GroLink www.grolink.com A couple of years ago, GroLink was known only as a mum supplier. The company still sells mums, but thanks to its Pack Trials displays the past few years, no one automatically thinks of mums when they hear GroLink. The branded ColeUSA coleus line continues to grow and gain attention, highlighted by a height comparison trial this year. Also of note from this year’s new introductions was a focus on herbs and a new petunia line. Not to forget mums, GroLink celebrated 10 years of Belgium mums at this year’s trial. Hem Genetics www.hemgenetics.com In its second Pack Trials appear- ance, German breeder Hem Genetics made a very strong show- ing, filling up 10 benches. Hem is one of the companies presented by H.F. Michell’s at Speedling, and though it is a little difficult differen- tiating the companies, finding Hem is well worth the effort. Hem focus- es its efforts on a few key seed items such as petunia, primula and impa- tiens, and though many growers have probably not heard of the com- pany, its petunias and dianthus are some of the best available. 34 GPN July 2006 pack trials A s the GPN editorial staff hit Pack Trials this year, each one of us had dif- ferent questions. What would the companies have to offer? How would each com- pany display its new introductions? What wouldn’t we be seeing this year and why? How would we survive the rain and mudslides? As we threaded our way up the coast, we were treated to a wide array of stops — we saw everything from the elaborate gardens at Proven Winners to the garden center location of Plant Haven to the actual trial at Plug Connection. In fact, one of the best things about Pack Trials is visiting all the different companies to see how each set up its stop and what kind of news was waiting for us when we got there. Yes, a big part of Pack Trials is what each of the companies is actu- ally doing. You can find part one of the company review in the June issue of GPN. We can certainly say all of the companies were very gra- cious in their hospitality…even if the weather wasn’t. With more emphasis on programs and elaborate exhibits, the varieties are only part of the Pack Trials story. We have rounded up the happenings at each stop in the company- by-company coverage. By Bridget White, Catherine Evans and Tim Hodson Companion Coverage Breakthroughs In Breeding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Trialing The Varieties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Meet The Stars, From Agastache To Zinnia, Part II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 If you’re looking for more information about Pack Trials, check out our archived articles from last month’s coverage. At www.gpnmag.com, you’ll find information about some of the best new marketing programs, more varieties and an evaluation of new lavenders.
Transcript
GroLinkwww.grolink.com
A couple of years ago, GroLinkwas known only as a mum supplier.The company still sells mums, butthanks to its Pack Trials displays thepast few years, no one automaticallythinks of mums when they hearGroLink. The branded ColeUSAcoleus line continues to grow andgain attention, highlighted by aheight comparison trial this year.Also of note from this year’s newintroductions was a focus on herbsand a new petunia line. Not to forgetmums, GroLink celebrated 10 yearsof Belgium mums at this year’s trial.
Hem Geneticswww.hemgenetics.com
In its second Pack Trials appear-ance, German breeder HemGenetics made a very strong show-ing, filling up 10 benches. Hem isone of the companies presented byH.F. Michell’s at Speedling, andthough it is a little difficult differen-tiating the companies, finding Hemis well worth the effort. Hem focus-es its efforts on a few key seed itemssuch as petunia, primula and impa-tiens, and though many growershave probably not heard of the com-pany, its petunias and dianthus aresome of the best available.
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As the GPN editorial staffhit Pack Trials this year,each one of us had dif-ferent questions. Whatwould the companies
have to offer? How would each com-pany display its new introductions?What wouldn’t we be seeing this yearand why? How would we survivethe rain and mudslides?
As we threaded our way up thecoast, we were treated to a widearray of stops — we saw everythingfrom the elaborate gardens atProven Winners to the garden centerlocation of Plant Haven to the actualtrial at Plug Connection. In fact, oneof the best things about Pack Trials isvisiting all the different companiesto see how each set up its stop and
what kind of news was waiting forus when we got there.
Yes, a big part of Pack Trials iswhat each of the companies is actu-ally doing. You can find part one ofthe company review in the Juneissue of GPN. We can certainly sayall of the companies were very gra-cious in their hospitality…even ifthe weather wasn’t.
