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Layers in the Landscape

Perennial Trial Gardens at Walters Gardens

REPORT THIS IN

NEW PERENNIALS FOR 2026

Welcome to the 2026 Hot New Perennials Report – a curated snapshot of what’s next in hardy color and garden reliability. Inside, you’ll meet this season’s head-turning introductions, selected with breeder insight and, most importantly, customer success in mind. While trials will finish the story, we'll start it by distilling the year’s must-know advances into practical takeaways.

Alongside the breakthroughs, we revisit “Underrated, Tried & True” picks – past releases quietly outperforming expectations and ready to anchor any perennial lineup with low-drama, highimpact results.

TODAY'S INTROS THAT MAY BE TOMORROW'S ESSENTIALS

Every variety featured arrives by way of the breeders and vendors who shared genetics, photos, and production knowhow. Some images were even captured by our own team on the ground. Their collaboration lets us translate innovation to insight – whether you’re scheduling plugs for spring benches or just looking for 'something new' in the garden.

Agastache

A:

TERRA NOVA NURSERIES

A soft peach-orange partner to fan-favorite ‘Pink Pearl’, this selection stacks dense wands of blooms together with excellent heat tolerance and nonstop color. Nectar-rich spikes pull pollinators all summer and

A: Peach Pearl

display beautifully in mixed beds or warm-toned combos. It shares the same great habit as Pink Pearl. Breeder notes, One of our best introductions to date!”

OVER 100 FLOWERS ON A SINGLE PLUG!

Feathered Friends™ Raspberry Wren

GARDEN SOLUTIONS

Years of breeding for flower power pays off. Brilliant yellow foliage is smothered in thousands of light pink blooms, unusual for ajuga where blue is typical. Tough roots, strong vigor, and showy color even in sun with consistent moisture. Garden Solutions counted 100+ flowers on a single plug in a recent social media post, so you can expect real "bench-appeal" for spring.

B: Frost King Brunnera

DARWIN PERENNIALS

King-size leaves with a luminous silver overlay and bold green venation bring instant light to shade programs. Dense, tidy plants with spring-appearing blue flowers add a bonus burst of color. Deer should pass right on by it, leaving it as a premium foliage anchor for years to come. Retailers’ Choice Award 2025 signals strong market pull for premium shade statements.

The pop! A PLANT THAT IS BOTH BRIGHT & DARK AT ONCE!

Delosperma

D: Desert Dancers Series

CONCEPT PLANTS

Award-winning hardy ice plants that dance through heat and drought with saturated, everblooming color.

Techincally hitting the scene in 2025 (winning European awards last year) but seeing it this past spring earns it a spot in the report. The series was bred by FlorSAIKA, brought to market by Concept Plants, and shined at PP&L's CAST display this spring. Low, spreading mounds should cover quickly with serious heat endurance.

What really sets this series apart is the interesting foliage... dark red to purple with abundant, vividly colored blooms.

Series includes Red and Purple, both "wow" varieties.

The drama!

WALTERS GARDENS

New series FLASHMOB delivers uniform, carpetforming plants blanketed in big, vivid blooms for months. Durable, droughttolerant performers that establish fast then continue to spread.

Action Shot fires rose-red with fuchsia eyes; Electric Slide floods fuchsia-pink; Macarena throws orange with rose centers – each variety featuring evergreen foliage for a year-round show.

FLASHY SPIKES THAT STEAL THE SHOW IN EVERY GARDEN.

PROVEN WINNERS

A midsize beauty that brings that classic Delphinium drama on sturdier, manageable stems. Violet-blue florets with white bees create striking verticals for early summer programs. Tissue-culture propagation ensures uniform branching, height, and timing –D: elatum Violets are Blue Delphinium

simplifying scheduling and delivering dependable retail presentation. While offering stronger stems, staking in the garden is still recommended.

CONNECTING Plants & People perennials! &

Think impulse triggers: scented blooms, pollinator magnets, and a modern twist on a classic heart. These introductions were chosen to sell themselves.

