RHS Award of Garden Merit® Plants

The dark colored nearly black spikes and calyxes provide a dark contrast to the brilliant glowing red two-lipped tubular flowers that are sure to draw hummingbirds for miles from spring to fall! Royal Bumble Salvia, a selection or hybrid of the native Littleleaf Sage, S. microphylla, is a 2015 Royal Horticulture Society Award of Garden Merit winner with excellent vigor and amazing flower power all on a compact well-branched plant. Considered by some to be the best red Salvia x jamensis/S. microphylla hybrid on the planet! Provide a full to mostly sunny site in a fertile well-draining soil for optimum vigor and flower power. In areas that experience hard freezes plant this Salvia out between early spring to midsummer to ensure winter survival. Item# 12476

Strongly fragrant 1" white star-like blooms in clusters of 3-12 are produced on new growth from spring to fall. The fragrant white waxy flower petals are used to flavor Jasmine tea and Jasmine rice. An evergreen twining climber or arching shrub growing to 8' high if left to its own devices but it can certainly be pruned to keep it in bounds. Grow it as a container plant, as a hedge, an espalier or even as a small tree form. Item#11743

An RHS Award of Garden Merit winner! Medium to large, lightly fragrant, loose peony form to semi-double, medium silvery-pink flowers with a boss of yellow stamens are produced in early to midseason, November to February. The pollen laden and fragrant flowers are likely to attract bees and other pollinators on warmer days. Scentsation Camellia is a large type Japonica with a moderate to vigorous, densely branching, upright to rounded habit. One of the earlier Japonicas that were bred for fragrance, it was developed and introduced by Nuccio's Nurseries in the late 1960's. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and an organic mulch. Images courtesy of Cam Too Camellia Nursery, all rights reserved. Item# 13242

Large balloon-like buds open to purplish-blue star-shaped cup-like flowers. A longtime favorite in the perennial garden, Sentimental Blue Balloon Flower is a selection that boasts a compact habit and plenty of flower power that starts in early summer and can last into fall. An easy to grow perennial that may reseed under good conditions. Provide a moist but well-drained soil with a half a day or more of sun. Balloon Flowers are easy and long flowering clump forming tuberous rooted perennials that seem to just get better with age and require little care. Item# 10549

The most vigorous growing of the Banana Magnolias or Banana Shrubs, Skinner's Banana Magnolia produces 1" long, sweetly banana scented, creamy yellow, cupped, miniature Magnolia flowers in spring and may produce some flowers until fall once mature. Still somewhat uncommon in the nursery trade, this small but vigorous evergreen tree or large shrub has a naturally upright to pyramidal habit with dark green glossy foliage. Skinner's Banana Magnolia makes a wonderful specimen, hedge, screen, or can easily be trained into a tree form. Caterpillar host: Western Tiger Swallowtail. Item# 646.

An exceptionally cold hardy and free flowering Gardenia, Snow Girl produces a big show of fragrant single flowers in early summer and continues to produce some flowers into late summer. This little beauty has deep green dainty foliage and a tight compact habit to help get her through the toughest of winters. Small enough to enjoy in containers or let this little gal perfume the summer garden and landscape. Item# 11121

Bright rosy pink to rosy red new growth matures to bright white and green creating a yearround splash of color in the garden, landscape, and even as a spiller for containers and over retaining walls. Snow-N-Summer™ Asiatic Jasmine, a wonderfully colorful selection of Trachelospermum asiaticum, creates a tough and easy, evergreen groundcover that has the ability to thrive even under trying conditions. This 6-12" high groundcover to small twining vine can produce creamy yellow fragrant flowers similar to Confederate or Star Jasmine, Trachelospermum jasminoides, when grown as a vine or when allowed to trail from hanging baskets and over retaining walls, though it is generally infrequent and is the exception rather than the rule. Few plants can compete with the disposition of this dense groundcover once it is fully established in the landscape making it an easy and reliable choice for landscapers and tough to garden in areas, like beneath trees, where few other plants can thrive or in parking lot islands. It is heat loving, both sun and shade tolerant, deer and rabbit resistant, and has few pest or disease issues particularly when grown in soil with average or better drainage. For the best and brightest foliage coloration some direct sunlight during the day is beneficial and the more the better. Probably best suited to zones 8 and warmer for inground plantings but it can be used as a groundcover in containers beneath larger plants. item# 1188

The large pyramidal flower clusters are composed of showy, 1-2" wide, trumpet shaped, fragrant, white flowers that are accented by larger yellow-orange dots and numerous smaller purple dots and lines in the throat that act as bee guides. Flowering occurs over a few weeks in mid to late spring and attracts a number of different pollinators but especially native bees and honeybees. The Southern Catalpa, Catalpa bignonioides, is a naturally pyramidal shaped, fast growing tree when young quickly reaching flowering size at about 15-25' high under good conditions and with ample moisture and moderate fertility. With age, this deciduous tree develops a rounded crown. The large medium green leaves often produce good yellow fall color. Provide a full to mostly sunny site in an average moist soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Item# 3057

