2010 Introductions for the Summer

Looking for some color for your garden during the long hot days of summer? Below are some new 2010 introductions that bloom during the summer and some into fall. I lost several Leyland cypress in my back yard and now have a 10’ strip along the back to work with so, check out ‘Empress Wu’, I think she will look great under the canopy of the remaining trees. And the ‘Golden Zebra’, well, let’s just say you will find that in my garden as soon as I can order it! I’m not much on orange flower, but this might change my mind. The vigorous 3' tall stalks of Echinacea 'Hot

Papaya' are topped through the summer with an amazing display of lightly fragrant, bright orange pom-poms, surrounded by a row of single drooping petals. As with all echinaceas, well- drained soils in winter are essential for good survival.

Achillea Summer Berries F2 Hybrid – look at the glorious colors this cottage yarrow offers! I could only find this offered as seeds but it flowers the first year! Reaching 30”, it makes an excellent cut or dried flower and for those of you that love your bees and butterflies – Summer Berries will draw them into your garden. A hardy perennial, for best blooms, give it full sun and enjoy! And speaking of color – wow!

Heucherlla 'Golden Zebra' has a striking combination of bright yellow and dark red on feathery foliage. This is an ideal plant to use along the front edge of your beds as it has a tight, compact growth, reaching just 10” high and 15” wide. Give it part to full shade and just wait for the comments from your garden visitors when they get a look at it.

Hosta ‘Empress Wu’ – I couldn’t believe my eyes when they landed on this picture. Really? A Hosta that reaches 4’ tall with just its foliage? And 5’ wide? ‘Empress Wu’ is billed as one of the largest Hosta. What a great plant for those looking for a tropical feel to add to a shade garden! She has a light lavender bloom in July that will add to her height. Shade and moist soil round out the requirements for the jewel.

Becky Phillips, Loudoun County Master Gardener