D:

D: Beauties® Series Additions Sprint Series Dianthus Dianthus

HILVERDAFLORIST

This series is known for being exceptionary hardy with saturated color and a sweet fragrance. Beauties are even more compact than the first varieties to launch the series. Each flower heavily and attract pollinators while shrugging off deer and rabbits. A few of these varieties were on display last year, but with a second look and launch this past spring, we can't count them out!

uniform flowering with masses of flowers on a tidy, medium-compact frame. A+ shelf life and quick turns make it ideal for holiday color. Pink Shades is a standout for us, debutting alongside other prime colors. DUMMEN ORANGE

A European favorite now primed for North American programs, the Sprint series boasts first-year flowering,

D: Passion Hearts Dicentra

twist on a cottage icon. Long-flowering plants maintain a clean habit, thriving in sun or shade. The fern-like leaves paired with the unique flowers is a distinctive look that broadens dicentra appeal! WALTERS GARDENS

Bicolor heart-like blooms glow in varied rose-pink tones above finely cut, bluegreen foliage for a modern

SHERISE FREYA ROUSEY KAIA

PHOTOS COURTESY OF WALTERS GARDENS, INC.

DDianthus

Scent First® Series Additions

PLANTHAVEN INTERNATIONAL

Breakthrough citrus tones for the Scent First line... bright lemon flecked with hot pink in Lemon Sparkler and a warm orange in Orange Sparkler. Both sit over tight, silvery-blue cushions that stay neat.. Tight habits, repeat flowering, and unmistakable bench pop make these easy “stack the rack” items. Both varieties made our top-picks at CAST (featured at both PlantHaven and PP&L).

Digitalis

Hanabee™ Series

TAKII SEED

A versatile lineup for both small and large pots, Hannabee series is noted as ~25% more compact

Digitalis

purpurea Dottie™ Series

THINKPLANTS / SYNGENTA FLOWERS

Cottage-style foxgloves made production-friendly! Compact, well-branched plants flower early and D:

than Digitalis Panther with outstanding bloom count! Uniform, durable, and long spires carry blooms for long flowering windows. Series includes Pink, Rose, and White, each variety consistent in blooming and height.

evenly. Richly dense spikes deliver premium presentation, but require less PGRs for finishing in a variety of sizes. With that reliable uniformity and classic appeal, its perfect for spring mixes and pollinator benches!

LEMON SPARKLER

ORANGE SPARKLER

PHOTOS

Echinacea

E: Fringe Festival

GARDEN FAVORITES, FROM FRILLY TO SIZZLING WITH STYLE!

TERRA NOVA NURSERIES

Picture shag-pile orange-red petals with no central cone at all… just a solid dome of fringe! Pine-green strap leaves form a tidy skirt, offering a head-turning novelty that still behaves like a garden-worthy echinacea.The plant keeps pushing buds through summer to make it a star in the garden.

E: Fried Egg Echinacea

TERRA NOVA NURSERIES

Sunny white rays circle a rich yolk-gold cone, giving each bloom a "farm-fresh-egg" look that holds for weeks. Plants start flowering early, then keep the show rolling all summer. Flowers are fragrant and butterfly-friendly, and the plant maintains an excellent mounding habit that works in containers or the landscape.

Echinacea

E: SunMagic® Vintage Electric Orange

THINKPLANTS / BULL PLANT GENETICS

Strong branching fuels waves of electric orange flowers from June into fall, then seed heads add winter interest. Within SunMagic’s deep palette, this selection delivers one of the punchiest oranges, backed by serieslevel uniformity and landscape stamina. Better yet, these cold-hardy plants should hold their centers well after frost for an even longer interest in the garden.

Euphorbia

by Plant Haven International

A10” sphere of zesty chartreuse foliage supports red-tinted bracts from early spring till fall. Reaching maturity in the garden, it can extend a bit more reaching 18" in size. Low water needs and tidy retail presence make it an easy impulse add-on for brightening shade pots or modern rockeries. The fresh foliage lights up borders and modern containers with bloom stretches from early spring to fall. In autumn, the foliage takes on apricot hues.

PERENNIALS WITH ANNUAL-WORTHY SHELF APPEAL ARE STEALING THE SPOTLIGHT.

THE CONCEPT OF POTTED PERENNIALS ISN’T NEW , but we’ve seen a notable rise in trialing and response for this trend, primarily focusing on perennial combinations. And it’s no wonder: traits like dynamic texture and longevity offer a fresh counterpoint to classic container fare. This variety fits beautifully into that narrative, especially as a solo pot feature.

