It’s not just another garden show, it’s the world-renowned San Francisco Flower and Garden show — and it was the perfect start to spring at the end of March.
Sure, the show gardens are part theater and part reality, but one can’t help but come away with inspiration, ideas and spring fever. One of my favorite parts was the display of new plant introductions from the Western Horticultural Society. These are great plants destined to become favorites in the garden.
Well, this week, I have my own Top 10 Hot Plants for 2011. These selections do not include California natives, because Native Plant Week is coming up soon, and I’ll focus on our valuable natives in an upcoming column.
I’m often asked for plant recommendations for our unique set of gardening conditions: extreme weather, heavy clay or sandy soil, and limited water resources in the summer months. The following plants are easy to grow, have few or no problems with pests or diseases, and possesses valuable qualities, such as color, fragrance, winter interest or the ability to support wildlife and beneficial insects. Try something new this year in your garden.
Grevillea lanigera ‘Coastal Gem’
This low, spreading shrub grows 1 feet tall by 4 to 5 feet across and blooms year-round with pink-and-white spidery flower clusters. It’s great for attracting nectar-feeding birds, and gophers don’t like the taste. Evergreen, happy in full sun and tolerant of drought, this is a great groundcover.
Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’
This evergreen shrub is a kaleidoscope of color, as its name implies. Variegated foliage is bright yellow and green in spring, changing to golden yellow with bright oranges and fiery reds in fall. Its growth habit is densely compact and rounded. The beautiful foliage doesn’t scorch in the sun, either. It’s a beauty at 2 to 3 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. What more can you ask for?
Loropetalum ‘Pipa’s Red’
Also known as fringe flower, this shrub sports rich burgundy foliage in a fountain shape with tiered branches. Raspberry flower clusters are heaviest in the spring, but some bloom is likely throughout the year. I place this plant in the foreground, where you can appreciate its graceful shape, and it looks great as an accent or in a raised bed. The burgundy color can add color to a woodland garden, and it even does well in a container on the patio. You can prune it to any size, but please don’t turn it into a tight ball and ruin its shape. Another plus is that it is not attractive to deer.
‘Karl Foerster’ feather reed grass
This ornamental grass adds a vertical element to your summer and fall garden. It provides wonderful contrast among low shrubs and perennials. It’s named after Karl Foerster, the famous landscape architect and photographer with a love for all aspects of perennial plants, who lived in Germany from 1874 to 1970. This grass won the title of 2001 Perennial Plant of the Year, and although it’s not new on the market, it’s an easy-to-grow ornamental grass that won’t overpower your space.
Cordyline ‘Electric Pink’
This showstopper lives up to its high-voltage name. It surpasses other grass-like plants with boldly striped leaves of maroon and shocking pink. The well-behaved cordyline is clump-forming and reaches only 2 to 4 feet in height and width. Place it in a large mixed container or flower border to instantly add an exciting look.
Pennisetum ‘Fireworks’
With arching leaves striped with white, green, burgundy and hot pink, this grass is beautiful in the garden. Purple tassels rise above the foliage in late summer. The variegated, pink-striped blades are just as spectacular as the purple flower heads. Some gardens with clay soil and heavy frost in winter might need to grow this plant in a container for protection, but it’s worth the extra effort.
Leucadendron ‘Safari Sunset’
Fiery red bracts on densely covered tall stems are sure to draw oohs and aahs. This is one of the most popular Leucadendrons available. It’s a vigorous, erect grower to more than 8 feet tall and is tough enough to handle frost and clay soils. The flower is actually an insignificant cone surrounded by large colorful bracts, which are excellent for cut foliage harvesting.
‘Belinda’s Find’ red hook sedge
This red sedge is a two-tone delight of bright cherry red leaves with a green stripe running down the center. Its loosely tufted, upright form grows 12 inches tall by 15 inches wide in part sun. Tiny bulrush-like flowers, from June to August, are elevated above the tidy, low-growing evergreen clump. Use it in the front of a border, in masses or mixed containers.
Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’
This delicate-looking perennial blooms continuously with clouds of white flowers that float above finely textured apple-green foliage. It might be small in stature, reaching 12 to 18 inches tall and wide, but it is easy to grow and surprisingly tolerant of drought and heat. Combine this airy plant with bright colors for a dazzling border.
Phormium ‘Jester’
This New Zealand flax cultivar grows to 3 feet, making it a better fit in the garden than some of the larger phormiums. It can tolerate fairly dry conditions, but it looks best with occasional to regular irrigation. The strong color combination of green and pink doesn’t revert to the parent plants’ coloring, and it’s hardy to 15 to 20 degrees. You might find this plant also listed as “Jubilee.”
Jan Nelson, a landscape designer and California certified nursery professional at Plant Works in Ben Lomond, will answer questions about gardening in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Contact her at
ja******@ao*.com
or JanNelsonLandscapeDesign.com.
