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 (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.
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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. |
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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. |
