A pink ‘Annabelle’ has come on the garden scene and is introduced by Proven Winners Plants. I am growing them and they bloom from Spring through frost. When the plant is young the blooms overwhelm the plant a bit but as the plant matures it grows into itself. The stems get strong and blooms are produced on the plant for several months. In my zone 7 garden the ‘Invincibelle’ hydrangea blooms in full sun untill frost. It has been blooming since I planted it in May. The blooms are huge and very showy.

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The photos in the post are from the new media information I recieved from Proven Winners. Wish I could take credit and aren’t they grand? I’m proud to tell you this ‘Invincibelle’ is a North Carolina native. Dr. Tom Ranney at the Mountain Hortaculture Crop Research and Development Center at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC and his talented students have brought us this repeat blooming hydrangea.

Richard Olsen, a graduate student, was hiking in the Appalachian mountains and discovered a pink lace cap. He brought a cutting back to the center where a team of students under the direction of Dr. Ranney grew this beautiful new variety. Proven Winners has teamed with the Breast Research Foundation on a campaign to help find the cure for breast cancer. For every plant sold, a dollar is donated to the cause.

The invincible spirit of this reblooming hydrangea is a reminder for us to continually hope and donate so a cure for this disease can be found. You all know I love Proven Winners Plants and this week I had the privilege of meeting Danielle Ernest and Janice Limbaugh from that company. Danielle, the public relations person for Proven Winners, discovered my blog about two years ago and contacted me about trialing the new cultivars and then writing about them. I had been growing their plants for the previous 5 years so I jumped at the chance.

This is me( after a day in the 100 humidity of a hot Sept. NC) and Danielle at the 2009 Garden Writers Symposium in Raleigh, North Carolina.  I was thrilled to finally meet the person behind all the phone and email conversations. Thank you Danielle and Janice for the nice PW gifts and plants over the years. I have and will continue to enjoy my journey with Proven Winners. This photo is a bit empty looking and I would love to showcase how pretty it was with the pink market bags and ‘Invincibelle Spirit’ hydrangea—-but people flocked to this site and wiped them clean. In fact, they were gone on both days within the first hour we were allowed on the floor. Everyone was carrying around a pink market bag.

To see how this booth was created and color choices made—visit Helen @ Gardening with Confidence. From flee markets to paint selection—-this is how it came together! HERE This booth was spectacular when the pink bags filled with the ‘Invincibelle’ hydrangeas were added.