Not sure how we got here. But alas, we're in Hydrangea chaos, yet again. Lately, it seems like every hydrangea has an evil stepbrother trying to knock him off. I must tell you that we carry way too many and there are thousands more to choose from. (That may be a slight exaggeration.) Oh, where to start! (I am only listing what you should expect Christensen’s to carry)

Let’s start with arborescens (Smooth Hydrangea). Arborescens flower on new wood. So, prune if needed and they will re-flush.

‘Annabelles' remain a staple and Christensen’s sells hundreds.

Incrediball® is considered an improved ‘Annabelle’ with bigger flowers and stronger stems. They are tolerant of both clay and alkaline soils as well as salt and shade.

The Incrediball® Series includes:

Invincibelle® comes next. The original Invincibelle® was considered the “Pink Annabelle”. It disappeared fast and was replaced by Invincibelle® Spirit II, which is still pink but with stronger stems to hold up the large flowers.

P.S. For every Invincibelle® series Hydrangea sold, Proven Winners donates $1.00 to Breast Cancer research.

Let’s move on to the “Big Leaf Hydrangea” (macrophylla).

Over the past few years, there has been a slew of new varieties added to the reblooming Endless Summer® Collection. Some have been around for a couple of years but are just now getting their 15 minutes of fame.

The collection includes:

Making it’s Christensen’s debut in 2026 is Dream Cloud® with their white, mop-head flowers and on a 3-4 x 3-4’ plant.

Before we head into the paniculatas, I would like to highlight a few other lacecaps from the Tuff Stuff® series. Christensen’s has carried these for a few years now and they have held up very well in the nursery. The original Tuff Stuff® is a 2-3’ tall rebloomer with blue or pink flowers. Christensen’s will also carry:

OK, now we can discuss paniculatas.

Hydrangea paniculata Bobo® are The O.G. panicle hydrangea, no evil stepbrothers in sight. Bobo® are 24-30 x 36-48”, with strong stems, a rounded habit, white flowers and look like they belong on a macrophylla (big round ball flowers) and not a paniculata (usually more of cone shape). The flowers are also sterile, so they just bloom and bloom. 

Hopefully your coffee cup is full - here comes the mess.

‘Limelight’ has been around forever. Reaching 8x8 with green flowers that age pink, red, burgundy. For now, these are still available.

‘Quick Fire’ Hydrangea and all its children bloom about 1 month earlier than other paniculatas, providing a little longer show.  They come in at 8’ x 8’, start flowering white then age pink with great fall color.

Little Quick Fire® is one of my favorites and a dwarf of ‘Quick Fire’, at only 3-5’ x 3-5’. The flowers are white, age pink and the red stems stand out on the plant.

Moving on to another standard - Pinky Winky®. “Pinkys” come in at 6-8’ x 6-8’ with white flowers that age pink. The flowers can also be up to 12” long making for a very showy plant

Now there is also Pinky Winky Prime®. It is touted as having much stronger stems than its parent. Otherwise, it’s similar to the original.

Phew, almost to the end. (You thought I was joking!)

Puffer Fish® Hydrangea’s claim to fame is it has so many flowers you cannot see the plant! According to Proven Winner, "Puffers" are a Bobo® but puffier on a compact 3-5’ x 3-5’. The flowers are white and age green on strong stems.

Powerball® is one of the newest from Proven Winners. Powerball® has mop head flowers on strong stems, starting lime, aging white and pink. It is also a solid rebloomer with a size of 3-6’ x 3-6’.

Believe it or not, there are still more. We didn't even discuss "Oakleafs". I'll cover those later this summer.

I’m always on the look-out for new varieties that will grow well in Michigan. But they tell me, in order to get a new variety through the gate I have to remove one.

Christensen's has added two products this year that make it easier than ever for you to improve both the beauty and functionality of your client projects: EZ-Straw® Wildflower Mix and the NDS Downspout Defender™ Shield.

The EZ-Straw® Wildflower Mix from Michigan based company, Rhino Seed®, is a simple, all-in-one solution for starting a wildflower garden. With over 30 types of annual and perennial seeds, including Poppies, Shasta Daisies, and Marigolds, this Wildflower Mix creates a diverse mix of blooms with continuous color, texture and visual interest throughout the growing season. The added processed straw mulch helps to retain moisture, reduce soil erosion and protects seeds during germination to increase chances of success.

Environmentally conscious homeowners are driving the increasing popularity of pollinator gardens. EZ-Straw® Wildflower Mix is a great product to introduce to your clients interested in supporting bees and butterflies.

For the healthiest plants and better blooms, Rhino Seed® recommends that EZ-Straw® Wildflower Mix be planted before June, allowing the seeds to germinate and establish strong roots while temperatures and moisture levels are still favorable.

For those completing drainage projects, Christensen's will now carry the Downspout Defender™ from NDS. Designed specifically for 9-inch and 12-inch drain basins, the Downspout Defender™ acts as a protective shield, preventing debris such as leaves, twigs and other material from clogging the system. It helps maintain proper water flow and reduces the need for frequent maintenance.

