The shooting stars of 2020
AT THIS time of year, Britain’s leading nurseries like to take the wraps off the plants they hope will drive gardeners wild with excitement over the coming months. Among the stellar line-up set to make their debut in 2020 are shrubs, perennials, climbers and bedding plants, along with plenty of vegetables, herbs and fruit.
Some of the plants to take a bow are revolutionary, such as a variety of hydrangea paniculata with colossal blooms, and a Busy Lizzie that’s tolerant of a pernicious disease. Others have a unique habit, striking foliage or flowers, or are an improved form of an old favourite.
There’s a bunch of cracking shrubs set to land in garden centres this spring. Buddleia ‘Butterfly Gold’ has green and yellow variegated leaves topped with purple flower spikes, while coprosma ‘City Knights’ is an evergreen beauty whose ultra-glossy foliage is adorned with yellow, purple, orange, black and green markings.
Vaccinium ‘Carbernet Splash’ is an ornamental blueberry. In spring, the 4ft plant is smothered with deep red foliage that matures to a bright green, mottled with red.
These make the perfect foil for its white flowers in early summer, which are followed by an abundance of sweet fruit.
Not for the fainthearted, hydrangea paniculata ‘Hercules’ boasts greenish-white, conical flower heads in summer that are 15in long, about 7in more than other varieties. Ideal in sun or semi-shade, the shrub can reach a height of more than 6ft and has stout branches – essential for carrying such massive plumes.
Fans of roses won’t be disappointed with a host of newcomers. Named after George Eliot’s classic novel, ‘Silas Marner’ is an English rose with soft pink, ruffled flowers that pack a fruity scent. Meanwhile, ‘The Country Parson’ has double, yellow blooms from June until the first frosts.
Launched in the early 1980s, the title of Rose of the Year is given to an exceptional new variety, as picked by a group of industry experts. The title-holder for 2020 is ‘Sweet Honey’, a floribunda with large clusters of lightly scented, apricot-coloured flowers that appear in succession between July and September.
Expect to find plenty of shiny new perennials landing in the next few months. Among the notable launches are two heucheras, ‘Isabella’ and ‘Madison Bride’. Unlike most varieties, these are not remarkable for their foliage but have been bred for flower power – the blooms are large, colourful and long-lasting.
A pint-sized verbena is my pick of the perennials. ‘Royal Dreams’ boasts airy stems and purple flowers similar to Verbena bonariensis, a 6ft-tall border stalwart. However, the newcomer reaches only 24in, making it perfect for small gardens and pots. Like it’s big brother, it’s a magnet for butterflies.
Until downy mildew disease swept across the country in 2011, Busy Lizzies were our most popular bedding plant. Gardeners can now grow them again thanks to a new variety called ‘Beacon’, which is highly resistant to the fungal affliction. Plants will be offered in mixes with red, coral, orange, salmon, violet and white flowers.
Other bedding plants worth looking out for are viola ‘Network Improved’, with its yellow flowers marked with dark whiskers, and petunia ‘Star Burgundy’, a trailing variety with dark red blooms with yellow centres. The cascading stems of begonia ‘Funky Blaze Orange’ produce masses of double, star-like flowers. Common poppy, papaver rhoeas ‘Amazing Grey’, is the standout star among new annuals thanks to its ruffled flowers in shades of blue and grey. For my money, runners-up include helichrysum ‘Granvia Gold’ and cosmos bipinnatus ‘Apricot Lemonade’, an earlyflowering type with two-tone, apricot and lavender-coloured blooms.
A host of annual climbers will provide vertical colour this summer. Sweet pea ‘Mayflower 400’ has scented, pink and white flowers, while ipomoea ‘Purple Princess’ possesses purple leaves and lilac blooms.
The star-shaped blue flowers of morning glory ‘Mini Sky Blue’ are displayed on 5ft stems.
WHERE TO BUY: Chiltern Seeds
chilternseeds.co.uk David Austin Roses davidaustinroses.co.uk Mr Fothergills mr-fothergills.co.uk Suttons suttons.co.uk
Thompson & Morgan thompson-morgan.com