Colorful blooms inspire gardeners during monochrome months

You might find a new plant more exciting than the L.A. Dreamin' hydrangea this spring, but for many gardeners it's hard to top a shrub that blooms both blue and pink without soil amendments.

It's the time of year when every new flower, tree or vegetable found online, in a newspaper article or catalog looks terrific, gives our home curb appeal and never wilts.

Michigan nurseryman John Bakala discovered the hydrangea in a neighbor's yard and got cuttings after watching it a few years.

“We were attracted to its stunning blue color and the fact that it also displayed pink, purple and mauve colors in between,” Bakala said for a promotional piece. “The blooms lasted well into the fall, and the plant survived our harsh Michigan winters. “

Eventually he partnered with Ball Horticultural of West Chicago, and the blooms named after Lindsey Ann, his daughter who died at age 11, are available from Burpee, Home Depot and other shops.

In case you need a different color or don't have a large spot with morning sun and afternoon shade for L.A Dreamin', many other introductions brighten our dreams this winter.

Plants favored by bees, butterflies and birds excite Jean Bragdon, operations manager for Lurvey, based in Des Plaines.

Although not as wildlife friendly as its native cousins, coneflowers in the Sombrero series that Ball continues to develop in different shades from white, yellow, oranges, pinks, reds and corals should appeal to flying garden visitors, and garden centers will have plenty available this spring.

“They're bred to be shorter, which helps with garden design, and to show bolder colors,” said Bragdon. “They are still considered new, and this year for the first time will be available in decent quantity.”

Another butterfly favorite is the award-winning Prairie Milkweed, less aggressive and with slightly smaller flowers than the native, according to Prairie Moon Nursery, which shows 13 milkweeds on its website.

And Spring Meadow Nursery of Michigan adds Pink Micro Chip to Proven Winners' Lo & Behold series of butterfly bush that grows only 2 feet tall and lives up to its name by attracting butterflies all season long. Home Depot online is one spot to find the new shade.

Gardeners concerned about the environment might also turn to High Country Gardens, which specializes in plants that thrive with less water.

New this year is Dwarf Silver evening primrose with big yellow flowers and silver foliage. Blue Yonder creeping speedwell grows deep blue flowers on a green mat and reaches 4 inches tall and a foot wide. And Silver Curry Bush is a small evergreen plant from Western China that has clusters of yellow yarrow-like flowers and bright white foliage. It thrives in dry, hot conditions, but the company says it is cold tolerant.

When we're talking yellow flowers and bird friendly, sunflowers spring to mind, of course. Park Seeds presents Superfed with rather funky 3.5-inch blooms full of small petals. It grows more than 5 feet tall, and birds love the seeds. Park Seed says it would also work as a climbing structure for your beans, with squash vining along the ground, as American Indian farmers taught us.

The spreading Wave petunias mean so much in our gardens, hanging pots and other containers. Berry Velour is a new Easy Wave that might be the shade you are looking for. Other colors in the velvety line are Burgundy and Red.

If a garden means roses to you, Jackson & Perkins wants to show you Obsession Floribunda. The 4-inch wide red blooms boast 20-25 petals each.

Clematis is on many gardeners' lists of irrestibles, and Proven Winners adds blue and white-blooming Diamond Ball and Pink Mink with a darker stripe on each petal. Diamond Ball blooms on old and new wood, Pink Mink on new.

Four-season interest is another priority, and don't forget winterberry holly. Spring Meadow and Proven Winners are bragging about Little Goblin, a dwarf rich with red berries. Garden Crossings sells the plant that grows 3 to 5 feet tall and recommends Mr. Poppins as a male pollinator.

While we're talking about shrubs, Proven Winners wants you to check out Lemony Lace elderberry at your garden center. Bright red threadlike leaves turn golden on plants that grow 3 to 5 feet tall. The foliage is the attraction, with the white spring flowers small, and don't eat the red fall berries.

Gold mixed with pink shades create a special kind of gracious bloom. Ball's Sunset snapdragon in the Snapshot series puts full flower spikes on bushy, compact plants that grow 6 to 10 inches tall.

Shade

But you need something for the shade! Love Hearts is a white bleeding heart that Wayside Gardens says blooms all summer. It is toxic, so gardeners must watch pets and children, but that's also a protection against wild nibbling creatures.

If you miss your impatiens after the downy mildew outbreak, Ball suggests Bounce in new shades White, Cherry, Lilac and Pink Flame for sun or shade.

Veggies (and a tomato)

And here are a few new edibles.

Park Seed offers seeds of Starburst Hybrid Radish, pink-red inside its greenish exterior.

Cupcake Hybrid Summer Squash is shaped like a cupcake and boasts sweet flavor and soft skin. Burpee says it's great for roasting, slicing, and stuffing and combines rich, sweet flavor with soft skin.

PanAmerican Seed crossed Big Dwarf and Brandywine to get Big Brandy tomato in its Heirloom Marriage series. Park Seed sells seeds and says it has rich flavor with tomato tang but smooth, glossy unblemished skin.

New plants resources

Here are sources both brick and mortar and online for this spring's new plants. Some online companies will send a catalog if you ask.

Burpee, <a href="http://www.burpee.com/">Burpee.com</a>

Garden Crossings, <a href="http://www.gardencrossings.com/">gardencrossings.com</a>

High Country Gardens, <URL destination="http://www.highcountrygardens.com/">highcountrygardens.com

Home Depot, many locations and <a href="http://www.homedepot.com/b/Outdoors-Garden-Center-Garden-Plants-Flowers/N-5yc1vZc8rg">Homedepot.com</a>

Jackson & Perkins, <a href="http://www.jacksonandperkins.com/">Jacksonandperkins.com</a>

Lurvey Garden Center, 2550 E. Dempster St., Des Plaines, (847) 824-7411, <a href="http://www.lurveys.com/">Lurveys.com </a>

Park Seed, <a href="http://parkseed.com/">parkseed.com</a>

Prairie Moon Nursery, <a href="http://www.prairiemoon.com/">prairiemoonnursery.com</a>

Wayside Gardens, <a href="http://www.waysidegardens.com/">waysidegardens.com</a>