The large maple-like foliage is broadly edged in bright creamy white and provide a nice backdrop to the orange veined Chinese lantern-like, 2" long flowers. Souvenir de Bonn Variegated Abutilon is a vigorous upright growing Flowering Maple that makes an easy to grow addition to tropical settings or as an indoor plant (this is a type of heirloom Abutilon that was once called a Parlor Maple).  Easily reaches 6-8' high if allowed to.Item# 11318

An RHS Award of Garden Merit winner! The small to medium-sized, double, ruby red to rose red flowers, occasionally with a lavender tinge, showing varying amounts of yellow stamens among the central petaloids, are produced early in the season, October to December. Sparkling Burgundy Sasanqua Camellia, a C. hiemalis hybrid with Shi-Shi Gashira lineage, has a vigorous, yet compact, well-branched habit growing to about 5-7' high and equally wide and is cloaked in medium-textured, dark green, glossy foliage. Use this medium-sized evergreen shrub as a fall flowering accent, hedge, or even a container plant in formal or informal settings. This was one of the earliest patented Camellias assigned USPP1539. The Sasanqua Camellias are much more tolerant of growing conditions than standard Japonica Camellias and can tolerate less than perfect soils and full sun to light shade conditions. Item# 13229

For several weeks in mid to late spring, the mounds of large, apple-green, heart-shaped, quilted foliage with maroon veining is topped by a multitude of up to 10" high conical spike-like clusters, or racemes, that are adorned in pink round buds that open to display the fragrant dainty white flowers that attract a variety of smaller pollinators. In fall and winter, its foliage takes on fall colors in shades of red, orange, yellow, and purple. Spring Symphony Foam Flower or Tiarella, a hybrid selection, is a stoloniferous, ^†semi-evergreen, perennial groundcover perfectly suited to shaded gardens and landscapes. They can tolerate more sun in areas with cool summer climates but will still likely prefer to be in the shade during the heat of the day. Tiarellas prefer a moist soil with ample organic matter and average or better drainage and are resistant to be being browsed by deer and rabbits. In his introduction to the genus Tiarella, Dr. Allen Armitage in his Herbaceous Perennial Plants, 4th Edition states that he "puts these plants on the A list for shady areas." and in regards to the cultivar Spring Symphony he states "Even though there has been an explosion of newer cultivars, this is still the one I recommend to my daughters." Spring Symphony Tiarella has also been selected as an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner. Images courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc., www.terranovanurseries.com, all rights reserved. Item# 13327

Clusters of 3-4" long, tubular, waxy buds open to display the long-lasting starry white wonderfully fragrant flowers that are held against a foil of shiny ovate foliage and may be produced throughout the growing season to year round under warm tropical conditions. Stephanotis or Madagascar Jasmine, Stephanotis floribunda, is an evergreen tropical twining vine that makes an easy container plant and is readily trained to small to medium sized trellises although it can climb to 12-15' high where it has a support. This is an old favorite and as Liberty Hyde Bailey states in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture "is one of the best greenhouse climbers" and "There are few plants that have all the good qualities of S. floribunda. It is a splendid grower, has good foliage, is very free flowering, and the flowers last well on the plant or when cut for decorative work." Provide a quality well-drained fertile soil in light shade to full sun. Stephanotis is an RHS Award of Garden Merit plant. Item# 665

An RHS Award of Garden Merit winner! Large, deep red, rose form to formal double to loose peony form flowers accented with darker veining are produced over an extended period from early to midseason, October to February. Tom Knudsen Camellia is a large flowered Japonica with a moderate to vigorous rate of growth and an upright, moderately dense branching habit maturing into a large, upright and rounded, evergreen shrub. Provide Camellias with a fertile soil rich in organic matter, with average moisture, and an organic mulch. Item# 13246

Large creamy yellow, white, and green foliage acts as the backdrop for large hanging clusters of 3" wide, sky blue trumpet shaped flowers that are produced on new growth throughout the summer and into fall. The Variegated Blue Sky Vine is a vigorous twining tropical vine that revels in the warmth of summer and this form appears to be just as vigorous and sun loving as the solid green form. Evergreen in frost free locations, establish in spring once the danger of frost has past as a die-back perennial vine in zones 8-9, or it can easily be maintained as a container plant where not hardy. Item# 1234

