Soprano impatiens made their debut this year and I can truthfully say I wish every flower I planted was this easy to grow. They arrived in 2022 with four colors: Orange, Bright Red, Violet Shades and White. In 2023, Salmon and Rose will be added to the Soprano series.
If you have read any of my previous columns, you understand The Garden Guy is sun-challenged. It makes for great butterfly, hummingbird and pollinator photography, as I am always shooting to a backdrop of shade. The Soprano series has become a superstar to me, giving dazzling partnerships with hydrangeas, camellias, azaleas, hostas and ferns.
I suspect a generation of gardeners out there hasn’t tried the shadier impatiens. Proven Winners has elected to reference the Sopranos as bedding impatiens. That certainly is appropriate, as according to the famed Missouri Botanical Garden, they are the most popular bedding plant today. In past generations the name "Busy Lizzy" was commonly associated with the flowers.
