Skillin's Perennial Additions for 2011! N-Z

Hello again!


Following is a list of Skillin's perennial plant additions for 2011 from N-Z (really O through Y but you get the point!) This list is compiled by Becky and Elaine from our Skillin's production facility. It is a long list but it makes for some practical and interesting reading! I will add some of my own comments (in italics) to some individual plants as we go along but what follows is a good plant by plant description of what will be new in Skillin's perennial yard in 2011!

Click HERE for Skillin's Perennial Additions for 2011, A-E.

AND click HERE for Perennials F-M!!


ORANAMENTAL STRAWBERRY – Fragaria


‘Lipstick’ NEW at Skillins for 2011. 8” tall. Low growing and strawberry-like foliage with large bright pink flowers. Blooms heavily in spring and fall and on and off throughout the summer. Fruits are edible. Great groundcover and nice in hanging baskets. Attracts butterflies. Full sun. Zones 3-9. This sounds like a fun plant and I am glad we will have it in 2011!

PEONY – Peonia

‘Barrionton Belle' NEW at Skillins for 2011. 33” tall Semi-double. Maroon red flowers with lemon yellow stamens. Deer resistant.

‘Inspecteur Lavergne’ NEW at Skillins for 2011. 32” tall. Double. Crimson red flowers with tiny white tips. Strong growing habit. Deer resistant.

‘Jan Van Leeuwen’ NEW at Skillins for 2011. 30” tall. Single. White flowers with prominent yellow stamens. Sweetly fragrant. Deer resistant.

‘Raspberry Sundae’ NEW at Skillins for 2011. 32” tall. Double. Creamy white flowers with raspberry coloring. Very fragrant. Deer resistant. Okay this one is very intriguing!

Peony Raspberry Sundae!

‘Dinnerplate’– NEW at SKILLINS for 2011. Very large double shell pink flowers. Rose like fragrance. 24” tall. Full sun. Zones 2-7.  Very hardy and very intriguing! Any flower with the name "Dinnerplate" is probably a BIG flower!

Peonies that are fragrant.

Peony ‘Jan Van Leeuwen’

Peony ‘Raspberry Sundae’

Peony ‘Dinnerplate’

PHLOX – Phlox

Garden Phlox - Paniculata

‘Jade’ NEW at Skillins for 2011. 18”-20” tall. Pure white flowers edged in light green. Slightly mildew resistant. Blooms mid to late summer. Zones 4-8. We also have some all natural sprays at Skillin's that greatly help with mildew resistance.

‘Tiara’ NEW at Skillins for 2011. 18”-20” tall. Double white flowers. Look like little rose buds. Petals are drop resistant. Bloom mid to late summer. Zones 4-8.

PINKS - Dianthus

‘Apple Slice’ – NEW INTRO FOR 2011. 1.5” deep red double flowers with a pale pink center and a narrow pale pink picotte edge. Blue-green grassy foliage. Blooms early summer and again in early fall. Re-bloom will be best if dead-headed. Full sun to part shade. 10” tall. Zones 4-9. "Pinks" have been around forever and are easy to overlook but their bright colors really do jazz up a perennial bed. Don't overlook the pinks--do take our advice about the dead heading for better rebloom. Dead heading takes a little time but the rewards are almost always there!

‘Fire and Ice’ NEW INTRO FOR 2011. 10” tall. 1.5” raspberry colored flowers with pink blotches and a white picotee edge. Short compact, gray-green foliage. Blooms early summer and again in early fall. Re-bloom will be best if dead-headed. Fragrant. Attracts butterflies. Deer resistant. Full sun to part shade. Zones 4-9.

‘Firecracker’ NEW at Skillins for 2011. 8” tall. 1.5” burgundy flowers with bright pink spots. Petals have serrated edges. Grassy, blue-green foliage. Blooms early summer and again in early fall. Re-bloom will be best if dead-headed. Fragrant. Attracts butterflies. Deer resistant. Full sun to part shade. Zones 5-9.

‘Raspberry Surprise’ NEW at Skillins for 2011. 10” tall. Double raspberry pink flowers with frilly edges and a deep burgundy center. Blooms early summer and again in early fall. Re-bloom will be best if dead-headed. Fragrant. Attracts butterflies. Deer resistant. Full sun to part shade. Zones 4-9.

POPPY –Papaver

‘Picotee’ NEW at Skillins for 2011. 28” tall. White flowers. Petals have a wide orange crinkled edge. Deer resistant. Zones 3-8.


RED FEATHERS – Echium

'Amoenum' – New at Skillins for 2011. Another funky plant that Elaine and I could not resist. Russet-red florets in feathery spikes over low mounds of leathery dark green foliage. Very drought tolerant and grows well in poor soils. Blooms in spring with a very long bloom time. Will re-bloom in summer and fall if deadheaded. Deer resistant. Nice cut flower. ‘THRIVES ON NEGLECT” how great is that! Full sun and well drained soils. 10”-16” tall. Zones 3-9. This plant has my interest!

ROSE MALLOW – Hibiscus

‘Blue River II’ New at Skillins for 2011. 4’-5’ tall. Huge pure white flowers. Dark green leaves with a tinge of blue. Deer resistant. Blooms mid to late summer. Zones 4-9. The flowers on any Rose Mallow are always so bright; stunning really. Rose Mallows are late starters to any perennial garden but once they show up they are the hit of the party!

