Trial Standouts at Welby Gardens
With so many events being canceled or rescheduled, I feel like I’m missing out on so much. Other than the plants in my own garden, I haven’t been able to see most of the new plant introductions unless it was via photography or video.
And I know most of you are experiencing the same FOMO (fear of missing out) as I am.
Luckily, most plant trials throughout the country are still going on. They may not be open for public events, but the trial managers are still growing, observing and making note of the top performers.
Pre-COVID, one of my favorite plant trials to attend was Welby Gardens in Arvada, Colorado. This year, the Welby Gardens Summer Flower Trials was originally scheduled to take place Aug. 5. Although the event was canceled, they continued to grow the plants for evaluation.
Representatives from breeding and broker companies, along with Welby staff members had the opportunity to evaluate the trial and vote for their favorites.
There was a total of 584 items in the trials, representing submissions from Ball FloraPlant, Beekenkamp, Benary, Danziger, Darwin Perennials, Dümmen Orange, PanAmerican Seed, Proven Winners, Selecta One, Suntory Flowers, Syngenta Flowers, Takii, Westhoff and All-America Selections.
The top winners were:
1) Salvia greggii ‘Mirage Rose Bicolor’ (Darwin Perennials)
2) Osteospermum ‘4D Yellow’ (Selecta One)
2) Zinnia ‘Red & Yellow Bicolor’ (AAS entry)
3) Argyranthemum ‘Madeira Crested Hot Pink’ (Suntory)
3) Begonia ‘Nonstop Sunset’ (Benary)
3) Cuphea ‘Hummingbird’s Lunch’ (Dümmen Orange)
3) Osteospermum ‘Sunshine Beauty’ (Ball FloraPlant)
3) Petunia ‘Headliner Crystal Sky’ (Selecta One)
4) Coleus ‘Main Street La Rambla 2020’ (Dümmen Orange)
4) Geranium ‘Caldera Salmon’ (Syngenta Flowers)
4) Hypoestes ‘Hippo Pink’ (Proven Winners)
4) Ipomoea ‘Sweet Carolina Medusa Green’ (Proven Winners)
4) Petunia ‘Shock Wave Purple Tie Dye’ (PanAmerican Seed)
4) Salvia nemorosa ‘Marvel Rose’ (Darwin Perennials)
Have you had a chance to visit any trials this summer? If so, which varieties stood out? Will you be adding any new introductions to your production this upcoming season? Shoot me an email and let me know; I’d love to hear from you.
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