (18-20 inches), Spread: 30 cm (12 inches). USDA zones: 3-7.

Centaurea montana 'Amethyst in Snow' has shaggy white flowers with a purple centre. The foliage has a downy texture and a silver-grey-green color. Full sun and average garden soil. Cut the plant back hard after it finishes flowering and it will bloom again. (Note: the common blue form of this plant, Centaurea montana has proved to be problematic in some areas of the Canada and the States. I could not find an notations about this cultivar being invasive). Height: 30-40 cm (12-16 inches), Spread: 30-60 cm (12-23 inches). USDA Zones: 3-9.

Just inside the back gate is the beginnings of a white garden.

The almost-blind, 18 year old Buddy who we've nicknamed "Old Man".

Looking toward the back garden. 

One of the birdbath planters.

Sweet Rocket and Anemone canadensis.

The infamously invasive Anemone canadensis from my last post.

Piper

The first of the Siberian Iris.

Columbine and alliums with a hosta in the near distance.

An apartment style birdhouse and a Dogwood tree on the right.

Columbine

Lupins grown from seed.

Columbine and Lupins.

Pink Columbine and and an Allium.

The path leading toward my four raised beds. 

Dwarf Korean Lilac tree form, Syringa meyeri 'Palibin' in the near distance.

'Boomerang' Lilac on the left. 

'Boomerang' Lilac blooms in the spring, and then after a short rest through the heat of summer, again in the late summer/fall. Fragrant. Full sun. Height: 4-5 ft, Spread: 4-5 ft. USDA zones:3-7.

Scraps

Not sure of this one. Geranium cantabrigiense ' Biokovo Karmina' maybe?

Prairie Smoke, Geum triflorum is a western native with decorative seed heads that look like puffs of smoke. Well-drained soil is crucial for this plant. Full sun and summer weather that is not too hot are best. Once established Geum triflorum is pretty low maintenance and is very drought tolerant. Height: 25-30 cm (10-12 inches), Spread: 40-60 cm (16-24 inches). USDA zones 3-7.

Read more about types of Violets here.

Viola sororia 'Freckles' has white flowers with china-blue speckles and heart-shaped, bright green leaves. This violet is native to Eastern North America. Part-shade or full shade. Average garden soil and average moisture levels will suit this violet. Viola sororia 'Freckles' will spread through self-seeding. Height: 15-20 cm (6-8 inches), Spread: 15-30 cm (6-12 inches). USDA zones:3-9.

The herb garden.

Pinks, Dianthus are sold as an annual here, but they usually come back the second year. 

My fairy garden project from a few weeks ago.

Tall bearded Iris with a Columbine in the background.

 Columbine

Woodland Phlox, Phlox divaricata

Blue Forget-me-nots, Geranium 'Sambour' (burgundy flowers) 

and a white variety of Woodland Phlox on the right.

Woodland Phlox, Phlox divaricata 'May Breeze' has fragrant, star-shaped white flowers in early spring. Unlike more familiar Phlox paniculata that blooms much later in the summer, this plant has fine, delicate foliage. Phlox divaricata 'May Breeze' slowly spreads to form a small clump. Divide in the fall. Moist soil and part to full shade are this plants preferences. Height: 30-40 cm (12-16 inches), Spread: 30-60 cm ( 12-23 inches). USDA zones: 3-9.

My picture does not do the unusual blue-grey color of this hosta justice.

Hosta 'Joy Ride' not only has great curves, it also has foliage with a wonderful powdery, blue-green color. Light lavender flowers appear mid-summer. Part-shade to full shade. Height: 40-45 cm (16-18 inches), Spread: 90 cm ( 35 inches). USDA zones: 3-9.

An island-shaped shade garden in the back part of the yard.

A Buddha meditating in the same island-shaped bed.

Mourning Widow Cranesbill, Geranium phaeum 'Samobor' has deep red flowers and green foliage splashed with maroon. One great thing about many geraniums are their versatility in terms of sun exposure; full sun, part-shade or full shade will often work for them. Geranium phaeum 'Samobor'  is a prolific self-seeder. Cut the plant back hard to the ground after it flowers and you'll get rid of unwanted seedlings and have nice, fresh green leaves in a week or two. Height: 60-80 cm (23-31 inches), Spread: 60-70 cm (23-27 inches). USDA zones: 4-9.

Shooting Star, Dodecatheon meadia is a short-lived perennial that takes a year or so to flower. Typically they put on their best display in year three and then they disappear. Plant it in rich, moist soil. Full sun to part-shade. Height: 20-30 cm ( 8-12 inches), Spread: 15-20 cm (6-8 inches). USDA Zones: 2-9.

Pots of Pansies at the very back of the garden.

Such a weird color combination, but I love it!

Hope you enjoyed this little tour of my spring garden!