Oh Erin, I needed this. We moved into our house 20 years ago this coming February. We were thrilled to discover in the spring that our neighbors were gardeners (and also the kindest people ever). We have enjoyed many years of sharing plants, sharing bulb orders, and enjoying each other's gardens. Don died of a heart attack in September at only 77 years old, and Janice was moved to memory care two days ago. We are experiencing so much grief right now, and I have been planning the bouquets I will take when I visit her this summer. I will definitely add the snapdragons to my seed orders. Thank you for your videos. You are inspirational and almost always give me a laugh, and I love seeing your animals. Plus, listening to you talk takes me home to Madison. Happy New Year!
This was my first year growing dahlias and I went a bit crazy. Chilsons Pride and Bridezilla were my favorites but the #1 performer was actually this this old shriveled tuber I found from Family Dollar at random! 😂 I plopped it in the ground and figured I had nothing to lose and the plant was so prolific with tons of blooms. ❤🥇
I love your videos!! I grow a ton of eggplant. I don't like the traditional large purple ones, and I only grow the smaller skinny ones. I've found I prefer the lighter colored ones. My favorite one is Fairy Tale - white and purple striped. I snack on eggplant all summer and fall, and have it as a side at dinner. Such a low calorie treat. The way I prepare it is: 1 - Slice into coins and lay on a sprayed baking sheet. 2 - Spray the eggplant with a tiny bit of olive oil spray. 3 - Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt, pepper and Italian seasoning, and a tiny bit of parmesan cheese. 4 - Bake at 425 for 10-15 min until lightly browned on top. I use this method (minus cheese) for many veggies and it's my favorite way to cook all of them, especially okra, squash and eggplant.
I was sure you were going banana for the banana!!! I laughed so much when I saw you digging it out, reminded of myself!!! Looking forward to seeing if you were successful in winterizing it! happy New Year and looking forward to more funny and instructive videos.
Front yard landscaping redo of Boxwood, lollipop blue spruce, switchgrass, My Monet Weigela, RockNRound Popstar Sedum and Cats Pajamas Nepeta. I tried other less saturated flowers, but they got lost against my dark gray house. Loved this combo and learned brighter was better for my front yard. Thanks for all your guidance this year. Cheers to 2023!
Erin, thanks for the recap! My favourite plant this year was panicum virgatum ‘northwind’. I found out after I bought it that it’s a Roy Diblik introduction named after his nursery. It provides great all season vertical interest in mid to back of a border and has finely textured blooms that give movement to the garden in the slightest breeze. Tough as nails too. It was knocked to the ground with a heavy snow and after the snow melted it just popped right back up. I am also loving the salvias, ‘Caradonna’ was my favourite this year. Happy New Year 🎉
Erin, loved watching this uplifting video in gloomy Michigan (we've had 5 mins. of sunshine this year). I have to give my own garden award to native Salvia Azurea which is a true blue flower blossoming in late August through October and gives our precious pollinators food when most flowers are finished for the season! We knew that beautiful banana would get top plant in show!👏👏👏👏
Bright Lights cosmos, strawflowers, Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea, Nanking Cherry, Trombocina zucchini, Black Cherry tomato, and I am always wooed by all of my colorful lettuce.
Also loving the salvias here, for all the reasons you mentioned. I have some perennial varieties on order from High Country Gardens. I’m hoping they’ll be the permanent solutions in a couple of areas. Can’t wait!
White Wands Veronica is hands down the best thing I planted in 2022. I had heard that it was an amazing plant but experiencing it firsthand was just different. It never stopped blooming! My pollinators were so happy and the magical swaying in the breeze made it such a joy to watch. Second to that would be serendipity allium. I am planting more of both in 2023!
Oh my word, Proven Winners Playin' the Blues salvia hit a home run in our containers. Full or part sun, they performed equally well. Note to self: only one is needed as a thriller!
Great video! Just what I needed to get me motivated for 2023. I hope this comment doesn’t break your heart. I know how you struggle with roses, but I’m down in Alabama. If roses survive Japanese beetles & 100+ temps daily, ALL summer, they do great. Which is odd, seeing as how the deep south was in a record breaking deep freeze all last week (I lost so much in my garden that I’ve literally cried) Anyway, my standout was the David Austin Rose “Olivia Rose Austin” Not only was it stunning but oh my word, the most amazing fragrance!!!
