International

Flower & Garden Magazine, Feb, 1999

CANADA

`Royal Edward' is a rose from Canada. Its 2-inch, pink, semidouble flowers bloom singly in well-spaced clusters. It's a semiminiature shrub with disease-resistant foliage. Its trailing habit is good for rock gardens, walls and small spaces. Hardy to Zone 3. Royall River Roses

ENGLAND

Cistus `Grayswood Pink' is an English cultivar with large, pale pink flowers from June to July. The 2-feet-tall and 4-feet-wide mound of soft gray-green leaves will look good all summer. This full-sun plant is hardy to Zone 6, but when given winter protection it may also survive in Zone 5. White Flower Farm

FINLAND

`Marjatta' hybrid rhododendrons are new from Finland. Their foliage is evergreen. These plants are hardy in Zone 4 and warmer areas. They prefer acidic, well-drained, rich organic soil. The following four cultivars are available:

`Helsinki University' has bright pink flowers with orange-red flecks. It reaches 5 to 6 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, and it has an upright growing habit. Young plants have reddish foliage that turns glossy green. It is hardy to -38 degrees Fahrenheit, which makes it the most cold-hardy of the group.

`Hellikki' has dark violet-red flowers and a dense growing habit, reaching 5 to 6 feet tall and wide. It has dark green foliage and it's bud-hardy to -29 F.

`Mikkeli' has flowers that are white tinted with pink and dotted with green flecks. Its foliage is dark green and new growth has coarse-textured hairs. This compact bush is 5 to 6 feet tall with an equal spread. It is bud-hardy to -34 F.

`Peter Tigerstedt' has white blooms with violet flecks in the upper part of the corolla. It has an upright, spreading growth habit, reaching 6 feet tall and wide. Its flower buds are hardy to -33 F J.W. Jung Seed Co.

GERMANY

Sedum `Matrona' is a new introduction from Germany. This perennial has gray-green foliage edged in deep pink and grows 2 feet, forming a uniform, upright vase shape. Its large, soft pink flower heads appear in early fall. Hardy to Zone 3. Pinetree Garden Seeds

Geranium `Sirak' is new from German plantsman and garden designer Dr. Hans Simon. It takes full sun and well-drained soil. It has delicately veined, pink flowers that bloom from early June through July, continuing sporadically until October. It makes a nice front border plant with its 12- to 18-inch mound of bright green divided foliage. Hardy to Zone 5. White Flower Farm

HOLLAND

Monarda `Scorpio' has violet-purple blooms from early July well into August. It will grow in full sun or partial shade and evenly moist soil. It's great for the back of a border with a height of more than 4 feet. `Scorpio' is part of the Monarda hybrid series from Dutch breeder Piet Oudolf. White Flower Farm