In a spring display of potted perennials, Tiny Treasure drew eyes first... its perfect sphere of bright texture felt like a ready-made gift. As a water-wise plant, it does require well-draining soil. It may only be hardy to Zone 6 (with continued testing in Zone 5), it still earns its place in the garden – and on the patio.

TINY

TREASURE SAHARA™

H: Rays for Days Heliopsis PROVEN WINNERS

PW has packed fully double, zinnia-style daisies on tall, florist-ready stems. Golden blooms smother the dense dome, rated the line’s most floriferous yet, and heat plus drought leave foliage unfazed, ensuring late-season benches stay lush. They suggest a middle border plantings and as a cut flower selection.

SEASON SPANNERS4 NEW

Heliopsis heat up the summer while hellebores hold the last note into spring.

Heliopsis

Bacio del Sole lights up with blooms that shift from fiery orange centers to golden-yellow edges. Compact yet prolific, this first-year-flowering heliopsis grows to 18” with rich, dark green foliage and sturdy stems, red-tinged and beautifully contrased against the bright petals. A reliable performer for sunny beds, pollinator gardens, and cut-flower harvests, it pushing cheerful blooms from early summer through fall.

Bacio Del Sol

KIENTZLER

Upright, mildew-resistant stems lift golden petals brushed with a russet eye above dark olive foliage from midsummer into fall. Deep roots anchor the plant in hot, dry soils, so it thrives on slopes and prairie borders with little pampering. As a North American native it fuels late-season pollinators and its long, sturdy stems cut clean for bouquets!

Cherisa has ruffled lime-white and magenta petals on compact stems from January-April, extending hellebore season past Christmas crops. Cosmio has rich purple cups that open slowly, with weeks of visible bud. Marbled leaves stay showy once bloom ends. Slightly more vigorous than sister Penny, then shoots tall, elegant stems.

NEW HEU in View

H: One Hit Wonder Hemerocallis

WALTERS GARDENS

5" apricot-orange blooms with dark purple eyes and ruffled bands give the landscape an upscale daylily that thrives in the garden. That super vibrant orange color attracts pollinators (and people), arriving midseason and extending into late summer. Imagine this one on repeat in a large planting!

H: H: DOLCE® Sultry Night Iridescent Heuchera Heuchera

TERRA NOVA NURSERIES

A truly new hue for 'heu' – pearly lavender leaves washed rose that flash opalescent highlights in changing light. For even more color, light pink flowers appear above a super tight mound of foliage. Vigorous and sun-tolerant, it headlines (solo or mixed) where foliage does the talking.

PROVEN WINNERS

Near-black, high-gloss leaves rumple into a dense mound, while purple undersides mirror faint overlays on the top of the leaves. Short petioles lock crowns tight, eliminating gaps and keeping it a nice, compact shape. Another plus: spring gloss softens yet never loose their deep tones through the season.

PROVEN WINNERS

A perfectly rounded 3' clump erupts in midsummer with 7" dark-garnet blooms. Each flower shows an inky eye for added depth. Its shade is richer than ‘Valentine’s Crush’ while the footprint is roughly half. Broad olive foliage fills the sphere, screening all bare stems.

Lavandula

PACIFIC PLUG & LINER

A spanish lavender that was a centerpiece at PP&L this year! 3" violet flags headline early spikes on a compact, mounded plant. Open branching improves air flow, reducing disease in humid stretches. A post-bloom trim will spark a rapid encore flush. The evergreen leaves carry a strong herbal aroma that sells at the touch table. Ideal for small pots where consumers crave an outsized show.

Leucanthemum

DUMMEN ORANGE

First-year plants heap oversized double whites on tidy 10" mounds, blooming for an impressive 8-10 weeks. That extended window dovetails with high-summer promotions. The Sweet Daisy series is a true first-year flowering collection of Leucanthemum, offering a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors.

