I know January isn’t always your favourite time to go plant shopping, the weather is cold, the soil often wet or frozen and you have to convince yourself that all that bundling up is worth the outdoor excursion. Then there’s the availability problem, actually finding what you are looking for, as those cutting-edge plant introductions are often delayed or not shipped to the nursery until spring.
You can avoid all these inconveniences by simply going to our Amsterdam Garden Centre website and shopping online from the comfort of home. There you will find all those new plant introductions available for you to purchase and reserve until they arrive, at which time we will contact you to let you know they are ready for pick-up.
2026 is going to be a big year for plant debuts, both edible and floral, and here are a few that I am really looking forward to.
Clematis ‘Vancouver Blue Lion’
Although developed back in 2013, we are just getting our first taste of this stunning ruffled violet-blue double with glowing magenta edges. This introduction from Clearview Clematis is suitable for containers and blooms from May to June, reflowering in September. Grows 6-9’ tall. Hardy to USDA zone 4.
📸 Clearview Horticultural Products
Acer palmatum ‘Mikazuki’
You can expect to be impressed by this rare upright Japanese maple whose name translates as ‘Crescent Moon’. The deeply serrated foliage emerges a glowing pink in spring, accented by very dark green veining and margins. Of course, the show doesn’t end there, as it brightens autumn with rich gold to orange foliar hues. Grows 10’ tall. Hardy to USDA zone 5.
📷 MK Lascelle
Australian Blood Lime
A very rare citrus hybrid derived from a cross of a red finger lime (Citrus australasica var. sanguinea) and either a Rangpur lime or the Ellendale hybrid mandarin. The resulting fruit is a 2”-long burgundy-red egg-shaped citrus with pink-tinged flesh that has a spicy blood orange/ lime flavour with a hint of berry and floral notes. Grows 5-8’ tall. Hardy to USDA zone 9.
📸 CarlDaviesCSIROWikimedia
Peony ‘Catharina Fontijn’
A hard-to-find heritage herbaceous peony which was first introduced in Holland back in 1952. It produces large, fully double blooms of soft pink which fade to white, often giving it a two-toned effect. These are sweetly fragrant and can change color from year to year, depending upon environmental conditions. Grows 36” tall. Hardy to USDA zone 2.
📸 Irenelik Pixabay
Hydrangea ‘Hot Sauce’
This dwarf ‘firecracker’ of a panicle hydrangea produces an explosion of cone-shaped blooms that emerge white and gradually fade to an eye-catching reddish pink, with color that lasts for months on end. A great choice for full sun exposures, container culture or even smaller urban landscapes. Grows 2-3’ tall and wide. Hardy to USDA zone 5.
📸 Bloomin' Easy
Persimmon ‘Prairie Gem’
Imagine heavy crops of slightly smaller but sweet, orange-tinted seedless fruits on a tree that is cold hardy enough to grow in the BC interior. This American persimmon (Diospyros virginiana) is also self-fertile and comes into bearing much earlier than its Japanese counterparts, often in its 2nd or 3rd year. Grows 12’ tall with pruning. Hardy to USDA zone 4.
📸 manseok_Kim Pixabay
Variegated Dogwood ‘Akatsuki’
While not a new introduction for 2026, these beautifully variegated dogwoods trees are in such short supply that anytime I can secure a few, it’s a reason to celebrate. Expect white variegated foliage (often flushed in pink) on this Cornus kousa ‘Satomi’ sport, with rose coloured flower bracts that are beautifully edged in a delicate pastel pink. It is best planted in partial shade, out of hot afternoon sun, in order to avoid foliar scorch. Grows 10-15’ tall. Hardy to USDA zone 5.
📸 Heritage Seedlings
Helleborus ‘Whirlwind Romance’
An exciting new introduction from the Wedding Party series, ‘Whirlwind Romance’ promises fully double white blooms heavily overlaid in rich burgundy veins and edges. The two-tone effect of this Lenten Rose will be drawing the attention of every avid gardener starting from late winter and well into spring. Grows 18-24” wide. Hardy to USDA zone 4.
📸 Walters Gardens Inc.
Clematis ‘Crystal Fountain’
Evison Clematis has turned heads yet again with this natural mutation of ‘H.F. Young’ which was originally developed in Japan. Expect a very compact vine (suitable for containers) with unique frilled flowers featuring a prominent silvery-mauve petaloid boss over slightly darker petals. Grows 5-8’ tall. Hardy to USDA zone 4.
📸 Raymond Evison Images
Finger Lime ‘D’Emerald’
Finger Limes are the caviar of citrus and in my opinion, some of the hardest plants to find at any time of the year due to extremely high demand. This particular variety is compact and produces black sausage-like fruits which contain vesicles or translucent beads with a sweet / tart lemon-lime flavour. We have an unprecedented 8 varieties of finger limes in stock right now including pink, red and yellow cultivars. Grows 4-5’ tall. Hardy to USDA zone 9.
📸 MK Lascelle
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