Forget everything you know about gaillardia and check out this unusual 2004 introduction! Gaillardia 'Grape Sensation' is a selection of the amazing, but very rare (three counties only) Texas native Gaillardia aestivalis var. winkleri made by Dawn Stover of the SFA Mast Arboretum in Nacogdoches, Texas. Gaillardia aestivalis var. winkleri 'Grape Sensation' is a superb long-lived perennial, forming an airy 2' tall x 3' wide clump. Instead of typical gaillardia flowers, Gaillardia 'Grape Sensation' is topped with an abundance of 2" wide grape flowers from May through October....good drainage always helps. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This 2001 Loleta Powell introduction has blown away the competition. Borrowing its upright habit from Gaura 'Dauphin' and color from Gaura 'Siskiyou Pink', Gaura 'Pink Cloud' provides a stunning, 30" tall, upright deer-resistant plant that is truly smothered with brilliant pink flowers! While other gauras have slowed here by October, Gaura 'Pink Cloud' is still a mass of color. If you have found the others a little on the "limp" side, you will love Gaura 'Pink Cloud'! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(syn: Gelasine azurea) Gelasine elongata is a plant whose appearance is sure to fool even the most experienced taxonomist. With foliage resembling a small sabal palm, this South American irid is fascinating even when not in flower. The pleated grey-green leaves of Gelasine elongata are topped with 20" tall stalks, ending in tight clusters of 1", cupped, dark violet-blue flowers in May and June. Although each flower lasts only one day, the procession of flowers is truly amazing. We have this easy-to-grow irid planted in our sunny rock garden where it is exceedingly happy. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This splendid native gentian hails from the colder regions of the country...Canada south to Missouri. The 18" slightly lax stems arise from a dormant rosette in spring, clothed in pinky-shaped glossy green leaves. In late September and October, the clumps are topped with hummingbird attracting clusters of blue-lavender flowers resembling a mini southern bottle-tree. Gentiana andrewsii prefers slightly moist alkaline conditions, although we have found it to also grow well in slightly acidic ground while tolerating seasonal droughts. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
I first fell in love with Gentiana autumnalis on an early 1990s winter botanizing trip to the North Carolina coast. In the wild, autumn gentian is found from the coastal plain regions of New Jersey south to Georgia in the sunny openings of moist, pine forests. For us Gentiana autumnalis starts flowering in late September and in the wild, can continue until after the first of the year. This is a small plant with tiny linear leaves and needle-thin, 1' long, pendent flowering spikes that end in 1-3 cobalt blue, upright opening flowers. In the wild, I have found Gentiana autumnalis growing near pitcher plants, so subsurface moisture is helpful, but not required. Thanks to naturalist John Hummer for sharing seed from a population in Caroline County, Virginia. This is not an easy plant to grow in the garden, so it should only be attempted by experienced gardeners who like to experiment. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This rarely-offered native NC gentian grows to only 12" tall with short stems covered with whorls of thumbnail sized, rubbery, dark green leaves. In October through November the clump is smothered in clusters of narrowly open, tubular blue flowers...attractive to hummingbirds. Gentiana catesbaei prefers moist to boggy conditions where competition is minimal...we have been thrilled at the ease of culture. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Garden designers who enjoy working with wild color combinations will love this introduction from famed Orkney geranium breeder, Alan Bremmer. Geranium 'Anne Thomson' is our favorite of the gold-leaf hardy geraniums, and in our trials, the heat tolerance of this Geranium procurrens x Geranium psilostemon hybrid has put the old standard, Geranium 'Ann Folkard', to shame. The dazzling, bright yellow-foliaged, 3' wide clump is topped with violet flowers from spring until midsummer. Geranium 'Anne Thomson' remained vigorous after 70 plus days over 90 degrees F in our miserable 2002 summer. We think you will love this 2005 Award of Garden Merit winner! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This new early-flowering selection of the Croatian Geranium phaeum comes from the UK's Alec Anderson. The 18" tall x 2' wide clumps are topped, starting in April, with stalks of light lavender flowers...we assume Alec is rather color blind. We're just trialing this and don't have many extras to spare, so get 'em while they last. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Geranium 'Philippe Vapelle' is a hybrid of two Caucasus species, Geranium platypetalum and Geranium renardii. The result is a charming compact clump to 1' tall x 1' wide topped, starting in late April (NC), with lovely lavender flowers, each composed of 5 widely separated petals with darker purple striations. The floral show, held just above the grey-green quilted foliage, lasts a month in good conditions. We have grown Geranium 'Philippe Vapelle' since 1998, and have found it to be very tolerant of our hot, humid climate. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This amazing new geranium has proven to be an outstanding performer...hence, it is one of the only patented hardy geraniums. Geranium 'Rozanne' was discovered in 1990 in the garden of Donald and Rozanne Waterer of Somerset, England, and released by Blooms of Bressingham. This sterile hybrid of Geranium himalayense x Geranium wallichianum 'Buxton's Variety' makes an 18" wide clump, topped from June until frost with large 2.5" blue-violet flowers. We think you should let Rozanne do her thing in your garden. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