The large, palmate, tropical-looking, glossy deep green foliage of this Variegated Fatsia is splashed with nicely contrasting bright creamy white making this a standout in shaded gardens. Large loose clusters to 18" or more across are composed of 1" to 1-1/2" diameter, ball-shaped white flowers that are produced in fall to winter attracting an amazing number of mainly smaller pollinators and are followed by 1/4" diameter green berries that ripen to black. Fatsia or Japanese Aralia makes an excellent choice for shaded locations and develops into a medium to large, often multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an initially slow rate of growth that increase to moderate once plants are well-established. Makes a wonderful specimen, informal hedge, or container plant for indoors or out. Provide Fatsia with an average moist, fertile, acidic soil rich in organic matter with average or better drainage. Item# 9305

Clusters of 3-4" long, tubular, waxy buds open to display the long-lasting starry white wonderfully fragrant flowers that are held against equally beautiful ovate foliage that is edged and randomly splashed in creamy yellow that matures to white and silver as well as often having a silvery overlay. Flowers on and off throughout the warmer months of the year to year-round in warm tropical conditions. Variagated Stephanotis or Madagascar Jasmine, a selection of Stephanotis floribunda, is an evergreen tropical twining vine that makes an easy container plant and is readily trained to small to medium sized trellises although it can climb to 12-15' high where it has a support. This is an old favorite and as Liberty Hyde Bailey states in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture "is one of the best greenhouse climbers" and "There are few plants that have all the good qualities of S. floribunda. It is a splendid grower, has good foliage, is very free flowering, and the flowers last well on the plant or when cut for decorative work." Provide a quality well-drained fertile soil in light shade to full sun. Stephanotis is an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner. Item# 9394

Originally touted as the "Blue Rose", this heirloom climbing or rambling rose produces large clusters of 1-1/2" wide, fragrant, deep purple flowers, often with white accents and nicely contrasting yellow stamens, with the flower color deepeing into blue-purple tones as they age. Flowering occurs in mid to late spring to early summer, with flowering occurring earlier in warmer zones. Vielchenblau Climbing Rose is a vigorous, nearly thornless, rambling multi-flora hybrid growing to about 10-12' high making it a good choice as a pillar rose or it can be trained along a fence or other sturdy support. Due to its reliable performance and moderate disease resistance it has been selected as an RHS Award of Garden Merit winner. While Vielchenblau is tolerant of *partial shade, a full sun location with good air circulation and a fertile, average moist soil with good drainage are preferred for optimum growth, disease resistance, and flowering. Item# 715

With a dwarf habit and one of the longest blooming seasons of any Gardenia this is definitely a prized garden shrub or indoor plant. Produces an abundance of the highly fragrant, double white flowers are produced throughout much of the year when kept warm and in good health.  Item# 717

Deep red butterfly shaped flowers emerge from the large clusters of starkly contrasting bright white calyxes and are produced throughout the growing season to nearly year-round under warm tropical conditions. The flowers attracting mainly butterflies but potentially hummingbirds other pollinators. The White Bleeding Heart Vine, Clerodendrum thompsonae, is a naturally evergreen, twining, tropical vine cloaked in large, deep green foliage. The White Bleeding Heart Vine may freeze to the ground in the coldest portions of its range but established plants typically return in the spring. An easy and rewarding container or hanging basket specimen where not hardy. Provide a partially shaded to partially sunny site, although plants are adaptable -see *note, in an average moist, fertile, acidic, average to well-drained soil for optimum vigor and flowering. Its ease of care and reliability have earned it the RHS Award of Garden Merit. Item# 723

Clusters of pure-white, butterfly-shaped, fragrant flowers are produced in clusters in summer atop the tropical looking, rich green foliage and sturdy lush stems attracting both butterflies and the hummingbird-like Sphinx Moths. Cut the flowers and put them in a vase and they can perfume an entire room with their sweet heady fragrance. The White Butterfly Ginger, Hedychium coronarium, is a rhizomatous and slowly spreading, naturally evergreen tropical that acts like a die-back perennial in areas where freezes occur, reliably returning in zones 7B to 10. The Hedychium Gingers typically grow and flower best where they receive at least some direct sunlight for 3-4 hours during the day and generally have the best looking foliage where they receive shade during the heat of the day. A planting on the east facing side of a house, tree or other structure where they receive morning sun is often optimum. Provide an average moist to moist, average to well-drained, moderately fertile soil to keep this easy and reliable heirloom growing and flowering. Item# 1065

Pure white flowers in clusters are produced from early summer until fall on this great, semi-woody perennial. Plumbago is a heat, sun, and drought tolerant tropical or tender perennial that makes a great addition to container gardens or it is often found growing as a groundcover, hedge, tree form, and espaliered on fences in mild winter climates. Item# 1172.