According to

Michael Petrie, designer of J. Franklin Styer's perennial Best in Show

winners at the Philadelphia Flower Show, texture is a design staple.

"The great

landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted sought the texture of specific

blooms rather than their particular variety to create some of his renowned

gardens and parks," he said.

Five new varieties

from the expanding repertoire of Ball Horticultural's Simply Beautiful

annuals feature both rich colors and stunning texture. These flowers and

are selected because they are easy to grow and create a big impact, making

them a sure success in any garden.

Simply Beautiful

Purple Majesty lives up to its regal name by capturing the Gold Medal

at the 2003 All American Selections. Purple Majesty is ornamental millet

that grows ups to five feet tall, making it a terrific center plant or

a striking backdrop for any variety of other colors, such as the blush,

pink or lavender selections from the Simply Beautiful Butterfly Pentas

series.

Simply Beautiful

AngelMist looks like an orchid, but is actually related to the snapdragon

family. Blooming in seven rich colors (purple stripe, lavender improved,

lavender pink, light pink, purple improved and white improved) and growing

on 18-30 inch spikes, this angelonia provides a sense of vertical depth

that compliments its vibrant colors and petal pattern.

With its double

flower, the near perfect "roses" of Simply Beautiful Fiesta

double impatiens turn your plot or pot into instant elegance. Choose from

a palette that includes Salsa Red, Burgundy Rose, Coral Bells, Purple

Pinata and Stardust Lavender or the breathtaking creamy white and cherry

red swirls of Fiesta Sparker Cherry.

As its name

implies, Simply Beautiful Purple Knight presents a tough-as-nails look

that gives your garden its marching orders from spring until first frost.

Another vertical over-achiever, this deep purple alternanthera reaches

a height of 16-20 inches and spreads two to three feet wide, adding great

folilage interest to containers or beds.

Finally, you

can add the perfect finishing touch to your mixed containers with Simply

Beautiful Silver Falls, a shimmering plant that not only cascades over

the edges of your containers, but appears to be trying to plummet to the

ground. Homeowners who try this cool new dichondra in mixed containers

will look like they have a degree in horticulture and design.

Silver Falls

can also be used as a colorful ground cover in front of Purple Knight

or mixed with AngelMist to create both sharp definition and contrast.

Whatever textures

and color combinations you choose, these new varieties from the abundant

nursery of Simply Beautiful can lend an aura of professional artistry

to your garden.

For more information

or answers to your flower questions from experts at the National Gardening

Association, log on to www.simplybeautifulgardens.com.

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