Denny's Soapbox

Low Maintenance New Colorful Annuals

Happy Mother’s Day! For many of you, today will be the green light to start planting annual flowers and vegetables. Others, like myself, will stay in a yellow caution mode until the third or fourth week of May, because the tri-state has been known to have had a frost until then. Regardless of when you decide to plant, let’s discuss some great new flowers that you may consider planting that will provide your yard with some great color. I would also like to mention that most of these new varieties of annuals are very low maintenance. The following lists new varieties which received excellent grades at last summers Cincinnati Zoo plant trials during one of the hottest summers ever.

Cleome Senorita Rosalita – Not your normal Cleome, this heat and drought tolerant plant adds dramatic height to landscape beds and sterile flowers don’t produce seeds. Unlike other Cleomes, Senroita Rosalita is thorn less, stickyless and “smell-less” foliage adds to the appeal of this great garden performer. Grows 24-28 inches tall and loves full sun.

Chrysocephalum Flambe Orange and Flambe Yellow – Tufted yellow or orange flowers on silvery foliage. Very drought and heat tolerant, making it great for landscapes. Gorgeous in informal drifts or container combinations. Grows 8-14 inches high. Full sun is best but will tolerant partial sun. Once established, it loves it’s soil dry!

Dahila Mystic Illusion and Mystic Desire – Unique purple foliage with bright yellow or orange flowers. The contrast of the flowers and foliage is a spectacular show and this dahlia is a dwarf form with sturdy stems. Grows 18-36 inches high. Both cultivars have won many plant trials across the Midwest. Plant in Full sun.

Calibrachoa Yellow Chiffon – Abundant, small petunia-like flowers all season on cascading growth: low maintenance. Grows 7-10 inches high, a trailing plant that is great for containers and hanging baskets. Full sun.

Supertunia Bubblegum – Think of the old Bazooka bubblegum, this pink mounding petunia is creamy pink and blooms all summer with little maintenance. It is a vigorous grower and is perfect for landscapes. Blooms longer than most Supertunias. Grows 16-24 inches.

Euphorbia Diamond Frost – Heat and drought tolerant plants with clouds of airy white flowers all season, low maintenance. Growing 12-18 inches tall, Diamond Frost adds a delicate, airy feel to containers and landscapes alike. Full to part sun.

Coleus – Too many new varieties to mention, but they all give a great show with multiple colored foliage. Some varieties are more for shade to part shade while some of these newer varieties tolerate full sun. If you can think of a color combination, there is sure to be a coleus for you!

All of these and other newer varieties are available at many area garden centers and greenhouses.

A final note, any of the above flowers would make a beautiful, last minute gift for any Mom.