Gardeners are looking for new plants every year. Here are new flowers that will be featured in 2005 mail order seed catalogs, seed packets or as bedding plants at garden centers. The varieties are listed alphabetically by class, with the seed source listed in parentheses after the description. The designation "R" means a retail seed company from which gardeners may purchase seed directly by mail order or also in stores that carry the variety in seed packets. A "W" designation indicates a wholesale seed company which does not sell directly to home gardeners, but these varieties should be available in catalogs or as bedding plants at garden centers next spring.

Begonia F1 ‘Braveheart™ Rose Bicolor’ (Begonia hybrida)
It’s "Color that conquers!" This new begonia saturates the garden with beautiful rose and white blooms in sun or shade. Fills containers and beds quickly, sets flowers early and keeps flowering all summer long. (S&G Flowers) W


Begonia F1 ‘Nonstop® Deep Red’ (Begonia tuberhybrida)
The ‘Nonstop’ series goes one color better with the addition of ‘Nonstop Deep Red.’ It has large 4-inch fully double, deep red flowers on 8- to 10-inch dark green foliage. Ideal for baskets, pots, and garden. (Benary) W



Begonia F1 ‘Sun Devil Deep Rose’  (Begonia hybrida)
New green-leaf series boasting incredible landscape performance. Impressive in containers and baskets. Big, bushy plants. Blooms all summer long! Excellent heat tolerance. Available in 5 colors. (Henry F. Michell Co.) W


Calendula ‘Radio’  (Calendula officinalis)
Reintroduced heirloom calendula (circa 1930) with quilled petals of pure shining orange. The 2-foot tall upright plant is an ideal annual for sun to part-sun gardens and containers or for use as a cut flower. (Select Seeds) R


Calendula ‘Sunshine Flashback’  (Calendula officinalis)
Long bright yellow petals have a flashy red underside. Blooms are single and semi-double. The upright plants reach 12-18 inches tall in a sunny garden. Perfect as a cut flower and in mass plantings. (Nichols Garden Nursery) R


Campanula ‘Heavenly Blue’  (Campanula rapunculus)
Annual flowering campanula with gorgeous light blue star-shaped blooms. Plants grow 30-36 inches tall with multiple basal branching. Not only beautiful, it is a great cut flower with a long vase life. (Sakata Seed America, Inc.) W


Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera lyrata)
This drought resistant yellow daisy-like flower exudes a rich chocolate aroma in the morning hours! This native southwest wildflower grows 10-20 inches tall. Full-sun garden, container or basket. (Botanical Interests, Inc.) R


Chocolate Flower (Berlandiera lyrata)
An everblooming xeriscape plant native to the Southwest. Its flowers exude a rich chocolate aroma in the early morning. Dark-eyed yellow daisies bloom continuously. Prefers full sun, dry conditions and poor soil. (Lake Valley Seed Co. Inc.) R


Coleus ‘Kong™ Rose’  (Coleus x hybridus)
Exciting, huge-leaved coleus series boasts 5 unique colors. ‘Rose’ has a striking light green leaf with a vibrant rose center. ‘Kong’ keeps a controlled look in combination plantings. Well-branched and mounded, 14-16 inches tall. (Ball Seed Co.) W


Cosmos ‘Psyche White’  (Cosmos bipinnatus)
Lovely semi-double 3-inch blooms of pure white. The 4-foot plants spread 3 feet and require staking. The long stems provide a great cut flower. This heat tolerant annual prefers full sun. (Select Seeds) R


Dianthus F1 ‘Grace Salmon’  (Dianthus chinensis)
Double flowered dwarf dianthus combines a compact and branching plant habit 10 inches tall in full or partial sun garden. Carnation-like flower buds are early to flower and cover the plants with large flowers all season. (Hem Zaden-Genetics) W


Dianthus F1 ‘Sundae’ (Dianthus chinensis)
Large 2-inch flowers with unique color patterns and combinations in their early and long-lived blooms. This sun loving 8- to 10-inch tall annual has strong garden performance. Series of 5 colors. (Grimes Seed & Plant Co.) W


Digitalis F1 ‘Camelot™ Rose’ and ‘Lavender’  (Digitalis purpurea)
This first F1 hybrid series offers superior performance in seed quality, overall appearance, strength, more reliable first-year flowering and heavy second-year bloom. Height of 3.5 to 4 feet. (Goldsmith Seeds) W


All-America Selections 2005 Flower Award Winner
Gaillardia ‘Arizona Sun’  (Gaillardia aristata)
Thriving in hot sun, this 12- to 14-inch tall plant shines in harshest of locations, blooms early and continues into fall. Bright red centered 3-inch yellow tipped flowers. Will flower the first year. (Benary) W


