For this week’s challenge, I’d like to share two images and see if you can correctly identify the problem. First, here are symptoms exhibited on a garden mum:

Now take a look at this image.

There’s a connection between these two images. Unfortunately, that’s the only clue I’m going to share because I’m afraid I’ll give it away if these images already haven’t. Do you know "What’s Happening Here?" If you haven’t figured it out yet, take your time to ponder the possibilities as you enjoy the rest of the newsletter. I’ll reveal the answer to the diagnostic challenge before signing off.

I’d like to share a few more perennials that were on display at the California Spring Trials (CAST) I visited last month. Here are some of the plants that caught my eye while visiting the beautiful Dümmen Orange location at Avila Beach.

Dianthus Pemán Fancy Cerise

Pemán Fancy Cerise is a colorful dianthus hybrid that definitely caught my eye while visiting the summer trials. As you can see here, it has attractive evergreen foliage and produces tons of brilliant double cerise flowers. Pemán Fancy Cerise is ideal for containers and would make a fine addition to southern landscapes as it appears cold hardy only to Zone 7. Don't worry northern growers—Dümmen Orange has lots of colorful dianthus that are defintely cold hardy.

Gaillardia Spintop Mariachi Copper Sun

Mariachi Copper Sun is the newest member of the Spintop series. It produces loads of copper-orange fluted flower petals with glowing yellow tips. It produces blooms continuously from early summer well into the fall. This Zone 3 blanket flower is ideal for the landscape, as it demonstrates great heat and drought tolerance, as well as attracts loads of pollinators.

Phlox paniculata Flame Pro Baby Doll

This dwarf garden phlox provides loads of flower power with its large clusters of coral pink flowers with dark pink eyes. The bright, fragrant flower clusters gorgeously top its compact 14- to 16-in. foliage from late spring and into the early summer. With its huge flower clusters, extended bloom time and great disease resistance, Baby Doll makes an excellent container or landscape plant. Hardy to Zone 4.

Next, I’d like to share a couple perennials that grabbed my attention at Benary. When I think of Benary, I think of all the great seed varieties they've brought to the market (annuals and perennials), but both plants below are vegetatively propagated.

Coreopsis Corleone Red & Yellow

This new verticillata cultivar was actually introduced last year, but is definitely worth the mention here. Corleone Red and Yellow produces tons of vibrant flowers with deep red centers and bright yellow tips. As you can see, the plant is quite stunning when in bloom. With its vigor and compact habit combined with being cold hardy to Zone 4, Corleone is a very versatile and worthy candidate to any perennial program.

Gaura Gambit Variegata Rose

I love variegated perennials and Gambit Variegata Rose doesn't disappoint. With its attractive variegated foliage and tall spikes of bright pink flowers, Gambit Variegata Rose is an eye-catching plant. It blooms profusely and can easily be grown and marketed in containers, decorative mixed containers and for use in the landscape.

On Wednesday, August 25, Proven Winners is hosting a Landscape Roadshow at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Here’s an overview of the educational sessions:

• John Antonelli—Regional Sales Representative from Four Star Greenhouse will be presenting a program called "Stunning New Proven Winners Annuals to Enhance Your Landscape"
• Jane Beggs-Joles—Landscape Program Manager from Spring Meadow Nursery will be presenting "Tried and True Shrubs for Midwest Landscapes"
• Josh Roggenbuck—Regional Product Manager at Walters Gardens will present his program "New Perennial Selections for the Landscape"
• Nelson Darden—National Sales Manager for Classic Caladiums will give a lunchtime presentation "Exciting New Proven Winners Caladiums for Landscape Impact"
• Jason Testman—Landscape Division Manager and Landscape Architect for TerraCare, Inc. presents "Redesigning the Landscape at the WV State Capital Complex"
• Steve Foltz—Director of Horticulture at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden finishes the day with his presentation titled, "The Importance of a Landscape Showcase at the Cincinnati Zoo"

The day is concluded with a walking tour of the zoo and botanical garden. CEU credits are available for ONLA, INLA, ASLA and APLD members.

Click HERE for information and registration.

I shared these images with you at the top of the newsletter and told you there was a connection between them.

Were you able to put the pieces together and figure it out? The image on the left are symptoms of this problem on a garden mum. To refresh your memory, symptoms are the plant's response to stress, which may be caused by the environment, plant pathogen or pest. The image on the right is a sign of the issue. Signs are actual parts of the problem. Signs can be things like mycelium with diseases or exoskeletons of insects. Does that help out?

Admittedly, I may have stretched the definition of "sign" just a little in this challenge. The image on the right are actually the wings of an insect. Still unsure? Here’s the insect.

These are lace bugs. Chrysanthemum lace bugs (Corythuca marmorata) are small (1/8- to 1/4-in. long) and have four smoky-brown bands (these markings are irregular) on their wings. There are other types of lace bugs, but chrysanthemum lace bugs can often be observed on plants in the aster family such as mums, asters and sunflowers.

Lace bugs can be controlled with insecticides containing acephate, bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, cyclaniliprole, insecticidal soap or systemic insecticides containing dinotefuran or imidacloprid.