British industry votes for its favourite 2016 season varieties
However, the varieties which received the most flags once again leaned heavily towards ‘New Varieties’, suggesting the market continues to hunger for innovative new plant products as Growers and Retailers look to stay one step ahead of the trend.
Here are three of this year’s shining stars voted for by 2,000 visitors:
NEW 2016 Coleus ‘Campfire’ (P)
This Coleus is on Fire!
The highly decorative foliage of Coleus Campfire brings a vibrant new addition to our premium Coleus collection.
The bright, eye-catching orange foliage of this new variety is perfect for the sunny patio plant market. Its vibrancy really intensifies in full sun and looks great in partial shade.
What’s more, this stunning Coleus provides months of colour without a single flower. It is a late flowering variety, which means the foliage looks as sharp and clean at the end of the season as it does at the end.
A fantastic foliage plant to create the most stunning of combination planters, or simply planted on their own for high colour impact.
This is a big bold plant with a garden height of 36-91cm and spread of 61- 91cm.
Ideal for 1 to 2 litre premium pots, producing a high quality saleable plant in just 5-6 weeks.
Available as a large ‘pinched’ Ball 66 plug, delivery weeks 12-18. A high impact colour Ball label is supplied with the plugs.
NEW 2016 Osteospermum ‘3D Violet Ice’
Eye-Popping Blooms!
The most popular colour in our new series of 3D Osteospermum is Violet Ice…a real head turner!
3D will without doubt create real ‘wow’ at retail. This significant improvement over previous forms of Osteospermum looks stunning with its unique double flowers appealing plant shape.
Because it has a real double flower, the outer petals simply cannot close under low light levels. So unlike other Osteo’s, the 3D flower always stays open which means Garden Centres can maximise every hour they are open to sell this beauty straight off the bench in colour.
3D can be finished in production under very cool conditions making not only a better quality plant as a result, but also an excellent low energy premium crop to grow. Ideal for any pot size from 10.5cm to a 13cm pot.
Garden height is 25-35cm, making this a tidy patio plant for most sized gardens.
Osteospermum 3D is available in 5 colours; Lemon Ice, Purple, Silver, Violet Ice and Yellow. It is available as a Ball 84 plugs, weeks 8-16. A high impact colour Ball label is supplied with the plants.
NEW 2016 Petunia ‘Night Sky’
A Rising Star for Retail sales!
Petunia Night Sky really shines in baskets and containers with the white spots on the dark violet flowers looking like an ever-changing constellation in the night sky.
It’s easy to see why this new variety just recently received the 2015 Fleurostar Award. It is simply an extraordinary new colour pattern. An absolute first for Petunia, perfect as a stand-alone item and already looks to be rising star in Garden Centres this coming season!
Night Sky has a vigorous, semi-trialing habit with excellent branching and early flowering, making it a perfect plant for patio baskets and containers. We recommend growing this variety in a 10.5cm to 13cm pot.
Good specific cultural information is available for Growers to get the very best plant habit and flower quality.
Available in a Ball 84 plug tray with high impact colour labels available.
What is the Blue Flag survey?
The ‘Blue Flag’ survey is a measurable study that identifies sales opportunities right through the supply chain and enables Ball Colegrave customers to determine what varieties are “favourites” as visitors place a blue flag beside their favourite plant. Over 1,500 blue flags were placed this year during trade and public days.
Check out all the results here.