Welcome to The Weeding Gnome [1]
In today’s Issue:
My ‘Milkshake’ brings all the boys to the yard!
New for 2010! Campanula ‘Viking’
— The Garden Rant for September 11, 2009 —
Dear Gardening friend,
Who talks about Echincea in bloom in September?
I do… I love it when new plants find a home in my garden right near the front door or along the walkway to my car. This way, I get to see them every day, no matter how busy I am because I walk right past them.
Milkshake, a new selection from Arie Blom of AB-Cultivars in the Netherlands and part of our ever popular Conefections series, just happens to be planted in one of these special spots. I admire Arie’s breeding because as all of the other, popular coneflowers come and go throughout the summer in my garden, all of Arie’s selections continue to look great and re-bloom well into late summer and fall. If you deadhead them, they will re-bloom.
Most of the new coneflowers on the market do not re-bloom. Most come into bloom in late June and bloom well into July and possibly the beginning of August. Coconut Lime, Pink Double Delight and Avalanche bloom all summer if you dead head them. You don’t see this trait promoted in coneflowers. Perhaps Arie’s breeding brilliance exaggerates this trait? In any case, it’s pretty cool to have coneflowers in bloom on September 11!
Milkshake is different. It does not re-bloom. It blooms over a long period of time, taking time for each fully double bloom to open. The unique thing about Milkshake is how long the fully open blooms last. Most purple and nearly all white coneflower blooms turn brown soon after they mature.
Not Milkshake – it has been in full bloom since mid July and almost all of the blooms are as creamy white as they were when they first opened. It’s a very wonderful trait. A trait I have not seen in any other white coneflower selection – except Milkshake!
Read more about Milkshake here. I know you’ll love it. It makes me want to rip up a section of my garden to plant white blooming plants. White blooming plants that don’t turn icky brown, that is. Here’s to cooler weather, a little rain and coneflowers that bloom in September!
Happy weeding,
Angela Treadwell Palmer
President, Plants Nouveau
P.S. – Follow us on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/Plantweenie
— Angela’s Garden Notes —
Campanula ‘Viking’ – A Bellflower for All Seasons
I am happy to bring you another breakthrough from the breeding brilliance of Arie Blom at AB-Cultivars in The Netherlands. Arie’s quest for Campanula punctata like blooms on a well contained, short statured, but compact and densely blooming plant has brought us this novel beauty. The name Viking brings to mind images of strength and vigor.
This new campanula has both strength and vigor as well as many superior qualities. Viking stands at a maximum (in full bloom) of 18” tall and spreads to make a lovely and floriferous 24” clump within the first two growing seasons.
Although this new selection bulks up quickly, it does not spread by rhizomes like the parent plant and the seeds are sterile, so not even the birds can spread them around. This hybrid selection will get larger in the garden, as most perennials do, but it does so by spreading underground in the most petite way.
The first year in the ground in my garden, Viking almost doubled in size, but none of the new shoots were more than an inch away from the outermost shoots of the original plant. Therefore, I feel comfortable saying it will not become a
thug, and I’m happy to report it will provide you months of clear lavender, tubular bell flowers – perfect for attracting hummingbirds and other passers-by to your garden.
Campanula ‘Viking’ PPAF – Completely compact and well contained, this new bellflower is sure to impress.
Size: 15-18” tall by 18-24” wide
USDA hardiness zones: 5-8
Sun/shade: full sun
Soil: average garden soil
Moisture: moist, but well drained
Diseases and pests: none known
Landscape use: front to middle of the border, foundation plantings, mass plantings, butterfly gardens, cutting gardens, cottage gardens
Market appeal/uniqueness: Viking is a sturdy, non-invasive, sterile new selection with a compact stature and clear lavender, tubular, bell-shaped blooms. Hummingbirds will hover around this fantastic new selection. Propagation methods: vegetative stem cuttings, divisions, tissue culture
Bloom time: from late May to July, flowering continuously
— Attention Growers —
Buy our new plant introductions from the following wholesale nurseries:
Skagit Gardens – http://www.skagitgardens.com
Holtex Enterprises – http://www.holtexusa.com
GET Group, Inc. – http://www.hoffienursery.com
North Creek Nurseries – http://www.northcreeknurseries.com
Walters Gardens – http://www.waltersgardens.com
Creek Hill Nursery – http://www.creekhillnursery.com
Pioneer Gardens – http://www.pioneergardens.com
Emerald Coast Growers -http://www.ecgrowers.com
H.ave You Recently Discovered a New Plant?
Let Plants Nouveau introduce your new plant to the world. We’re a company about plants, fueled by the introduction of novel, innovative selections from real plant people. Royalties collected by Plants Nouveau are shared with the plant’s originator and re-invested into the program’s marketing efforts.
To learn more, go to: http://www.plantsnouveau.com/new-plant
— Attention Homeowners —
Buy Plants Nouveau new plant introductions from the following mail order nurseries:
Plants Delights – http://www.plantdelights.com
Great Garden Plants – http://www.greatgardenplants.com
Dutch Gardens – http://www.dutchgardens.com
White Flower Farm – http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com
Park Seed – http://www.parkseed.com
Klehm’s Songsparrow Farm – http://www.songsparrow.com
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