BfloGirlGarden: Proven Winners wrap-up

This is the time of year I both hate and love: I hate it because the gardens start looking a little shabby, but I love it because I can look back, see what worked and what didn’t, and start planning for next year!

Receiving the Proven Winners preview box was one of my garden highlights this year. Not everything made it, but it was a weird summer as far as periods of rain and dryness, and temperatures fluctuated from one week to the next.

One of my favorite plants was a sedum called Lemon Coral (available spring 2016), which looked great in the stone-like planter! In spite of losing one, I really liked it and will look for it in stores.

I also liked Superbells Holy Moly! calibrachoa – I added it to a couple of containers, along with Campfire Fireburst bidens (both available spring 2016). I love the colors of the cali – the pink and yellow flowers are very unique!

The three Meteor Shower verbenas (available spring 2016) were a little lanky for my tastes – they got tall and seemed to grow wild, with very little structure.

I was really looking forward to Summerific Perfect Storm hibiscus (available spring 2016), but it wasn’t long for the world – not sure what happened, it just stopped growing :(

The Magic Show Enchanted Indigo veronica (now available) landed in my Sci-Fi/Fantasy garden and did well, so it will be staying there for next year.

The Fun and Games Leapfrog heucherella (now available) is doing quite well in my “air conditioner” garden on the west side of my house.

I planted Tuff Stuff hydrangea (now available) on the east side of the house (my garden project for next year!), because my neighbor has hydrangea on the east side of her house – and they’re beautiful. I’m not sure how big it should be after the first year, because I have no experience with hydrangeas, but it looks full and healthy.

The Pink Mink clematis (now available) needed a little TLC after the bunnies wouldn’t leave it alone – it was placed in a container for the time being, and will be replanted somewhere else before the fall. It looked sad when it was replanted, but is flourishing now :)

Double Play Red spirea (available spring 2016) has found a home in my lilac/butterfly bush garden, but I’ll need to weed out some of the “volunteer” butterfly bushes that are trying to choke it out.

Proven Winners provided me with the above-mentioned plants. All ideas and opinions are my own.

all photos: paulathompsonfreelance.com (taken throughout the summer)