Written by Sharon Cohoon
5 botanical Lady Gagas
Just like the unpredictable Lady Gaga, the following five flowers are over-the-top, theatrical, and ironic. Subtle? Not exactly.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Incrediball' hydrangea
White flower clusters so enormous (a foot wide!), they’re almost comical. And like Gaga, held up by very sturdy stems. Sunset climate zones A3; 1-21
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Gum Drop' Echinacea
Nothing modest about this cone-flower. Except for a miniskirt of tiny pink petals, it’s all look-at-me core. Zones A2, A3; 1-24, needs full sun.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
Gator aloe
An unusually bold pattern for such a small plant. Like the pint-size diva herself, it’s proof that drama doesn’t depend on size. Climate zones 8, 9, 12-24, part shade.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
Techno Blue Iobelia
A blue so intense, it feels hot rather than cool. A prolific bloomer and a real show-off. All zones.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
Little Shark agave
Perfect symmetry and high drama with black-outlined leaves. And check out those spines. Zones 4-24.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
5 plants that evoke Marie Antoinette
Frilly, floaty, fanciful, and feminine, these next flowers are a total embrace of the soft side, just like the queen herself.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
Sun Spun Yellow petunia
Shaped like a twirly skirt in the sunny color of optimism. Innocent and idealistic. All zones as an annual.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Wendy's Wish' Salvia
Jewel-like buds, seemingly always in bloom, with petals like pink petticoats and dainty stems. Zones 14-24. Needs full sun.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Fireworks' fountain grass
The girliest of grasses: Predominantly pink, billowy, and, in summer, it dresses up with tassels. Zones 8-24; H1, H2. Needs part shade.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
Superbells Blackberry Punch Calibrachoa
A flower with the flared shape and rich colors of the finest haute couture gown. Zones 8, 9, 14-24. As an annual: zones 2-7, 10-13.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Dark Towers' Penstemon
Blackish red foliage topped with baby pink flowers–a romantic pairing of radical and sweet. Zones 6-9, 14-24. As an annual: all zones.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
5 picks that bring on the Bollywood
Spicy, jewel-toned, gilded, and otherwise adorned, these flowers have an Indian flair. Jai Ho!
Written by Sharon Cohoon
Million Bells Cherry Pink Calibrachoa
The saturation level in these petals rivals that of the best saris. A color you’d like draped around you. Zones 8, 9, 14-24. As an annual: zones 2-7, 10-13.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Flame Thrower' Echinacea
A coneflower that looks like it swirled its way out of a train-station dance number. The red centers resemble bindi beauty marks. Zones A2, A3; 1-24. Needs full sun.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Lemon Fizz' santolina
A sizzling chartreuse that we’d love to see in a bolt of silk. The every-which-way foliage is fun too. Zones 2-24; H1, H2. Needs part shade.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
Lunacy Orange marigold
As intricate as a henna tatoo. The searing orange color and strong aromatic scent make is especially exotic. All zones as annual.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Belinda's Find' red hook sedge
Red sedge is already extravagant. But add some twists and turns and you’ve got a real melodrama. Zones 4-6, 15-17.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
5 plants that channel Black Swan
These next flowers are gothic, brooding, mysterious, and definitely dark. Maybe even dangerous.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Pinstripe' petunia
White streaks dissolving into velvety black petals like shooting stars disappearing in dark skies. All zones as annual. Needs full sun.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
Tropicanna Black canna
This exotic canna has leaves so dark, you’ll wonder how it photosynthesizes. Sinister, to say the least. Zones 6-9, 12-24; H1, H2; or dig and store.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
Fire and Ice Echeveria
Pale, pale foliage that looks even more so thanks to its blood-red edges. Ethereal or ominous, you decide. Otherworldly either way. Zones 8, 9, 12-24. Needs part shade.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Burgundy Ice' Dyckia
Dark red blades and sharp white teeth–just the right amount of menace. Zones 4-24.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Mojito' elephant's ear
A heart-of-darkness tropical plant. Inky splotches across its mammoth leaves give this new elephant’s ear a gothic sort of glamour. Climate zones 12, 16-24; H1, H2.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
5 flowers fresh off last week's Glee
A batch of buds that have exuberant exhibitionism paired with wholesome innocence–just like our favorite show.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Hot Lava' Echinacea
Knockout color, simple bold shape, and stems as strong as a cheerleader’s legs. Center stage only, please. Zones A2, A3; 1-24. Needs full sun.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
Big Bang 'Redshift' Coreopsis
More modest than some of its fellow cast members, but showy in its own quiet way. A sweet little explosion of color. Zones 1-24.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Ascot Rainbow' Euphorbia
Looks as if it might burst into song. And when it blooms, you’ll swear it has–the flower shares the same three colors of the leaves. Zones 3-24. Needs part shade.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Campfire' Crassula
Full of juice and raring to go. That’s the impression these propeller-shaped leaves create–especially in sizzling red and lime. Zones 8, 9, 12-24.
Written by Sharon Cohoon
'Electra' coral bells
Cayenne red veins streaking across saffron yellow leaves. Imagine this spicing up a bland patch of shade. Zones 1-9, 14-24.