Athens Select program to end this year

The Athens Select Marketing Association has decided to suspend the Athens Select program after the 2011 growing season. Athens Select, was founded in 1999 by John Rader of EuroAmerican Propagators, Kerstin Ouellet of Pen & Petal and Univ. of Ga. horticulture professor Allan Armitage.
The program is a collection of heat- and humidity-tolerant plant varieties selected by Armitage at the university’s trial gardens. The program introduced some popular plants, including the Prince and Princess pennisetum series.
The plants were propagated from virus-indexed stock by members of the Athens Select Marketing Association. Licensed North American propagators are Botany Lane Greenhouse, Dupont Nursery, Emerald Coast Growers, EuroAmerican Propagators, Hilltop Greenhouse, James Greenhouses, Magnolia Gardens Nursery, and Les Entreprises Normand Tellier.
Members of the Athens Select group decided that after 2011, they would phase out the program. Armitage’s retirement, as well as the time required to successfully manage the program, led to the decision to terminate the program.
Several currently licensed propagators will continue to carry Athens Select varieties, but not under the Athens Select brand. Many of the Athens Select varieties that were included in the Southern Living Plant Collection will continue to be propagated and marketed to retailers under the brand name Southern Living Plant Collection.