Whenever I visit Matterhorn Nursery in Pomona, I always enjoy seeing what Noah Schwartz is up to. He’s the head grower there and he’s often way ahead of everybody else when it comes to new and unusual plants.

So I figured a visit to his Congers garden yesterday would be a treat, filled with stuff I hadn’t seen elsewhere. Here’s Noah, in front of his giant hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Tardiva’).

Along with Joan Gussow, he’s another of my good gardeners that I’m writing about for our Rockland magazine.

A newish coleus in the Kong series, right near the driveway:

It comes in six colors, Noah says.

A big stand of ornamental grass called Miscanthus ‘Cosmopolitan’:

Noah has lots of tropicals in the yard. Musa ‘Siam Ruby’ (banana):

It’s not hardy for us; amazing color combination on a single plant.

Canna ‘Cleopatra’:

Begonia boliviensis ‘Bonfire,’ a new tuberous begonia that can take full sun:

A new Mexican petunia called ‘Purple Showers’ (Ruellia brittoniana):

The purple blooms just last for a day:

Watch for this guy next year, too:

It’s an annual succulent native to Australia called Ptilotus ‘Joey.’ You’re on your own as far as pronunciation.

It’s in a bed of succulents and cacti, right by the front door:

Chocolate cosmos:

It smells vaguely like chocolate; what a color!

Zinnias, grown from seed:

Hakonechloa grass:

This grass that’s native to Japan can take absolutely full shade. Look at how it lights up a dark area. Deer resistant, too.

Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’:

This annual seems to thrive in full shade or full sun. (Noah has it in both, just to see how it performs.) Great plant—I had some in my garden last year.

ColorFlash astilbe from Anthony Tesselaar:

I have this one, too. His is much better.

A great container near the front door, next to Shasta daisy ‘Broadway Lights’ (great plant) and sitting on top of creeping Jenny:

I’m pretty sure the red-flowered plant is cuphea ‘Samba’ in the Flamenco series, from Proven Winners, with a new grass called Cordyline Festival Grass.

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I want this plant. Great form and great burgundy color.

The larger bed:

More containers.

Noah and his crew put together more than 2,000 containers a year at the nursery.

I always like to see people with front-yard gardens, right out on the street for all to see and appreciate.

A really tall sunflower.

Holy bananas, Batman! Look at this hardy banana tree right out on the street.

It’s a Japanese fiber banana called Musa Basjoo and Noah says he cuts it back almost to the ground every winter and covers it with a few inches of mulch. It’s his neighbors’ favorite. No wonder.