Pretty in Pink

Ah, Spring. My favorite season. Allergies aside, I'm always astonished with the rites of Spring.

For those of you who also count Spring as your favorite season,the sheer delight of a clear blue sky framing pink and white azaleas against flowers like gems draped in your landscape dripping with color, leaves a lasting impression. A time for renewal and discovery.

Frankly, I love discovery. A new plant, an unusual container, or garden art draw me like a moth to a light.

Maybe it's the right brain thing but I love the architectural form and sheer voluptuous volume of colorful ornamental shrubs. Take the new pink blueberry- Vaccinium 'Pink Lemonade'- from Briggs Plant Propagators, for instance. Wow.

Talk about a breakthrough plant! This beauty is a vigorous grower, shows off four seasons of color, grows about 5' X 5' and bears bright pink clusters of plump and juicy, sweet blueberries rich in anti-oxidants, from mid to late season. Berry heaven. Yay!

Pick em' and top them on cakes, make a pink blueberry pie, pink blueberry jam, or like me, unabashedly stuff them into thy mouth as you savor every morsel.

If you dare, leave a few behind for your feathered friends and enjoy the changing season as this beauty reveals orangey leaves in fall and reddish-brown twigs in winter that add color and charm to any garden.

Look for 'Pink Lemonade' at your garden center and wait patiently grasshopper for a season to bedazzle your garden awash in pink blueberries. You won't be disappointed!
~Lynne
GMG

Photos credit: Northcreek Nursery and Briggs Plant Propagators

Mighty Mato and Pink Blueberry in WSJ!!!

Bart Ziegler writes about the new introductions in the plant world in his latest Wall Street Journal online article....and we are thrilled that Mighty Mato and Pink Blueberry made his list!

"Every year the plant industry, much like the car business, introduces new models. And it uses many of the same come-ons: Never-before-seen features! Dazzling new colors! More durable designs!

"As with cars, much of this is marketing hoo-hah—most of these "new" plants are really just minor variations on the old, the horticultural equivalent of new headlight shapes on the same car body. But each spring brings a few tree, shrub or flower rollouts that are worth considering. On rare occasions they represent something dramatically different."

Read the rest here....2011 Rollouts Hit the Garden

-Karen GMG