Last updated on July 5th, 2020
My 2020 Proven Winners Review. What luck! In the spring of 2019, Proven Winners sent me several plants (okay, a boatload of plants) to try out in my garden. These new hybrids will be offered to the public this spring (2020). And here, for the horticultural-minded, is my review of ten flowers and two vegetables:
My 2020 Proven Winners Review
Superbells ‘Double Blue’: This Calibrachoa hybrid was love at first bloom. Planted in a pair of hanging baskets attached to the rear wall of my Herb Garden, and exposed to only morning sun, the purple-blue, fully double flowers emerged non-stop from late-May through frost. The small blossoms ooze old-fashioned charm. And besides its value in hanging pots, Double Blue would make a fine filler or spiller for a window box.
Supertunia ‘Raspberry Rush’: You might like to give this self-cleaning petunia a prominent spot in your garden. Why? Because the star-patterned, neon-pink and white flowers draw terrific attention to themselves! I grew Raspberry Rush in a large plastic pot tucked inside the cast-iron urn at the center of my herb garden. Exposed to 8 hours of direct sun there, the pink parade eventually cascaded over the sides of the urn. What a generous plant.
Superbena Sparkling Amethyst Improved Verbena: One of my favorites among the 2020 Proven Winners lot. The large, fluffy clusters of amethyst and white spilled happily and continuously over the sides of a large pedestal pot next the rear gate in the herb garden. Humming birds enjoyed the flowers as much as I did.
As companions for the amethyst verbena, I planted Goldilocks Rocks Improved Bidens ferulifolia ‘BID 16101’ — a mercifully small subject with delightful, medium-size yellow flowers…
And Salvia ‘Rockin’ Blue Suede Shoes,’ which provided a touch of sky for the amethyst and yellow below. If you have a very large container, you might consider planting the aforementioned trio. The arrangement received plentiful compliments from visitors.
Supertunia ‘Snowdrift’ and Veronica ‘Wizard of Ahhs’: Supertunias are just that — super. They bloom endlessly without deadheading. Snowdrift’s trailing arms and Wizard’s deep-blue perennial spires sang a pleasing duet when I combined them in a pale-blue ceramic pot.
‘Suncredible Yellow’: I love this new Helianthus hybrid! Unlike traditional sunflowers that produce one huge flower per stately stalk, Suncredible is a short, full plant that covers itself with 4-inch golden-yellow blossoms. Located in full sun in my Kitchen Garden (it shared quarters there with a tall lovage plant in a raised bed), the plant bloomed non-stop from early summer through the first hard frost. The flowers were a magnet for honey bees and butterflies. I’d gladly grow it again.
Aromance Pink Nemesia fruticans ‘Innemaropi’: This one probably belongs in a pot, but I planted it in a raised bed in the Kitchen Garden, next the trellised tomatoes. There, the plant cheerfully trailed over the wall of the bed. The pink, medium-size flowers are intensely fragrant. Although Proven Winners claims Aromance is a spring-blooming annual, the plant bloomed for me even during the high heat of summer. As a matter of fact, it was never out of bloom.
Diamond Snow: A Euphorbia hybrid, and Proven Winner’s “Annual of the Year” for 2020. I think Diamond Snow is the ideal filler for a window box or patio pot. It also looks well when planted, as mine was, among determinate tomatoes and hot chili peppers in a vegetable garden! I enjoyed Diamond’s splash of white from spring until frost. Euphorbia can also be grown indoors as a winter houseplant.
Lycopersicon ‘Goodhearted’: Now, here’s a cherry tomato that is both delicious and decorative. Planted in my kitchen garden, Goodhearted’s tear-drop-shaped fruits were born all at the same time (the plant is determinate here in the Northeast). Unfortunately, I forgot to photograph the fruit after it had ripened to red. A prettier edible doesn’t exist.
Strawberry ‘Berried Treasure’: An unusual strawberry, because its flowers are a stunning crimson color. The flowers and fruit were prolific for me all summer long. Sadly, I did not care for the taste of the berries. They offered no sweetness.
Was this review of plants helpful to you in some small measure? Talk to me in the comments field below. And if you are a member of the Proven Winners family, please know that I am grateful to have had the privilege of auditioning some of your new-for-2020 plants!
xKevin
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Pam in Virginia says
Hi, Kevin!
