North Coast Gardening

New 2013 Proven Winners Varieties

One of the things I love best about being a garden writer, besides all of the gardening and the writing, is the loot. Getting to try free plants before they’re even out in the nurseries? Yes please! My idea of heaven.

So last week, when my box full of 2013 Proven Winners plants arrived, I was all excited to dig in and start planting. (A tip to my fellow garden writers: if you haven’t yet started making hanging moss baskets, the Proven Winners loot box is a great reason to start!)

Superbells Lemon Slice

While I’m not usually a fan of the warmer colors, one of my favorites in the box was their new Superbells Lemon Slice Calibrachoa, a sun-loving million bells with cream and yellow stripes. Using deep purples with lemony yellow flowers is a new garden trend (hat tip to Jean Ann Van Krevelen!) that I love, since it mixes those deep dark colors that feel so modern with just enough good cheer to keep us smiling. Or, you can use yellows or any color in a monochromatic scheme. It’s one of those designer-y tricks that elevates your plants into being instantly stylish.

Another of my favorites is that Colorblaze Marooned Coleus which you can see being all dark and broody at top. The way the light shines through it is glorious (reminds me of my Cotinus ‘Grace’ shrub), and I can totally imagine it with some deep purple or rich orange flowers for an exotic, tropical look.

Cleome’s a new-to-me plant that I am not sure will grow in my mild climate, but I am excited to test. In hot climates, Cleome’s a vigorous grower, and the spider-like blooms look like little fireworks on top of the foliage. Just, erm, don’t plant it out front if you’re near a high school. The foliage looks a bit like another plant that we often grow here in Humboldt, enough so that an inexperienced goof-off might steal your Cleome for nefarious purposes.

The boxes vary, since Proven Winners releases a number of new varieties each year, but rest assured that if you like container gardening or creating color displays, you’ll have fun with the contents. Your box might include:

• Superbells® Lemon Slice Calibrachoa

• Senorita Blanca® Cleome

• Luscious® Berry Blend Lantana

• Blushing Princess™ Lobularia

• Supertunia® Watermelon Charm Petunia

• Colorblaze® Marooned Coleus

or other surprises!

Want to win your own giant box-o-flowers? Lucky for you, Proven Winners has offered one up just for you guys. This box is nothing to sniff at, in fact it’s big and thrilling enough that my UPS guy even looked jealous (I have no idea if he gardens). Anyway, it’s yours for the taking if you’re the winner. Just leave a comment and I’ll choose a winner at random on May 16th! US only. Good luck! EDIT: Jen is the winner! Congrats, Jen!

Disclosure: I’m a paid blogger/ Garden Guru for Proven Winners plants, and they sent me these plants to try as well as provided the box of plants for the giveaway.

Genevieve

52 responses to “New 2013 Proven Winners Varieties”

  5. In my next life I’m going to be named Random Winner. Lol.

    Great prize. they would fit right in next to the rest of my Proven Winners.

  7. Count me in on the game, too, please. Just built two new beds that would love to be filled with such fun stuff!

  9. We just planted some Superbells Cherry Star, would love to try Lemon Slice as well!

  10. Those Superbells are beautiful! You do have the best job I’m turning green with envy, but green is good at my house. 🙂

  12. Because men think sending flowers that ‘will just die’ is a waste of money, many years ago I started growing my own! All I want! The more the better! So send ’em over! 🙂
    Thank you!!

  14. Love the yellow. Purple is my favorite color (and the bees like it) so it dominates my garden.

  16. HI
    I had shoulder surgery and can only do containers this year. I woul love these! 🙂

    Thanks,
    Pam

  19. With a yard that has a variety of sun, part sun, full shade, I would L-O-V-E the opportunity to own these Proven Winners! My beige house cries out for color.

  20. YUMmy! That broody coleus is calling to me….plant lust is such a dangerous thing.

  22. Ooooooooohhh! I would love to receive this offer and share with my garden club! Thanks for the chance!!

  24. Although I’m pretty focused on the vegetable part of my garden…..I love flowers too! Would make me a very happy girl to win!

  25. New? Free? Plants? Proven Winners? You bet I’ll sign up! Please count me in!

  27. It would be so great to try these babies out down at our community garden at 6/15 Green in Park Slope, Brooklyn! We always need plants to keep things looking nice!

  29. We plant some of the Superbells in deck boxes each year – they bloom and bloom and bloom. How great to try some new varieties! Sign me up!

  30. Oh man ! Do I want to have my own brooding coleus!! I want to plant it next to that cheerfully striped yellow and white callibrachoa and see if the attitudes are altered or perhaps intensified by close contact. Don’t you love scientific experiments ??

  32. Whoo Hoo! Here’s hoping procrastination pays off….I’ve yet to purchase summer goodness yet….maybe….I won’t have too! That Lemon Slice is so lovely…

  33. This is a sign of a serious addiction. I work with plants all day but I am lusting after these incredible new varieties from Proven Winners!! Sign me up for the drawing!

  35. The Eureka Sequoia Garden Club is sponsoring a Gardening Study School. We would
    love to receive the Proven Winners plants , grow them on and then have an evaluation at the school in October. They will be planted at Redwood Acres Fairgrounds.

  36. This website has inspired me to make my garden pop with colour this year! Lemonslice Superbells will be a great start!

  39. I agree with Kimberly. Who wouldn’t want a bunch of new plants? Count me in.

  42. I love the perfectly named Proven Winners – great new plants I never have to wonder whether they’ll perform or not. And you know what? If they don’t, it’s MY fault.

  46. Gorgeous plants with great color! I know that the bees and butterflies in my garden would be just as happy as me too!!

  49. Oooooh, look ay all the commenters. But I’m in too, would love to win free plants. Containers are the place I let myself go with color and design, and I am much bolder than in the open garden. Past container experiments have led to some great results in the flower beds. New babies to play with would be fun!

  50. Proven Winners have the most reliable and spectacular plants. I’d love to try the new ones this season.