Photo by Kate Spirgen
The Retailers' Choice Awards were presented to 15 exhibitors at Cultivate'22 in Columbus, Ohio, last week. Organized by The Garden Center Group's Danny Summers, the annual awards program recognizes garden retailers' selections of the best new plants and products to bring excitement and interest to their stores in the coming season.
Monstera obliqua from Aroid Greenhouses
This unique form of monstera features the most extreme leaf opening, often described as "more holes than leaf." The plant often features 90% holes and only 10% leaf.
Hydrangea 'Pop Star' from Bailey Nurseries
New to the Endless Summer family is a beautiful lacecap hydrangea that's one of the earliest to bloom with a compact habit loaded with flowers. 'Pop Star' is easy to grow and well-suited for both landscapes and containers.
Bamboo stakes and displays from Bamboo Supply Company
Judges spotted the variety of sizes, shapes and display options from Bamboo Supply Company. Along with typical stakes, the company offers a compact display plus a variety of shapes and sizes of trellis, and a 100% natural plant tag holder available in 6-, 10.5- and 15-inch sizes. The solid bamboo stakes have a notch to securely hold tags with 5mm holes.
Deer and small animal repellents from Bobbex
Bobbex repellents are eco-friendly, so they're safe for plants, people, pets and wildlife. The long-lasting protein-based formula won't wash off in rain or snow. Bobbex lasts for weeks during growth seasons, and even longer during dormant seasons. It's easy to apply and good for plants, flowers and bulbs so over-spraying is never a worry.
SUS tee Aquameter from Cabinotier
At first glance, the SUS tee Aquameter appears to be a marking pen or marker, but instead it is one of the most unique way of managing water for your plants with no batteries required. Its unique wick detects moisture near the bottom and slowly turns the indicator near the top blue when plenty of moisture is available and turns white when the plant needs more water. SUS tee is available in three sizes.
Caterpillar Candy Series from Centerton Nursery
With the important task of supporting pollinators, Centerton Nursery has introduced a creative message and selection of plants that Caterpillars love. It’s called Caterpillar Candy and includes a selected number of Asclepias (milkweed) in colorful 4-inch pots with great graphics. If you look closely at the photo on the left, you can see a caterpillar on this plant just above the tag!
Delphinium 'Red Lark' from Darwin Perennials
This exciting new coral-red delphinium has a sturdy upright habit that makes it great in the garden and as a cut flower. This variety is sterile and will not reseed.
Delosperma 'DeGherkin' by Dümmen Orange
Also known as the ‘pickle plant’, the Delosperma 'DeGherkin' features touchable, fuzzy foliage on small pickle-like foliage. ‘DeGherkin’ looks great in containers and baskets displaying a mounding to trailing habit. Accented by small yellow flowers, ‘DeGherkin’ makes an indoor foliage statement standing alone or placed in collections.
Colocasia 'Polargreen' by Gardenworld-Growing Colors/2 Plant International
This is the first-ever colocasia that is hardy to Zone 5. Polargreen features medium green leaves with pink stems. Its mature height is 3-5 feet. This elephant ear does not produce a bulb.
Hawaii Palm (Brighamia insignis) by Northland Floral
The Hawaiian Palm (Brighamia insignis) can only be found in the wild on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. It has become nearly extinct and despite the difficulties of natural cultivation in the wild, it can be commercially produced through seed and tissue culture. With proper care the Brighamia can produce yellow star-shaped flowers that can last up to several weeks. The leaves will fall off once a year and will leave scarring on the trunk which shows the new growth. A new canopy will soon start to bud. These palms are relatively easy to take care of.
Aquapots Kits by Proven Winners
Proven Winners and Aquapots’ creator Jack Barnwell have designed kits to fit standard pots. Many have loved the original Aquapots with its unique water reservoir design. And now they are introducing several sizes of Aquapots Kits designed to fit into standard pots, even square ones. The reservoir is self-contained and features an extendable fill tube to adjust for the height of the pot. Watch the Proven Winners website for details on availability for 2023.
Automatic Handheld Shovel by Rotoshovel
Judges were drawn to this new handheld battery-operated digging tool. Rotoshovel comes with its own case, charger and replaceable 12-volt battery. Extra batteries are also available. Rotoshovel comes in two sizes.
Sedum 'Little Shimmer' by SelectaOne
This new annual sedum has a lot to catch your eye. Its small heart-shaped leaves have a shimmer of light green with some darker variations. It also develops delicate small flowers. This low-maintenance, drought-tolerant groundcover of 2-3" height and 5-7" spread has a trailing habit which is wonderful for hanging baskets or containers as well.
Calibrachoa Million Bells 'Orangina' by Suntory Flowers
Suntory brings a new color to the Million Bells series in 2023 with Orangina, named after the popular orange drink. Orangina has been popular internationally since it was introduced in France in 1936. It is a blend of three citrus juices, mandarin orange pulp and sparkling water. Suntory Flowers’ parent company, Suntory Holdings, is part owner of Pepsi Bottling Ventures, which produces Orangina in North America.
New organic plant foods by We The Wild Plant Care
Judges quickly recognized this new line of organic plant food and protect spray for its new clean look. It originated in Australia but is now made in the USA. These products are 100% organic with up to 3 billion microbes per tsp. Products include an 8 oz. Grow Concentrate, 17 oz. Protect Spray with Neem and 14 oz. Enrich Power. They also offer a kit containing all three products.
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