I know, right... I'm in the South, too. Even my early leafing Daffodils are mush. The good news on that part of the gardening cold disaster is those same bulbs, with mushy leaves, are now shooting up new leaves!! Woot! WOOT!!! Altho... Bcuz of this extra energy used to build new leaves, they might not flower this year? I mean, I can't get mad at them for that. Afterall - they have now survived the Super Heated Summer with a succession of 113°F for weeks, accompanied with drought, and now, literally freezing their faces off!! So much for those wonderful mild Southern Winters of yesteryear... 😮💨 sigh... So, get mad about not flowering, nope, not me! If they've still got the fight of life in them, then I give them a pass for not being able to pony-up the energy to make a flower too! However, with all these weather extremes, I also suspect they believe their world is ending. And so, in true plant fashion, they're contemplating making a seed to carry on their species existence, which of coarse, graces ME with the wonderful flowers! Either way, THIS year, I'm not waiting to fertilize them AFTER the bloom. Nope. This year - I'm feeding them liquid tomato food RIGHT NOW!! They need the boost. I'm just happy to see the leaves of SOMETHING growing in the garden right now!!! 💪 GO DAFFS!!! 💪
I had a feeling that the banana plant would win 😁 I hope it makes it, I would love to see it again. I loved my zinnia the most last year, but this year I just have to try dahlias 👍 Happy gardening Erin 😊
I’m so surprised that your Eupertorium polished brass….monarch attracting shrub didn’t get an award! That video/reel you posted earlier this year blew me away, and I added it to my plant wish list!
The Fox family.....adorable! Your award shows are so helpful. We have had such rainy summers (2 years now), I'm over managing the dinnerplate dahlias. Ordered both of your award winners and looking forward to growing smaller ones this summer.
Thanks, Erin for this great countdown of your favorite plants. I always look forward to seeing what plants would win the best in class in your garden. That banana plant was amazing! My favorite plant last year was the coffee cup colocasia plant. I know exactly what you mean when you said you got a lot of joy from watching the banana plant grow. That's how I felt about the coffee cup's elephant ear because when it rained the leaves would spill over from the weight of the rainwater and trickle down to the lower leaves, plus the birds would use the large leaves to bathe in. I would highly recommend the coffee cups colocasia planted in a large pot. Good luck with your 2023 garden!
I have learnt so much from you this year and because of you I have tried so many new things and spent a couple thousand dollars on plants, potting mix, mulch, soil amendments you name it.👏 I hope you have a great new year🎉🎉 and I believe that 2023 will be as great or better than 2022. Thankyou for sharing all your knowledge and experience with us all 🥰👌👍 Keep up the great work... X
Erin, this was one of my favorite videos of yours. Watched it a couple of times and shared it with others too. Ordered one of the dahlias you recommended.
Thanks, Erin. You're an inspiration. Salvia and Aegeratum were a big hit for me especially dealing with deer pressure here in upstate NY in the Adirondacks.
Erin! I am wintering over Purple Bell vine!!! It's on my South-facing window-sill. It even had several blooms before Christmas and I saved seeds. Can you believe it?? The photo shows slightly puckered leaves but it's OK, just needs watering more often. A bit root-bound. Guess he needs repotting. Even more weirdly, I saved several of the Madame Butterfly snaps and Bridal Pink etc; my little seedlings were too shaded, stayed small & leggy, didn't bloom. Dug them up in November and are happily growing inside too. No idea if they'll make it or if the "annual" mindset of the plants will say "No Mas"! The Purple Bell Vine was on my deck rail in a smallish pot, full sun. Thank you for your wonderful shows. You are inspirational!
Your Red banana should fine as long as it’s warm enough (between 39° & room temperature) down in your basement. If it’s potted, it’ll try to grow if temps are too warm. The bindweed did fantastic for me this year! Lol… I have never grown flowering vinca before, the annual, and I was really impressed by that both in the ground and in pots. Perennial wise, holy smokes, my Dwarf Orinoco Banana was amazing and hardy agapanthus did well too. Next year, I’m looking forward to the cast iron plants growing in more, as well as eucalyptus. And elderberries to grow higher than the chain link fence. I’m in zone 6a, Buffalo, btw.
I always enjoy your videos and you have provided much needed inspiration for me for 2023. 2022 was a challenge in Florida 9a. We had a month without rain and record highs in the 100s over the summer. All my plants suffered and performed poorly. And then we had 3 straight days of hard freeze and the coldest temps in 30 years in December, killing many plants. Taking a deep breath and looking forward to the 2023 garden. Thank you for your encouraging channel!
