The Garden Guy made a trip across town to chat with son James and came away giddy on one hand and grumpy on the other because I had been scooped. I am used to being the dud when it comes to comparing my plant partnerships with his, but this time he showed me up with a new variety. I’m the new variety guy, not this whippersnapper, but he was grinning like the Cheshire Cat with this year’s new Heart to Heart Burning Heart caladium.
First thought: How come I didn’t have them? Second thought: There can’t really be a caladium with that color. This caladium is a tropical flaming red with a few specks. It is a screaming red that says "look at me!" How could I have missed it at the University of Georgia trials? It scored 4.5 out of 5 through the entire season. I desperately want some, and you will too.
Once again, as is his nature, he taught me that it is the unexpected in the plant combinations that takes your breath away. In his design he was closely pairing it with Shadowland Coast to Coast hostas. This hosta’s leaves are a brilliant golden chartreuse that creates a shocking color contrast of foliage, making you wonder if you can capture the essence with the camera. In the bed he also used Graceful Grasses Prince Tut, Surefire begonias and Summer Wave torenia in the front of the border. As I left, he was flanking the bed with a large Mangave Catch a Wave on one end and a large Aztec King Mangave on the other end. I wanted to tell him, "You can’t do that."
