As some gardeners enjoy buying the latest and best plants available before many others have even heard about the plant, I've included this page to help them make decisions on their plant purchases. I am also one of these gardeners eagerly awaiting new plant lists each year. I try to include a variety of plants—trees, shrubs, perennials, vines, etc. The plant description is usually based on the grower's or retailer's information; therefore, I haven't had a chance to plant and assess the new plant's qualities. I will be making notations in the plant info if I find something different than what was stated originally.
Click on the plant's name for more information on it . . .
There are so many new plants available to retail customers this year, and I've had a
difficult time trying to decide what to include. Here's a very short list.
Here are a few of the new plants that will be available this spring. Perhaps this list includes that perfect plant for your own garden.
Baptisia or false indigo is a great plant for many gardens. Now there is a yellow flowered cultivar called to add a big splash of yellow to the landscape in late May into June. As with the other baptisias, its gray-green foliage remains attractive all through the summer into fall. It grows to about 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide and prefers full sun with moist, well drained soil, but tolerates drought when established.. Sounds like a great perennial to add interest to the late spring and early summer garden.
At a recent 2003 Delaware Valley Hosta Society meeting, I purchased this hosta not knowing that this is a very new hosta that will be in great demand by hostaphiles. It has large blue, heart-shaped leaves with streaky, creamy white margins and pale lavender flowers in early summer. It prefers moist, well-drained soil in partial sun to light shade. As you can see from the picture it should be a knockout in the light shade garden once it matures. Grows to about three feet tall and wide. 
For the dry, sunny garden, Sedum 'Angelina' looks like a winner. I actually purchased one at Blackcreek nursery near Lancaster, Pa early this spring. It definitely caught my eye and I just had to buy it. It has bright yellow linear leaves and is a prostrate grower. It works well in containers or baskets or planted in the ground as a ground cover.
From the pictures of this plant, I think it should be a big seller this year with
its gorgeous ruby-red flowers. My scan came out very poorly as the color is really a ruby red. This is a cultivar of Coreopsis verticillata which is a drought
tolerant, long-blooming perennial for sunny sites and a close relative of Coreopsis 'Moonbeam'.
The Plant Delights catalog calls this a "dazzling new hybrid". As this plant is in several catalogs
this year, I hope it will also be available locally. [NOTE 2006: This is not hardy in Harford County; however, it is still a great tender perennial for pot culture.]
For Hosta lovers, this hosta should be a winner with its creamy-white center speckled
with dark green. The heart-shaped leaves are also bordered in dark green. It's lavender flowers
appear in mid summer. The plant grows 10 inches high and 20 inches wide. The Jung catalog
instructs to "Plant in shade to one-half day morning sun". Again, I've seen this new hosta in several
catalogs and I hope it will be available locally as well.
Euphorbias are gaining in popularity.The Mid-Atlantic group of the
Hardy Plant Society presented a talk recently on Euphorbias by Timothy Walker, a euphorbia
expert from England. Euphorbia characias 'Burrow Silver' is being offered in many mail order
catalogs. It's variegated with blue-green leaves edged in yellow. It looks like a great foliage plant
for sunny areas. Wayside Gardens catalog describes its flowers: "In early spring . . . 10-inch
flowerheads hold thousands of miniature chartreuse blooms that last for 5 to 7 weeks". Sounds
great for a well-drained, sunny site. One thing I must mention though, wear gloves when
handling any euphorbia because its milky sap can cause dermatitis.
Physostegia virginiana 'Miss Manners' . . .
Now, a clumping obedient plant! Physostegia virginiana 'Miss Manners' does not spread
by underground runners. It has a clumping habit instead and grows to 24 inches tall and 12 inches
wide. Prefers full sun or part shade and likes moist, fertile soil. Can be used in perennial beds
without fear of overtaking its neighbors. Makes a good cut flower.