Tabatha—IN MY GARDEN

Hi, I am Tabatha Gainey, and I am the Proven Winners^® marketing coordinator. I spend most of my time coordinating point-of-purchase programs and the branded container. I live in Mississippi, and I am the 'hope and a prayer' gardener. However, with the help of Proven Winners varieties, my neighbors think I am awesome! But I do give credit where credit is due and point them in directions where I have been successful; because if I can do it, they certainly can as well!

Putting the "Thriller' in containers and the landscape

	Graceful Grasses^® Vertigo^® My favorite thriller this season is Graceful Grasses^® Vertigo^®. I love the richness when complemented with Superbells^® Pomegranate Punch and Sweet Caroline Bewitched and the fabulous contrast when planted with Supertunia^® Raspberry Blast and Illusion^® Emerald Lace. In the ground, it's doing fabulously with Graceful Grasses^® Fireworks (see note below on that one…).
	ColorBlaze^® Marooned^™ Running a close second is ColorBlaze^® Marooned^™. This is an absolutely fabulous plant! I planted it in the ground as a new variety last season and had people stopping me in the grocery store, in the park, and out on evening walks to ask what it was. I love the color, the height… It performed GREAT in the heat of the southern summer, as well as into late fall/early winter. It's definitely going to be a regular in my garden!
	Graceful Grasses^® King Tut^® Another of my favorites is Graceful Grasses^® King Tut^®. I love the height and the uniqueness. I have this flanking the entrance to my patio this season. It's 'only' about 3' tall at 2 weeks in the ground, so I have to think it's loving its home. I've previously grown it in (massive) containers, and it was quite the conversation piece among friends and neighbors. King Tut is one of those plants that doesn't need another variety to help attract attention; it has that completely under control all on its own!
	Incrediball^® hydrangea Another along the conversation-piece line is Incrediball^® hydrangea. I have several of these around my home, and they are great. This fall, I cut them back to the ground and placed the dried blooms in a (very) large vase inside my house where they continued to stir conversation. I guess there is just something about a bloom almost the size of your head that catches attention! This spring, they have come back and are 4-5' tall and full of blooms. Just last night, my sister was gawking at how great they have come back!
	Luscious^® Citrus Blend Luscious^® Citrus Blend is settling in nicely in her home in my patio garden. I'm hoping she returns next spring like her sister Luscious^® Berry Blend did this spring! Talk about a wonderful surprise when I started prepping my bed! I love the vibrant multi-colors of the blooms of these two, as well as the fact that they attract butterflies and hummingbirds to my garden.
	Graceful Grasses^® Fireworks One of the (many) awesome things about working with Proven Winners is that I get a sneak preview of new varieties before they even make it to retail. Coming to retail Spring 2014 is Graceful Grasses^® Fireworks. I love the unique colors and am excited to see how it performs for me in the heat. After about two weeks in the ground, it's taken the 'Yikes! I forgot those were around there' abuse quite well, so I am very optimistic.
	Angelface^® Wedgwood Blue I love the blue and white bicolor flowers and light fragrance of Angelface^® Wedgwood Blue. Its heat and drought tolerance is a plus for me in the south. They serve me well in containers as well as in my gardens. And they are great as a cut flower as well!
	Double Take^® Orange Talk about causing spring fever! I love the tropical orange, double blooms of early-blooming Double Take^® 'Orange Storm' Quince. This baby just screams excitement! The interesting branching makes for eye-catching cut flower arrangements. But take note, this lady needs room to stretch out, so she might not be best in a small bed.
	Decadence^™ The Decadence^™ Baptisia's are my favorite new perennials. They look classy and are easy to maintain, and I love the contrast of the blue-green foliage. I see many more of these in my near future!
	Ghost^® I love how the foliage of Ghost^® Weigela changes from a chartreuse green to lighter cream color later in the summer. The wine-colored flowers contrast well against the foliage and I love that the butterflies enjoy frequenting it as well.