What's Hot at the Nursery - Spring 2020 Edition

Some years it feels like the plants are slow to wake up in the spring. It always makes it more fun then to go the nursery and see what plants are already awake and ready to shine. Huge thanks to Wildland Nursery in Joseph, Utah for their help with this post. 

Candy Tuft (Iberis sempervirens) - This little perennial groundcover only gets about 12" tall by 12" wide. The leaves are evergreen so they will provide a touch of color in winter, when they aren't covered in snow. It blooms in spring and has been known to repeat bloom in fall, offering a lot of seasonal interest for such a small plant.

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Burgundy Blanket Flower (Gaillardia aristata) - Blanket flowers come in shades of yellow, orange and red, frequently with multiple colors on one flower. These hardy flowers will grow up to 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide. They are adaptable on their water requirements and can be forgiving of a little abuse. These beauties will bloom for most of the summer and are good for attracting butterflies.

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Garden Pinks (Dianthus sp.) - These little gems can grow about 12 inches tall by 18 inches wide. They come in a variety of pink shades and multi-tones. They will bloom from spring into summer. They are another hardy, drought tolerant perennial that will survive tough situations and still look great. They are even deer resistant.

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Coral Bells (Heuchera sp.) - These diverse wonders grow 12 to 18 inches tall and wide. Coral Bells are another evergreen perennial, so you can enjoy their leaves year round. Don't just think they are another little green winter blob. Coral bells not only bloom in a variety of shades including white, pink, and red, but the leaves can be green, purple, bronze or two tone (some even changes colors throughout the year). These lovelies bloom from spring to summer and enjoy full sun down to part shade.

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Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) - Yarrow are popular in dried arrangements, but they are even prettier in full color. They have fern-like leaves and come in a variety of colors, including several varieties that have multiple shades on the same plant. These are hardy desert perennials and will thrive in most locations.

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Columbine (Aquilegia sp.) - Columbine are a native streambank plant in Utah. The more cultivated varieties come in a large selection of colors. These plants can grow up to 3 feet tall by 2 feet wide. They are available in single colors including white, yellow and blue. They also come in several multiple color varieties, like this one. They will bloom from spring through summer and do well in both sun and part shade. 

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Lavender (Lavendula) - How can we have a spring all-star list and not include Lavender. Their purple blooms are so lovely and the fragrance can't be beat. There are many types of lavender, so make sure you choose the best one for you and your site. They like hot sun and range from 12 inches tall and wide to 3 feet tall and wide. You can even find lavender varieties that will rebloom in the fall.

The nurseries are open, so if your yard isn't blooming yet, get out and meets some plants at your local nursery.

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