Proven Winners ColorChoice shrubs earn two 2019 Green Thumb Awards

© Proven Winners

The Direct Gardening Association (formerly called the Mailorder Gardening Association) has presented Proven Winners ColorChoice Illuminati Tiny Tower Philadelphus and Peppy Le Pom Punica granatum, with 2019 Green Thumb Awards for best new plants in the plants, bulbs and seeds division.

Selected for its narrow, columnar habit and unique four-sided "tower" effect, Illuminati Tiny Tower mock orange features hundreds of fragrant white flowers along dramatically upright branches, each nestled within dark green foliage. Reaching heights of 3-4’ and a width of 1.5’ the new cultivar of Philadelphus coronarius is hardy to zones 4-7.

Peppy Le Pom ornamental pomegranate is a dwarf shrub that blooms early and all summer long, peppered with bright orange blooms that give way to small, ornamental fruit. Hardy in zones 7-10, this plant reaches heights of 3-4’ and a width of 3’. 

© Proven Winners

Both plants are new introductions by Spring Meadow Nursery and are results of the work of in-house breeders Tim Wood (Illuminati Tiny Tower Philadelphus) and Megan Mathey (Peppy Le Pom Punica granatum).

These wins follow the 2018 Green Thumb Award for Spring Meadow Nursery's Proven Winners ColorChoice Invincibelle Wee White hydrangea, a dwarf variety of Hydrangea arborescens.

Winners of the 2019 Green Thumb Awards were chosen by an independent panel of garden writers and editors. The winning products were selected based on their uniqueness, technological innovation, ability to solve a gardening problem, or provide a gardening opportunity and potential appeal to gardeners.

The Green Thumb Awards recognize outstanding new garden products available by mail or online. The awards are sponsored by the Direct Gardening Association, a nonprofit association of companies that sell garden products directly to consumers via catalogs and websites.