Southern Garden Tour 2023
Saima Husain Regional Account Manager
This summer has been full of trials in the southern region of the US. Throughout my visits, the plants have looked either really great, or just the opposite due to varying weather conditions, namely the cold. Check out my observations and recommendations from the trials at Young’s Plant Farm and Metrolina Greenhouses.
Young’s Plant Farm (Auburn, Alabama)
Caliburst looked spectacular in baskets. The photo above was sent to me from Penny Merritt Price, Trial Manager at Young’s Plant Farm. It was taken after a night of heavy rain and it still looked spectacular. It is a versatile product, as the color is stunning and allows growers to get into the market earlier for early season sales. Great product for the south.
Cuphea Sweet Talk looked great at Young’s Plant Farm, as well. It takes the heat, is a pollinator plant, and blooms all summer long. Great in containers, in the landscape and in mixed combos that consumers can place on their patio.
Coleus Coral Candy stood out at the trials. It has a wonderful mounding habit and stays compact. Perfect in the landscape and in containers. It does well in full sun in areas with high relative humidity and features a beautiful coral color.
Also, check out the PanAmerican Seed combos that I put together for Young’s Plant Farm. They are bold with vivid colors, perfect for southern summers that really stand out.
Metrolina Greenhouses (Huntersville, North Carolina)
The Metrolina Trials were not the best this year because they had very cold weather. However, one product that stood out was Petchoa Caliburst Yellow. It looked stunning at the trials (see photo below)!
Also, warm-season combos looked great with Begonia Hula, Angelonia Serenita White, and Begonia Megawatt.
Impatiens Beacon Lipstick held its own. This variety is a nice vibrant addition to the series.
There was also New E3 Easy Wave Yellow, which really stood out in the beds. Its nice mounding contained habit and super early-to-bloom timing makes it a true winner for early season sales.
Stay tuned for more from the Miami trials and other highlights during my Southern Garden Tour.