Easily installed on top of a catch basin, the Downspout Defender™ is a convenient upgrade with the potential to prevent blockages and damage to the drainage infrastructure.

Make sure to ask about these new products while you're at Christensen's, picking up the trees, shrubs and perennials we've highlighted the past month. 

Here's to a successful 2026!!

“Sooner or later, everything old is new again.” (Stephen King, The Colorado Kid)

Isn’t that true?!! Much of what’s new at Christensen’s this year is new varieties of existing plants or improved versions of plants that have been available for years.

Christensen’s will also have some Illuminati Sparks® (Philadelphus coronarius ‘SMNPVB’),

with its smaller 3 x 3 size. All in the series are well maintained, and all

have deliciously sweet flowers in late spring.

Is it weird to be excited about a new Cornus sericea? “Redtwig” Dogwoods do have a place, looking fashionable in the winter, all dressed up in red. For years the nicest and most colorful was ‘Baileyi’ (6-10 x 6-10'). A true nativar, ‘Baileyi’ was found in a wooded area

and is considered a naturally occurring cultivar. 

The new one, Arctic Fire® (Cornus sericea ‘Farrow’), is bred to only grow about 3-4’ tall and lacks the colonizing habit of the species, therefore it doesn’t spread.

If you haven’t guessed from prior articles, I am a Viburnum FAN. There are a couple of new ones Christensen’s will carry this year. My new favorite is the Sugar n' Spice™ (Viburnum carlesii ‘Select S’). It is a small sized Viburnum (4-6’ x 4-6’) with pink buds, opening to an excess of white flowers. It is a Korean spice bush, so it has a sweet-spicy scent when it blooms in mid-May.

And just because Viburnum are such an awesome plant, this one morphs

to a brilliant red in the fall to add to the show.

Check back next week for the last in the series... Molly will introduce us to the Perennials.

Christensen's Plant Center has added several new (or new to us) varieties of trees to the availability list this season.

Ivory Spear® (Malus 'JFS KW214MX') and Raspberry Spear® (Malus 'JFS KW213MX') Crabapples

Both of these trees will grow to be 18’ tall and 7’ wide. They are a very narrow and dense form of crab apples and highly disease resistant. The Ivory Spear® has pink buds that open to white flowers, dark green leaves and bright cherry red fruit. The Raspberry Spear® has magenta pink flowers, dark purple leaves, and deep red fruit. They both will thrive in full sun.

Cornus Stellar Pink® Dogwood (Cornus x 'Rutgan') 

The Stellar Pink® Dogwood will grow to be 20’ tall and wide. It has pink flowers that are just slightly lighter than the Rubra Dogwood, making it a great subtitle. Stellar Pink® has green foliage that changes to a bright red in the fall.  While Stellar Pink® isn't new to Christensen's, we will only have the clump variety this year, in an 8’-10’ range.

This is a small highlight of what's new at Christensen's this season. Stop by for a look at all on offer.

Tune in next week to see the selection of new shrubs.

Snow ruins everything

OK, maybe not everything. I had fun playing in the snow as a child, building snowmen, having snowball fights with neighborhood friends, and sledding on the hill in our yard.  There was one year when we had so much snow, it was over my head as I traversed our front sidewalk!! Growing up in Minnesota, snow was part of life just like it is here in Michigan.

However, as I aged, snow became less fun. My family was not into winter sports (skiing, snowmobiling, ice fishing). It just became the white stuff that caused problems.

There was the year that my 17^th birthday weekend was marred by two separate car crashes caused by snow-hidden ice patches. My mother gave me my first curfew after the revving engine of my boyfriend’s truck woke her while we tried to get it unstuck after an unexpected snowfall. Getting married in February, I stressed over the possibility of my in-laws trapped in Fargo, ND and missing our wedding since the interstate would shut down during snowstorms. Trapped in Fargo by blizzards has become an annual problem when we visit for the holidays. As a mother of teenage and adult children, I worry about them driving in it.

But when plans to attend GLTE in January 2025 fell through because of lake effect snow, I decided to try and reframe. I don’t think I will ever be excited to see snow. But with no intention of moving south, it was time to find the positives.

Snow forces us to slow down, literally, and figuratively. Lower road speeds are necessary. But snow also reminds us of the importance of arriving safely at our destination or making the difficult decision not to travel.

Winter is a time of respite for many of us in the Green Industry. Spring, summer and fall can bring long hours of hard work and time lost with family and friends. But winter is quieter, allowing us to catch up. Winter hobbies can be rediscovered.

I often miss the days when I worked on the perennial lot. My days were filled with pruning shears, watering hoses, and spiders.

Now that I have moved inside to Purchasing, I wish my toolkit included a crystal ball. With annual changes in trends and urban development, maintaining the correct levels of perennial stock can be a challenge. Each year, there seems to be a plant that I just cannot keep in stock. This season, it was Allium Millenium. Those large purple blooms were a HIT! But will they be “all the rage” next year?? Hard to say without that crystal ball.

