— New Shrubs Make Gardening Easier (NAPSA)—In today’s fastpaced world, gardeners are looking for showy, attractive plants that are easy to carefor. One shrub that’s growing in popularity is the Weigela, which happens to be one of the more effortless yet high-performing garden dwellers around. Happyin full sun and adaptable to mostsoils, this group of shrubsis quite cold hardy and can shrug off intense heat and browsing deer. Matchthat with their classic spring flowers and colorful foliage options and you've got a grand slam. Plant breeders have been working for years to bring new, troublefree varieties with dark purple to sunny yellow to vibrantly variegated foliage to the table. Now gardenersget to enjoy thefruits of their labor. Dark purple Weigela are among the most dramatic of the group. And, fortunately, there are three excellent selections that come in a range of sizes to suit any garden space. Wine & Roses has beautiful dark foliage and rosy pink spring flowers, which often rebloom. At 4 to 5 feet tall and wide, it is a perfect choice for foundation plantingsor the back of a mixed border. Fine Wine Weigela is a good contender for massing and works well around the back patio or deck. It has the same intense purple color as Wine & Roses, only in a slightly smaller package at 2 to 8 feet tall and wide. While old Weigela varieties typically need a good pruning to keep up their looks, Fine Wine Whether you’re looking for an accent plant or a bold focal point, Weigela can add beauty to your garden. stays manageable and rarely needs attention. For gardeners with limited space, consider Midnight Wine Weigela. This little gem grows to 10 to 12 inches tall and wide, makingit a prime candidate for bed edges, along pathways and containers. Like the other purple-leaved cultivars, Midnight Wineoffers a great contrast to bright annual flowers such as Pentas and Lantana. Another excellent dwarf variety for small spaces is My Monet Weigela. It is a unique shrub with bright green and white variegated leaves that will often blush with pink as the season progresses. The spring flush of rosy pink flowers is icing on the cake. My Monet also works well in container gardens, at the front of borders or as a massplanting. For something with little more punch, try ‘Eyecatcher’ Weigela. A bold choice for semishady areas, this plant is 2 to 3 feet tall and wide and has vibrant green and yellow variegated leaves accented by dark red spring flowers. It can be used to brighten dark corners of the landscape or to greet visitors near an entryway throughout the season. This year, a more subtle player will be available. Be on the lookout for Ghost Weigela, which features yellow-green foliage and dark red flowers in spring. The remarkable leaves turn a ghostly, iridescent butter-cream in summer. Although it reaches 4 to 5 feet tall and wide, you may want to plant it near a walkway where the distinctive color can be enjoyed up close. To say the varieties available for this easy-to-grow group of shrubs are nearly endless could be seen as an understatement. Whetheryou're looking for a small accent plant or a bold focal point, there is Weigela out there for you. To find out more about these adaptable plants, visit www.color choiceplants.com.
