Name: Variegated Spreading Salmon Sunpatiens

Type of Plant: This variety of Sunpatiens forms a nice rounded plant that grows about 18” high and 20” wide. The yellow and green foliage perfectly offset the salmon colored flowers.

Why I love this plant: The bold foliage of this annual is a great contrast to finer foliaged perennials and annuals. The combination of foliage and flower color brighten up a flower bed from planting to hard frost. No pinching and no deadheading required!

A Word to the Wise: Sunpatiens can grow in the sun or part shade but make sure they get at least 3 hours of sun for best blooming. Like many annuals these do well when planted with a combination of equal parts time-release synthetic fertilizer and an organic granular such as Plant-tone. Scatter that mix on the surface of the soil in a 20” diameter area before planting and your fertilization is set for the entire season.

Here is how this Sunpatiens looked in July. I love the contrast between the rounded form of the Sunpatiens and the finer textures of the lavender, Nepeta and Calamintha.

In August the Sunpatiens are larger and more flower-filled. They carry the garden through several months when the perennials come and go.

In October? The variegated salmon Sunpatiens are still going strong! Truthfully, if you want great fall color in a garden, plant annuals. Note: the blue Ageratum ‘Blue Horizon’ in this photo will even go through light frost, as will the white Snow Princess Lobularia.