Your Favorite Plants Improved for the Northwest

In Paul Westervelt ’s article on perennial rising slope , he explains the benefit of abuse out of your ease zone and trying new versions of tried - and - true plants :

“ After whiffing a few times , consumer and pros alike may be tempted merely to stick to prison term - prove varieties . But some of those varieties are n’t what they once were . In other cases , they ’ve been upgraded in meaningful ways that improve the gardening experience — beneficial habit , longer bloom prison term , enhanced disease ohmic resistance . Before you swear off new plants perpetually , reckon these authoritative upgrades . ”

To help you find plant that wo n’t make you say , “ Ugh , I should have just stuck with the original , ” we ask regional experts to pluck four improved rendering of lover - favorite plants . All of these plants have at least one of the characteristics that Paul list above — better habit , longsighted blooming time , enhance disease immunity — and sometimes all three . Find improved works for the Northwest below , and for even more improved classics , see out Paul ’s article8 Better Perennial Plants to Grow Over the Classic Varieties .

1. ‘Burgundy Jewel’ vine maple

Name:Acer circinatum‘Burgundy Jewel’

Zones:5–9

Size:6 to 12 feet tall and 4 to 8 understructure blanket

Conditions : Full sun to partial shade ; tolerates a salmagundi of soil conditions from humus - fertile to clay

Native reach : Western North America from British Columbia to Northern California

With its small size and just vase shape , ‘ Burgundy Jewel ’ make utterly as a focal distributor point for a small garden or , when used in multiple , as a dumb backcloth planting . The foliage color makes it a fun choice to the straight specie . natural spring leaves emerge dark Red River to purpurate with yellow veins before fleet to coppery red and gullible in summertime . In drop , the leaf appear to burn from within , taking on tints of red , yellow , and orange . The automobile trunk and branches stay a deep red purple , defecate ‘ Burgundy Jewel ’ a true multiseason ravisher . It is a strong agriculturist that does n’t demand much water in summertime once established .

2. Frostkiss®Anna’s Red hellebore

Name:Helleborus‘ABCRD02’

Zones:4–9

Size:18 to 24 inches marvellous and wide

condition : fond to full spook ; evenly moist , well - drained dirt

Native range : Europe and Asia

During our darkest , wettest months here in the Pacific Northwest , the wintertime blooms of hellebores are always a welcome good deal . The FrostKiss ® series has the impart benefits of longer bloom time , which extends into midspring , and a compact size of it that is stark for the front of a shady border . Anna ’s Red is a particularly stunning FrostKiss ® cultivar with burgundy red flowers held upright on uncompromising root word . Once the blooms fade , dress them off to spotlight the striking silver - vein evergreen foliage , which is eye - catching on its own . As a bonus , it is cervid insubordinate .

3. Lumen Gold™fountain grass

Name:Pennisetum alopecuroides‘JS Jommenik’

Zones:5–8

Size:1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 foot wide

Conditions : Full Sunday to partial shadowiness ; average to dry grease

aboriginal range : Eastern Asia to western Australia

What reach Lumen Gold ™ fount forage alone is its color ; the foliage emerge bright lily-livered in fountain before maturing to a lime green . In summer , fluffy plumage put up 6 to 9 inch above ok strappy leaf . Through evenfall , the foliage colour evolves to shades of gold and orange . As wintertime set in and the foliage eventually turn straw color , you may cut the plant back to a compact tussock around 3 to 5 inches above the ground . Alternatively , you may give the foliation and plumes standing for winter interest , clip them back just before the new shoots sprout in other spring .

4. Perfume Princess™daphne

Name:Daphne‘DapJur01’

Zones:7–9

Size:4 foot grandiloquent and 3 feet wide

Conditions : Full sun to fond shade ; slightly acid , well - debilitate soil

aboriginal chain of mountains : loan-blend

One of the first things I learned as a room decorator was how authoritative it is to make the ingress of a home plate inviting . A great fashion to do this is to plant a daphne close to the front door , with its frail fragrance acting as the perfect welcome for visitant . Perfume Princess ™ , a hybrid ofD. odoraandD. bholua , is the early and longest - blossom daphne on the marketplace . you could have a bun in the oven large clump of star - shape blush pink blooms from midwinter to late spring . From summertime through former wintertime , savour its dark green evergreen plant foliage . Increased heat and Lord’s Day leeway extend its usability .

Courtney Olander is a horticulturist and landscape designer based in Seattle .

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‘Burgundy Jewel’ vine maple

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Photo: millettephotomedia.com

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