Even with fall fast approaching, the goal is to have the perennial lot stocked with exactly what you need. That will include plenty of Allium Millenium, and all your other favorites. Fall stocking levels often dip slightly, but it is important that Christensen’s meets the needs of customers. If there is something specific you are looking for, please contact your salesperson and we will try to source it for you.

Spring may be months away, but this time of year, Christensen’s buyers are already looking ahead. Will it be a busy spring? How soon will I be able to bring in fresh material? Will it be a cold spring with lots of frost? Without that crystal ball, the best I can do is rely on past knowledge, make the best educated decision I can, which often becomes a mental coin toss. To ensure Christensen’s has what our customers need in the spring, the last loads in the fall are immediately put away into a house for safe keeping. That way, your spring needs are met before we even close the doors for the season.

Whether it is trying to fill fall needs or having the perfect number of Karl Foerster’s available for spring, my number one goal is to have spectacular perennials and grasses in the quantities you are looking for. Please communicate with your salesperson if you are looking for a large quantity, or something specific, and we will always do our best to make it happen! Happy Fall!

Euonymus alatus 'Compactus', otherwise known as Burning Bush, is what might come to mind when you hear the word "Euonymus." The bright red, fall foliage and its ability to make a seamless hedge in just a short amount of time has secured its spot as a staple plant for any landscape.

However, there is another member of the Genus that has made its mark on landscapes, Euonymus fortuneii, which couldn’t be more different than Burning Bush!

Euonymus fortuneii is more widely known as Wintercreeper. It is an evergreen shrub that comes in all kinds of shapes, sizes and colors. There are many varieties to choose from, and what makes it unique is that most of these varieties have eye-catching, variegated foliage. Here are a few that we carry here at Christensen's.

Euonymus fortuneii 'Emerald Gaiety'

Emerald Gaiety is a more upright variety of Wintercreeper. They will have green leaves with white margins, sometimes even getting a hint of pink to the leaves.

If there are any varieties that you are looking for not listed on our availability, let us know and we may be able to find it for you!

Who can be thinking about fall when temps remain in the 70s and 80s?  

Even with summer weather hanging on, there are plenty of signs of fall at Christensen's. Trees in the field and some plants in the shrub blocks have been putting on a show recently, turning on their fall colors. Soon, they’ll be dropping their leaves, and we’ll be selling you structure. 

Even while existing inventory is preparing for fall, fresh products are still arriving. We are excited for fall trees to start arriving in a few more weeks! They should have leaves when they arrive. We expect to ship:

• Amelanchier (service berry)
• Most Malus
• Linden (Little Leaf)
• Ginkgos
• Pear
• Maples such as Crimson King, Crimson Sunset and Autumn Blaze

Wishing you all a Happy Fall season!

Smarter Deliveries, Smoother Jobs

In landscaping, timing and coordination are everything. One late pallet can throw off your crew and cost you money. That’s why Christensen’s Plant and Hardscape Centers stocks plants, hardscape, drainage, and lighting—and can deliver them together!

Mixed loads save headaches:

• One ETA, one invoice, one vendor
• Less downtime waiting on material
• Allows more time for plant placement, leading to “upsell” opportunities.

Tips to help deliveries, and your jobsites, run smoothly

• Store plants in a water-accessible area, with shade if possible.
• Store adhesives and polymeric sand in a dry area, such as inside a truck or trailer.
• Stage materials in the order your crew will install them, moving items as few times as possible.

Your partner in sourcing premium materials

When a contractor designs projects mindful of the materials stocked at Christensen’s, it prevents delays and simplifies reorders. This, in turn, improves consistency and keeps projects moving. It also adds the potential of a single delivery.

At the end of the day, single-source purchasing isn’t just convenient, it’s strategic. Let Christensen’s Plant and Hardscape Centers manage the logistics, so your crew can focus on creating landscapes that impress.

White Pine, Iris versicolor, Prairie Dropseed, and American Beech in Southern Lower Michigan

When designing landscapes in Southern Lower Michigan (West Central/East Central/Southwest/Southeast), native plants offer unmatched ecological benefits and timeless beauty. Four species in particular—White Pine, Iris versicolor, Prairie Dropseed, and American Beech—stand out for their versatility, habitat value, and ability to root designs firmly in place. Each of these plants is native to the region, making them both resilient and ecologically significant.

Why Do Natives Matter?

These four species together represent the ecological and aesthetic diversity of Southern Lower Michigan. From the towering canopy of White Pine and Beech to the ground-level beauty of Iris and Prairie Dropseed, they illustrate how layered plantings create resilient, dynamic landscapes. Using native plants supports pollinators, improves soil health, conserves water, and connects landscapes to Michigan’s natural heritage.

For landscapers and homeowners alike, designing with natives like these ensures that plantings not only look beautiful, but also function as part of a larger, living system. By choosing White Pine, Iris versicolor, Prairie Dropseed, or American Beech, we help preserve the unique ecological identity of Southern Lower Michigan—one thoughtful planting at a time.

Information for this article was obtained from the following website: www.canr.msu.edu/nativeplants/plant_facts/local_info/south_lower_peninsula