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As spring approaches the itch to
get out of the house and get your hands dirty will become a full-blown rash. But
while you're confined to thumbing through flower and seed catalog, those who
grow the flowers, plants and shrubs are stoking a fever of their own, creating a
whole slew of new green goods. This spring the emphasis in gardening will be on ease, convenience and results. New to the market are exotic annuals, patio ready plants, lightweight containers, and of course, dependable and disease-resistant roses. Patio Ready Plants Create an instant "patio ready" solution with colour and long lasting appeal with the Raymond Evison Patio Clematis Collection. Each plant comes in a decorative pot ready for your patio, deck, balcony or front porch. Compact and showy, these container clematis are covered up and down the entire vine with richly hued flowers, creating a striking tower of colour from spring through fall. Once enjoyed for the summer, they can be planted in the garden in fall and will spread like a ground cover. New Stars in the Garden Looking for a great low-maintenance rose for your garden? Why not choose The Pink Knock Out Rose, a colour sport of the breakthrough The Knock Out Rose. Pink Knock Out blooms profusely and thrives in very humid climates, where most other roses need spraying. Other new roses include Elle, a hybrid tea AARS winner that produces long-stemmed shell pink roses with deep yellow undertones or White Drift, the first compact rose ideal for hanging baskets. With pure white blooms and a strong spicy fragrance, this rose is sure to turn your neighbour's heads. Specialty Annuals New annuals from Simply Beautiful can easily be integrated into your garden to complement perennials and shrubs. Try Simply Beautiful Kong coleus this year with its gigantic multi-coloured leaves for the shade or Simply Beautiful Fusion Infrared exotic impatiens for containers. And don't forget your Wave Petunias! Easy Wave Red, the first true red in the Ride The Wave petunia family, is phenomenal in garden beds where they can spread up to a whopping 3 feet. Try any of the Wave petunias for instant impact without any fuss. Vincas return in a big way this season with Simply Beautiful Titan series, sporting gigantic flowers in seven colours including Polka Dot, Punch and Lavender Blue Halo. Contain Yourself So you don't have the time or space for a full-size garden? You can still get the flavor and feel of getting your hands dirty, and create elegant accents inside and outside your home with one or more of the latest designer containers from Campania International. "This new line of container and styles reflects our desire to match specific styles with different parts of the home both inside and out," says Peter C. Cilio, vice president of product development. "The different types of materials easily fit together to form an overall, different look." New products on the market include COTTO-Lite and LEAD-Lite Containers, which are lightweight alternatives to lead or terra cotta containers. Made from clay and other naturally found materials, these planters are durable and resistant to frost and ultra violet rays. Give Your Plants a Boost Whatever you plant, give your flowers, shrubs and even vegetables a head start with Messenger from Eden Bioscience. This revolutionary new plant care product is like a vaccination for your plants, turning up their own immune system to help produce more flowers and fruit and increase overall plant health. Environmentally safe, this breakthrough product increases disease resistance and growth. Spray Messenger on throughout the growing season, and watch it boost your plants performance both indoors and outdoors. Where Can I Find All These Plants? Imagine having an entire plant encyclopedia at your fingertips so that you could find the perfect shrub to fill that corner spot in your yard; or find the exact color of blue that would make any perennial a focal point in your garden this year. Then imagine finding a garden center near you that carries those plants -- all at the click of a mouse, and better yet, all for free! Introducing Virtual Plant Tags -- The Searchable Plant Database, from Green Industry Yellow Pages. Now, using the search power of GIYP.com, you can find plant cultural information, photos and all the nurseries and garden centers that sell/grow them! Well, if that rash has turned into a fever by now, that's understandable. It's shaping up to be one heckuva of a garden party this spring!
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