You have done so well with these plants. I would like to try all of them, but with a garden in a forest on a north slope, and deer everywhere, I have to be very choosy. We do have a large garden with an 8 foot fence in the sunniest spot. I hope to at least try the Calibrachoa, the Aromance Nemesia, and the Helianthus (I can’t resist daisy-like flowers). And – here it is February – and I haven’t gotten on with the winter sowing that you have written such great posts about.
Pam
Sally C. says
Thanks for the information, there are several plants I am going to put on my list to try.
Linda Kalbler says
Good morning Kevin
What beautiful pictures.so sunny and bright. I most certainly will try some of them this summer. I am really excited about the cherry tomatoes
It’s 40 degrees here in Minnesota today so gardening is certainly on my mind
Barb Ahlrichs says
Thanks for the reviews. My top choices would be the Sparkling Amethyst Verbena and the Suncredible Yellow Helianthus. I also liked the Double Blue Superbells. Icon hardly wait to get started gardening in April here in NE Iowa.
Bobbie Modesto says
Thanks for that taste of summer gardening during winter. It was interesting to see what’s coming for 2020!
Karen Mary says
My favorite February activity is planning this year’s landscape and garden. Thanks for the inspiration! I’ll definitely use the calibrochoa in my window box, and I always grow verbena, so I’ll give the new plant on the block a try, too. My main obstacle for this year is finding a giant planter to put in the center of some large evergreen trees I planted last year at the back of my garden. I don’t love plastic pots, so it’s a challenge! (I keep thinking I’m going to come upon one. . . ) Seeing yours atop an overturned bottom planter made me realize that’s an option, too, for height. Thanks Kevin!
Carla from Kansas says
Hi Kevin — thanks for the Proven Winners update. I watch Garden Answer on YouTube and Laura had similar results with some of these plants. Can’t wait for Spring to get here.
Jay says
Isn’t it wonderful to temper February cold with dreams of a summer garden? I always appreciate your gardening advice and suggestions. I’m eager to add some fragrance to our garden and window box this year, so I’ll be looking for Diamond Snow. Thanks Kevin!
Janie says
Thank you! Looking forward to seeing them in nurseries!
Mary W says
I plan on getting Sparkling Amethyst superbena, veronica Wizard of Ahhhs, Aromance nemesia, Goodhearted cherry tomato, Suncredible Yellow, Salvia Rocking Blue Suede Shoes, and the little goldilocks Rocks biden. I can’t believe I went for the flowers post BEFORE the chocolate pots!
Peg says
Hi Kevin,
All beautiful plants and a great review. One question…I have planted Helianthus before and they were a magnet for red aphids. Were the aphids attracted to this variety. I’d love to replace the others.
Sunni says
Just what I needed after a week of clouds and grey: flowers, colours and green! Where would we be without this beauty? Thanks Kevin.
Maggie Smith says
Flower pictures in February . Nice daydream but Maine has a ways to go before the soil warms up a bit. The small as well as large animals met their match when we put up a 7 foot deer fence. Money well spent.
Thanks for your flower comments and will get some several months from now.
Dori says
OMG Kevin! You must have a lot of energy, or a lot of help. And lots of sun. But I am sure you have fabulous soil for all those annuals to grow so profusely. Do you use fertilizer or hormones?
Shirley Thorpe says
I would like to mention that the supertunia Vista’s are so packed with flowers you hardly see the leaves. There will be some new ones out this spring. They can handle the heat in the south.
I didn’t not know I could bring the diamond Snow in the house over winter.
It is so beautiful
Thanks for the information. I live in TN where most flowers grow beautifully
Jeanine Padilla says
Thanks for your review! We will definitely try the calibrochoa and the verbena! And the Blue Suede Shoes salvia purely for the name and knowledge that the hummingbirds will come!
Debbie - MountainMama says
Oh what a wonderful treat, to get the privilege of testing out all those fabulous plants!! I love supertunias and use them in pots every year….so much bang for the buck!
hugh bennett says
I LOE YOU ?
Jaime E Colon says
Hi! Is your “Raspberry Rush” grown from one plant?