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If you have gone complacent or perhaps even boring when it comes to scaevola The Garden Guy is here to tell you it is time to Crush the Color Combos. In the spirit of truth and candor I must say the Commercial Guys are waking us up and thank goodness.
I realize there may be a generation or two that doesn’t even know the scaevola. This tough as nails summer persevering flower from Australia hasn’t gotten a lot of press lately. The lack of press isn’t because it has lost its credibility on the garden stage but perhaps the sheer number of new varieties since it made its debut.
Scaevola exploded on the scene twentyfive years ago, in 1997, when university trials were really getting started. A plant from Proven Winners named New Wonder Scaevola was chosen as Georgia Gold Medal, Mississippi Medallion and Louisiana Select award winners. Everything about this story is unique, speaking volumes about what had been an unknown plant.
Proven Winners has since gathered their award winning scaevola under the names Whirlwind Blue, Whirlwind White, Whirlwind Pink and the newest being Whirlwind Starlight. In a quart sized container this little fan-shaped flower would never sell you on being the latest and greatest. See it in the hands of a color guru however, and you will proceed to the garden center to buy all colors and probably most of the plants.
Today the color design guys are teaching us there is really no plant partnership that can’t be made. You want to combine with coleus the answer is yes, and the same with calibrachoas, angelonias, pentas, lantanas and its drop dead gorgeous with portulaca too. They key to your happiness from a design standpoint may very well depend on your use of color schemes.
Red, white and blue will be at your wish and command with Whirlwind White scaevola, Blue My Mind evolvulus and Superbells Table Top Red calibrachoa. By the way there is a new Blue My Mind XL this year. With Whirlwind Blue and Whirlwind Starlight also a shade of blue this opens the door to great combos with lime or chartreuse and of course orange.
Scaevola and pollinators are normally not mentioned on the same page or any close reference whatsoever. Once you start growing scaevola elevated in containers or baskets you may very well see doors open up to these visitors versus the ground hugging application. The Garden Guy has seen frequent stops by both swallowtails and hummingbirds which has been a delightful surprise.
Culturally speaking you can imagine a plant native to the sand dunes of coastal Australia would need explicit drainage. This is generally no problem in baskets and containers. Here you will garner the green thumb award with scaevola. This doesn’t mean it is impossible in garden soil. Once you perfect your drainage issue if you have one, scaevola will become the front of the border plant of your dreams.
Scaevola will reach about 8 to 10-inches tall with a generous spread of 24-inches. Select a location with plenty of sun and plant at the same depth they are growing in the container. spacing 12 to 18-inches apart or by tag recommendation.
Spring is just around the corner and if you want that treasured shade of blue then plan on putting the scaevola in your container designs. You’ll find Whirlwind scaevola also comes in pink, white and the bi-colored Starlight. Follow me on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy for more photos and garden inspiration.