VERTICAL COLOR & BRIGHT SHOOTS FOR

LASTING IMPACT

FROM BORDER TO SKYLINE

White Feather

TERRA NOVA NURSERIES

A rare color twist on a pollinator staple! Basal tufts send white bottlebrushes skyward the very first season. You can expect butterflies and bees to swarm the spikes. Terra Nova Nurseries notes that it "exhibits the best habit of any Liatris that we’ve bred."

Penstemon

digitalis

Pinot Noir

INTRINSIC INTRODUCTIONS

Shiny beet-red foliage earned the breeder's selection and our attention for this report. The foliage turns deeper as summer heat builds, then burgundy stems carry lavender-white bells in June. Showy red seed capsules extend interest once petals drop. It handles lean, dry soils yet overwinter in Zone 5, broadening prairie-style palettes. Heights of 36" to 42" add vertical punch without staking.

Golden leaves release a citrus scent and won't fade in the sun, while lavender-blue blooms cycle all summer with no shear required. Shade shifts the foliage to a truer chartreuse color. Dense, low domes refuse to flop, and deer or rabbits ignore the minty oils. A polished upgrade over ‘Chartreuse on the Loose’.

2 NEW VARIETIES FOR PAST SERIES + 2 NEW SERIES TO MEET EVERY NEED

2025 CAST Penstemon Displays

by Darwin Perennials

Darwin Perennials brings the sweetest lineup yet of Penstemon for retail and landscape programs. Across three series, these hummingbird-friendly bloomers deliver bold color, sturdy stems, and high-impact verticals.

ROCK CANDY® SERIES

Compact in height (12"), it's perfect for borders and containers, “sweet as candy, tough as nails!” New for 2026: Coral and Pink Improved , joining top-seller Blue.

MOUNTAIN TREATS™ SERIES

Medium-height plants (20-24”) with better basal branching, producing high-impact color from July to August.

SUMMIT SWEETS™ SERIES

The tallest of the trio (30-34”), these thrillers add dramatic vertical accents in landscapes and large mixed containers.

Mountain Treats™ Series

Rock Candy™ Series

LAVENDER, LIGHT PINK, ROSE, RED, FUCHSIA

NEW FOR 2026: CORAL, PINK IMPROVED PURPLE, RUBY

Plectranthus

P: P:

TERRA NOVA NURSERIES

Versatility leads the selling story... upright, self-branching plants sparkle outdoors all summer. On the less hardy side of our perennial picks, it easily has a place indoors as a houseplant. The true sell point is thicker foliage on a more upright plant than the breeder's older version. Thick emerald leaves edged snow-white hold up even in dry air, and lavender sprays add a soft finish.

Polemonium

NOVA® Brilliant Prince

MUST HAVE PERENNIALS

Bred by Brent Horvath at Intrinsic Perennial Gardens, Must Have Perennials brings to market a multi-season Jacob's ladder. Compact clumps tuck neatly in the shade, their ferny foliage flushing purple in spring and fall. Bells in shades of amparo blue rise in spring and purple calyces linger long after bloom to stretch spring interest. Compact polish meets woodland charm!

9-11

5-9

Phlox

P: Candy Cloud™ Series

DARWIN PERENNIALS

This series plugs the color gap between creeping phlox and summer salvias, blooming heavily in the late spring when the benches and gardens can look sparse. Cushions of color stay tidy and appear plentifully. Summer bulking and vernalization required.

Phlox

P: pan. Flame™ Blue Ice

DUMMEN ORANGE

Reliability comes first: the series' mildew resistance, well-loved compact stature, and scent gains an icy new variety. Flame Blue Ice has petals that open lavender-blue, gradually lighten, and create a cool halo on each head.

S:Schizachyrium

Cinnamon Sticks

WALTERS GARDENS

This narrow selection shoots blue blades skyward before flaming cinnamon by late summer. The color arrives earlier than typical little bluestems and holds red for the perfect fall show. A slender profile make it a go-to for narrow spaces. Breeder notes it is one of their reddest selections to date!

Rudbeckia

Suntacular

DARWIN PERENNIALS

Slender, columnar stems tower skyward, stacking gold blooms for a really floriferous display with a unique habit. It braves Zone 5 winters while extra-stiff stalks laugh off midsummer wind. Designers gain skyscraper drama without width, perfect for tight beds and patio pots.

