Spiraea x vanhouttei 'Levgold'
(Firegold™ Spirea)
You can never have too many plants with golden leaves, and I can't wait to try this as a standout hedge or a stand-alone specimen. From Bailey Nurseries, this Vanhoutte spirea has lemon-lime leaves, the standard white flowers that appear along arching branches in spring, and -- hooray -- yellow orange fall color instead of sickly green. I use this shrub all the time because I love its vase-shaped, arching habit and profusion of spring blooms, and now there's a reason to use it even more. Zones 4-8, About 4-6' x 5-7'. Discovered by Denis Levac of Quebec, Canada.
Berberis thunbergii 'Moretti Select
(Cabernet™ Barberry)
There can never be enough small barberries, and this one is a compact form of 'Crimson Pygmy.' It's only 2 feet high and 2-3 feet wide, so it naturally would be a good fit in tiny gardens when you're after a bit of bold color. The foliage is said to be very, very dense so that the shrub requires no pruning. (Although everything at some point needs to be lopped a bit) Zones 4-7. Discovered by R & V Moretti Nursery of Madison, OH.
Hydrangea macrophylla 'Bailday'
Light-O-Day® Hydrangea
There are now so many hydrangeas on the market that I don't really know how anyone keeps them all straight. I still have my favorites (especially Hydrangea serrata 'Preziosa'), but I wouldn't necessarily pass up this one if I came across it at a garden center.
For starters, it's a lacecap with white-edged leaves, and the outer ring of flowers are bright white. The inner ring varies from blue to pink depending on the acidity of the soil. (Yes, blue in acidic soil, pink in alkaline -- and you should know that, if you don't). Zones 5-9, 3-5' high and wide.
(click on images for larger view)
All the Rage® Rose
Another so-called Easy Elegance rose from Bailey developed by top hybridizer Ping Lim. An upright, rounded shrub rose with coral buds that open to apricot blooms with yellow centers. The flowers then fade to pink. Two and a half to four feet high, Zones 4-9. Said to be quite disease resistant.
Super Hero® Rose
Another in the Ping Lim series, same shape as the rose above, only with hybrid-tea shaped blooms of deep red. Three to five feet high, ever-blooming and again, disease resistant.
For more new rose releases (and there are many) check out the Bailey website.
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