The best item in my garden this year was a new puppy! He started in the spring digging up the tulips and the snow drops: went to the penstemon, digitalis, cone flower & poppies. If it was growing, he went after it. So... I am really looking forward to spring. (Yes we still have the dog).
The banana certainly deserved the grand prize, and your effort to unpot it was award-worthy too. Inspired by you, I grew my first dahlia. ‘Crazy Love’ was growing through its plastic bag and I figured it had a strong will to live. It was a delight and I’m trying to decide which ones to order for next year, along with more salvias.
Thank you, thank you. This was so uplifting and informative. My favorite was a big unplanned event. I was working in the raised bed and noticed a distinctively familiar sprouted young bean plant. I remembered having planted beans in that area the previous year. I couldn’t help myself. I let it grow a bit, and then a bit more, and before long it was a strong vine. So I staked it and nurtured it. Lo and behold, it was a ‘rattlesnake bean’ from Renee’s Gardens. It hadn’t produced the year before but that plant wanted to grow! It was the most productive and delicious bean ever! It will definitely make it into my garden again!
Cayenne pepper 🌶 plants were my big winner….got ~100 pprs on ea plant - slowdried in oven in Sept & been enjoying authentic crushed red pepper ever since 😊
I would have to give my Hyssop plant best plant award. It smells heavenly, can be used medicinally and for teas....plan to try and grow more from the seed I saved. Sun Gold tomato had to be my best tomato- so sweet! I loved that banana plant of yours and sure hope it will make an even greater showing for us this coming year!
Nice plug for Digging Dog Nursery here in Northern California. I've been doing business with them for at least 20 years. Nice plants and nice people! Happy New Year from Napa Valley CA where it's finally raining a lot!
Oh i love your humor and honesty for the home gardener. Favorite annual is of course the zinnias. Biggest disappointment? The dahlias flopped because i had lousy staking and the rodents devoured the tubers. I stink at container plants. Favorite perennial -i am a hosta hoarder . I do love salvias as well. Must i stop?
...happy new year, Erin. One of my favorite-est (🙃) plants that I can't be without now is cuphea 'vermillionaire'. I grew it for the first time last summer in 2021. The hummingbirds love it as well as the bees. It thrives in the heat and humidity. It flowers up until (killing) frost and the bees can be fed well after the hummingbirds leave. I sure wish it was a perennial in my Maryland (6b) garden. 🤷🏼♀️🧡👩🏼🌾💚🥳 =^..^=
I know it's still under patent but it roots readily. Mine turned into 4 & if kept dry with some protection, they overwintered in 7b. We got to 2° around Christmas so I'm sure I lost them all. I pray I can find them again this spring! Even with our humidity, a Fuschia called Angels Earrings performed spectacularly. The Hummers loved the Cuphea & Fuschia both!
Super happy to find another Zone 5b RUclipsr. Great info. I'll be taking your advice on growing poppies this spring, and I think I'll add dahlias to my space as well.
I love persicaria! I've have a dwarf variety, it's almost a ground cover, given as a split from another gardener years ago and I adore it. It's evergreen and the leaves change colour in the fall. I also have a weed variety that I made the mistake of leaving (it's just so pretty!) and now it's in every crack and crevice.
Loved seeing your best performers! In our (essentially reclaimed wetland site) garden, wild Sweet William /Woodland Phlox was an incredible and profuse bloomer, loved it
Love your channel!! My star performer this year was agastache “tutti-frutti”. It got 7’ tall here in Houston and was magnificent. Runner up was monarda “Peter’s Purple”. Show stopping! Can’t wait to see your 2023 garden!
I grew dahlias from seed last year, you do not know what you will get flower/colour wise but those dahlias bloomed non stop from late June into November. What a show! They were open centred and the bees loved them. They were planted close to the house in a sheltered spot, the deer still had access but didn’t even nibble them, so that was a bonus.
That was a great video, so fun. The plant that blew me away was Salvia "Wendy's Wish". I bought 2 to flank the bottom of a rose. Needless to say, I never saw the rose last year. The Salvia just took over the whole area. Each one was 3' x 3' x 3' tall. So much bigger than I expected. Beautiful plant, would recommend to a friend for ease of growing. 🌻
I agree, your banana plant was a showstopper! You turned me on to dahlias, so I ended up with several which bloomed very late in the season and were BEAUTIFUL! Thank you!!!!
My elephant ear plants this year were awesome. But the plant that gave me the most pleasure was Vermillionaire cuphea. Just covered in hummingbirds everyday. I kept it on the deck so I could enjoy the show. I am going to look for that banana plant for sure-that was amazing!
