Perhaps many of you reading this today are wondering what all the coronavirus fuss is about. Being smart enough to be in the business of horticulture immediately qualifies you as being smarter than average. So, while you know that Coronavirus is very real, and while you carry your mask with you and wear it around strangers, you have not been ill. In fact, nine months after the alarm bells rang, you still don’t know anyone who has had COVID-19. Perhaps the worst is over.
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A Clean Rose: the Brindabella Rose
In my quest for a follow-up to Knockouts (thank you Bill Radler), I have trialed dozens of roses and seen some clean, handsome introductions. However, I could never seem to find them, or they disappointed when moved to my poor conditions. I have, however, been very impressed with the Brindabella series of roses. ‘Brindabella Purple Prince’ (pictured) has been impressive in its cleanliness, vigor, and flower fragrance, but too tall for many gardens. I just planted some ‘Brindabella Dawn’, a shorter form that I have high hopes for. Give me a clean,fragrant rose, and I’ll take it to the bank.
Photo by Allan Armitage
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A Hydrangea Even I Can’t Kill: ‘White Wedding’
With all the hype about the incredible new hydrangeas rebounding off every surface, it would seem they are indestructible and as easy to grow as a dandelion. This is not quite the case. It turns out there are many disappointed hydrangea-ites, particularly in areas of hot summers; it is not just me (thank goodness). I can now recommend one of these new incredible plants without guilt: the short stature, the later flowering, and the number of flowers on ‘White Wedding’ have done nothing but make me smile.
Photo by Allan Armitage
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A Coreopsis That Won’t Quit: UpTick Series
With the dozens of coreopsis out there, new and old, it is unusual for one to stand out as this series has. While it is not new, so what? All members of the series are good, but ‘Gold and Bronze’ wins the Oscar. I will continue to recommend this little engine that could for some time.
Photo by Allan Armitage
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A Plant That Just Keeps Getting Better – the Hellebore
Crazes come and go, and so shall the hellebore craze, but for now, let’s go with the flow. You may have heard me carry on about the Frostkiss series, a group of marvelous variegated hellebores with handsome upright flowers. I can’t recommend this series enough. However, if one is not enamored with variegated foliage, I am pleased to suggest the Ice and Roses series, which hasexcellent vigor, handsome upright flowers, and persistent foliage.
Photo by Allan Armitage
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Dr. Seuss Forever – Gomphrena ‘Truffula Pink’
I have always enjoyed the toughness and tenacity of globe amaranth, but this one catches my eye every day. Being a Seuss fan, I purchased a few truffula plants and placed them at the entrance to our front walk. They have welcomed friends, paper delivery people, and postmen and women alike. They have been flowering since day one, filled the area with pastel color, and have required no maintenance. My truffulas are still flowering.
Photo by Allan Armitage
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A Begonia That Brightens the Shadows: ‘Canary Wings’
I know. I have talked about this plant before, and I apologize. But as I was compiling this impressive list, I could not shoo it away. These golden-leaved plants have done nothing but brighten up the deepest shade and asked for nothing in return. The deep-red flowers provide even more color for areas that are begging for help. I occasionally hear plantpeople suggesting their clients believe the leaves look chlorotic.That is an easy problem to fix: equate them to a light switch, and they illuminate the shadows.
Photo by Allan Armitage
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A Clean Rose: the Brindabella Rose
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A Hydrangea Even I Can’t Kill: ‘White Wedding’
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A Coreopsis That Won’t Quit: UpTick Series
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A Plant That Just Keeps Getting Better – the Hellebore
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Dr. Seuss Forever – Gomphrena ‘Truffula Pink’
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A Begonia That Brightens the Shadows: ‘Canary Wings’
That is what I thought, until my granddaughter started feeling ill with headaches and a slight fever. That is what I hoped for until we received a call yesterday from a colleague who had visited my wife Susan and me saying that someone in their house tested positive. He just wanted us to know.
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Our granddaughter was definitely sick: headaches, head cold symptoms, loss of smell and taste, and very tired. She is a healthy young lady, and at this writing, she has almost fully recovered. Susan and I quarantined and tested negative.
As I write this column, my colleague is waiting to be tested, and we wait to hear from him. We feel confident that we were not exposed, as we all wore masks and distanced during our short time together. However, we will be tested again if his results are positive. And we will quarantine until we know.
We are all tired of this nonsense, and we want to get back to normal. Unfortunately, the old saying of “Hope for the best but prepare for the worst” is important as complacency worms its way into our thoughts. Keep zigging while the virus is zagging. The damn thing has found more than 10 million Americans (that’s an M) and more than 200,000 people are no longer zigging. Maybe the worst is over, but just in case it is not, we need to stay smart.
First-Ever CEAg World Conference and Expo on Tap for North Carolina in August
In the meantime, in keeping with our industry theme of “something to look forward to,” scan the photo slideshow above for a half-dozen plants that have been blissfully unaware of the coronavirus and turned out to be some of my favorites for 2020.
115Reflections on New Plants As We (Hopefully) Move on From COVID-19
November 17, 2020 