With more emphasis on programs and elaborateexhibits, the varieties areonly part of the Pack Trialsstory. We have roundedup the happenings at each stop in the company-by-company coverage.
If you’re looking for more information about Pack Trials, checkout our archived articles from last month’s coverage. Atwww.gpnmag.com, you’ll find information about some of thebest new marketing programs, more varieties and an evaluationof new lavenders.
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Kieft-Pro-Seedswww.kieftseeds.com
Kieft Seeds has been in its cur-rent location for about three yearsnow: The company fills a green-house at Gilroy Young Plants witha full offering of seed perennialsand bedding plants. The focus atthis year’s trial was gerberas. TheRevolution series has beenexpanded, and Kieft now offersgerberas in every shape and size.Last year Kieft focused on annualssuch as celosia and salvia; thisyear, it was on perennials andgrasses, especially grasses.
Michell’swww.michells.com
Last year, broker H.F. Michell’sdebuted the Gardening for DummiesPOP program, which received somuch attention that the plant intro-ductions were almost overshadowed.This year, Michell’s placed all theattention on the plants. Sure, therewere still a few neat ideas, such as theMasterTag garden center and anupdated Gardening For Dummies,but representatives said attendeeswere directed straight to the benches.Michell’s presented genetics from anumber of companies that would nototherwise be at Pack Trials.
Murakami SeedNew to both Pack Trials and the
U.S. market, Japanese breederMurakami Seed was one of the com-panies presented by H.F. Michell’s atSpeedling. It’s hard to say muchabout this company since there wasnot a representative in attendancethe day we were there. The plantslooked pretty good and included agood variety of standards such asvinca, viola and cosmos. The onlynew varieties Murakami showed thisyear were ornamental pepper ‘ShuWhite To Red’ and the viola Aiseries, with the major emphasis onintroducing growers to Murakami’sexisting offerings.
NorthernInnovatorswww.northerninnovators.com
Truly a specialty company,Northern Innovators focused its dis-play exclusively on hibiscus. TheKlahanie hibiscus program is veryimpressive, especially the double-flowered varieties. Northern alsorepresents Dutch breeder Florist dekwakel in the United States andCanada and offers an assortment ofrooted and unrooted cuttings froma number of major breeders.Northern Innovators is another ofthe companies exhibiting atSpeedling with Michell’s.
Oglevee Ltd.www.oglevee.com
You might think a company withfewer than 10 product lines wouldhave little to talk about. Not true withOglevee. This was a big introductionyear for the company, with two newseries and 34 new or upgraded vari-eties. Additionally, Oglevee hasjoined the push to develop POP andother programs to help growers bemore successful with their products.In fact, the company has madeSolenia begonias a lot more attractivewith a step-up program so plants fin-ish faster and a full range of POP,from pots to bench tape.
PanAmericanSeedwww.panamseed.com
PanAmerican always puts on agood show, but this year was com-pletely different than anything thecompany has done before or any-thing we saw at other stops. Both thetrial book and displays containedinformation to help growers betterunderstand consumers. Includedwas everything from demographicstatistics to marketing ideas. The dis-play provided a great framework forthe 80-plus new introductions andgave everyone ample reason to holdon to that trial book!
PlantHavenwww.planthaven.com
This was PlantHaven’s first year atPack Trials. PlantHaven is an inde-pendent breeder’s agency, represent-ing small breeders worldwide topropagators and distributors. SoPlantHaven’s reason for exhibitingwas to promote some of its licensedvarieties to growers. Probably thebest thing about the stop, aside fromits location in a neat garden center,was the unusual plant material dis-played. Among the great crops ondisplay were a new cuphea seriesbeing picked up by Proven Selectionsand a large display of euphorbia.
