Superbells Sweet Tart
Superbells Cherry Star
Superbells Grape Punch

Superbells® Sweet Tart - Calibrachoa

Calibrachoas are related to petunias. But they are a new type of plant that can take the fierce drought and continue blooming through the first light frosts of early fall.

Hundreds of continuous  blooms were visited daily by the humingbirds.

If these sweet flowers sound familiar, I couldn’t wait to tell you about them this past summer. A First Look. The bright little trumpets were tumbling over the side of the the container.

Superbells Cherry Star Calibrachoa photo: Proven Winners

This summer, I’m going to plant Superbells in hanging baskets because these are bright, attention getting colors. Hummers and butterflies love them.

And here is an interesting observation. These Superbells® Calibrachoa are still alive and green. The containers are sitting on my patio. Perhaps they will be as beautiful this summer as last. I’ll keep you posted.

Proven Winners sent these Superbells to me as a trial last summer. They will be in the garden centers this spring. The colors are intense, fadeproof, and do not need to be deadheaded. These little bells are fuss free.

I am buying these plants again. I can recommend these new flowers and suggest you look for these three Proven Winners:

Superbells® Cherry Star – Calibrachoa hybrid

Superbells® Grape Punch – Calibrachoa hybrid

Superbells® Sweet Tart – Calibrachoa hybrid

I like that you can find local retailers on their web site. Just type in your zip code find out where to buy this plant.

Superbells Grape Punch Photo: Patsy Bell Hobson

Superbells Grape Punch, a Calibrachoa hybrid introduced by Proven Winners is attracting hummingbirds. Photo PBH

I couldn’t wait to tell you about this little petunia-like flower because the humming birds and I have already decided this is a perfect plant for my patio. It’s continuous color with no added work.

I’ll blog about Superbells Grape Punch, a Calibrachoa hybrid, after it withstands our dry, hot, humid August in Southeast Missouri. (zone 6) It is supposed to look good through fall, until that first hard frost.

Calibrachoa hybrid, summer-long little fade proof purple trumpets. photo: PBH

Last summer, I told you about my patio Containers – Calibrachoa and Coleus  and Look For This Plant Superbells® Coralberry Punch Calibrachoa, so, I am familiar Calibrachoa.

It is my honor to trial Superbells® Grape Punch, for Proven Winners this summer. Read more about this annual after the trial.

I’ll be looking for calibrchoa to plant in containers. I grew Superbells® Coralberry Punch but Proven Winners has a color to fit every landscape design.

Coralberry Punch Calibrachoa is a Proven Winners calibrachoa hybrid.

Calibrachoas are a new type of plant that looks like a dwarf  Petunia. The advantage is that calibrachoas are self cleaning, meaning no deadheading.

Calibracoa and coleus

These little flowers bloomed all summer, the containers are in full sun with late afternoon shade and had irregular water. It’s a good container or hanging basket choice.  Superbells® Coralberry Punch is a drought tolerant plant that showed no sign of disease or insect damage.

Proven Winners are easy to find in our area. It was my honor to trial Superbells® Coralberry Punch annual for Proven Winners last summer.

Calibracoa

Proven Winners

Goldilocks Rocks™ Bidens Bidens ferulifolia

ColorBlaze®Alligator Tears™ Coleus Solenostemon scutellarioides

Bidens and coleus

Goldilocks Rocks™ Bidens Bidens ferulifolia

ColorBlaze®Alligator Tears™ Coleus Solenostemon scutellarioides

I watered the container but did not fertilize it. The bidens is self cleaning, takes full sun or part sun and looks good in this combination. Alligator tears doesn’t need constant pinching and looked full, not leggy in the pot.

It was my honor to trial these plants for Proven Winners last summer.  Proven Winners are easy to find in our area. You could imagine my shock when I read the back of the plant label this spring: “BUY THIS! Even Patsy Bell Hobson did not kill it.” I don’t know if this is a regional marketing stategy or a National Campaign. Let me know if you see this tag in your store.

I planted three pots of Alligator tears in the planter under the mail box last summer. The hose rarely made it out that far. I did not add fertilizer.

ColorBlaze® Alligator Tears™ Coleus Solenostemon scutellarioides

Both plants, bidens and the coleus, performed all summer.

Proven Winners

I’ll be looking for Diamond Frost® Euphorbia again this year.

Diamond Frost® Euphorbia was a cloud of airy white flowers all summer. Heat and drought tolerant, this is a low maintenance plant that looked good all season. No fussy pruning, pinching or deadheading.

Diamond Frost Euphorbia

My only contribution to this hanging basket was water. This plant is self cleaning, takes full sun or part sun and looks good in any combination. Last year I planted this as a filler in a basket. This year, I will plant it solo to take the starring role hanging from the pergola.

I’ll be looking for Diamond Frost again this year. It was a stellar performer all summer.  Proven Winners are easy to find in our area. It was my pleasure to trial this plant for Proven Winners last summer. This euphorbia got a lot of compliments last year. 

summer long bloomer with lavender flowers

Superbena® Royale Chambray verbena

Superbena is self-cleaning, no deadheading necessary. Planted alone in pink tea cup containers, these Superbena® Royale Chambray verbena hybrids have bloomed all summer with very little attention or water.

Enjoy lavender flowers in full sun with minimum watering all season.

These pots have been in the sun on my humid, zone 6 patio and show no sign of pests or disease. These lavender flowers have remained bright and colorful the whole growing season. Superbena® Royale Chambray verbena is a good choice for container gardens, hanging baskets and low growing border plants.

photos by PBH

Superbenas are a vigorous Verbena series in pinks, rose and lavender colors.

These plants were sent to me by Proven Winners® for trial and evaluation. For plant combinations and design ideas go to Proven Winners webpage

I like this combo of two Proven Winners annuals. For some reason, I was blessed with five pots of this coleus, aligator green foliage with a creamy-yellow tear drop center; and three Golidilocks Rocks™ – Bidens Ferulifolia

ColorBlaze® Alligator Tears™ Solenostemon scutellarioides Coleus is growing in three different place in the garden. I am attracted to the multi color coleus in reds and greens, so Alligator Tears had to win me over, and it did.

It requires less trimming to maintain it’s thick, full shape than most coleus.

This was one of the easiest, to care for containers on my patio. In fact, I have a pair of these containers. One container with two coleus and one Bidens, and another with one coleus and two Bidens.

Golidilocks Rocks™ – Bidens Ferulifolia is loaded with bright yellow blooms and has bloomed continously all summer. It has grown in containers with little care or attention. Goldilocks is a great choice for containers, withstood our record-breaking heat and has blended into a delightful container combination. This self cleaning trait – meaning no deadheading necessary – is another reason to include Golidilocks Rocks™ in container garden combinations.

Aligator Tears

Only two coleus in the concrete planter, they looked kind of lonely  when they were first planted. Out by the mail boxes, these Aligator Tears recieved no pruning or cutting back. They did not set seed until mid August. They nicely fill the container and kept a good shape. Imagine how well they would do with pinching back, generous water and fertilzer.

These plants were sent to me for trial and evaluation. Thanks to Proven Winners for the opportunity to grow the newest most exciting plants. For plant combinations and container ideas, go to Proven Winners.