Strawberry 'Berri Basket Pink'

Soft pink flowers cover the tops and sides for a pretty presentation

Over the past few years, we found that the Strawberry hanging basket has been rising in popularity. Strawberries handle the cold easily and they are becoming more popular as early season offerings. We’ve found a variety with several desirable qualities, ‘Berri Basket Pink’. It has pink flowers, short but trailing fruit, and a nice mounding habit. As a hanging basket, it delivers a sound product—see if you agree with us.

Individual flowers take a bigger role on Melampodium ‘Jackpot Gold’

If you’re familiar with ‘Million Gold’ you probably think of it as a low growing green with lots of cute yellow dots. ‘Jackpot Gold’ is the supersized version. It’s suitable for front-of-bed plantings or filler status in a container.

For ‘Jackpot Gold’ the individual flowers take on a bigger role. Each is about one or two inches wide and a cheerful butter golden color, composed of a flat disc with a round little knob in the center. Blooms are self-cleaning so the plant is an easy care option as well.

A consistent head of yellow throughout the hot, humid days of summer

This variety seeks to provide a consistent head of yellow through the summer months. It’s good about those hot, humid days, and grows equally well in both beds and containers for full sun. Soil preference tends toward the dry side. A light haircut across the top is well tolerated—blooms pop right back in among the green foliage.

‘Jackpot Gold’ grows about 8–10 inches in height, give or take an inch. It’s a little bushier than ‘Million Gold’ so spread the plants out about 14–16 inches center-to-center, depending on whether you like a tight or loose fit to your garden. Logical plantings would be the front of gardens, along pathways, or places where color is needed low to the ground.