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A few months ago I received a package from Proven Winners with plants from their spring preview for 2011. I like a mix of blooms in my front door urn, so I planted several different annuals including:

Intensia Blueberry – Phlox hybrid

Superbells Blackberry Punch – Calibrachoa hybrid
Superbena Royale Chambray – Verbena hybrid
Golddust – Mecardonia hybrid
Slightly Strawberry – Anisodontea hybrid
Lucia Lavender Blush – Lobelia hybrid
 
Three months later these feisty annuals have grown and are now in full bloom. We’ve had a hot summer in southern Ontario with a fair amount of rain and all of these plants have preformed incredibly well. My personal favourite is Intensia Blueberry. It’s prolific blooms have captured the attention of visitors and people passing by the house. I’ll definitely be looking for these plants at the garden centre next year!

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A close up look at Intensia Blueberry – Phlox hybrid
 
 
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I hate to admit it, but it’s feels like autumn is approaching. The days are getting shorter, the temperature is dropping, and my annuals are looking rather weary.

Autumn is actually one of my favourite seasons, and since we didn’t have much of a summer, I’m welcoming fall with open arms.  Last night I decided it was time to give my front door planter a makeover, especially since it was looking pretty sad. The bacopa had become stringy, the shasta daisies were spent, and the potato vine was flopping around. After a few minutes the container was transformed to a cheerful fall planter filled with  mums, icicle pansies and ornamental kale.

Originally published on the http://www.canadiangardening.com/blogs/