Farplants pulled out all the stops to celebrate the tenth year of the HTA National Plant Show. Their interactive new plant display created a memorable experience to help launch new ranges. The company's latest innovations, Garden your Way to Wellbeing and Mounds and Mats, took centre stage. In addition, they entered two Geums into the New Plant awards.
Both Geum Fiery Tempest and Geum Coral Tempest received bronze Plant awards. However, Farplants won the visitor award for Best Herbaceous Perennial with Geum Fiery Tempest.
As well as featuring new plant introductions, they showcased two brand new ranges. Firstly, Garden your way to Wellbeing is a new collection of plants that can give a mood boost and create a sense experience. It is available in 2020 in the new taupe kerbside recyclable pots.
Secondly, they launched Mounds and Mats – a hit with the retailers at the show. Varieties that form irresistible cushions or tactile cascades, make up this collection. It is also available in 2020.
Award-winning new plant display
Farplants' interactive display captured visitors' imagination and helped promote the new ranges. They invited retailers to relax in the wellbeing garden, surrounded by calming plants and restful birdsong. Finally, the virtual reality experience transported the visitors to a rural oasis. As a result, the stand was very popular and they received the Planting the Seed award, which is given for the most inspiring display and concepts.
Brett Avery, Managing Director, is pleased with the response and positivity from the industry:
“It's our most successful show to date and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to visit us. I find the industry’s positivity truly infectious and it's wonderful to see new and old faces.
We are honoured to receive the visitor award for the Best Herbaceous Perennial for two years in a row. Last year Digitalis Firebird received this accolade and then went on to come second in the new plant award at Chelsea 2019.
We work hard to create new ranges that will capture the imagination of consumers. Above all, I am delighted with the response to our latest innovations and can’t wait to see them in centres across the country in 2020.”
New plant introductions
Geum Fiery Tempest
Geum ‘Fiery Tempest’ has vibrant 6cm red flowers. It is a cross between Geum Beechwood Apricot and Geum Red Dragon. Elizabeth McGregor made the cross and selected out in 2014. The sterile flowers appear from April on 50cm stems and continue over several weeks. Also, Geums are completely hardy across all parts of the UK and are easy to grow, which makes them an ideal choice for first time gardeners.
Geum Coral Tempest
Geum ‘Coral Tempest’ has vibrant 6cm peachy-coral flowers. Similarly to Geum Fiery Tempest, the sterile flowers appear from April on 50cm stems and continue over several weeks. In addition, the coral flower colouring adds to the spectrum of Geums which are now available to the public.
Nemesia Ayana
Ayana, meaning beautiful flower, is a pretty bi-coloured Nemesia with soft pink and rich salmon petals. Ayana is an annual which is perfect for borders or pots. Interestingly, it’s named after the granddaughter of a member of Farplants.
Nemesia Evening Dusk
Evening Dusk, is a striking new bi-coloured Nemesia with beautiful deep blue and rich cerise petals finished with a yellow eye. When in full flower, it has been described as the early evening sky.