Last year it was incredibly hot and sunny at the Flower Trials, but this year it was the opposite - fresh temperatures, rain and wind. “The weather does what it wants” - and no topic could be more relevant for plant breeders, because the new products included many varieties that are particularly weather-resistant and can withstand sudden rain showers. However, hot periods with a lot of sun should not be underestimated, and many varieties are bred to deal particularly well with drought and heat. One of many examples is the Raintastic Petunia concept shown below.
In addition to many great new individual varieties, there was also an increasing number of harmonious concepts shown with thematically combined plants and, supported by advertising materials, could find the best possible sales in retail, as the thematic combination optimally appeales to the end consumer. Good examples that were shown at the FlowerTrials are “Afresco Young Plants” and “Verbena Drums”. In the case of the latter, it is specifically stated that no inhibitors are required during culture.
In addition to the various key topics, the sustainability of production still plays a very important role. In summary, the new varieties reflect a variety of colors, shapes and properties and that horticulture presents itself as diverse as usual.
As part of the Flower Trials, the popular Fleuro Star Award is presented annually by Fleuroselect, the international organization for the ornamental plant industry. This year the winner was Dahlia Dalina Maxi Starburst Pink from Florensis, which is particularly eye-catching due to its unusual flower shape in strong pink and delicate patterning of the petals and has the necessary “wow effect”. It can also be easily combined with other colors from the series.
As every year, it was more than impressive to see how the growers not only manage to prepare and stage the plants perfectly, but also use creative ideas to take visitors on an individual journey in each of the exhibition locations and make your visit unforgettable.
The teams at Gregg Marketing and Media Concept Switzerland look forward to developing concepts for you or integrating existing offers from the FlowerTrials into your sales activities.