Geranium F1 ‘Apache Glow’  (Pelargonium x hortorum)
Enjoy glowing violet blooms on vigorous plants 9-11 inches tall 80-90 days from sowing seed. Performs all season long in sunny containers, garden beds and mass plantings. (Hem Zaden-Genetics) W


Geranium F1 ‘Black Velvet Scarlet’  (Pelargonium x hortorum)
‘Scarlet’ has foliage as dark as AAS Winner ‘Black Velvet Rose.’ Flowers May to October on plants 10 inches tall. Series colors include Appleblossom, Red, Rose, Salmon, and Formula Mix. (K. Sahin, Zaden B.V.) W


Geranium ‘Bulls Eye Cherry’  (Pelargonium x hortorum)
Provides outstanding display - beautiful fully zoned dark foliage is edged in light green. Stable, center zoning creates beautiful contrast to stunning flower colors. Container or mass planting. 14-16 inches tall. (Ball Seed Co.) W


Geum ‘Red Dragon’  (Geum chiloense)
Fully double scarlet 1.5-inch flowers with wavy petals. Mature plant about 23 inches tall. Great improvement over ‘Mrs. Bradshaw.’ Cold and frost tolerant. Perennial in zones 5-7. For your garden, mass planting and containers. (K. Sahin, Zaden B.V.) W


Impatiens F1 ‘Advantage™ Mix’ (Impatiens wallerana)
Uniformly compact 8-inch tall plants brighten a shady garden, container, basket, or mass planting. This heat and rain tolerant series includes 6 well-matched colors: Orange, Red, Blue, Pink, Rose and White. (Bodger Seeds, Ltd.) W


Impatiens F1 ‘Xtreme™ Mix’ (Impatiens wallerana)
New series in 8 bold colors is a real performer in semi-shady garden or patio. Plants 8-10 inches tall are covered with big bright flowers all season. Lavender, Pink, Salmon, Red, Rose, Scarlet, Violet and White. (Goldsmith Seeds) W


Larkspur ‘Parisian Pink’  (Delphinium consolida)
Striking florist-quality spires packed with rich shades of rose-pink blossoms with a hint of salmon hue. Strong plants have branching 3- to 5-foot stems. Mixes well with other spring flowers in garden or bouquet. (Renee’s Garden) R


Lavatera ‘Twins Hot Pink’  (Lavatera trimestris)
The 20-inch height with 20-inch spread is the most compact of all lavateras. Very large 3- to 4-inch hot-pink flowers bloom May until September in container or garden. Also new is ‘Twins Cool White.’ (Kieft Seeds Holland) W


Lavender ‘Spanish Eyes’  (Lavandula multifida)
This sun loving annual with delightfully fragrant lavender spikes blooms all summer. Heat tolerant plants 18-24 inches tall and wide are great in garden or container. Flowers 10-12 weeks from sowing seed. (Kieft Seeds Holland) W


Marigold F1 ‘Moonstruck™ Yellow’  (Tagetes erecta)
Semi-dwarf marigold variety with blooms so huge you’ll be "moonstruck!" The round, fully-double blooms are in great abundance on sturdy, fully-branched plants 12-15 inches tall. Also new is ‘Moonstruck Orange.’ (S&G Flowers) W


Mimulus F1 ‘Maximus Mix’  (Mimulus x hybrida)
Outstanding large-flowered variety. With flowers measuring up to 2.75 inches across, ‘Maximus’ can’t be beaten for color impact. Plants are 9.5 to 11.5 inches tall. Excellent stress tolerance. Selected to perform in warmer conditions. (Floranova Ltd.) W


Pansy F1 ‘Atlas™ Needlepoint’  (Viola x wittrockiana)
‘Needlepoint’ is truly elegant! Dark threads of color and rose blushes of varying degrees highlight pastel yellow shades for a distinctive look. Early and large-flowered ‘Needlepoint’ grows 6-8 inches tall. Prefers sun or partial shade. (Bodger Seeds, Ltd.) W


Pansy F1 ‘Chianti Terracotta’  (Viola x wittrockiana)
Never-before-seen colors, unusual patterns, and vigorous long-lasting 8- to 10-inch plants just made for fall color. Color-drenched 2.5-to 3-inch blooms have a striped pattern of violet, terracotta, wine-red, and black. (Geo. W. Park Seed Co.) R


Pansy F1 ‘Magnum™ Yellow Blotch’  (Viola x wittrockiana)
Shorter flower stems on 7.5-inch tall plants resist stretching even at higher temperatures. Vigorous but compact garden growth gives superb full flower performance even in extreme conditions of heat, cold, or even low light. (Floranova Ltd.) W


