Variety Shorts
June 18, 2008 
Voluptuous Varieties
New varieties from Sahin include achillea ‘Flowerburst Red Shades,’ amaranthus ‘Autumn Pallet’ and digitalis ‘Candy Mountain.’
Achillea ‘Flowerburst Red Shades’ is a smashing new introduction of Sahin’s achilleas (now a total of three mixes: ‘Summer Berries,’ ‘Summer Pastels’ and ‘Flowerburst Red Shades’). Achilleas are great instant perennials with bold colors. ‘Flowerburst Red Shades’ is a blend of mainly red/rose and violet shades, and its habit comparable to the other two mixes.
Amaranthus ‘Autumn Pallet’ is a blend of Sahin’s well known ‘Autumn’s Touch’ (erect spikes of pistachio-green tipped with bronze) and ‘Hot Biscuits’ (Fleuroselect Quality Winner in ’97, warm orange brown spikes), excellent as autumn filler. Amaranthus also has great shelf life compared to may other fillers.
Digitalis ‘Candy Mountain’ is unique, as it is the first upward-facing foxglove from seed. This unusual characteristic enables you and the bees to peep inside the stunning rose pink blooms and view their delightful freckled throats, which appear all the way around the stems. At about 2 to 4 feet tall, it’s a true biennial, hardy to USDA Zones 4 to 8. The flower stems are so strong, sturdy and erect that, in breeding trials, ‘Candy Mountain’ was given the nickname ‘Viagra.’ They’re ideal for planting in drifts or creating a colorful display towards the middle or back of perennial or cottage garden borders. Visit www.sahin.nl for more information.
Powerful Perennials
Every other year, the International Hardy Plant Union awards diplomas to new perennials that have been on the market for less than five years. Jelitto had two varieties that made the cut: heliopsis ‘Summer Nights’ and penstemon ‘Sunburst Amethyst.’
‘Summer Nights’ is very easily grown from seed, flowers the first year and can be used for borders, naturalizing or for cut flowers. The foliage consists of red-tinted leaves clasping dark wiry stems. From June to September, a showy orange-red central disk enhances the yellow blossoms.
‘Sunburst Amethyst’ is an easy germinator and, if sown early in the year, will flower reliably the first season. Amethyst is winter hardy to Zone 6 and tolerates heat, as well. It features shimmering, glossy green foliage, maintains a compact, bushy habit and doesn’t shrivel in summer’s heat and humidity. It is loaded with purple, white-throated thimble-shaped blossoms from mid- to late-summer. For more, visit www.jelitto.com.
Filling Nooks & Crannies
Novalis has added a new program of premium plant material to its Plants that Work brand. The new program, Plants that Work in Nooks & Crannies, will include more than 300 varieties for “small spaces and special places.”
All the plants in the line will be small in stature and bred for small-scale applications in several different kinds of garden environments. The varieties have been regionally selected so growers can give independent retailers the right choices for maximum performance across USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 10, as well as different selections for both sun and shade.
The new line works well for a number of different landscape applications, including pathways, mixed containers, rock gardens, ponds, terraces, green roofs, rock walls and patios.
The plants also come in a wide range of colors and textures and are conveniently packaged for ease-of-carrying to the checkout and home. More information is available at www.plantsthatwork.com.
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