{"id":4298,"date":"2017-05-09T00:14:38","date_gmt":"2017-05-09T00:14:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/?p=4298"},"modified":"2018-05-17T20:39:42","modified_gmt":"2018-05-17T20:39:42","slug":"top-10-2013","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/top-10-2013\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 10 for 2013"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"827219ce0a87fa193c09e84c4c9a0f12\" data-index=\"1\" style=\"float: none; margin:20px 0 20px 0; text-align:center;\">\n<script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script>\r\n<!-- MOINSBD Link Top -->\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-4387862990858706\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"6762903103\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"link\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\">1. \u00a0<\/span><strong><a style=\"font-size: 1em;\" title=\"Anemone Wild Swan\" href=\"http:\/\/www.perennials.com\/plants\/anemone-wild-swan.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Anemone \u2018Wild Swan\u2019<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\"> &#8211; \u00a0Zone 5<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-4299\" src=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/anemone-Wild-Swan-4-1-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"265\" height=\"265\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/anemone-Wild-Swan-4-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/anemone-Wild-Swan-4-1-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/anemone-Wild-Swan-4-1-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/anemone-Wild-Swan-4-1.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 265px) 100vw, 265px\" \/>Special award winner at the 2011 Chelsea Flower Show, this vigorous hybrid deserves to become well known.\u00a0 With A. rupicola as the female parent, it exhibits continuous flowering starting in mid-June, lasting until mid-November frost.\u00a0 Not many perennials offer that length of show! The large white flowers are held well above the foliage.\u00a0 A pronounced nodding habit, particularly in the evening and early morning, enhances the appearance of the attractive lilac-blue reversed petals.<\/p>\n<p>This plant performs best in a rich soil that does not dry out.\u00a0 Looks great in dappled shade!\u00a0 Grows to approximately 60cm (24 inches).<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p>2. \u00a0<strong><a style=\"font-size: 1em;\" title=\"Artemisia Ever Goldy\" href=\"http:\/\/www.perennials.com\/plants\/artemisia-schmidtiana-ever-goldy.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Artemisia \u2018Ever Goldy\u2019\u00a0<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\"> &#8211; \u00a0Zone 3<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4301 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Artemisia-Ever-Goldy-web-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"258\" height=\"259\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Artemisia-Ever-Goldy-web-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Artemisia-Ever-Goldy-web-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Artemisia-Ever-Goldy-web.jpg 502w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 258px) 100vw, 258px\" \/>Artemisia \u2018Silver Mound\u2019 has been a best selling classic for as long as I\u2019ve owned a perennial nursery.\u00a0 You can imagine my enthusiasm then when I spotted a gold form inEuropethis summer.\u00a0 I might have called it Gold Mound, but hey, if it becomes as popular as Silver Mound, I don\u2019t care what it\u2019s called.\u00a0 This should be as bone hardy as the silver form.\u00a0 It\u2019s also just as seductively soft and cuddly looking. I can\u2019t help myself from touching the foliage when it\u2019s fresh and new.<\/p>\n<p>3. \u00a0<strong><a style=\"font-size: 1em;\" title=\"Campanula Miss Melanie\" href=\"http:\/\/www.perennials.com\/plants\/campanula-portenschlagiana-miss-melanie.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Campanula \u2018Miss Melanie\u2019<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\"> &#8211;\u00a0 Zone 5<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-4302\" src=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Campanula_Miss-Melanie_web-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"265\" height=\"265\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Campanula_Miss-Melanie_web-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Campanula_Miss-Melanie_web-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Campanula_Miss-Melanie_web.jpg 502w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 265px) 100vw, 265px\" \/>I\u2019ve always been a fan of blue flowers in general, and bellflowers in particular.\u00a0 This Campanula portenschlagiana cultivar spills lovely, lavender-blue flowers over compact mounds of foliage in June.\u00a0 It looks great in containers, and offers great garden performance as well.\u00a0 While some of the creeping Campanula grow pretty quickly, Melanie is petite and well behaved, not growing much more than 20cm (8 in) high by 30cm (12 in) wide.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p><strong>4. \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.perennials.com\/plants\/delosperma-cooperi-jewel-of-desert-amethyst.html\"><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\">Delosperma<\/span> <span style=\"font-size: 1em;\">Jewel of Desert Series<\/span><\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\"><strong>\u00a0 &#8211;\u00a0 Zone 4<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4303\" style=\"width: 268px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4303\" class=\" wp-image-4303\" src=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Delosperma-jewel-of-desert--300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"258\" height=\"258\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Delosperma-jewel-of-desert--300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Delosperma-jewel-of-desert--150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Delosperma-jewel-of-desert-.jpg 502w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 258px) 100vw, 258px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4303\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Delosperma mixed<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Not a single plant but a series.