April 5, 2010, West Chicago, IL – Since 1995, Wave® petunias have brightened homes and gardens with beautiful colour and spectacular performance. As Wave Petunias celebrates its 15th anniversary this year, the brand expands its palette with three new designer varieties that are sure to enhance its reputation as one of the most popular annual brands on the market today.

Easy Wave Burgundy Star and Easy Wave White. PHOTO COURTESY WAVE PETUNIAS

“The award-winning Wave petunia quickly became a favourite among gardeners after its launch in 1995 because of its easy-care maintenance and vivid colour,” says Jennifer Neujahr, Wave brand manager. “Today, the Wave family includes five series that offer many high-impact colours with habits to fit various garden sizes and uses. We are excited about the addition of the new varieties for 2010, because they will provide even more colour options for gardeners.”

Look for the following new Wave introductions this year in their distinctive Wave pink pots:

• Offering the first star pattern in the series, Easy Wave® Burgundy Star showcases rich burgundy and white on its large-flowered blooms.

• The new Easy Wave Plum Vein has a lavender background with plum-violet veining, and is the first vein pattern in the Easy Wave series.

• The flowers of Shock Wave® Denim petunia start as a rich blue and change throughout the season, altering its colour just like a favorite pair of blue jeans.

Since award-winning Wave Purple was first introduced in 1995, the Wave family has expanded to include five series. All offer vibrant colour, long bloom time and the easy-care maintenance that Wave gardeners have come to expect:

• The original Wave series features a low-growing habit, spreading up to four feet for ground-hugging carpets of colour.

• Easy Wave series has a more mounded and controlled spreading habit, making it the most versatile and ideal for baskets and containers.

• Shock Wave series’ petite blooms offer high-voltage colour for small spaces.

• Double Wave® series gives gardeners frilly flowers for baskets and planters.

• Tidal Wave® series is the most vigorous as it spreads and grows into a flower-filled petunia hedge.

The explosive growth of Wave petunias has been aided by the WaveFan Club at wave-rave.com, which currently has more than 17,000 members. In addition to giving Wave enthusiasts a virtual place to share their tips and success stories, the Wave Fan Club offers benefits like VIP contests and helpful hints for gardening success. Fans also can share ideas, comments and photos via the Wave Petunias fan page on Facebook, and follow the Wave series on Twitter @WavePetunias.

“Reaching the 15-year milestone is a testament to the benefits Wave petunias provide to gardeners – benefits that are in turn measured by gardener enthusiasm,” Neujahr says. “With new varieties and designer mixes planned, our company is excited about the future of Wave Petunias.”

Ball Horticultural Company is an internationally renowned breeder, producer and wholesale distributor of ornamental plants. A family-owned business since it was founded in 1905, Ball has introduced many innovative, award-winning varieties to the world of horticulture, including Matrix® pansy and the Wave® petunias family. An extensive line of perennials and woody ornamentals are available through Ball’s Darwin Perennials® and Ball Ornamentals®Simply Beautiful®, Circle of Life® and Burpee Home Gardens™ as successful programs for retail garden centers. Ball has worldwide production, sales and marketing through its many subsidiaries on six continents. programs.