Trialing Across the Atlantic
Last month, I had the opportunity to travel to Germany and The Netherlands to visit some of the exhibitors during the Week 24 European Flower Trials. While colleagues have shared stories of their own experiences at the trials, I had no idea what to expect. I assumed it would be somewhat similar to the California Spring Trials, and it was, but there were still some notable differences.
At the Flower Trials, the German and Dutch breeders are on their home turf, which was fascinating since they are typically rather limited in what they can show in California. In Europe, their displays had no limits.
The display game was certainly on point. I loved learning about all the retail programs and taking in the inspiring vision the breeders showcased, like the one in Dümmen Orange’s “Kindergarten” display for young gardeners or Beekenkamp’s edibles program for the foodies.
The one constant, though, between the two events is that the new varieties are the stars of the show. While many of the varieties were on display in California in April, some breeders wait until Week 24 to debut certain products. It’s also helpful to see some of the varieties from Spring Trials in a different environment and grown at a different time of year.
Here are some of my favorites from this year’s Flower Trials:
Cuphea Floriglory (Westhoff)
The new Floriglory series was definitely one of the highlights at the Westhoff stop. These plants are loaded with flowers, about four or five times more floriferous than traditional cuphea on the market. They are also very early to flower.
Petunia ‘Crazytunia Good Night Kisses’ (Westhoff)
Crazytunias have been around for a few years now, but the collections continues to expand and impress with its eye-catching display of color. This new variety features burgundy flowers with a cream edge.
Geranium ‘Cassiopeia’ (PAC)
Probably one of PAC’s biggest introductions this year, ‘Cassiopeia’ is an interspecific geranium similar to top-selling interspecifics on the market, but it has much smaller foliage and therefore easier to control.
Geranium ‘Darko Spanish Wine Rosé’ (PAC)
The Darko line is increasing in popularity due to its dark foliage and easy-to-ship compact habit. The dark leaves and bright blooms present well at retail. Plus, the leaves never really yellow.
Chrysanthemum ‘Rossano Princess Charlotte’ (Beekenkamp)
Named after Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, this new chrysanthemum boasts large pink flowers and petals tipped with green. A portion of the royalties go to the East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, which cares for children with life-threatening conditions.
Lavender Flirt (Beekenkamp)
Lavender is a new product category for Beekenkamp. The new Flirt series is a big hit with pollinators. Because of its compact habit, usage of this lavender is endless, from grower to end consumer. It is ideal for 5- to 8-inch pots.
Have you attended the European Flower Trials? What do you look forward to seeing while abroad? Shoot me an email at jdolce@greatamericanpublish, and let me know. I’d love to hear from you.
To learn more about my trip to Europe, be sure to check out my upcoming article in the August issue of GPN.
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