FYI after listening to your videos you mentioned the plant called Verbena Officials Var. Grandiflora Bamton, I found the seeds and plants at Select Seeds along with Silver Shield
Love them all, but yes - THE BANANA!!! SO Great!! The WOW Factor!!! It has it all, size, color, texture, and - even the possibility of overwintering it too!! I am excited to find out how that went, goes, is, just all the things!!
Always enjoy your videos. Best performers for me in 2022 (Zone 6b) were Cucumbers-Sumter,Tomato-Yellow Pear, Basil-Purple, Pepper-Cayenne. We experienced high heat and drought - three plants excelled during that time: Geraniums (Common), Impatiens (orange and coral), and Amaranth (red giant).
Milena Fleur gets my vote for best dahlia too, it was so prolific and vase life was great. My choice for annual was Zinna Queen Lime with Blush, but will add the snap dragon to my seed list this year. Thanks for great 'award' video!
Hi Erin! What an awesome tribute to the plants who give so much to us. It’s really hard to pick a fav as a plant mom. However, if I must, it’s got to be my Encore Azaleas. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you Erin. 🎉❤ My best performer in my oh-so-new garden and nursery was Stock Matilda Yellow and Vintage Brown. A new variety for me, double and perfect as cut flower and in garden beds.
Oooh what a fun video! I appreciate the timestamps as well. I think my best this year was my nativar Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks'. The pollinators were mad for it, prolific blooms, and it stayed compact and bushy (for a solidago).
Never thought about what my best plant was, Of course I have my favorites but now I think I have to go season by season four my best plant and I will definitely be doing that thinking this year thanks for putting that in my head
Thanks Erin! Happy New Year - my plant of the year was Vinca - never bought from the garden center before but the one container beat all the heat, humidity and bloomed non-stop until the first significant frost - I even divided that plant into different containers and they kept blooming without skipping a beat~
Oh Erin, I needed this. We moved into our house 20 years ago this coming February. We were thrilled to discover in the spring that our neighbors were gardeners (and also the kindest people ever). We have enjoyed many years of sharing plants, sharing bulb orders, and enjoying each other's gardens. Don died of a heart attack in September at only 77 years old, and Janice was moved to memory care two days ago. We are experiencing so much grief right now, and I have been planning the bouquets I will take when I visit her this summer. I will definitely add the snapdragons to my seed orders. Thank you for your videos. You are inspirational and almost always give me a laugh, and I love seeing your animals. Plus, listening to you talk takes me home to Madison. Happy New Year!
I am so sorry for your loss. Good neighbors/friends are such a blessing.
@@stephaniestatnick thank you Stephanie!
So sorry for your loss…..good neighbors are so rare…..it’s a wonderful thing that you’re doing with the bouquets…..💔🌸💕🌸💔
This was by far the best award show. Especially when no one got slapped😊
I'm on the look out for a banana tree next year 🏆
Great segment.❤️
2 years ago you inspired me to start a dahlia garden... next year I'll have 175 dahlias growing😳😂❤
Oh my goodness!!How fun:)
Peach Drift roses were unbelievably prolific in a horrible, hot and dry summer in Austin, TX.
This was my first year growing dahlias and I went a bit crazy. Chilsons Pride and Bridezilla were my favorites but the #1 performer was actually this this old shriveled tuber I found from Family Dollar at random! 😂 I plopped it in the ground and figured I had nothing to lose and the plant was so prolific with tons of blooms. ❤🥇
My sister gave me a Daphne bush and I planted it in my small garden and it did really well and smelled so nice.
Love your channel - hope Roy Diblik wasn’t feeling snubbed being out won by the fox family in the visitor category !! Happy New Year !!
I think even Roy would understand that he can’t compete with that kind of cuteness. 😀
Great video love seeing you all year long.
😅😅😍I knew banana was going to win...that plant makes me smile every time I repeat a video it appeared in
That banana plant was incredible! I hope it over winters just as well.
I love your videos!! I grow a ton of eggplant. I don't like the traditional large purple ones, and I only grow the smaller skinny ones. I've found I prefer the lighter colored ones. My favorite one is Fairy Tale - white and purple striped. I snack on eggplant all summer and fall, and have it as a side at dinner. Such a low calorie treat. The way I prepare it is: 1 - Slice into coins and lay on a sprayed baking sheet. 2 - Spray the eggplant with a tiny bit of olive oil spray. 3 - Sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt, pepper and Italian seasoning, and a tiny bit of parmesan cheese. 4 - Bake at 425 for 10-15 min until lightly browned on top. I use this method (minus cheese) for many veggies and it's my favorite way to cook all of them, especially okra, squash and eggplant.