Plug Connectionwww.plugconnection.com
Plug Connection has developed areputation the past few years as theonly independent trialer of seedgenetics. Each year the company buysin seed from the major suppliers andgrows the plants. New this year was aseed-to-vegetative comparison show-ing everything from diascia to petu-nias. Plug Connection has also startedproviding information about some ofits own programs, such as its neworganic herb and vegetable program.Certified organic by the USDA, PlugConnection believes the program willsoon be a big seller. �
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Proven Winnerswww.provenwinners.com
Proven Winners (PW) alwaysputs on one of the best shows atPack Trials. From its creatively dis-played varieties to the extensive in-ground gardens to the mock gardencenter, there is something at thisstop for everyone. In what seems tobe a never-ending quest to improveits trial, PW changed things upagain this year by segregating intro-ductions into groupings backed bygreat display vignettes — we saw abed covered in petunias, calibro-choas shown in window boxes andcleome as a hedge. While a fairlyconsistent number of new varietieswere introduced, we saw PW con-tinue to expand its species rangeinto several unusual offerings suchas chrysocephalum and bergenia.
Sakata Seed Americawww.sakata.com
For the first time in a long time,Sakata had a clear message at its stop:“Narrow and Deep” selected out spe-cific varieties that sell best, finish con-sistently and cover most color needs.For the first time in years, pansies didnot overwhelm you when youwalked through the door, and theplan worked. With fewer of the com-pany’s staple crops on display, moreattention was directed to crops youmight not even know Sakata carries— like begonias, snapdragons andprimulas. The other important take-away from Sakata’s Pack Trial is thecompany’s new commitment to sup-ply. We were told if it was on dis-play, Sakata had seed to sell. That isreally exciting to hear at Pack Trials.
Selecta First Classwww.firstclassplants.com
Selecta’s Pack Trial keeps gettingbigger and bigger. This used to be theplace to see geraniums, New Guineasand calibrachoas; now you can practi-cally fill an entire spring line from thecompany’s offerings. The trend con-tinued this year with several newspecies introductions including argy-ranthemum, lobelia and angelonia. Ofcourse, the highlight of the trial wasSelecta’s double calibrachoa (see page19 for details). Probably the neatestthing about Selecta is that the vastmajority of the plants the companymarkets come from its own breedingprogram, with only two minor excep-tions. This tells you Selecta is inti-mately familiar with the product andreally believes in it.
S&G Flowerswww.sg-flowers-us.com
Since S&G’s entry into the vegeta-tive market a few years ago, its sin-gle greenhouse has been packed fullof both seed and vegetative items,making it difficult to distinguishbetween the two. Not this year. Anew set up really put much-neededfocus on S&G’s vegetative group.The two display houses now mirrorone another, with gardens in thefront half and benches in the back. Itwas a smart move, and even withsome great seed introductions, thevegetative side really shined. Howcould it not with introductions like acomplete, new series of 50 vegetativegeraniums? And while S&G is stillfilling out its list of standard vegeta-tive items, it is also exploring themarket for some completely newcrops such as trailing osteo. �
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While nearly all Pack Trial exhibitors have startedusing oversized containers of finished product for theirtrials, Jackson & Perkins, which showcases the SuntoryCollection, has taken this approach to the nth degree.Some of the baskets have been growing for years, makingfloor-to-ceiling displays. With the waterfall of blue verbe-
nas, the winding dry creek bed and huge plants every-where, this is a one-of-a-kind exhibit. We’re not sure howthe theme, The Wizard Of Oz, played into the new vari-eties, but it was certainly fun to pose with Dorothy andthe witches. Among the notable new varieties was a newblue color class hybrid phlox.
SuperfreshMarketingwww.superfreshmarketing.com
New to Pack Trials this year,Superfresh Marketing joins thegrowing list of brokers/youngplant producers that are joiningthe party. For the past few years,Superfresh has quietly been build-ing a client list that includes someof the largest producers in thecountry. The company handlesgenetics from some well-knowncompanies such as Selecta FirstClass and Danziger but is proba-bly best known for proprietarycoleus and lesser-known materialfrom companies such as HemGenetics and Westhoff. GGPPNN
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Bridget White is editorial director,Tim Hodson is managing editorand Catherine Evans is associateeditor of GPN . Hodson can bereached at [email protected] (847) 391-1019.
LearnMoreFor more information related to this article, go to www.gpnmag.com/lm.cfm/gp070604
