Secrets of a Great Garden Revealed

by Kirk Gordon

(ARA) - The real secret to a great garden is so obvious that many people look right past it: great plants. Master gardeners know that not all plants are created equal. Put the right plant in the right place and an outstanding garden can be as easy as sunshine, water and a dash of plant food now and then.

Easy-care plants can range from favorites that would have had a home in grandma's garden, to new and improved hybrids that are better, hardier, longer-flowering versions of garden classics. Many of these are perennial plants, varieties that, once established, will mature and thrive in the garden for years to come.

This year, three new perennial hybrids offer high-performance varieties in two of the most popular garden plant categories.

Ever-blooming Daylily Stella Supreme

Daylilies have long been prized for their hardy and colorful nature. For years, the queen of daylily hybrids has been long-blooming golden-yellow Stella D'Oro. This spring, the new ever-blooming daylily Stella Supreme sets a new standard for Stella-type daylily color and performance, with a lovely lemon-chiffon yellow hue and a long bloom season that exceeds that of Stella D'Oro.

Gardeners can expect the new ever-blooming daylily Stella Supreme to begin its bloom season in late spring/early summer and keep on blooming until the first frost. Dutch field trials showed that, when compared to Stella D'Oro, the new daylily offered not only a longer bloom season but a more consistent array of flowers throughout the extended period. Daylily Stella Supreme is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 11.

Stella Supreme has a pleasing citrus fragrance. It has typical daylily foliage, long, strappy medium-green leaves that complement its compact habit. The plant's foliage reaches 14 inches in height, with flower scapes reaching approximately 20 inches. It performs best in full sun, with a minimum of six hours of sunlight each day. Ever-blooming daylily Stella Supreme is drought-tolerant and does not require deadheading, pruning or pinching.

Ever-blooming Daylily Ruby Stella

Another new daylily hybrid offers Stella-type performance in a rich new color: red. Ever-blooming daylily Ruby Stella offers gardeners repeat blooms of deep wine-red flowers from early summer till first frost.

Ruby Stella is a proven top perennial performer that will return readily for years of garden enjoyment in USDA zones 4 through 11. It has typical daylily foliage, long, strappy medium-green leaves that complement its compact habit. The plant's foliage reaches 14 to18 inches in height with flower scapes of approximately 22 inches. It should be planted in areas with a minimum of six hours of sunlight each day and performs best when situated in full-sun. Ever-blooming daylily Ruby Stella is drought-tolerant and does not require deadheading, pruning or pinching.

Hosta Sundancer

Hostas are perennials popular primarly for their attractive foliage and ability to thrive in shady spots in the garden. Now there's a hosta that's happy in shade or moderate sunshine.

Hosta Sundancer is a vigorous, low-growing perennial with appealing medium green foliage highlighted by soft chartreuse variegation that brightens to white when exposed to heat. Though the edges of variegated hostas are often burned by the sun, the foliage of Sundancer tolerates moderate sun admirably. In the hottest climate zones, however, it will need partial to full shade.

Hosta Sundancer bears an abundance of pale lavender flowers with a light, spicy fragrance on 18-inch stems in mid-season. It is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 10. The plant matures to 12 to14 inches in height and 22 inches in diameter.