That sounds really good- I’ll have to try it!
Thanks for hopping back to summer pic on Dec. 31 , how refreshing 😁
Can't me enough salvia in my garden 😉
That banana was AMAZING 😂😃😄😀
Love your channel Erin, thank you for sharing your ideas and gardens.
I was sure you were going banana for the banana!!! I laughed so much when I saw you digging it out, reminded of myself!!! Looking forward to seeing if you were successful in winterizing it! happy New Year and looking forward to more funny and instructive videos.
What I love about your garden is how natural it looks, very intuitive gardener!
Front yard landscaping redo of Boxwood, lollipop blue spruce, switchgrass, My Monet Weigela, RockNRound Popstar Sedum and Cats Pajamas Nepeta. I tried other less saturated flowers, but they got lost against my dark gray house. Loved this combo and learned brighter was better for my front yard. Thanks for all your guidance this year. Cheers to 2023!
I LOVE this video! It's just what I needed on this cloudy winter day in Southeast Wisconsin. Thank you!
Erin, thanks for the recap! My favourite plant this year was panicum virgatum ‘northwind’. I found out after I bought it that it’s a Roy Diblik introduction named after his nursery. It provides great all season vertical interest in mid to back of a border and has finely textured blooms that give movement to the garden in the slightest breeze. Tough as nails too. It was knocked to the ground with a heavy snow and after the snow melted it just popped right back up. I am also loving the salvias, ‘Caradonna’ was my favourite this year. Happy New Year 🎉
Great video, Erin! The banana tree ( I can’t call it a plant!) did deserve plant of the year!!
What rocked my world last summer: Tall Blue Planet Ageratum. Non-stop as soon as it hit the ground. EARLY. Every - single.- day.... till snow
Erin, loved watching this uplifting video in gloomy Michigan (we've had 5 mins. of sunshine this year). I have to give my own garden award to native Salvia Azurea which is a true blue flower blossoming in late August through October and gives our precious pollinators food when most flowers are finished for the season! We knew that beautiful banana would get top plant in show!👏👏👏👏
I love this pick!
That banana plant was crazy! 🤪 Who would have thought to grow that. 🍌Yes please try that again, hope it survives in the basement. 🤞🏻
My favourite new veggie was a patty pan squash! So much production from one plant - combined with other veggies for yummy frittatas and more ❤
Bright Lights cosmos, strawflowers, Ruby Slippers Oakleaf Hydrangea, Nanking Cherry, Trombocina zucchini, Black Cherry tomato, and I am always wooed by all of my colorful lettuce.
Also loving the salvias here, for all the reasons you mentioned. I have some perennial varieties on order from High Country Gardens. I’m hoping they’ll be the permanent solutions in a couple of areas. Can’t wait!
Great job, Erin, on all your gardening success!
Love the foxes. Thanks for your channel!
White Wands Veronica is hands down the best thing I planted in 2022. I had heard that it was an amazing plant but experiencing it firsthand was just different. It never stopped blooming! My pollinators were so happy and the magical swaying in the breeze made it such a joy to watch. Second to that would be serendipity allium. I am planting more of both in 2023!
Both excellent plants that I love in my garden!
Thanks! I enjoy your teaching.
Thank you so much Carol!
Oh my word, Proven Winners Playin' the Blues salvia hit a home run in our containers. Full or part sun, they performed equally well. Note to self: only one is needed as a thriller!
Great video! Just what I needed to get me motivated for 2023. I hope this comment doesn’t break your heart. I know how you struggle with roses, but I’m down in Alabama. If roses survive Japanese beetles & 100+ temps daily, ALL summer, they do great. Which is odd, seeing as how the deep south was in a record breaking deep freeze all last week (I lost so much in my garden that I’ve literally cried) Anyway, my standout was the David Austin Rose “Olivia Rose Austin” Not only was it stunning but oh my word, the most amazing fragrance!!!
I know, right...
I'm in the South, too.
Even my early leafing Daffodils are mush.
The good news on that part of the gardening cold disaster is those same bulbs,
with mushy leaves,
are now shooting up new leaves!!
Woot! WOOT!!!
Altho...
Bcuz of this extra energy used to build new leaves,
they might not flower this year?
I mean,
I can't get mad at them for that.
Afterall - they have now survived the Super Heated Summer with a succession of 113°F for weeks,
accompanied with drought,
and now,
literally freezing their faces off!!
