Coneflowers of 2010

Every year when we order plants for the upcoming season there are always plants that come back as our favorites- like Blue Plumbago, Carmel Coral Bells, and fall blooming Anemones for example. Those are just three perennials that I’ve grown to love that can really make a statement in any garden. However, to come up with these favorite perennials it takes trials of new plants to see what will add a new dimension to the garden. This summer there are a variety of Coneflowers that are bound to win me over by the end of the season with their striking color.There are two different shades of red Coneflowers that we will have. Tomato Soup will be back from last year, as well as a new, taller variety called Hot Lava. At a possible height of 40” this flower has the potential to tower over much of the other perennials with its bold red color contrasting nicely with the other flowers in the garden. Along with red, there are two Coneflowers that are different shades of pink. Pink Poodle, which we had last year, proved to bloom nicely with layers upon layers of light pink petals. The new pink variety is Raspberry Tart. The color on this flower is magnificent, as it is more of a magenta color, unlike many other flowers that bloom lighter shades of pink. This blooming machine is a shorter variety, so will stand out nicely in the front of the garden. Shades of orange are also no stranger to coneflowers. We will be carrying two different orange varieties. Tiki Torch was the orange variety we will continue to carry from last year. The new variety is called Tangerine Dream, which seems to be a darker shade of orange, and will also be shorter than Tiki Torch. The orange flowers of this coneflower really pop next to flowers that are shades of purple or blue. Among the many already listed, there are three other varieties that will be new to Blue River this year. Fragrant Angel is a shorter variety of Coneflower that is supposed to be cream-white in color.Another variety is Meringue which is also a shorter variety of Coneflower. Its petals are white in color with a tint of green and a yellow-green center. The last new variety is Coral Reef, which is coral in color with a darker puffed up cone center. Between these new varieties and past varieties, come summer-time the nursery is going to be exploding with color. And remember, these are only the Coneflowers!