New perennials to add to your garden
Gardeners are like kids in a candy store when they return to their local garden centers each spring. They can't wait to see the newly introduced plants, and this year's selection of new perennials is positively tantalizing.
The extended bloom time and unique flower color of Anemone "Wild Swan" will earn it a spot in my garden. Nodding buds open to cup-shaped flowers - pure white on the inside, broad bands of violet on the back - from late spring to first frost. Fluffy, white seed heads follow spent flowers, extending the show. Wild Swan grows up to 18 inches tall.
Plant Wild Swan in moist, well-drained soil in part shade. Let it naturalize in a woodland garden and there will be plenty to cut for bouquets. Gardeners harassed by deer will be happy to know anemones are not their favored cuisine.
Baptisia australis is one of my favorite plants, so I am especially excited about Baptisia "Pixie Periwinkle." It is more compact than its parent, growing just 24 to 28 inches tall and a bit wider. Gardeners with small garden spaces should have no problem finding a space for this beauty, which boasts periwinkle-colored flowers.
Plant Baptisia where they can stay because they resent being moved. A spot in full sun to light shade is preferred.
Do we really need another coneflower cultivar? We do if it is Echinacea "Evening Glow." Its unique, large, bicolor flowers unfurl light yellow before aging to coral-pink with burgundy centers. New flowers continue to open while others are at varying stages of maturity, so gardeners are treated to multiple colors on the same plant.
Echinacea "Evening Glow" grows almost 3 feet tall. Full sun or light shade is its preferred lighting conditions and soil with good drainage is a must.
For folks who are fond of perennials that flaunt their flowers, Hibiscus "Mocha Moon" will captivate. Dinner plate-sized, flamboyant flowers are bright white with flashy red eyes that stand out against dark bronze foliage shaped like maple leaves.
Like other Hibiscus varieties, Mocha Moon is slow to emerge in spring but quickly grows to 4 feet when temperatures warm. Not tempted yet? The flowers on this hibiscus bloom throughout the plant, not just at the top like other types.
Perovskia "Lacey Blue" is an outstanding new, compact version of Russian sage. Short by family standards at just 18 to 24 inches tall, Lacey Blue boasts large lavender-blue flowers on stiff, upright stems. Diminutive silvery foliage is scented.
Plant Lacy Blue Russian sage in full sun - it is heat and drought tolerant. Plant it with other sun worshippers like sedum and yarrow.
Tiarella "Fingerpaint" is a dynamo in the shade garden. Bright lime-green, deeply lobed leaves with burgundy splashed veining brighten the woodland floor. Sweet ivory flowers hover above the foliage in spring.
Give this cutie room to roam in part to full shade. It spreads slowly and combines delightfully with ferns and hostas.
• Diana Stoll is a horticulturist and the garden center manager at The Planter's Palette, 28W571 Roosevelt Road, Winfield. Call (630) 293-1040, ext. 2, or visit planterspalette.com.