Caladium breeder Brian Williams thought by pairing these spectacular new caladiums with colorful frog names, he could serve two purposes:

1. Raise more awareness for these beloved creatures
2. Celebrate the vivid frog-like colors these caladiums offer in your garden, where with good environmental practices, frogs should always thrive

While most caladiums benefit from shade, the Painted Frog Series are at their best in partial sun, opening new possibilities for use in the garden and mixed containers. A medium-sized grower with huge potential for decorating, combine with begonias, ferns and other shade loving plants for the perfect texture combination.

Varieties are: 'Poison Dart Frog', 'Red-Bellied Treefrog', 'Tie-dyed Treefrog'

Tesselaar is promoting its new Pacific coprosma (Coprosma repens) series, including 'Pacific Sunrise' and 'Pacific Sunset.' With their low to moderate water usage, Pacific coprosmas are suitable for drought gardens. They’re also very tolerant of coastal conditions. Their glossy, variegated evergreen foliage and compact growth habits make them ideal as feature plants, low hedging plants and in containers. Because their stunning colors intensify in the cooler spring and fall temperatures, they’re great for adding color during a time of year when there’s generally less color in the garden or landscape. Although they are low maintenance, they can be shaped and trimmed in early spring if desired. Both are deer resistant. They’re cold hardy to 23°F. Both new varieties have limited releases on the West coast in 2016, primarily in CA and AZ, with expanded availability in 2017.

'Pacific Sunrise' has an upright mounding habit, growing to 3 feet high and wide.  Shiny wave-shaped multi-colored foliage is chocolate brown with hot-pink highlights; color intensifies in cooler temperatures. Full sun or partial shade. USDA Zone 9.

Head-turning glossy foliage features vivid red centers with burgundy/brown curly margins, with the colors intensifying in cooler temperatures. Compact mounding habit, growing to 3 feet high and wide. USDA Zone 9.

Terra Nova Nurseries is promoting coreopsis ‘Firefly’ for 2016 because it is the most compact of the verticillata hybrids and does not split in the summer heat. Coreopsis ‘Firefly’ has dense thread-like foliage and offers a fantastic red and gold bi-color while having great mildew tolerance. It is a favorite among butterflies. Foliage height 10 inches; foliage spread 15 inches; flower height 12 inches; hardy to zones 5-10; full sun.

Pollinator plants are so popular now and these are not only perfect for attracting pollinators to your garden, but they are selections of natives and they make the most beautiful border plants and also look great in mixed planters.  They are a grower's dream too. These pint-sized selections with their saturated, single flowers will brighten any spot in the garden. The butterflies love them and they make the perfect front or middle of the border, all-summer-blooming perennial. The varieties are: Julia, Rainbow Marcella, Postman, Cleopatra, Purple Emperor, Golden Skipper, and Orange Skipper.

An exciting update to an increasingly popular group of small ornamental grasses. Blue fescues are in demand for border and container alike. Selected in Illinois by Brent Horvath, ‘Cool As Ice’ is slightly taller and more vigorous than other blue forms. Height 12 to 18 inches in flower; hardy in Zones 4-8.

Australian breeders tamed this sometimes sprawly genus, giving it a compact form for today’s retail tastes. Gaura ‘Lillipop Blush’ is loaded with pale, blush-pink blooms in constant motion on bushy upright plants. Height 12 to 18 inches; hardy in Zones 6-10.

In European gardens and landscapes, geraniums are familiar workhorses. In America, not so much, but that’s changing. ‘Rise and Shine’ is a petite Dutch intro that puts on a long show of vivid rose-purple flowers with dark purple veins and pale centers. Height 6 to 8 inches; hardy in zones 5-8.

Heuchera ‘Champagne’ is being promoted for its multi-season appeal. The variety is promotion-worthy because of its leaves that transition from peach to gold and are accented with light peach flowers that hold most of the season. Heuchera ‘Champagne’ has a fast growth rate and mounding habit. It is heat and humidity tolerant. The plant is great for use as an accent, border, or mixed container. Foliage height 11 inches; foliage spread 14 inches; flower height 14 inches; hardy to zones 4-9; shade to part shade.

This is a new, dwarf, hardy, repeat-blooming daylily with exotic bicolor violet-rose and ivory flowers. Early flowering and prolific from summer until fall. Perfect for borders or patio containers. Plant in mass for superb effect. EveryDayLily varieties are offspring of popular Stella d'Oro, and even hardier. Introduced by Heemkerk, Noordwijk, The Netherlands in 2015. Herbaceous; hardy to zones 4-10; partial to full sun. Clumps reach 12 to 15 inches tall and wide, and flower stalks rise slightly above foliage.

Kniphofia ‘Banana Popsicle’ is a special promotion for 2016, since it is the newest addition to the Popsicle series. Its bold yellow flower spikes will continue to bloom from June all the way to frost. This is a great season extender for the retail bench. Kniphofia ‘Banana Popsicle' forms numerous spikes of golden yellow flowers and attractive foliage. It has a compact habit with multiple crowns, narrow, grassy leaves, and excellent vigor. It fills a one gallon pot the first year from tissue culture. Foliage height 18 inches; foliage spread 18 inches; flower height 26 inches; hardy to zones 6-9; full sun.

Perovskia 'Caspian Blue' is a more compact growing variety in this category with an upright habit. It reaches a garden height of 18 to 24 inches (46 to 61 cm). 'Caspian Blue' has a more columnar plant form, reducing the tendency for lodging. This variety is cold hardy to Zone 4 and is drought tolerant, performing in warm climates.

Sensation salvia is ideal for annual-style bench run production. Sensation is an annual perennial that is programmable and available in the core colors. The new Purple Rose has a habit with many flower spikes and intense color that attracts attention of consumers and humming birds alike. Habit: dwarf, well-branched, strong growers, very floriferous. Exposure: full sun, performs also in hot and humid conditions. Hardiness: Zone 4. Pot size: Medium for 2.5 quarts and 1 gallons. Bloom time: late spring-summer (first year flowering or vernalized). Uses: beds, borders, containers, cut flower gardens.