As promised, I’d like to share more of the great new perennials I saw while visiting the California Spring Trials. I visited 11 of the 16 trial locations in two-and-a-half days located between Los Angeles and San Jose. During the nearly 500-mile trip, I saw lots of new or recently introduced perennials at the various trial locations and took over 1,100 images. Good thing I recently updated to a 256 GB iPhone X (which has an excellent camera, by the way).

I certainly can’t share all of the pictures I captured here, but here are several of them. I’ll be sure to trickle some of them in future newsletters, as well. 

Heuchera Dolce Apple Twist

Here’s a great new heuchera from Proven Winners. Dolce Apple Twist changes its appearance as it grows—the foliage is initially chartreuse yellow and lightens to apple green as it matures. The new leaves also have red veining that lighten with age. This Zone 4 coral bells has cream flowers, good vigor and tolerates sun better than many similarly colored cultivars. 

Aquilegia Kirigami

Kirigami is the first series of columbine that's programmable and can truly be grown as a first-year-flowering perennial. The plants have attractive foliage and excellent flower power without vernalization. Five colors (Red & White, Rose & Pink, Deep Blue & White, Light Blue & White, and Yellow) and a mixture of these colors are available. Kirigami can be enjoyed from spring and beyond—give it a try!

Phlox Trot Pink

This new phlox from Syngenta definitely caught my eye. Trot Pink is very floriferous, producing tons of light pink flowers, which nearly completely covers the low-mounded foliage. I love the habit and flower power. Consider this early spring flowering phlox for your program. 

Echinacea Mooodz Satisfy

Mooodz Satisfy is a recent introduction from HilverdaKooij BV that will not only compliment and satisfy your echinacea palette, it will elevate your offering. Mooodz Satisfy is from tissue culture, is very well branched, doesn’t require vernalization and has short grow time (approximately 12 weeks). Oh, I nearly failed to mention the numerous attractive orange flowers it produces. This echinacea will "Satisfy" your landscape and put you in a good "Mooodz."

Leucanthemum Sweet Daisy Birdy

Let me be the first birdy to tell you about this new shasta daisy. Birdy is a new introduction to the Sweet Daisy line of leucanthemum from Dümmen Orange. Like its predecessors, Sweet Daisy Birdy is a reliable first-year-flowering shasta daisy with uniform plant structure and deep, dark green foliage. The umbrella-like flowers with traditional white petals on the outside transitions with small frilly petals towards the golden yellow centers are a real eye-catcher in the early summer. Be sure to give this Zone 4 shasta a try.

Phlox Flame Pro Violet Charm

Here’s a great new garden phlox that's sure to be a hit with landscape professionals—it’s Phlox Flame Pro Violet Charm. Its habit is compact and grows very similarly to the other Flame cultivars. Flame Pro Violet Charm produces massive clumps of bright bicolored violet and white pinwheel-shaped flowers that stand proudly atop its attractive green foliage. I’m no landscape pro, but I think this one has great potential. 

Platycodon Pop Star Blue

There’s a new platycodon on the market that absolutely rocks! I’d like to introduce you to Benary’s new balloon flower aptly named Pop Star Blue. This new rockin’ cultivar has a compact habit (just 7-in. tall), is very well branched and has huge show-stopping flowers. Pop Star Blue is destined to be an iconic Zone 3 perennial. 

It seems like it’s taken forever for spring to arrive, but before you know it summer will be here. If you love perennials as much as I do, I’m sure the Perennial Plant Association’s Perennial Plant Symposium is part of your summer traditions. If not, there’s still time to start a new one.

The Perennial Plant Symposium is the only yearly event devoted entirely to perennials. The symposium is being held July 30 to August 2, 2018 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Here are a few highlights of this summer’s event.

• Plant Track covering numerous topics, including ferns, iris, phlox, native perennials, bizarre plants, drought-resistant perennials, Mt. Cuba Center’s trial program, medicinal perennials and more
• Business Track covering automation, business finance, inventory management, employee engagement, marketing and more
• Numerous Tours visiting many of the industries finest locations, including UNC Botanical Gardens, Hoffman Nursery, Niche Gardens, Keith Arboretum, Gateway Gardens State Farmers Market, Logan’s One Stop Garden Shop, Metrolina and many, many more
• Speakers Social where you can meet and mingle with many of the presenters
• Roundtable with Industry Experts with a Q&A like you're speed dating

Click here to learn more about this summer’s Perennial Plant Symposium.