Show notes for Bedding Plants with Stuart Lowen

In this episode we chat with Stuart Lowen, Marketing Manager from Ball Colegrave. We look at how bedding plants have evolved over the years as well as examine many of the traditional bedding schemes we still enjoy in our gardens. Stuart explains how plant breeding has changed the way we grow one of our most loved summer plants, the Busy Lizzy or Impatien. Stuart provides an insight into how bedding plants come to the market place and the way they are assessed in the garden trade. We investigate how pansies and violas have changed the face of our gardens in the winter and early spring, plus a look at what’s in store in the future as our gardens become smaller yet our appetite for growing colourful plants throughout the year grows.

Plants mentioned

Traditional varieties: Alyssum, African and French Marigolds , Lobelia and Salvia. Centre planting suggestions Cordyline (Draceana), Standard Fuchsia, Canna and Musa (banana).

Begonia tuberous and Begonia Non Stop. Calibrachoa and Trixi Petunias (three varieties/colours in one pot) Available in store. Gazania Pelargonium Red (colour is specific to those geraniums planted outside Buckingham Palace to match the Queens foot guards tunic attire). Osteospermum (Cape Daisies) seeds and plants available in store.

Impatiens (Busy Lizzies) ‘Beacon’ F1 hybrid. This is a resistant variety developed to combat the Impatien Downy Mildew disease which until very recently caused major problems in the growing of the plants. This variety of Impatien features in our Living Wall at the front of the main building of the Garden Centre.

Winter Pansies and Violas tend to flower on shorter days and are bred for cold and wet conditions. Good varieties to look out for include Pansy ‘Matrix’ and the hanging basket trailing variety ‘Cool Wave’ as well as the Viola ‘Sorbet’ varieties.

The Award of Garden Merit (AGM) is a long-established annual award for plants by the British Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is based on assessment of the plants' performance under UK growing conditions. Look out for the trophy symbol on a plant's label or packet of seeds which shows that it has earned the prestigious AGM!

Fleuroselect is the international organisation for the ornamental plants industry. Each year it invites growers to submit their new varieties for judging. If a judged plant is deemed exceptional then it is awarded the prestigious Gold medal, which usually is promoted on the plant label.

Floral Olympic Torch display at Manchester Airport was created to help drive the bid to stage the Olympic games in Manchester in 2000. The display, the size of Wembley football pitch, featured Begonias, Lobelia, Marigolds, Parsley, Beet, Perilla and Impatiens, plus one mile of rabbit proof fencing to keep the bunnies out. Over 200,000 plants were used in the display to create a display featuring some 20 million flowers! The display could be seen from the air as planes landed at Manchester Airport.

Products mentioned

High potash fertilisers Phostrogen Tomorite and Doff Tomato feed available in store. Chempack High potash Feed

Slug slime beauty Products, as yet not available in the Shops!

Slug deterrents: Slug pubs, Slug Gone, Bran Flakes, spiky Holy leaves, Copper Tape

Fatty acid (soft soap) for control of popular problems as well as Mealy bug, Scale and mildew - SB Plant Invigorator and Bug Killer

Pop in / Drop-in planters available in various colour themes. The mesh bottomed ready-planted baskets can be simply dropped into your existing containers and compost infilled to fill the gaps. Normally available in late spring-June and again in September/October with winter interest plantings.

Living Wall. A great way of utilising vertical space on buildings and perfect for growing flowers, herbs, vegetables and even strawberries. Options include vertical modular systems, wall baskets and flower pouches.

Music by Chiltern Music Therapy

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