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Some of the best from Sawaya Garden Trials

July 23, 2016  By Brad McMillan


July 25, 2016, Simcoe, Ont. – Wonder what caught the eye of veteran horticulturist Brad McMillan of JVK who toured the Sawaya Garden Trials this past week?

Here’s pictorial overview of his visit, with a number of  his favourites.


(You’ll remember his reports from this year’s California Spring Trials, posted to our archives.)

1/ Think bacopa can’t last through the heat of summer? Some varieties can, and the Betty Series from Greenfuse appears to be one of the better ones. In this photo, take a guess which ones are in the Betty Series. Pretty impressive, given the heat and sun in southern Ontario this summer!

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2/ Hort Couture has a reputation for unique plants. This is a good example of Copperhead Acalypha.

3/ Candy Kisses Hemizigia. This is another unique plant available from Hort Couture and Raker. You just can’t miss it. It obviously loves the sun and heat, that doesn’t seem to have affected the colour-pattern on the foliage, at all. Looks great all by itself!

4/ Danziger’s new Amore Series Fiesta petunia – just, wow! Unique flower pattern with heart-shapes, and lots of colour and great vigour.

5 / As I wandered down the aisle of bidens, I saw a few groups of visitors in a row stop and comment – “I really like this one!” Many breeders have made improvements in their bidens in the last few years, and here’s a terrific example from Danziger of what “new” genetics can deliver – Mega Charm.

6/ Beekenkamp has great genetics in their begonia breeding program, what with Waterfall Series, Encanto and Beauvilia sub-series, but they also have other terrific sun and heat-loving varieties like this one – Evi. Look at the size, habit and flower power. Just simply beautiful. Vermillion Red is also a terrific colour in this group, as is Glory Lemon (yes, a good yellow, sun-loving begonia). Thanks, Beekenkamp!

7/ Here’s a beautiful example of one of Frisia Flora’s line of mandevillea – Siesta. Covered in blooms with more coming on!

8/ This is a beautiful specimen of Greenfuse’s Grandstand Blue Bicolour Salvia.

9/ Saucy Coral Salvia is a terrific variety and colour, available from the breeders at Kientzler.

10/ Here’s a heat-loving mangave from Walters Gardens called Pineapple Express. Very nice colour and texture. I was admiring this plant with a grower from Lakefield, Ontario. We may have had differing ideas as to the correct pronunciation of the plant name – mangave. Regardless, a beautiful, southern-looking plant.

11/ Many growers have given up on osteospermum for the summer. It’s been very hot in southern Ontario this summer, but Proven Winner’s Bright Lights Yellow Osteospermum looks terrific, despite the heat!

12/ Everyone loves large, glossy-leaved begonias, and PanAm’s new Megawatt series has performed beautifully at the Sawaya Trials this summer. Big, beefy plants with gorgeous foliage and an abundance of blooms have made these one of my favourite new introductions of 2016.

13/ People just don’t believe me when I tell them that Proven Winner’s newish Pansiola Series will actually keep its blooms in summer heat, and even thrive. Here’s proof. All the colours looked great, but Quartz is my favourite. I was discussing this with Ed Sobkowich, of Sobkowich Greenhouses in Grimsby, and John Gaydos, one of the top people at PW. They said the same thing. No one believes the summer performance of Pansiola.

14/ Some growers bemoan the high number of petunia series available these days. Well, when you see a stunning example like this – Syngenta’s Picnic White, a small-flowered type – it still makes you appreciate the flower power of a good, new-fashioned petunia.

15/ This is an example of new genetics in calendula, Kientzler’s Power Daisy. Beautiful, bountiful yellow blooms that hold up in extreme heat.

16/ I watched several people linger and admire this specimen of Syngenta’s Pinto Series seed geraniums. Orange Bicolor literally stopped people in their tracks.

17/ This is just a terrific example of Trend Red geranium, grown by Schenck Farms & Greenhouses. Covered in blooms, with a nice habit.

18/ UltraGrow does a beautiful job with bougainvillea. Here’s a nice example of Razzle Dazzle Red.

Brad McMillan is the territory manager of North, Central and Eastern‎ Ontario‎ for JVK, one of Canada’s leading suppliers to the horticulture industry. JVK is based in St. Catharines, Ontario, but provides sales, customer care‎ and logistics services across all of Canada. The corporate website and webstore is at www.jvk.net.


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