So much for those wonderful mild Southern Winters of yesteryear...
😮💨 sigh...
So, get mad about not flowering, nope, not me!
If they've still got the fight of life in them, then I give them a pass for not being able to pony-up the energy to make a flower too!
However, with all these weather extremes, I also suspect they believe their world is ending. And so, in true plant fashion, they're contemplating making a seed to carry on their species existence, which of coarse, graces ME with the wonderful flowers!
Either way,
THIS year,
I'm not waiting to fertilize them AFTER the bloom.
Nope.
This year -
I'm feeding them liquid tomato food
RIGHT NOW!!
They need the boost.
I'm just happy to see the leaves of SOMETHING growing in the garden right now!!!
💪 GO DAFFS!!! 💪
Amazing plant choices !! I love your garden 💜💙💜💙💜💙❄
I had a feeling that the banana plant would win 😁 I hope it makes it, I would love to see it again. I loved my zinnia the most last year, but this year I just have to try dahlias 👍 Happy gardening Erin 😊
Going bananas! That plant really had its own personality. Loved it and the 🦊 foxes!
Happy to see you back, I've been missing you on here. 😊
I’m so surprised that your Eupertorium polished brass….monarch attracting shrub didn’t get an award! That video/reel you posted earlier this year blew me away, and I added it to my plant wish list!
It should have been a close runner up in the perennial category for sure.
The Fox family.....adorable! Your award shows are so helpful. We have had such rainy summers (2 years now), I'm over managing the dinnerplate dahlias. Ordered both of your award winners and looking forward to growing smaller ones this summer.
Super cute fox family!!!
Congratulations banana!!
Thanks, Erin for this great countdown of your favorite plants. I always look forward to seeing what plants would win the best in class in your garden. That banana plant was amazing! My favorite plant last year was the coffee cup colocasia plant. I know exactly what you mean when you said you got a lot of joy from watching the banana plant grow. That's how I felt about the coffee cup's elephant ear because when it rained the leaves would spill over from the weight of the rainwater and trickle down to the lower leaves, plus the birds would use the large leaves to bathe in. I would highly recommend the coffee cups colocasia planted in a large pot. Good luck with your 2023 garden!
I have learnt so much from you this year and because of you I have tried so many new things and spent a couple thousand dollars on plants, potting mix, mulch, soil amendments you name it.👏
I hope you have a great new year🎉🎉 and I believe that 2023 will be as great or better than 2022.
Thankyou for sharing all your knowledge and experience with us all 🥰👌👍
Keep up the great work... X
Enjoyable! Thanks, Erin!
I was waiting for the banana’s award for the whole video! It is amazing.
Elephant ears, 3 different sizes, and sweet potato plants were over the top beautiful.
Erin, this was one of my favorite videos of yours. Watched it a couple of times and shared it with others too. Ordered one of the dahlias you recommended.
Thanks, Erin. You're an inspiration. Salvia and Aegeratum were a big hit for me especially dealing with deer pressure here in upstate NY in the Adirondacks.
White wedding zinnias wowed me
Erin! I am wintering over Purple Bell vine!!!
It's on my South-facing window-sill. It even had several blooms before Christmas and I saved seeds.
Can you believe it??
The photo shows slightly puckered leaves but it's OK, just needs watering more often. A bit root-bound. Guess he needs repotting.
Even more weirdly, I saved several of the Madame Butterfly snaps and Bridal Pink etc; my little seedlings were too shaded, stayed small & leggy, didn't bloom. Dug them up in November and are happily growing inside too. No idea if they'll make it or if the "annual" mindset of the plants will say "No Mas"!
The Purple Bell Vine was on my deck rail in a smallish pot, full sun.
Thank you for your wonderful shows.
You are inspirational!
Best and most surprising annuals for me - Blue anemones and all kinds of annual Rudebeckias; My top perennial would be all Veronica.
If you need eggplant receipes, I recommend Korean steamed eggplants and also curries. Both delicious and easy to make.
My best flower for 2022 was pw angelonia. It was great everywhere in pots, and the landscape.
Your Red banana should fine as long as it’s warm enough (between 39° & room temperature) down in your basement. If it’s potted, it’ll try to grow if temps are too warm.
The bindweed did fantastic for me this year! Lol… I have never grown flowering vinca before, the annual, and I was really impressed by that both in the ground and in pots. Perennial wise, holy smokes, my Dwarf Orinoco Banana was amazing and hardy agapanthus did well too. Next year, I’m looking forward to the cast iron plants growing in more, as well as eucalyptus. And elderberries to grow higher than the chain link fence.
