Green Thumb Award Winners & What We’re Growing
THE GREEN THUMB AWARD-WINNING
PLANTS WE’RE GROWING FOR YOU THIS SPRING
Each year the National Garden Bureau recognizes new plants and products that bring innovation and energy to yards and gardens. We pay attention, and we love to add the best of the best to what we grow in our own greenhouses. Here’s the Green Thumb award winners and runners up we’re excited to be growing for you this spring:
AWARD WINNERS
Tradescantia Pistachio White
The National Garden Bureau calls this all-new tradescantia a breeding breakthrough. Here’s why: it manages to incorporate heavy white variegation while supporting vigorous growth.
This houseplant is especially handsome in pot or basket combination plantings. And as an added bonus, you can bring pots indoors over the winter. Your Pistachio White has really strong performance indoors and out.
Scabiosa Paper Moon
Isn’t it beautiful? The Seussical novelty is what won this annual a spot on the winner’s list. The ethereal pale-blue blossoms on long, wiry stems transform into gorgeous bronze-colored, globe-shaped seed heads in late summer and fall. They thrive in full sun, are pollinator-friendly and grow about 2-3 feet tall.
We are excited about using them in fresh and dried flower arrangements.
RUNNERS UP WE REALLY LOVE
We often find really interesting nominees who don’t take home a prize, but deserve a spot in gardens and landscapes. These are the runners up we’ll be growing this year, with notes from our Greenhouse Production Manager, Erin.
ANNUALS
Begonia Hula
“I hear this is an outstanding new begonia series! We’ll have it as part of our late spring/summer program in bi-color pink and red.”
Bracteantha Granvia Harvest Orange
“We grew Granvia Gold in 2022, and it was a big improvement over other strawflowers on the market, with large flowers and more vigor. We’ll also have peach, pink and gold.”
Lantana Bandolista
“We are very excited about Bandolista, as it should bring back a more trailing habit to lantana with the awesome flower colors we love on modern cultivars! This plant will be mostly in hanging basket mixes, but if it has a nice habit, we’ll consider growing in 4.5” for 2024.”
Zinnia Zydeco
“This is an eye-catching series of zinnias that really stood out from the rest at trials! I’m trying to get it for part of our summer 6”.”
PERENNIALS
Astilbe Dark Side of the Moon
“We had a few of these as part of a trial in 2022 and really like them, so we’re excited to have this as part of our program for 2023.”
Echinacea Artisan Yellow Ombre
“We’ve grown the red and orange, and they are some of the best performing echinacea that we’ve had, so we’re very excited about the new yellow option! I saw it in trials this summer and it looked awesome!
Panicum Niagra Falls
“I’m hoping we can buy in finished plants for this one because it looked so amazing in trial gardens.”
Salvia Blue by You
“This is the new salvia everyone is raving about! It looked incredible in trial gardens, so I have high hopes for it. It’s supposed to bloom for a longer time period than other blues.”
