Book Bullet: Visitor’s Guide to American Gardens
Book Bullet: The Art of Creative Pruning by Jake Hobson

Transatlantic Perennials

New from Simply Perennials: Kniphofia 'Papaya Popsicle', Hosta 'Raspberry Sundae', Corydalis 'Blue Heron', Rudbeckia 'Little Henry' Images ©Terra Nova Nurseries
“New” is the salesman’s favourite word. It’s the word that gets us to look even if it doesn’t always get us to buy. Doesn’t matter if it’s a TV show or a plant, if it’s new we usually pay attention.

Perennials have become amazingly popular in recent decades and new perennials are now being developed all over the world. Laboratory techniques enable them to propagated in large numbers very quickly. Terra Nova Nurseries in Portland, Oregon (who are not retailers) produce over six million young plants a year and have become famous for the huge number of new varieties of perennials they’ve created in the last twenty two years. And from their early days they sent plants to nurseries in Britain.

Heucheras have always been a focus and their varieties have been carried in particular by two British specialist nurseries with the splendid names of Plantago and Heucheraholics. Other species have been carried by a range of mail order nurseries but now a new venture, Simply Perennials, is developing a mail order range focusing on varieties from Terra Nova.

Simply Perennials is a part of Simply Seeds and Plants which began with sweet peas, added fuchsias, chrysanthemums, patio plants, bulbs, and vegetable plants and has now added perennials. At the last count about half the perennials in their range are varieties not available from anywhere else in Britain. I was especially pleased to see new kniphofias, an amazing new corydalis, a lovely new rudbeckia for cutting and borders, and what looks to be a dramatic red-stemmed variegated hosta. Simply Perennials will be adding new varieties from other sources as they enhance their range.

But here's the thing: while it’s great to see new American perennials available for the first time in Britain – what about the other way round? There’s a huge wealth of new perennials, and shrubs and climbers, being developed in Britain – perhaps an American specialist should make them the focus of a new mail order business.

In the picture (click to enlarge): Kniphofia 'Papaya Popsicle', Hosta 'Raspberry Sundae', Corydalis 'Blue Heron', Rudbeckia 'Little Henry'.

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