Pansy F1 ‘Majestic Giants II Sherry’  (Viola x wittrockiana)
Color variation like no other pansy on the market! ‘Sherry’ blooms vary from light pink, yellow and dark pink. Early extra large 3.5-inch flowers and a compact 6- to 8-inch tall habit. Free flowering fall through spring. (Sakata Seed America, Inc.) W


Pansy F1 ‘Nature Blue and Yellow’  (Viola x wittrockiana)
‘Nature’ is a large-flowered pansy and viola cross giving it greater floriferousness and cold hardiness as well as heat tolerance. The compact 8-inch plants spread 8 inches. Also new is ‘Nature Red and Yellow.’ (American Takii, Inc.) W


Pansy F1 ‘Sun Devil Beaconsfield’  (Viola x wittrockiana)
Great new series with large 3-inch flowers that flower early and resist stretching. Compact plant habit and uniform color range. Height of 6-8 inches spreading 1 foot. Excellent heat tolerance. Series has 14 colors. (Henry F. Michell Co.) W


Pentas F1 ‘Graffiti Bright Red’  (Pentas lanceolata)
Nothing outperforms ‘Graffiti’ in a hot sunny location. Bright and beautiful, the large clusters of star shaped flowers abound above the foliage. The 8-inch tall plants form mounds of flowers in the garden or container. (Benary) W


Petunia F1 ‘Avalanche™ Grape’  (Petunia x hybrida)
‘Avalanche’ petunias are very early to flower and have a far superior habit to other trailing seed petunias. The 6- to 8-inch tall plants spread 24 inches. Iridescent purple with dark eye ‘Grape’ is a unique color. (Bodger Seeds, Ltd.) W


Petunia F1 ‘Dolce Flambe’  (Petunia x hybrida)
A multiflora-type with masses of beautiful 3-inch flowers suffused with rose, lemon and creamy white on compact 8- to 10-inch plants. Full sun hanging basket, or mass planting. 56 days from sowing to bloom. (Geo. W. Park Seed Co.) R


Petunia F1 ‘Dreams Red Picotee’  (Petunia x hybrida)
Vibrant red 3- to 4-inch blooms with a white picotee edge on free-flowering, tightly branched plants 10-15 inches tall. Weather tolerant plants bloom uniformly in sunny garden beds and containers. (PanAmerican Seed) W


Petunia ‘Easy Wave^® Red’  (Petunia x hybrida)
An exciting, important new color addition. The first true red Ride the Wave® petunia! Flowers open dark red and mature to a soft red. The plant reaches 8 to 10 inches and spreads 2.5 to 3 feet. (PanAmerican Seed) W


Petunia F1 ‘Sun Devil Mambo Mixture’  (Petunia multiflora)
First naturally dwarf multiflora petunia. Plants 6-8 inches tall with 8- to 10-inch spread stay compact all season. Large 2- to 3.5-inch flowers available in 6 colors. Excellent garden performance. (Hem Zaden-Genetics) W


Phlox ‘Brilliant’  (Phlox drummondii)
Reintroduced heirloom annual phlox from 1901 with white to pale pink flowers with shades of darker pink in the starry centers. Full sun garden or container. Cold and frost tolerant. 60 days from sowing to bloom. (Select Seeds) R


Plectranthus ‘Silver Shield’ (Plectranthus argentatus)
Large, silvery-gray leaved plants 24 inches tall and wide offer great texture for mixed containers and landscapes. Combines beautifully and does not crowd other varieties. Stress-tolerant and vigorous. (PanAmerican Seed) W


Rudbeckia ‘Becky Cinnamon Bicolor’  (Rudbeckia hirta)
Large, 4- to 6-inch blooms on compact plants brighten a sunny garden or container. ‘Becky’ is also offered in Yellow, Orange, and as a Formula Mix. Heat and drought tolerant annual is 8-10 inches tall. (American Takii, Inc.) W


Rudbeckia ‘Maya’  (Rudbeckia hirta)
World’s first dwarf double-flowering rudbeckia has plant height of 18-20 inches. Fully-double flowers abound on this durable summer garden performer. Strong stems hold bright yellow 3.5- to 4.5-inch blooms upright. (Benary) W


Salvia ‘Hot Trumpets’ (Salvia roemeriana)
Bright red trumpet-shaped flowers on 12-inch spikes are great in a sunny garden, mass planting and container. The compact plant is 15 inches tall with a 12-inch spread. A tender perennial in zones 8-11. (Kieft Seeds Holland) W


