Courtesy of Terra Nova
Theres something about old-fashioned flowerslike roses, peonies, and hydrangeasthat makes the heart happy.
Theres a trend toward nostalgia and comfort plants, says Katie Tamony, chief marketing officer of Monrovia nursery.
People are drawn to plants that remind them of simpler times."
Credit:Courtesy of Terra Nova
Some don’t bloom prolifically.
Some dont have much disease resistance or pest resistance.
Some have beendeclared invasive.
Credit:Monrovia / Doreen Wynja
They also have to be resistant to pests that are more prevalent due to achanging climate.
That’s where these new versions of old-fashioned plants come in.
With these varieties, you could have your dreamy, nostalgic landscape and your disease-resistance and heat-resistance, too.
Credit:Monrovia / Doreen Wynja
Lilacs
Monrovia / Doreen Wynja
Lilacsare one of springs classic blooming shrubs.
Thomas Jefferson grew lilacs, and Walt Whitman wrote about them.
you could grow it in a container or a small yard.
Credit:Monrovia / Doreen Wynja
Also consider:
Angel Whitelilac isa low-chill variety that can grow in climates with mild winters.
These varieties are also bred to resist powdery mildew that’s prevalent in warmer, wetter climates.
The newSeaside Serenadeseries features big, showy blooms on bushy, compact shrubs under 3 feet tall and wide.
Credit: Justin Hancock
They have stronger stems, more repeat blooms, and longer-lasting flowers than manyother hydrangea varieties.
The nine varieties in the Seaside Serenade series are named for coastal areas.
Pop Staris a newer member of the Endless Summer hydrangea series.
Credit:Better Homes & Gardens
It’s very disease resistant and reblooms through the season.
Begonias
Begoniaswere all the rage in the Victorian era and are having a moment again now.
Check outTectonic begonias,a series developed by plantsman Dan Hinkley.
Credit: Courtesy of Monrovia
Shangri-La(shown here) a standout in the Tectonic series.
It is a woodland perennial inUSDA Zones811 that hails from China.
Theres so much to love about this plant!
Credit:Dean Schoeppner
The crinkly leaves, the two-toned underside, the graphic pattern on dark leaves.
Silver Treasurebegonia hasotherworldly silver foliagewith burgundy undersides.
Its a perennial in Zone 811, so its more cold-hardy than some begonias.
Credit: Graham Jimerson
This begonia endures heat, too.
Reaching just 14 inches in height, its a good pick for container gardens and small yards.
Zinnias
This beloved annual flower is colorful, cheerful, and easy to grow.
Credit:Monrovia / Brandon Friend-Solis
They are an outstanding performer in heat and drought, Lacy says.
Theyre resistant to leaf spot and powdery mildew.
Oklahomais an update to a classic variety.
Credit:Monrovia / Doreen Wynja
Springshineis another dwarf forsythia that is covered with blooms in earliest spring.
Its drought tolerant and grows slowly, so needs little pruning.
Forsythia is considered invasive in some parts of the countryso check your local invasive plant lists before planting.
Roses
Roseslead the pack in our desire for nostalgic flowers.
Theres been a real resurgence in roses, Tamony says.
The name says it all, Tamony says.
These are tough, tough roses.
This line is self-cleaning, which means the blooms drop when they fade and die.
No tediousdeadheading for you.
Eau de Parfum roses are tough and fragrant, and they stay a compact 4 feet tall.
Heavenly Ascentroses are a series offragrant climbing roseswith good disease tolerance.
Peony
Dean Schoeppner
Romanticpeoniescome in three basic types: tree, herbaceous, and Itoh.
Of the three, theItohpeonies, also known as intersectional peonies, are the best suited for modern gardens.
Popular Itoh peony varieties includeGarden Treasure,Singing in the Rain, andKeiko(shown here).
They can be prone to rot, blight, and mildew.
They grow just a foot tall and 10 inches wide, perfect for containers or small flower beds.
New varieties are disease-resistant and come in a wide range of colors.
New echinacea varieties have more compact and sturdy stems, Tamony says.
Many have multiple hues of blooms on one plant.
This series is more tolerant of drought and humidity than older varieties of coneflower.
Prima Tigerconefloweris a hybridpacked with orange and red bi-color flowers.
This short, compact variety grows just 16 inches tall and is hardy in Zones 4-9.
Its more resistant to heat, humidity, and drought than older coneflower varieties.
Phenomenalis a French lavender hybrid that thrives in hot, humid climates in Zones 4-9.
It has good resistance to powdery mildew and is extremely cold-hardy.
Heat, cold, humidityyou name itthis plant can take it.
Ghostly Princesslavender has pink blooms on striking silvery foliage.
Its more modern looking than other lavenders, Tamony says.
Double Play Dooziespirea is a compact shrub that grows just 3 feet tall and 3 feet wide.
It produces no seeds, so it wont spread willy-nilly.
Its also drought-tolerant and disease-resistant.