I’m in zone 6a, Buffalo, btw.
I always enjoy your videos and you have provided much needed inspiration for me for 2023. 2022 was a challenge in Florida 9a. We had a month without rain and record highs in the 100s over the summer. All my plants suffered and performed poorly. And then we had 3 straight days of hard freeze and the coldest temps in 30 years in December, killing many plants. Taking a deep breath and looking forward to the 2023 garden. Thank you for your encouraging channel!
Thank you Erin- great video !!!!
The best item in my garden this year was a new puppy! He started in the spring digging up the tulips and the snow drops: went to the penstemon, digitalis, cone flower & poppies. If it was growing, he went after it. So... I am really looking forward to spring. (Yes we still have the dog).
Sandy, how fun! Apuppy brings joyous life to the Garden 🌸🌷🐕
Wishing you the happiest of New Years, Erin! 🎉
Those snapdragons are EVERY-THING!!!!!😍😍😍 I haven't tried madame butterfly yet, but I'm hoping I can get some straighter stems this year.
I really love these awards. This is the first video I’ve seen on your channel and it was fun.
Glad you liked it, and thanks for stopping by!
The banana certainly deserved the grand prize, and your effort to unpot it was award-worthy too. Inspired by you, I grew my first dahlia. ‘Crazy Love’ was growing through its plastic bag and I figured it had a strong will to live. It was a delight and I’m trying to decide which ones to order for next year, along with more salvias.
Thank you for a great year of garden education, motivation, and laughs!
Wonderful advice! WOW on your Banana plant!!! Thank you, Erin
Thank you, thank you. This was so uplifting and informative. My favorite was a big unplanned event. I was working in the raised bed and noticed a distinctively familiar sprouted young bean plant. I remembered having planted beans in that area the previous year. I couldn’t help myself. I let it grow a bit, and then a bit more, and before long it was a strong vine. So I staked it and nurtured it. Lo and behold, it was a ‘rattlesnake bean’ from Renee’s Gardens. It hadn’t produced the year before but that plant wanted to grow! It was the most productive and delicious bean ever! It will definitely make it into my garden again!
Oh that is a delightful surprise!
Cayenne pepper 🌶 plants were my big winner….got ~100 pprs on ea plant - slowdried in oven in Sept & been enjoying authentic crushed red pepper ever since 😊
Thanks Erin!
I loved everything about this! Thank you!
I would have to give my Hyssop plant best plant award. It smells heavenly, can be used medicinally and for teas....plan to try and grow more from the seed I saved. Sun Gold tomato had to be my best tomato- so sweet! I loved that banana plant of yours and sure hope it will make an even greater showing for us this coming year!
I need the banana plant was going to win ❤️
Nice plug for Digging Dog Nursery here in Northern California. I've been doing business with them for at least 20 years. Nice plants and nice people! Happy New Year from Napa Valley CA where it's finally raining a lot!
Oh i love your humor and honesty for the home gardener. Favorite annual is of course the zinnias. Biggest disappointment? The dahlias flopped because i had lousy staking and the rodents devoured the tubers. I stink at container plants. Favorite perennial -i am a hosta hoarder . I do love salvias as well. Must i stop?
Loved watching this!
...happy new year, Erin. One of my favorite-est (🙃) plants that I can't be without now is cuphea 'vermillionaire'. I grew it for the first time last summer in 2021. The hummingbirds love it as well as the bees. It thrives in the heat and humidity. It flowers up until (killing) frost and the bees can be fed well after the hummingbirds leave. I sure wish it was a perennial in my Maryland (6b) garden. 🤷🏼♀️🧡👩🏼🌾💚🥳 =^..^=
I know it's still under patent but it roots readily. Mine turned into 4 & if kept dry with some protection, they overwintered in 7b. We got to 2° around Christmas so I'm sure I lost them all. I pray I can find them again this spring! Even with our humidity, a Fuschia called Angels Earrings performed spectacularly. The Hummers loved the Cuphea & Fuschia both!
Super happy to find another Zone 5b RUclipsr. Great info. I'll be taking your advice on growing poppies this spring, and I think I'll add dahlias to my space as well.
I love persicaria! I've have a dwarf variety, it's almost a ground cover, given as a split from another gardener years ago and I adore it. It's evergreen and the leaves change colour in the fall. I also have a weed variety that I made the mistake of leaving (it's just so pretty!) and now it's in every crack and crevice.
