Home » Blog » Plants We Love! Plants We Love! February 14, 2014 Annuals, Color Your World, Flowers, Herbs, Holidays, Perennials, Plants, Roses, Van Putte Gardens Happy Valentine’s Day! Instead of chocolates, poems or love songs, we want to share what every Green Thumb loves best… flowers! So, here are some of our favorites, who we can’t wait to see in bloom in a couple short months! Kyle Van Putte loves the… Dwarf FothergillaThis shrub is underutilized in Western NY landscaping, but shouldn’t be! It’s a great alternative to rhododendron and azalea for spring blooming, and turns a fantastic orangey-red color in the fall. It can be planted in sun or shade and is quite hardy, surviving even though our Rochester winters. Easy to love! Sue Van Putte loves… OrchidsThe love of orchids lies in their simplicity. With an extremely long bloom time and easy growing needs, orchids are a stylish and graceful addition to indoor decorating. Remember to put them in an east-facing window to promote re-blooming season after season. Todd (Nursery Manager) loves the… Before the Storm IrisSeeing an entire iris bed in bloom is just gorgeous, and Before the Storm is a stunning variety. Different types of iris rebloom during the season, others are fragrant, and as a whole, they’re just a neat, antique-styled plant with tons of new hybrids coming out year after year. Bret (Landscape Designer) loves the… Magic Carpet SpireaThere are so many varieties of spirea these days, and Magic Carpet is a great example. The foliage of spirea sometimes even outshines the flowers, and it’s what gives your perennial garden color throughout the season, even when not in bloom. Tom (Landscape Designer) loves… CatmintCatmint is a great bedding plant, and with its two to three cycles of blooms every year, a fantastic addition to perennial beds. Easy to care for, and easy to love! Steve (Greenhouse Manager) loves the… Cha-Ching Cherry PetuniaPetunias have just exploded recently with new colors, striped versions, wave growth forms, and more. This Cha-Ching Cherry Petunia is one of the newer varieties; it’s great fun to see new petunia lines expanding every year. Mike (Garden Center Manager) loves… DahliasBright, bold colorful flowers in all kinds of shapes bloom continuously through the season, making dahlias an eye-catching addition to many different garden types. Plus, they can take a bit of neglect, since they really don’t need that much water. Even when they’re not blooming (which isn’t often), the dark green foliage has great textured visual interest. Marcy (Landscape Designer) loves… Mophead HydrangeasWith a multitude of flower colors, sizes, and sun/shade needs, hydrangeas are perfect for any sort of perennial garden. The large flowers of the Mophead Hydrangea will keep color in your garden well into frost, and the dried blossoms are a lovely way to keep a summer reminder through the winter. Holly Van Putte Cirella loves the… Blaze Climbing RoseWhen it comes to Valentine’s Day, roses are classic for a reason. Holly carried roses on her wedding day so they’re a lovely reminder each year when they bloom. Fragrant, elegant, timeless… what’s not to love? Carl Van Putte loves the… Pink Wave PetuniaPetunias are a classic flower, and a huge bed or series of hanging baskets of Pink Wave will catch your eye from way down the street. Nothing says spring cheer like the Pink Wave Petunia… it’s a friendly flower 🙂 We hope you and your loved ones have a very happy Valentine’s Day, and that spring comes quickly. When it’s time to add more loveable plants to your garden this spring, stop by and chat with us — our Green Thumbs are expert plant matchmakers!