The new perennial flowers - New Plant Parade '85

Flower & Garden Magazine, Dec-Jan, 1984 by Rachel Snyder

A new Japanese iris from Caprice Farm Nursery has historic sidelights as it is the work of the late Walter Marx of Oregon who in the 1940's and 50's made many improvements in Higo Japanese irises, calling this line Marhigos. "Caprician Chimes,' now introduced, has overlapping double petals of pansy purple with purple edged white styles in a 9-inch bloom opening midseason to late.

Lilies

Three introductions announced by Borbeleta were created by Julius Wadekamper. "Garden Glory' is a vigorous growing, early blooming Asiatic type of bright waxy orange. "Little Orange,' another Asiatic, is for pot growing as it reaches only 12 inches, giving early bright orange blooms. "Spring Star' is for either cut flower or garden use, producing early the tulip shaped bright orangered star-like flowers on 18-inch stems.

Water-lilies

In water-lilies, Lilypons Water Gardens announces two new listings headed by Australian import, "White Delight.' It is a dayblooming tropical variety, fragrant white petals with a hint of yellow and sometimes pink, yellow center, freeblooming, 9 to 10 inches across. Lilypons' other release is "Margaret Mary II,' a blue tropical daybloomer, a variant of the first "Margaret Mary' introduced 20 years ago. Its advantage is its exceptional shade tolerance.

"Edward D. Uber' is a new dayblooming tropical water-lily introduced this year by Van Ness Water Gardens. Developed by Jack Wood, the variety is electric purple with pink highlights around a golden center that seems to glow. Leaves are jade green and viviparous, meaning that new plantlets grow from them. Blooms are fragrant; the plant is a strong grower and can take half shade.

Other Perennials

Holbrook Farm announces several arrivals on the perennial garden scene, that if not new, have been scarcely available as plants. Gaura lindheimeri is a drought and heat tolerant sun-loving native of Texas and Louisiana, tough enough for winters north through Zone 6. In late summer its branching 4-foot plant is hung with airy small spoon-shaped white flowers reminiscent of evening primroses. Filipendula palmata nana is a 12-inch meadowsweet for moist soil, with panicles of tiny rose pink flowers surmounting a small round foreground plant. Geranium sanguineum album is a white counterpart of the common red-purple flowering hardy geranium--spreading low plants, pest and disease-free, studded mid-May through June with small round white flowers. "Raspberry Ripple' helianthemum is a mounded gray leafed evergreen from England, in spring bearing two-toned raspberry red and white flowers--sun and good drainage required.

Flemings' Flower Fields announce two new hardy hibiscuses. "Candy Stick' is first of a new group with distinctive three-parted toothed foliage. The large white midsummer flowers, with red centers, are mottled and edged with pink. "Snow Bowl' is a pure white, large flower abundant on bushy three-foot plants, free of any other color touches.

Crape-myrtle "Pink Cascade' offered by Flemings' is a dwarf form for hanging baskets or other containers where stems can hang. When planted in the ground, the stems spread over the surface. They are covered in late summer with pink flowers. This needs winter protection in the North.