Hot new plants for 2012

The holidays are just around the corner. With all the busyness of buying gifts and celebrating, and battling wintery weather, here's a peek at new plants for spring 2012 that's bound to bring some cheer, color and life to any size garden.

A few weeks back I mentioned a new Black Hawaiian Spider Lily: Crinum 'Purple Dream' from Hines that's one pretty, durable plant that really rocks!

I promised to give an early "sneak peek" of some well-bred beauties and plant discoveries I think you'll love.

Keep an eye out for these new Hines Growers plants with new Bloomtastic! tags and labels.

The folks at Hines Growers are like plant hunters with a mission... no kidding! To make the cut, plants must be easy to grow and low maintenance and provide continuous color and abundant blooms- just what busy gardeners demand.

The butterfly bush in the above photo is Hines' exclusive new Buddleia Purple Splendor - a robust plant with fragrant flowers that produces waves of spectacular blooms during the summer heat. Best of all, it attracts butterflies and hummingbirds! Zone 5-10

And here's a beauty you can't pass up. Buddleia Lavender Veil from Hines is a compact grower that grows very low to the ground and bears abundant lavender fragrant flushes. This beauty attracts butterflies and hummingbirds with flowers that spill from containers, hanging baskets or look fabulous in your landscape as a groundcover, or in rock gardens, or perennial and cottage gardens. Zone 5-10.

On the left is Bambino 'Sophia' Bougainvillea, and below is Bambino 'Victoria' Bougainvillea, two of eight new varieties in the Bloomtastic! collection.

They are compact and full with dramatic variegated foliage, that contrasts against the profusions of large clusters of flowers, spring through fall! Both are well-suited for smaller gardens and hedges, containers, baskets and medium size groundcovers. Zone 8-10

So keep an eye out for these beauties and many more like the new Agapanthus africanus 'Summer Sky'  (I'll write about this one later) coming nationwide to a garden center and retailer like Home Depot for 2012.
Cheers!

~Lynne, GMG

Move Over Sponge Bob

This summer I'm finally going to dress up my porch with some beautiful hanging baskets adorned with colorful flowering plants. The only problem is that I really don't want to spend every couple of days watering them.

Well, my prayers have been answered thanks to a new space-age self-watering system for plants called Aqualok™ from Costa Farms. Developed by a rocket scientist, Aqualok is a high-tech foam substance that lines the inside of your hanging basket and holds water and oxygen and releases it when needed -- allowing you more time to relax and enjoy life. How simple is that!

What is really cool about this product is that it cuts watering frequency in half. Now instead of watering my hanging baskets every two to three days, Aqualok will enable me to water only once a week giving me more me time.

Look for Aqualok this spring in 10-inch annual hanging baskets at your favorite home improvement store.

- Stacey

For more gardening news, check out Garden Media Group.