FlowerFull Smooth Hydrangea from First Editions Collection/Bailey Nurseries is billed as a flower-making machine with two- to three- times more blooms than other smooth hydrangeas. (Photo by Kathy Jentz)

Looking out my home office window, there is still a layer of crusty snow on the ground — but I know spring will be here soon!.
It might look quiet at your local garden centers and nurseries at this time of year, but they are busy spending the winter months preparing for the growing season ahead by ordering new products, gathering inspiration, and collecting knowledge.
Many of them were attending the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show, known in the industry as MANTS.
This year’s event was held in Baltimore on Jan. 8-10.
I attend MANTS each year as a garden communicator and I get an early look at the new offerings that may be for sale this year at a local garden center near you.
I’m craving getting out in my garden again and made a beeline for anything in bloom at the trade show, so let me start with the new plants I learned about at the event.
The biggest plant debut at the show was the Hydrangea arborescens FlowerFull Smooth Hydrangea from First Editions Collection/Bailey Nurseries.
What makes this plant unique is that it is truly a flower-making machine with two- to three- times more blooms than other smooth hydrangeas!
It is also more compact than “Annabelle” and the stems are sturdy so the flowers won’t flop under the weight of those big blooms.
Star Roses and Plants had several introductions.
The one that really caught my eye was the New Age Pink Flush Syringa (Syringa vulgaris).
This is a compact lilac that flowers in pale-pink tones with that marvelous lilac scent we all know and love. It can easily be container grown and is mildew-resistant.
How about a Foxglove that is truly perennial? Darwin Perennials showed a new addition to its Arctic Fox line called ‘Lemon Cream.’
It is a pale-yellow as you’d expect from that name and is hardy from zones 5 to 9.
The Digitalis hybrid is a terrific choice for a pollinator garden as it attracts bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
It also flowers all season long unlike most perennials that bloom for just a few weeks each year.
Among the new products I saw was Forest Gold from PindStrup.
Basically, it is a wood fiber that can be used in gardening similarly to peat moss and other soil additives.
It is Certified Organic and sustainably sourced.
The wood fiber can be mixed in with other soils to lighten and add aeration for plant roots as well as holding in moisture.
Another soil additive I was fascinated by was GeoGo Xtreme Bokashoi Compost.
It is an aged and blended compost, enhanced with select, ripened ingredients, such as microbiology, beer water, biochar, rock dust, manure, and molasses.
According to the GeoGo product sheet, “These ingredients assist in providing plants the ability to uptake and process nutrients from the organic matter within the soil thus allowing the plant to thrive and to better defend itself from disease.”
To learn more about it and the studies that prove its effectiveness in growing plants, go to https://geogosoils.com/.
On the houseplant side of things, I was intrigued by the ECO Green Plant Wash. It cleans, shines, and supports plant health, all in one step — without the need for wiping.
It is enzyme-based, so unlike oil-based products, ECO Green avoids the harmful coating of leaves, roots, and soil, which can disrupt plants’ natural ability to thrive. It also avoids the problem of getting sticky oils on your clothing and furniture when you spray it on your houseplants.
One that caught my eye was a ground recycled glass from Organic Mechanics.
This product can be used as a soil top dressing on houseplants or outdoors. It can be used in crafts and terrariums.
What I especially like is that it comes from bottles collected around the city of Philadelphia and immediately puts them to re-use.
Visiting the displays at MANTS always leaves me ready and recharged for the coming growing season.
I look forward to trying out these new plants and products in my own garden and hope you will add a few to yours as well!
(Editor’s note: Kathy Jentz hosts the GardenDC Podcast and is the Editor/Publisher of Washington Gardener Magazine. She is the co-author of “The Urban Garden: 101 Ways to Grow Food and Beauty in the City” and author of “Groundcover Revolution.”.)