Loved seeing your best performers! In our (essentially reclaimed wetland site) garden, wild Sweet William /Woodland Phlox was an incredible and profuse bloomer, loved it
You are such an inspiration!!!
Love your channel!!
My star performer this year was agastache “tutti-frutti”. It got 7’ tall here in Houston and was magnificent.
Runner up was monarda “Peter’s Purple”. Show stopping!
Can’t wait to see your 2023 garden!
I took alot of notes and I hope to add some of the winners to my yard this year! Great award show....no goofy dance numbers!
Indeed that banana, wow! Happy New Year🎉
Oh the purple love grass! Gorgeous!
You can purchase blue”Sirius” salvia seed from Baker Creek rare seeds that are similar.
I grew dahlias from seed last year, you do not know what you will get flower/colour wise but those dahlias bloomed non stop from late June into November. What a show! They were open centred and the bees loved them. They were planted close to the house in a sheltered spot, the deer still had access but didn’t even nibble them, so that was a bonus.
Just ordered the eggplant and snapdragon seeds!
That was a great video, so fun. The plant that blew me away was Salvia "Wendy's Wish". I bought 2 to flank the bottom of a rose. Needless to say, I never saw the rose last year. The Salvia just took over the whole area. Each one was 3' x 3' x 3' tall. So much bigger than I expected. Beautiful plant, would recommend to a friend for ease of growing. 🌻
Loved my salvia. Thanks for sharing! Happy New Year!
I always enjoy your videos. This inspired me to try some new plants and I might even try a banana plant. Can't wait until spring!
I agree, your banana plant was a showstopper!
You turned me on to dahlias, so I ended up with several which bloomed very late in the season and were BEAUTIFUL! Thank you!!!!
It was the fox family for me. Enjoyed the additions to your garden this year
You r so much fun!
My elephant ear plants this year were awesome. But the plant that gave me the most pleasure was Vermillionaire cuphea. Just covered in hummingbirds everyday. I kept it on the deck so I could enjoy the show. I am going to look for that banana plant for sure-that was amazing!
FYI after listening to your videos you mentioned the plant called Verbena Officials Var. Grandiflora Bamton, I found the seeds and plants at Select Seeds along with Silver Shield
That banana plant is amazing, wow!! Well deserved 1st place 🥇
Love them all, but yes -
THE BANANA!!!
SO Great!!
The WOW Factor!!!
It has it all,
size,
color,
texture,
and -
even the possibility of overwintering it too!!
I am excited to find out how that went, goes, is,
just all the things!!
The drought was terrible here in Utah and it was hot, even for here. I coaxed some potted coleus and gomphrena. I was amazed how well the coleus did.
Always enjoy your videos. Best performers for me in 2022 (Zone 6b) were Cucumbers-Sumter,Tomato-Yellow Pear, Basil-Purple, Pepper-Cayenne. We experienced high heat and drought - three plants excelled during that time: Geraniums (Common), Impatiens (orange and coral), and Amaranth (red giant).
Milena Fleur gets my vote for best dahlia too, it was so prolific and vase life was great. My choice for annual was Zinna Queen Lime with Blush, but will add the snap dragon to my seed list this year. Thanks for great 'award' video!
Hi Erin! What an awesome tribute to the plants who give so much to us. It’s really hard to pick a fav as a plant mom. However, if I must, it’s got to be my Encore Azaleas. Happy New Year!
Our encore in 8a was blooming until that Artic blast came through. Crazy year.
OMigod the baby foxes!!!!
Love your favorite picks. And the Abyssinian banana is definitely the bomb! I’m trying to figure out where I could plant one next year.
Happy New Year to you Erin. 🎉❤ My best performer in my oh-so-new garden and nursery was Stock Matilda Yellow and Vintage Brown. A new variety for me, double and perfect as cut flower and in garden beds.
Oooh what a fun video! I appreciate the timestamps as well. I think my best this year was my nativar Solidago rugosa 'Fireworks'. The pollinators were mad for it, prolific blooms, and it stayed compact and bushy (for a solidago).
I love that too, added more this year. Beautiful planted next to purple aster.
Never thought about what my best plant was, Of course I have my favorites but now I think I have to go season by season four my best plant and I will definitely be doing that thinking this year thanks for putting that in my head
Thanks Erin! Happy New Year - my plant of the year was Vinca - never bought from the garden center before but the one container beat all the heat, humidity and bloomed non-stop until the first significant frost - I even divided that plant into different containers and they kept blooming without skipping a beat~