\u00a0 Hardy ice plants have also been a personal favourite of mine.\u00a0 With their extreme drought tolerance, super low spreading carpet growth habits and bright colours, I can find lots of places to use them.\u00a0 One of their few drawbacks is a relatively short bloom time.<\/p>\n<p>Well, that drawback should be a thing of the past with these.\u00a0 Even if they only bloom half the time that they\u2019re claimed to bloom, they will still bloom much longer than existing varieties.\u00a0 Available in 5 different colours, you\u2019ll want to try these in containers, rock walls, as a ground cover or just general drought tolerant garden colour.<\/p>\n<p>5. \u00a0<span style=\"font-size: 1em;\"><strong><a style=\"font-size: 1em;\" title=\"Dianthus Kahori\" href=\"http:\/\/www.perennials.com\/plants\/dianthus-kahori.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dianthus Kahori\u00ae\u00a0 &#8211; \u00a0Zone 3<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-4304\" src=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Dianthus-Kahori.jpg-web-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"268\" height=\"268\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Dianthus-Kahori.jpg-web-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Dianthus-Kahori.jpg-web-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Dianthus-Kahori.jpg-web.jpg 502w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 268px) 100vw, 268px\" \/>This recent introduction is a fantastic addition to the many thousands of forms of Pinks, or hardy carnations that already exist.\u00a0 With blooms all summer long (are you noticing a trend here?), this is a perennial that begins to close the flowering gap with annuals.\u00a0 Nice compact garden habit, great colour, hardy, long blooming, scented, silvery foliage\u2026what are you waiting for?<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p>6. \u00a0<span style=\"font-size: 1em;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.perennials.com\/plants\/echinacea-hybrida-sombrero-salsa-red.html\">Echinacea Sombrero\u2122 Series<\/a>\u00a0 &#8211;\u00a0 Zone 4<\/strong><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_4305\" style=\"width: 271px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-4305\" class=\"wp-image-4305\" src=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Echinacea-sombrero-Salsa-Re-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"261\" height=\"261\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Echinacea-sombrero-Salsa-Re-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Echinacea-sombrero-Salsa-Re-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Echinacea-sombrero-Salsa-Re-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Echinacea-sombrero-Salsa-Re.jpg 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 261px) 100vw, 261px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-4305\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Salsa Red<\/p><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">Unless you\u2019ve only recently joined the perennial gardening world, you probably remember when coneflowers had single flowers and came in only two colours: purply-pink and white.\u00a0 A little more recently, an explosion of plant breeding has brought a rainbow of available colours.\u00a0 The dirty little secret of many of these new varieties is that they don\u2019t last very long in the garden.\u00a0 Indeed, some have proved to be\u2026\u2018gasp!\u2019\u2026 very expensive annuals.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>So, I\u2019m delighted to report there is hope. \u00a0We\u2019re very excited about the Sombrero\u2122 series at the nursery.\u00a0 Dazzling colours, easy to grow and a true perennial garden habit.\u00a0 Could it be that these finally fulfill the promise that we\u2019ve heard so often before?\u00a0 I am inclined to believe they do.\u00a0 The fact they are more affordable helps too!\u00a0 Well worth growing.<\/p>\n<p>7. \u00a0<strong><a style=\"font-size: 1em;\" title=\"Gaura Rosy Jane\" href=\"http:\/\/www.perennials.com\/plants\/gaura-lindheimeri-rosyjane.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gaura \u2018Rosyjane\u2019<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\"> &#8211; \u00a0Zone 5<\/span><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: normal;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-4306\" src=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Gaura-Picot-Rosy-jane-web-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"263\" height=\"263\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Gaura-Picot-Rosy-jane-web-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Gaura-Picot-Rosy-jane-web-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Gaura-Picot-Rosy-jane-web.jpg 502w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 263px) 100vw, 263px\" \/>We all know Butterfly Gaura as a nice, reliable long blooming feature or filler perennial in sunny gardens or containers.\u00a0 For 2013, I\u2019m really excited to offer this colour breakthrough, as I think the lovely flowers are particularly attractive.\u00a0 Of course I expect butterflies will love these too!\u00a0 This North American native plant is very drought and heat tolerant, but doesn\u2019t like wet winter soils.