We were not able to attend the California Spring Trials to see all of the new perennials that will be available this year. We have been reviewing websites, catalogs, and other materials to come up with some exciting new selections for you to look out for in your local garden center or online. If you’re looking for something new for your garden some of these perennials might be of interest to you. The clematis is by far my favorite, so be sure to read about it.
Here are six of our favorite new perennials for 2021:
Dianthus 'Mountain Frost™ Ruby Glitter'
These pretty red dianthus flowers are non-fading and have cream-white blotches that appear in the spring and then bloom again in the summer. The plant is fragrant and has foliage that is silvery-blue. It is drought and frost tolerant. They grow best in well-drained soil in a location where they get the morning sun and afternoon shade. The plant attracts butterflies and is deer resistant. You can grow these in the front of a border, in a rock garden, or in your favorite container. They make a great cut flower. that grow 6-8 inches tall and 10-12 inches wide. Hardiness zones 4-9.
Echinacea Sombrero® Fiesta Orange and Echinacea Sombrero Poco™ Hot Coral
It was too hard to pick between these two Echinacea plants so we included both since they are from the same family. Brilliant orange and coral flowers will attract pollinators, especially butterflies to your garden. All other Echinacea flowers are pale compared to these two plants. The foliage on these plants is dark green. These cheerful plants are will give you flowers all summer long. They are drought and salt tolerant. They do well in any soil and perform best when planted in full sun. They will grow 18 inches tall and are deer resistant. Hardiness zones 4-9.
Leucanthemum Double Darling Daisy®
This daisy has double the flowers and will be a favorite and a showstopper in any garden. The snowball shaped flowers have masses of beautiful white daisies with yellow centers. It blooms from late spring to early fall. They look best when you plant many of them together. The flowers are excellent for cutting and using in your floral arrangements. The foliage is serrated and dark green. This plant needs some upkeep during the growing season and ought to be cut back in late fall for winter. It does best planted in full sun to partial shade and performs best in average to evenly moist conditions but does not tolerate standing water. The plant is a great choice for attracting butterflies to your garden. The flowers grow approximately 12 – 16 inches tall and grow about 16 inches wide. Hardiness zones 4-9.
Milly Rock Yellow Achillea
These cheerful yellow flowers can brighten up a gloomy day. Achillea is also known as Yarrow and is an easy to grow perennial. Plant these in a sunny location in any type of soil. The plant forms low mounds of fragrant, fern-like foliage with clusters of flowers found on upright stems. The flowers start blooming in late spring and go through the fall. This series of Yarrow has been bred to be compact with bright yellow flower heads. Another great plant for cutting that can be used either fresh or dried. Deadhead the flowers to promote continuous blooming. The plant is inclined to spread, so make sure you plan your location ahead of time. When it is time to divide the plant it can be done in fall or early spring. The plant is heat and drought tolerant. Yarrow is another pollinator beneficial plant.
Red Echeveria purpurosum
Echeveria purpurosum is a small succulent with tight, individual rosettes that will sometimes produce a few offsets. It is now available in this unique red color. The rosettes grow 4 to 6 inches tall. The red leaves are ovate and sharp-edged. This succulent is easy to grow and low-maintenance. The plant can also be a houseplant. When growing this plant make sure it does not sit in water as this can cause root-rot. Remove the dead leaves from the bottom of the plant as they can become a haven for mealy bugs. The last requirement is to give it plenty of sun. Plant it in full sun to partial shade. It is tough, durable, and drought-tolerant. Hardiness zones 9-11.
Sparky® Blue Clematis
We mentioned this was our favorite new perennial. Sparky Blue Clematis is from Proven Winners and it is not your run-of-the-mill clematis. It blooms earlier in spring than other clematis, and the flowers look like pinwheels. This clematis also comes in pink and purple, but we liked blue the best. You have not seen clematis flowers like this before. The center of the flower is yellow. The flower appears on elegant, slender stems from among delicately toothed foliage. The plant starts blooming in mid-to-late spring and flowers continue to pop out through early to mid-summer. Try growing this on a trellis in your perennial garden or planting it along a fence or other latticework. The plant does need support from plant time onward, so make sure you plant it near a rail, deck, or trellis. It is easy to grow and pruning is not needed. This plant is also disease resistant and hardy in zones 5 – 8.
Photos Courtesy of Growing Colors, Ball Seed, Proven Winners, and Green Fuse Botanicals, Inc.
