Wednesday, June 4, 2003

New plants are eye candy in the garden

While color is by far the most important element in most gardens, gardeners take note of the importance of texture the shape of plants and their blooms to capture an effect that dazzles the eye throughout the growing season.

According to Michael Petrie, designer of J. Franklin Styer's perennial Best in Show winners at the Philadelphia Flower Show, texture is a design staple.

"The great landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted sought the texture of specific blooms rather than their particular variety to create some of his renowned gardens and parks," he said.

Five new varieties from the expanding repertoire of Ball Horticultural's Simply Beautiful annuals feature both rich colors and stunning texture. These flowers and are selected because they are easy to grow and create a big impact, making them a sure success in any garden.

Simply Beautiful Purple Majesty lives up to its regal name by capturing the Gold Medal at the 2003 All American Selections. Purple Majesty is ornamental millet that grows ups to five feet tall, making it a terrific center plant or a striking backdrop for any variety of other colors, such as the blush, pink or lavender selections from the Simply Beautiful Butterfly Pentas series.

Simply Beautiful AngelMist looks like an orchid, but is actually related to the snapdragon family. Blooming in seven rich colors (purple stripe, lavender improved, lavender pink, light pink, purple improved and white improved) and growing on 18-30 inch spikes, this angelonia provides a sense of vertical depth that compliments its vibrant colors and petal pattern.

With its double flower, the near perfect "roses" of Simply Beautiful Fiesta double impatiens turn your plot or pot into instant elegance. Choose from a palette that includes Salsa Red, Burgundy Rose, Coral Bells, Purple Pinata and Stardust Lavender or the breathtaking creamy white and cherry red swirls of Fiesta Sparker Cherry.

As its name implies, Simply Beautiful Purple Knight presents a tough-as-nails look that gives your garden its marching orders from spring until first frost. Another vertical over-achiever, this deep purple alternanthera reaches a height of 16-20 inches and spreads two to three feet wide, adding great folilage interest to containers or beds.

Finally, you can add the perfect finishing touch to your mixed containers with Simply Beautiful Silver Falls, a shimmering plant that not only cascades over the edges of your containers, but appears to be trying to plummet to the ground. Homeowners who try this cool new dichondra in mixed containers will look like they have a degree in horticulture and design.

Silver Falls can also be used as a colorful ground cover in front of Purple Knight or mixed with AngelMist to create both sharp definition and contrast.

Whatever textures and color combinations you choose, these new varieties from the abundant nursery of Simply Beautiful can lend an aura of professional artistry to your garden.

For more information or answers to your flower questions from experts at the National Gardening Association, log on to www.simplybeautifulgardens.com.

Back to Home & Garden Home Page | Back to the top of the page