\u00a0 Winter mulch in Zones 5 and 6 is helpful.<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p>8. \u00a0<strong><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.perennials.com\/plants\/geum-alabama-slammer.html\">Geum \u2018Alabama Slammer\u2019<\/a> (COCKTAILS\u2122 Series)<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\">\u00a0 &#8211;\u00a0 Zone 5, possibly 4<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>From breeder Brent Horvath at Intrinsic comes this latest, tasty<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4307 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Geum-Alabama-Slammer-web-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"261\" height=\"261\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Geum-Alabama-Slammer-web-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Geum-Alabama-Slammer-web-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Geum-Alabama-Slammer-web.jpg 502w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 261px) 100vw, 261px\" \/> addition to his collection of new Geums.\u00a0 Sporting flowers of burnt red to orange, these are colourful, reliable plants. \u00a0I\u2019m seeing a number of new Geum varieties coming into the market from various sources.\u00a0 There are probably good reasons for why that\u2019s happening.\u00a0 Maybe it is because Geum are bright, cheerful, long blooming, easy to grow, good for cutting\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n<p>9. \u00a0<span style=\"font-size: 1em;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.perennials.com\/plants\/helenium-autumnale-mariachi-fuego.html\">Helenium Mariachi\u2122 Series<\/a>\u00a0 &#8211; \u00a0Zone 3<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-4308\" src=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Helenium-miriachi-fuego-web-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"267\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Helenium-miriachi-fuego-web-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Helenium-miriachi-fuego-web-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Helenium-miriachi-fuego-web.jpg 502w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 267px) 100vw, 267px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve always considered Helenium to be fantastic, underutilized plants in the garden.\u00a0 They deliver profuse blooming performance during the height of summer and into the fall, when many perennials have finished their show.\u00a0 They are also extremely reliable and easy.\u00a0 Marching into the gardening world in 2013 are four excellent new Helenium in the Mariachi \u2122 series, bred for uniformity and compact habit.\u00a0 All four varieties are great, but if I had to choose one, I\u2019d choose Salsa, just because I love the colour.<\/p>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<h4><\/h4>\n<p>10. \u00a0<strong><a style=\"font-size: 1em;\" title=\"Lavandula Phenomenal\" href=\"http:\/\/www.perennials.com\/plants\/lavandula-intermedia-phenomenal.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lavandula intermedia \u2018PHENOMENAL\u2019<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 1em;\">\u00a0 &#8211;\u00a0 Zone 5<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-4309 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Lavandula-Phenomenal-field--300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"266\" height=\"266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Lavandula-Phenomenal-field--300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Lavandula-Phenomenal-field--150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/Lavandula-Phenomenal-field-.jpg 502w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 266px) 100vw, 266px\" \/>With its very own Facebook page, here is a lavender I\u2019m expecting to take the country by storm in 2013.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Performance dear reader, performance.\u00a0 Solid, uniform foliage remains tight and uniform even without pruning.\u00a0 Excellent Pythium resistance, makes it more tolerant of wetter soils, if full sun and good drainage is provided.\u00a0 Overall, reported to be much tougher than any other lavender by Lloyd Traven of Peace Tree Farms, who discovered this at his nursery.\u00a0 It is also much larger than most lavender varieties currently grown, so don\u2019t put this is a small container. \u00a0Named a &#8216;Must-Grow Perennial&#8217; for 2013 by Better Homes &amp; Gardens.<\/p>\n\n<div style=\"font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0px; margin: 0; padding: 0; clear: both;\"><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>1. \u00a0Anemone \u2018Wild Swan\u2019 &#8211; \u00a0Zone 5 Special award winner at the 2011 Chelsea Flower Show, this vigorous hybrid deserves to become well known.\u00a0 With A. rupicola as the female parent, it exhibits continuous flowering starting in mid-June, lasting until mid-November frost.\u00a0 Not many perennials offer that length of show! The large white flowers are [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":4302,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4298","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-top-10-lists"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4298","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4298"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4298\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4875,"href":"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4298\/revisions\/4875"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4302"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4298"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4298"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.perennials.com\/content\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4298"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}