‘Fantasia’ New at Skillins for 2011. 3’ tall. 8”-9” rose-pink flowers that are ruffled with a red eye. Leaves are maple-like. Deer resistant. Blooms mid to late summer. Zones 4-9.

‘Sultry Kiss’ New at Skillins for 2011. 4’-5’ tall. 9”-11” magenta-red flowers. Foliage starts out bronze and turns a deep green. Very long blooming. Flowers at each node up the stem. Deer resistant. Blooms mid summer until mid fall. Zones 4-9.

SAGE – Salvia

‘Madeline’ – NEW INTRO FOR 2011. Large bi-color flowers. Flowers are a bright violet-blue with a white lower lip. May re-bloom if cut back. Compact, upright habit. Deer resistant. Blooms early summer. Full sun. Zones 4-8. Sages are so tried and true and reliable in the perennial garden But this bi-color aspect has me intrigued!

SHASTA DAISY – Leucanthemum

‘Lacrosse’ NEW INTRO FOR 2011. 10”-12” tall. Compact. Flowers have white fluted petals surrounding a large yellow cone. Sturdy stems and excellent branching. Nice cut flower. Blooms early to mid summer. Zones 5-9.

SPEEDWELL – Veronica

‘Charming Pink’ NEW INTRO FOR 2011. 24” tall. Spikes of bright pink flowers. Fairly mildew resistant. Very nice cut flower. Deer resistant. Blooms summer. May re-bloom if deadheaded. Zones 3-6.

‘Goodness Grows’ New at Skillins for 2011. 12” tall. Spikes of dark blue flowers. Very long flowering. Even more so with deadheading. Deer resistant. Zones 3-9. Dark blue huh? I like pink and purple but give me dark blue! And Veronica or "Speedwell" is so darned reliable and hardy!

Veronica Goodness Grows--I love blue flowers!

‘Sunnyborder Blue’ New at Skillins for 2011. 12”-18” tall Strong spikes of violet blue flowers. Crinkled, glossy green foliage. Deer resistant. Zones 3-8.

STOKE’S ASTER – Stokesia

‘Purple Pixie’ New at Skillins for 2011. 11” tall. A compact dwarf variety with large violet-blue flowers and dark green foliage. Blooms mid summer and may re-bloom. Deadheading will help with re-bloom. Attracts butterflies. Deer resistant. Nice cut flower. Full sun. Zones 5-9.

STONE CROP – Sedum

‘Autumn Charm' New at Skillins for 2011. 15”-18” tall. A white variegated sedum that shows little reversion. more dense and compact than Autumn Joy with an upright growing habit. Flowers start as white buds and open to light pink. Blooms late summer to mid fall. . Zones 3-9. This reliable variegation is intriguing to me! Autumn Joy is one of my Must Haves for anyone; Autumn Charm could be fun to check out!


‘cauticola Lidakense' New at Skillins for 2011.’ 4”-6” tall. Low, compact mounds for blue-gray foliage. Leaves are rounded and fleshy and tinged with purple. Flowers start pink and mature to carmine red. Excellent for rock gardens. Blooms late summer. Zones 3-9

‘Mr. Goodbud’ New at Skillins for 2011. 16” tall. Blue-green serrated foliage. Compact, upright habit with 5” clusters of purple-pink flowers on purple-red stems. Blooms late summer. Zones 4-9. Hey the plant sounds neat--even if the name is pretty...hokey.

Hey Everybody! Mr. Goodbud is here!!

‘Postman’s Pride’ New at Skillins for 2011. 18”-24” tall. Semi-upright habit. Dark purple foliage. ‘Deep purple buds open to pinkish-red flowers.’ Blooms late summer. Zones 4-9. "The pride cometh before the fall" and this is when the postman blooms!

TICKSEED – Coreopsis

‘Sienna Sunset’ – NEW at Skillins for 2011. A sport of ‘Crème Brulee’. Burnt sienna (terra-cotta) flowers that lighted to peach as they age. Very long bloom time. Beautiful finely cut foliage. Blooms early to late summer. 16”-20” tall.Full Sun. Zones 5-9.

WIND FLOWER – Anemone

pulsatilla vulgaris

‘Rubra’ New at Skillins for 2011. 8”-10” tall. Finely cut lacy foliage. Bell-shaped, wine-red flowers in late spring. Seed pods are attractive. Needs well drained soil. Excellent rock garden plant. Deer resistant. Sun to part shade. Zones 4-8.

YARROW - Achillea

Tutti Frutti ‘Pomegranate’ – NEW INTRO FOR 2011. Magenta-Red flowers with dark green foliage. This variety is extremely disease resistant and heat tolerant and will not ‘melt’ in the heat of summer like other achilleas. Excellent cut flower. Full Sun. 24”-30” tall. Zones 3-8.

‘Saucy Seduction’ New at Skillins for 2011. 18”-24” tall. A short compact yarrow with very sturdy stems and great branching.Rose-pink flowers Very long bloom time. Blooms June through August if deadheaded. Full sun. Zones 4-8.

Mike Skillin
Skillin's Greenhouses
February 25, 2011