New plants '96

Flower & Garden Magazine, Dec, 1995 by Doug Hall

Nowhere are we more aware of the progression of seasons than in the garden. Flowers bloom in turn, and fruit trees relinquish their bounty before pausing to rest. Eventually the cycle returns to planting season--a time of fresh starts and new challenges.

But before planting comes the season of catalogs. The annual arrival of mail-order seed and nursery catalogs offers the promise of renewal: the optimistic hope that next year's garden will be the best yet. All those gorgeous photos and gushing descriptions convince us that, in next year's garden, the flowers will be more colorful and abundant, the vegetables and fruits tastier.

At FLOWER & GARDEN we share that optimism and find ourselves caught up in the excitement of catalog season. Join us, over the next several pages, in the pleasant task of scouring the catalogs for the best new plant introductions for 1996. Then, beginning on page 52, our 1996 Source Guide lists hundreds of seed and nursery catalogs, including sources for the plants we've featured.

* Tulip `Garant'

A narrow yellow edge on the leaves echoes the clear lemon color of the blossoms. `Garant,' a Darwin hybrid tulip, is a sport of the classic `Golden Apeldoorn.' It blooms in midseason on 20-inch stems. The Daffodil Mart

Bulbs

* DAFFODIL `MAGELLAN'

Very full blossoms of bright yellow petals interspersed with orange petaloids make for an explosion of color. Grant Mitsch Novelty Daffodils

* CANNA `PEACH BLUSH'

A rich peach color, blushed with salmon, distinguishes the generously formed blooms of `Peach Blush.' A green-leafed variety, it lends a look of tropical lushness to flower borders. Van Bourgondien Bros.

* BEGONIA `KALEIDOSCOPE' The blossoms of this fiery tuberous begonia open yellow, then gradually deepen to red. The flowers are as large as 4 inches on multistemmed, 14-inch plants. Breck's

* AMERICAN CLASSIC LILIES

These tetraploid trumpet lilies represent a dramatic advance in lily hybridization. Huge, long-lasting flowers are borne proudly on sturdy stems 5 to 7 feet tall. The spicy-scented flowers range in color from rich cream and gold to pure white, with gold, orange or lime green centers. They,re reliable performers, hardy in Zones 4 to 9. Available in five color groups and a mixture. Wayside Gardens

* DAHLIA `SCHRAMA'S JUBILEE' Dahlias are known for their bold, startling colors--a reputation that is upheld by this brilliant red-and-yellow variety. It grows 2 feet tall, bearing dozens of 4-inch blossoms. Breck's

MORE NEW BULBS

Four miniature gladioli offered by Dutch Gardens are comparable to standard glads in every aspect but size. They grow 20 to 30 inches tall with sturdy stems that are ideal for cut flower arrangements. Varieties include yellow-and-white `Discovery,' shaded pink `Dream' and `Flavour,' red with a white throat.

A new look for Asiatic lilies, ,Double Latte, displays double, unfreckled blooms that are the color of orange sherbet. It flowers in June on 2- to 3foot stems. B & D Lilies, which sells `Double Latte,' plans to introduce more double Asiatics in future catalogs. Also new from B & D are the Aladdin Hybrids, a color mixture of Asiatic hybrid lilies bred specifically for container culture.

`Golden Quince,' a miniature daffodil with two or three golden yellow blooms per stem, has just recently made its way from Holland to the United States. It's offered by Cascade Daffodils.

Collectors of exhibition-quality daffodils will find much to like among the 1996 introductions from Grant Mitsch Novelty Daffodils. `Yale' displays a white perianth composed of broad, smooth petals and an orange-edged, yellow cup. Smooth-as-silk `Dissertation' is creamy yellow with just a hint of deeper yellow at the edge of its saucershaped corona.

Old House Gardens, the antique bulb specialist, will reintroduce three heirloom crocuses. Crocus vernus `Sir Walter Scott,' small and softly striped in purple and white, was a Victorian favorite after its 1853 introduction, but it disappeared from the American market decades ago. Pale lavender `Pallas' and white `Kathleen Parlow' complete the trio of antique crocuses.

Roses

* SHRUB ROSE `GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME'

Clusters of lemon-yellow, semi-double blooms open to show golden stamens. The profusely flowering shrub grows 4 to 5 feet tall. Heirloom Old Garden Roses

* ENGLISH ROSE `ST. SWITHUN'

Cupped, myrrh-scented blooms are filled with frilly pink petals for an old-fashioned look. This recent introduction is notable for its healthy foliage and bushy growth to 5 feet. Heirloom Old Garden Roses

* HYBRID TEA ROSE `ST. PATRICK'

Pointed buds with just a hint of green unfurl slowly, becoming impressively large, sunny yellow blossoms. An All-America Rose Selections winner. Available from many rose specialists and at garden centers

* HYBRID TEA ROSE `MOON SHADOW'

Exceptional fragrance and rare dusky lavender shading distinguish ,Moon Shadow., The plant is tall, vigorous and disease-resistant. Jackson & Perkins, Witherspoon Rose Culture

* HYBRID TEA ROSE `PARIS D'YVES ST. LAURENT'

This French-bred rose features deep salmon-pink buds that brighten as they open. A long-lasting cut flower with a light, spicy fragrance. Wayside Gardens