May - UT Gardens - The University of Tennessee

Curator of the Perennial Border, Terumi Watsonappeal it is drought and heat tolerant once established.It is truly a “set it, forget it, enjoy it” plant.Finally, with all my experience with floweringbedding plants, I am always amazed at the new(to me) plants I am introduced to each year andthe improvements breeders consistently come upwith. One new trial we have this year for evaluationthat I am totally unfamiliar with came fromProven Winners and is Otacanthus or BrazilianSnapdragon. This is a tropical plant that here willbe treated as an annual. Blooming with a blue twolippedsnapdragon-like flower, it will grow in sunor shade and is tolerant of heat. ‘Caribbean DeepBlue’ is already available but our test cultivar isnamed ‘Peek-a-Blue’ which with that name alonemakes it worth paying attention to. Other new2007 varieties that we are anticipating this year areBacopa ‘Calypso Jumbo White,’ Bidens ‘MexicanGold,’ a new salmon-colored Rocky Mountain ZonalGeranium, a yet un-named purple geranium fromBarlett and a dark purple Lantana.Check out these new and exciting plants in theUT Gardens. There is always something new todiscover or something not so new to regain anappreciation for; but always something that, nomatter what your age, will inspire and allow you toremain a “young gardener.”