Rudbeckia

Disease-proof foliage, they say? Yes please! Six years of Septoria trials left leaves spotless. Starry golden blooms smother every branch. The plants are vigorous and robust with large leaves. It offers high impact and landscape longevity in one robust package.

Treasure Trove

PROVEN WINNERS

The New Classic WORLD'S FIRST RED ANGELINA

GROUNDCOVER UNCOVERED

from Garden Solutions

SEDUM SUNSPARKLER®

RED ANGELINA™

We're told this has debut has been 13 years in the making, so we'll tell you, "worth it!" Years of hand pollination finally yielded cherry-red foliage that holds ten months a year, greening only at peak midsummer. It's marked by ultra cold hardiness, needle-shapped foliage, and a groundcover habit. A milestone variation to the beloved goldengreen Angelina, one of the most popular sedums on the market!

A MILESTONE IN SEDUMS: FROM THE FIRST RED TO THE BRIGHTEST PINK

SEDUM SUNSPARKLER®

NEON NOVA

A sport of companion Firecracker proven just as vigorous, Neon Nova bursts each spring with neon-pink variegation – it's a WOW plant! Breeder notes that after years of trialing, it's fantastic and vigorous grower. The color in this maintenancelight eye-catcher ideal for a variety of spaces in the garden.

from ThinkPlants/Syngenta Flowers

SEDUM SPURIUM SPOT ON™ RED

Large flowers spread across mats of attractive foliage with first-year flowering, simplifying timing and making it an easy "yes" for production. In the landscape, it's a carpet of raspberry-red color with drought tolerance. Spot On Red joins Deep Rose and Pink in the series.

Pictured here with a snip of Angelina, one of the world's most popular sedum, Angelina Red changes the game!

PHOTOS COURTESY OF GARDEN SOLUTIONS

PHOTO: INSTAGRAM @GARDENSOLUTIONSFAMILY

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SYNGENTA FLOWERS

RED ANGELINA™ & Angelina with breeder Chris Hansen | Garden Solutions

heterolepis Golden Needles

INTRINSIC INTRODUCTIONS

This is a gorgeous golden prairie dropseed with flower stems rising to 3' in height. Gold blades arch softly mid-summer and brighten to chatreuse, making meadowmatrix designs a vivid display of flowy texture. You can expect a good vigor and size similar to the species. Full sun and lean soil push the foliage to its brightest. We think a copy-paste of this selection in a giant bed or paired alongside moody plant hues of deep burgundy and purple would make the ultimate show!

Spigelia

S: Orange Slices

PROVEN WINNERS

Orange-red trumpets run up 16-20" stems for weeks in late spring-early summer. The blooms drop cleanly so no grooming follows. It is most floriferous in full sun if moisture stays even, yet performs in bright shade where color is prized. For southern regions, breeder recommends filtered sun. Slightly shorter than Apple Slices, yet still a noteworthy pair in the garden.

NEW ON THE BLOCK

BOLDER FOLIAGE + TEXTURE WHERE MEADOW MEETS MAGIC IN MODERN GARDENS

V: Prairie Princess Vernonia

PROVEN WINNERS

Vernonia tends to be a 'must' among perennial fans due to its super tough nature and fall kick-off of color. With this cultivar, the show starts in late-summer with clouds of rosy purple, feeding hungry pollinators. Compared to the native species, it has improved mildew resistance and is more compact, full, and sturdy. Stems shrug off heavy rain, keeping the display upright even with blooms atop.

One of the showiest crops on our farm from April into July!"

Intrinsic Perennial Gardens

Dark olive green foliage has a silver cast, adding interest through the rest of the year."

Walters Gardens

TESTED & TRUE Underrated,

CONTRIBUTED BY BREEDERS & VENDORS + CURATED WITH CUSTOMER OUTCOMES IN MIND

Not every winner shouts for attention. Contributed by breeders and vendors, these sleeper picks were reviewed for what matters most to customers: reliability, ease, and repeat satisfaction. Under the radar, over the top in performance.

