2008 Plant Picks

You update your wardrobe every now and then with the latest fashions, and you play around with decorating schemes to reflect your mood, so why not change up your garden a little bit with new plant varieties? Every year, plant breeders reveal new varieties—and the results are dazzling.

Perhaps some of the most famous new plant varieties to make their debut are those announced by All-America Selections, an organization whose mission, according to the group’s website, is “to promote new garden seed varieties with superior garden performance judged in impartial trials in North America.

The 2008 AAS winners are (drum roll, please) Osteospermum F1 ‘Asti White’, Viola F1 ‘Skippy XL Plum-Gold’, and Eggplant F1 ‘Hansel’.

Also known as a Cape Daisy, the ‘Asti White’ boasts crisp white petals and striking blue centers. These hardy plants will bloom and recover from a slight frost, thrive in sunny gardens, and can be grown in containers. Another interesting factoid: Unlike other daisies with South Africa origins, the ‘Asti White’ remains open in cloudy conditions.

Brighten up your window boxes with the ‘Skippy XL Plum-Gold,’ which has plum shades and cheery gold faces with whiskers. And though they’re petite in size—1 ½-inch blooms—they bloom abundantly.

I’m not an expert on eggplant, but I love the rich purple hue provided by ‘Hansel.’ The small eggplant produces finger-sized clusters of 3 to 6 fruit—perfect for grilling and marinating—and they grow well in containers. And, according to AAS, you can leave the fruit clusters on the plant for a little longer than usual, and they’ll remain tender and non-bitter—unlike other eggplants.

Interested in other new plants? Ferne and Michael at Growing Thymes are excited about the Alice Alyssum, a new variety of an old favorite.

And Melody Parker, arts/special sections editor for the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, provides a brief rundown of other new plants in her blog Growing Things. I’m a fan of the Coleus ‘Chocolate Mint’ because its dark brown leaves are edged in a minty green hue. (I’m not going to lie, it reminds me of Girl Scouts’ Thin Mint cookies—my favorites—too.) And if I had my own garden, you bet I’d be growing Pentas F1 ‘Starla Pink.'

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you’ll appreciate Great Plant Picks, which reveals cool plant varieties each year that stand up to your specific climate.

And, of course, check with your local nursery for the latest blooms—many add new plants to their lineup each year.

I’ve told you which new plants are my favorites. Now it’s your turn: Which 2008 plant varieties do you think are noteworthy?

Until tomorrow,
The Home Know-It-All