8 New Plants Coming To Garden Centers Next Year You'll Want To Add To Your Yard

Plant breeding has been a practice for at least 12,000 years, but it's only been in the past 100 years that more advanced scientific methods like sequencing DNA genomes have been used. It's not just scientists developing better food crops. Plant breeders, gardeners, farmers, and hobbyists worldwide try their hand at creating new varieties of flowers, berries, ornamentals, and even grasses. Now, gardeners look forward to each year's new crop of cultivars, anticipating which they'll choose to bring a touch of color to their garden or extra hardiness to a bushy border. New cultivars for 2026 include variations on old favorites like petunias and delphinium, a first for lilacs, a shade-loving yew, and a prolific hydrangea.

Proven Winners is an international group of plant experts working with breeders, university horticulturists, and individuals to bring new cultivars to market. Many of the new plants are modified to be more disease and pest-resistant and to tolerate drought and extremes in temperature more readily than their previous versions. Annuals, perennials, and shrubs are among the 70 new plant varieties that Proven Winners has introduced for 2026.

The 2026 cultivar of Texas primrose, Oenothera 'Superlophus Sunglow', tolerates 100 degrees Fahrenheit temperatures and is one of several new plants that will thrive without much water. The bright yellow flowers of this easy-to-care-for annual, hardy in zones 8 through 10, attract pollinators and resist deer. This low-maintenance annual thrives in hot, dry, sunny climates but also does well in the hot and humid Southeast and Midwest, where it blooms until the first frost. Once this primrose cultivar is established, it doesn't need much attention.

Another old favorite with new features is the white mophead hydrangea, 'Incrediball Storm Proof' (Hydrangea arborescens). This compact shrub has prolific blooms that won't droop after heavy rain, and is hardy in zones 3 through 8. This low-maintenance shrub grows about 4 feet tall and spreads 3 to 4 feet wide in full or part sun, though it prefers full sun. Pollinators love the masses of blooms. When planting, keep in mind how much space a hydrangea needs in the garden, and position it accordingly.

Rosa 'Reminiscent Yellow' should satisfy every gardener's demand for a fragrant, healthy, yellow rose that's fully petaled. Disease-resistant 'Reminiscent Yellow' is hardy in zones 4 through 9 and only needs pruning and fertilizing once a year. This long-blooming rose grows to about 4 feet tall in full sun and acidic soil. It has average water needs and requires moderate maintenance. Deadheading of spent blooms isn't required for continuous blooming from summer through fall. Grow it as part of a mass planting, in containers, or as a border plant.

The latest addition to Proven Winners' petunia collection is 'Supertunia Vista Cool Jazz'. The flowers on this annual sport a new color — a pale, pastel orchid pink that blooms continuously and doesn't require deadheading to produce new flowers. Hardy in zones 10 through 11, the large, mounding plants work well in the landscape, and they're perfect for hanging baskets. Cool Jazz grows up to 24 inches tall and spreads up to 3 feet in full or partial sun. Established plants are heat-tolerant and only need fertilization in the spring.

Perennial 'Bloomerang Showmound' (Syringa x pubescens) is the first dwarf reblooming lilac, and the first Bloomerang cultivar to have white flowers. It's hardy in zones 3 through 7, disease-resistant, and pleasantly fragrant. This sun-loving lilac blooms in spring and then again from midsummer through autumn. Give the bush a light trim after its springtime bloom, but leave it alone the rest of the year. Like all lilacs, 'Showmound' won't tolerate wet roots, so make sure the plant has good drainage. It can be planted in containers or used in borders or mass plantings.

The 'Stonehenge Yew' (Taxus x media), hardy in zones 4 through 7, is an evergreen shrub that grows up to 12 feet tall and spreads 4 feet wide, at its maturity. Its tall, narrow form means that it doesn't need pruning, and it works well as a hedge or a specimen, standing alone in the landscape. It also provides a touch of elegance to a patio or terrace when grown in a container. If you live in an area with a significant deer population, this yew is probably not for you, because it isn't deer-resistant.

'Violets are Blue' hybrid delphinium (Delphinium elatum) has fragrant blue flowers with a white bee — the name for the black or white center of the bloom. This perennial delphinium cultivar, hardy in zones 3 through 7, has sturdy stems that easily bear the weight of the tall flowers. The 3-foot-tall plants bloom in summer, attracting pollinators, while resisting rabbits and deer. Plant them in full or partial sun. They work well as a mid-size plant to add height to a border or as part of a mass planting.

'Catwalk Queen' (Nepeta spp.), a perennial hardy in zones 3 through 8, is another heat and drought-tolerant new plant. Its oversized, fragrant, purple flowers bloom continuously, providing sustenance for bees and butterflies, while resisting deer and rabbits. When planted in average soil and full sun in a consistently hot and dry garden space, it will bloom nonstop from late spring through summer. The sturdy plant works well as a vividly-colored border. Keep in mind that 'Catwalk Queen' is a catmint that, when bruised, will release the odor that some cats crave.