ALYSSUM

Golden Spring

Zone 4A-9B

First vegetative of its species

Largest flowers in class

Evergreen, heat-loving, pest-free

Recommended by:

DARWIN PERENNIALS

AMSONIA

String Theory

ACHILLEA

m. Tutti Frutti Series

Zone 4-9

Compact threadleaf, hubrichtii look

Blooms later than ‘Storm Cloud’ Green in summer; golden-orange in fall

Recommended by:

PROVEN WINNERS & WALTERS GARDENS

Zone 4-8

Recommended by: Pink Grapefruit

Four distinct colors; compact, sturdy

Uniform color-shifting clusters

Heat-tough, disease-resistant foliage

MUST HAVE PERENNIALS

BOUTELOUA

Zone 4-9 gracilis Honeycomb

30” upright “eyelash” blooms

Tan seedheads persist, color into winter

Top trial ratings; full-sun

Recommended by:

INTRINSIC INTRODUCTIONS

COREOPSIS

Zone 4-9

Early and continuous bloom, spring–fall

Heat-tolerant flowering

Bold yellow with red contrast

Recommended by:

THINKPLANTS & DANZIGER

GERANIUM

Zone 4-9

Bronze foliage; upright, refined habit

Blue-purple flowers early summer

More vigorous than older genetics

Recommended by:

PROVEN WINNERS & WALTERS GARDENS

HEUCHERA

Zone 4-9

Deep, glossy rosewood-brown leaves

Sun or shade with minimal care

Strong in beds, containers, ground

Recommended by:

TERRA NOVA NURSERIES

IBERIS

Arielle Pink™

Zone 5-9

Late-spring lavender blooms; tidy habit

Bridges late spring to early summer 'Mermaid Lavender' timing

Recommended by:

THINKPLANTS & SYNGENTA FLOWERS

Zone 6-9

Butterscotch spikes June–frost

Self-cleaning blooms; tidy foliage

Continuous color; great in mixes

Recommended by:

TERRA NOVA NURSERIES

Rosewood

Boom Chocolatta

Solanna™ Sunset Bright

POCO™ Butter Brickle

KNIPHOFIA

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TERRA NOVA® NURSERIES, INC.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SYNGENTA FLOWERS PHOTOS COURTESY OF TERRA NOVA® NURSERIES, INC.

Metrolina Greenhouse Trials

LAVANDULA

angustifolia

Annet

Zone 4a-9a

Long-flowering; no vernalization

Ships and retails clean on sturdy stems

Awarded Best in Species by PSU 2024; Most Drought-Tolerant by UGA 2019

Recommended by:

DARWIN PERENNIALS

MUSA

sikkimensis

Ever Red

Zone 5-10

Green leaves striped maroon-red

Fast-growing focal point; 10'x12' in 10 years

Bold tropical aesthetic

Recommended by:

PACIFIC PLUG & LINER & CONCEPT PLANTS

PEROVSKIA

Jelena

Zone 3-9

Upright, won’t splay

Dense blue bloom over silver foliage

Awarded Best Performing by CSU 2024

Recommended by:

DUMMEN ORANGE

RUDBECKIA

Green Eyed

Lady

Zone 3-8

Heavy bloomer on 30” stems

Green eyes age chartreuse to brown Full sun; Disease resistant foliage

Recommended by:

INTRINSIC INTRODUCTIONS

SAXIFRAGA

x arendsii

Touran™ Series

Zone 4-9

"Go-to" early-spring saxifraga series

Compact, later than Alpino Early

Ideal for impactful spring programs

Recommended by:

THINKPLANTS & SYNGENTA FLOWERS

Underrated, TESTED & TRUE

PHOTOS COURESTY OF DARWIN PERENNIALS®/BALL HORT

PHOTOS COURESTY PENN STATE UNIVERSITY

Penn State Trials

PHOTOS COURESTY OF INTRINSIC INTRODUCTIONS

2026 PLANTS OF THE Year

Perennial Plant Association

PERENNIAL PLANT OF THE YEAR®

"One of the finest native grasses to come from Intrinsic Perennial Gardens.

(BRENT HORVATH, INTRINSIC INTRODUCTIONS)

Emerges deep green, takes on purple tones beginning midsummer, then deepens to nearblack by fall. Burgundy red inflorescences stand well above the upright habit. Adaptable to a wide range of soil types; useful for erosion control."

Notes from STONEHOUSE NURSERY