Total Landscape Care Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/113381
cover story Plant Trends for 2013 By Arricca Elin SanSone Enhance your planting projects with hardy new varieties. Photo courtesy of Monrovia E very year, growers debut hundreds of annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. Some plants have been discovered recently in wild populations, while others are hybrids that have taken years to develop. These introductions aren't just pretty; they're practical. Clients are demanding extra bang for their bucks, so new plants must be more heat and disease tolerant, more water-wise and boast bigger, better blooms than older varieties. And drought tolerance is a must. "The hot, dry weather we've had in recent years is impacting what contractors are installing," says Jeff Gibson, landscape business manager with Ball Horticultural Company. "Clients want plants that don't require a lot of water or maintenance." Longer-lasting color is another frequent client request with landscape professionals opting for plants that bridge the gap between planting seasons. Interest in flowering shrubs is booming, too, because they're hardy, cost-conscious and a more permanent color solution compared to annuals. Demand for trees is also evolving. "Because there's not always room for large trees with a huge canopy at maturity, a number of more compact varieties have been introduced to fit the shrinking urban landscape," says Nancy Buley, director of communications for J. Frank Schmidt & Son Company. Trees with a columnar habit or small trees that work in today's downsized yards, next to sidewalks and under utility lines are becoming increasingly available. In addition, clients are asking for trees that thrive despite heat, humidity and low rainfall. There's also more interest in native cultivars. Consider a few of these appealing new varieties to update your design and installation projects. m a r c h 2013 TLC0313_Foliage.indd 25 TotalLa nd s ca p e C a re . c o m 25 2/21/13 5:07 PM