This Week In The Trial Garden-June 14, 2012

Trial Garden Open House

We are putting the final touches for the Trial Gardens open house next week (Thursday June 21) and your visit on the 19^th and 20th. This month’s ratings and pictures are online at http://www.metrolinagreenhouses.com/testgarden.aspx. 

Plant Of The Week

We are going “plant geek” this week with The Plant of The Week. Incarvillea (Incarvillea delavayi) Cheron Pink is an interesting plant from PanAmerican. It is seed produced annual (there are perennial Incarvillea/Hardy Gloxinia). This plant has filled its space in the beds and has a nice wispy appearance with pink flowers. It seems to be holding up to the heat and rain. The ones growing in containers are also doing nicely (middle picture). We did have it in the garden last year (http://www.metrolinagreenhouses.com/testgarden/1276.aspx) and it did not last very well through the summer so we will need to see how it does this season.

 Plant Of The Year Trial (Our Mini Test Garden)

The “Plant of the Year” trial is up and running. 60 consumers from around the country were selected from our Home Garden Panel to receive 15 plants to grow in their garden. The plants went out 5/22/2012 and we have already gotten some pictures back (photo right courtesy of Lori A. a 51-60 age female from Palm Crest Florida) on how they are using them. I was pleased with how excited these people were to be involved in this process.

We will be getting their votes and final pictures in middle of July. We have planted the same plants in the test garden and we will be getting industry votes during our open house, my ratings and yours.

The plants in the “contest”, selected by the individual companies are:

Common	Series	Color	Supplier
Geranium	Calliope	Dark Red	Syngenta-Fisher
Dahlia	Dahlinova Hypnotica	Lavender	Fides-Oro
Verbena	Estrella	Voodoo Star	Westhoff
Argyranthemum	Flutterby	Yellow	Ecke
Calibrachoa	Mini Famous	Double Amethyst	Ball-Selecta
Salvia	Mystic Spires	Blue	Ball-Ballflora Plant
Petunia	Supertunia Vista	Bubblegum	Proven Winners
Dahlia	XXL	Taxco	Dummen
Begonia	Big	Red Bronze Leaf Improved	Benary
Dianthus	Diana	Lavender Picotee	Hem Genetics
Geranium	Divas	Petticoat	Floranova
Zinnia	Profusion	Yellow	Sakata
Angelonia	Serena	Purple	Ball-PanAmerican Seed
Rudbeckia	Tiger Eye	Gold	Syngenta-Goldsmith
Petunia	Trilogy	Salmon Morn	Takii

Up Coming Southern Garden Tour Dates:

June 19- Van Wingerden International Test Garden Open House

June 20- University of Georgia Garden Open House

June 21- Metrolina Test Garden Open House

June 22-Syngenta- Garden Open House (Anderson, SC): CANCELLED

June 23- NC State Garden Open House and Grower Day

Thank You

Mark Yelanich Ph.D.