Help Keep Gardens Buzzing
I’m currently taking in the sights and sounds of the final day at Cultivate’16 — some of you are probably doing the same. There are many buzz words and trends out there on the trade show floor here in Columbus, but one that continues to resonate with all my peers is: pollinators.
Pollinator health has been an increasingly popular issue over the past couple of years, and exhibitors and educators here at the show are talking about it and sharing whatever information they have with attendees.
Some of the breeders have displays dedicated to pollinator-friendly plants, and many speakers are bringing up the topic during educational sessions.
Pollinator gardens are becoming increasingly popular with consumers, and you can certainly do your part by offering pollinator-friendly plants to your customers.
If you’re trying to decide which plants to add to your production next season, look no further. Here are some recent introductions that will bring bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to the garden.
Pentas BeeBright (Syngenta Flowers)
This new compact series of pentas features strong vigor and branching in the landscape. The varieties are uniform in size and offer continuous flowering for high impact at retail.
Salvia ‘Magic Wand’ (Danziger)
Ideal for use in pots and in the garden, ‘Magic Wand’ boasts tall spikes and lots of color. The beautiful dark blue flowers bloom constantly from spring throughout fall. It is naturally full and compact.
Calamintha ‘Variegata’ (Hishtil)
This aromatic, evergreen perennial is hardy to Zone 5 and features a rounded habit. It has small lilac-blue flowers, and cream-white splashes appear on its foliage.
Lavender LaVela (Selecta)
The new LaVela series flowers four weeks earlier than most Lavandula stoechas. It has a tight habit and great branching for quart and gallon containers. Three colors are available; Dark Violet is pictured.
Gerbera ‘Garvinea Sweet Caroline’ (Florist Holland)
Sweet Caroline is a robust garden plant with generous non-stop flowering from early spring until first frost. It has high resistance to pests and diseases and is tolerant to both cold and hot weather conditions.
Angelonia ‘Angelface Super Blue’ (Proven Winners)
This new angelonia blooms all season, is heat and drought tolerant, and requires little maintenance. It features bright blue flowers and grape-scented foliage.
Are your customers requesting pollinator-friendly plants? Have you seen an increase in sales within this category? Shoot me an email, and let me know. I’d love to hear from you.
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