This amazing selection of hardy geranium from Holland's Coen Jansen boasts large, intensely pink flowers, each highlighted by red markings radiating from the center of the flower. Starting in late spring and continuing most of the summer, the compact 14" tall mound of dark-green cutleaf foliage is covered in flowers. We have found Geranium 'Ankum's Pride' to be a really great color break in Geranium sanguineum. For tough, dry, sunny areas, this is the perfect solution. Coen named the geranium for his street, "Ankummer Es." Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Geranium sanguineum 'Elke' is an amazing new selection of the durable Geranium sanguineum topped, starting in late April (NC) and continuing until fall, with silver dollar-sized flowers of fluorescent pink, each highlighted by a white central pattern and a narrow white border. The 10" tall x 3' wide clumps of Geranium 'Elke' can tolerate a wide range of conditions including an amazing amount of drought. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Available: 3/1/2013 Geranium 'Sweet Heidy' is the next generation of breeding from the work that produced the wonderful Geranium 'Jolly Bee' and Geranium 'Rozanne'. Geranium 'Sweet Heidy' comes from Dutch nurseryman Marco van Noort, who named his new selection after his wife. The 14" tall x 18" wide open habit from the Geranium wallichianum parent is similar to Geranium 'Jolly Bee', but the large blue-lavender flower has a distinctive white central pattern that contrasts nicely with the dark stamens (sexual parts). Just like its parent, Geranium 'Sweet Heidy' flowers from late spring until fall. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Geranium sylvaticum 'Mayflower' is a 1972 introduction from Blooms of Bressingham founder, the late Alan Bloom. Geranium 'Mayflower' forms an 18" wide clump of cutleaf green foliage that resembles our native Geranium maculatum. The clumps are topped in late spring with 2' tall spikes of blue-lavender flowers, highlighted with a white eye. Average to slightly moist soils are best. Geranium sylvaticum 'Mayflower' is a winner of the Royal Horticultural Society's prestigious Award of Garden Merit. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
From Rolf Offenthal at Germany's Countess Helen Von Stein's Nursery comes an excellent new geranium hybrid (Geranium sanguineum x Geranium psilostemon). Each plant makes a 10" tall x 3' wide mound of cutleaf green foliage, topped all summer with 1"+ lavender flowers. Unlike straight Geranium sanguineum clones which it resembles, Geranium 'Tiny Monster' is sterile, so more flowers will result along with no unexpected little ones appearing and begging for support. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Available: 3/1/2013 This vigorous selection of the sterile hybrid Geranium x magnificum (ibericum x platypetalum) has been a real trooper in our garden where we kill more geraniums than Saddam Hussain did dissidents. The attractive 20" wide clump of cutleaf green foliage is topped in May with stunning 2" blue-violet flowers which are heavily veined in red...like my eyes about this time of night. The flowers are held nicely above the foliage in large outfacing masses. For someone who had given up on many of the showier geraniums, this is a winner. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Gladiolus 'Atom' is an old mid-1940s hardy Gladiolus dalenii hybrid that forms 3' tall stalks, topped in early summer (mid-June through July in NC) with small, but brilliant red flowers, each outlined with a white picotee stripe...simply delightful and a far cry from the giant florist's glads. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
Gladiolus 'Carolina Primrose' was discovered at an old abandoned NC residence, a tribute to its amazing durability. For us, this extremely hardy form (or hybrid) of Gladiolus dalenii var. primulinus makes a fast-multiplying clump that produces 3' tall flower spikes from mid-June through mid-July in NC...attractive to hummingbirds. The floral spikes are laden with soft butter yellow flowers darkening toward the throat, where you will also find small reddish-brown stripes...that's stripe throat, not strep. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(aka: G. byzantinus) We are pleased to finally offer the old-fashioned Gulf Coast pass-along gladiolus...thanks to Texas plantsman, Greg Grant. The 2' tall spikes of intensely tacky, fluorescent cerise-red flowers top the late-January emerging foliage from late April through early May...attractive to hummingbirds. G. 'Cruentus' could be classified as a spring ephemeral since the entire clump is dormant by early summer...be sure to mark the spot when planting summer groundcovers. We tried to find a matching RHS color code with no luck...obviously royal taste doesn't allow this color in the old UK. As you can imagine, its drought-tolerance and ease of culture are legendary! Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
(aka: Gladiolus coll #A12NC-018B) We found this abandoned gladiolus on a roadside bank near the town of Bolivia in Brunswick Co., NC. The corm multiplication rate and subsequent flowering potential is unrivaled. Our clumps of Gladiolus 'Bolivian Peach' are topped with 40" flower spikes in early July...a hummingbird favorite. The lower petals are soft yellow, blending perfectly with the soft peach color of the top petals. Many Gladiolus dalenii forms have proven to be hardy into Zone 6 for those who don't mind experimenting. Pot Size: 3.5" (24 fl. oz/709.77 ml)