Stock ‘Hot Cakes Blue,’ ‘Rose,’ ‘Pink,’ ‘Red,’ ‘White’  (Matthiola incana)
The very fragrant new ‘Hot Cakes’ series of 5 colors is an early flowering annual with a compact habit. It is suitable for spring and exceptional for autumn gardens and containers. (K. Sahin, Zaden B.V.) W


Sweet Pea ‘Old Spice Ocean Foam’ (Lathyrus odoratus)
Navy, mid-blue, light-blue or frothy cream 1- to 2-inch flowers on 5- to 6-foot vines. Heat resistant. Full to part-sun container or basket. Very fragrant cut flower. (Botanical Interests, Inc.) R


Sweet Pea ‘Villa Roma’ (Lathryrus odoratus)
The dwarf bushy plants grow about 30 inches high, flower abundantly, and smell so sweet. Plant them in an old tub or faded window box. The red color is so stunning nobody will notice the container. (Lake Valley Seed Co., Inc.) R


Thyme, creeping (Thymus serpyllum)
This hardy evergreen sprawls in a low, dense green mat that spreads 12-24 inches a year. Produces mint fragrance as you walk on it. Tiny lilac flowers in mid-summer. Edible herb. Perennial zones 4-9. (Lake Valley Seed Co., Inc.) R


All-America Selections 2005 Flower Award Winner
Vinca ‘First Kiss Blueberry’  (Catharanthus roseus)
The first vinca with violet-blue flowers. The large 2-inch single blooms have a distinct dark violet eye. Mature plants will reach 11 inches tall and spread about 16 inches. Heat and drought tolerant. (Benary) W


Vinca F1 ‘Sun Devil eXtreme Orchid with Eye’  (Catharanthus roseus)
Huge 2.5-inch flowers. Extraordinary disease tolerance. Great basal branching creates full, lush plants 16 inches tall. Incredible garden performance. Available in 8 colors. (Henry F. Michell Co.) W


Vinca F1 ‘Titan™ Lavender Blue Halo’ (Catharanthus roseus)
Very early flowering, disease tolerant and vigorous. Large, well-branched plants 14-16 inches tall covered with huge, brightly colored blooms. Superior performance in hot and dry conditions. Series of 8 colors. (Ball Seed Co.) W


Vinca F1 ‘Viper Pink’  (Catharanthus roseus)
‘Viper’ has unbeatable landscaping performance, stretching the boundaries of vinca growing with excellent heat and cold tolerance, extraordinary disease resistance and a free-branching habit. Plants are 11.5 inches tall. (Floranova Ltd.) W


Viola F1 ‘Gem Ice Blue’  (Viola x hybrida)
Three new colors, Ice Blue, White and Purple have been added to the eight existing colors in the ‘Gem’ series. ‘Gems’ stretch less and provide great masses of flowers. Plants reach 8 inches tall with 6-inch spread. (American Takii, Inc.) W


Viola F1 ‘Rocky™ Blue with Purple Wing’ (Viola hybrida)
Bushy habit performs well in hot, humid climates and is also very cold tolerant. Versatile for use in pots and landscape. The 4- to 6-inch plants spread 8-10 inches. Also new ‘Lavender Blush’ and ‘Cream w/Yellow Lip.’ (S&G Flowers) W


Xeriscape Extreme
A very diverse group of 21 drought tolerant varieties, not just bachelor buttons and California poppies as you see in many mixes! Beautiful full sun mass planting or as a ground cover. Mix includes annuals, biennials and perennials. (Botanical Interests, Inc.) R


All-America Selections 2005 Flower Award Winner
Zinnia F1 ‘Magellan™ Coral’  (Zinnia elegans)
Superior coral color and flower quality, earliness to bloom, and consistent flower production make this zinnia a standout. Beautiful, large 5- to 6-inch blooms are radiant on plants 15-19 inches tall. (Goldsmith Seeds, Inc.) W


Zinnia F1 ‘Magellan™ Pink’ ‘Scarlet’ ‘Orange’ ‘Yellow’ ‘Coral’ ‘Ivory’  (Zinnia elegans)
Fully double blooms are a "knock-out" in the garden! Exceptional performing new series also available in Cherry and Salmon. A multitude of flowers that top nice, beefy plants. (Goldsmith Seeds, Inc.) W


Zinnia ‘Profusion Fire’  (Zinnia elegans)
Hot new scarlet-orange flower offers a striking contrast against dark green foliage on plants 18 inches tall. Expect the same excellent garden performance as other colors of ‘Profusion.’ Also new is ‘Apricot.’ (Sakata Seed America. Inc.) W