Volumia™ Begonias

Our ornamental peppers have colored up nicely and are shipping now. For a quick splash of bright orange, red, or purple, consider adding peppers to combinations and window boxes. They are also effective in the center of low autumn landscape designs, or dressing up the front of taller material. You will find that we have a unique assortment—every one is an eye-catcher:

‘Chilly Chili’ (4.5, 6, and 8-inch pot): Long, slender greenish-yellow fruit changes to orange, then dark red; these peppers are not hot. 

How do you like this shade of blue? It’s actually deep, rich violet—the first violet Salvia farinacea, and it’s widening the playing field when it comes to blue annuals. These blooms are much more vivid and less apt to fade than older varieties, plus they last a long time—from early summer to the first hard frost. We’re always happy when we get more bang for our buck so we appreciate a versatile landscape plant that extends the season of color.

Low-maintenance varieties make us happy, too, and this one adapts to a wide range of climates and weather conditions. It tolerates heat, humidity, and drought, as well as unseasonable cold. These plants are sturdy and vigorous, reaching about 18 inches high and 14 inches wide with a bushy, compact habit and nice branching, as you can see. ‘Evolution’ can be grown in sun to part shade but performs best in full sun; it is relatively disease and pest-free. 

For an impressive display of nonstop color, plant this variety en masse in a landscape border or bed—the dense flower spikes are eye-catching. We also use it as a thriller in patio pots and window boxes. Butterflies and hummingbirds will be frequent visitors, adding another dimension of interest.

‘Evolution Blue’ is available in the 8-inch pot.

We are pleased to announce that Jeff Gibson will be a featured presenter at our annual Field Day seminar. Jeff is the Landscape Business Manager for Ball Horticultural Company. For over 25 years, he has managed a range of Ball’s customer-focused sales and marketing activities, currently focusing on their steadily growing landscape business segment. In this role, Jeff works directly with landscape professionals and the greenhouse and nursery suppliers who serve them. He is a graduate of the University of Illinois with degrees in Ornamental Horticulture and Advertising Communications.

Jeff is a frequent traveler, sharing his wealth of knowledge and experience with professional landscape, grower, and municipal organizations and community groups. His presentations cover such topics as color trends; new varieties of annuals; perennials and flowering shrubs, and landscape care and installation practices. At our morning Retail session he will be discussing Trends in Garden Retailing. During the afternoon Landscape session he will be addressing Design Trends for the Professional Landscape.

Remember: Field Day will take place on Thursday, August 20th this year at the picturesque Vinoklet Winery. In between sessions a delicious lunch will be served at the Winery and we will tour our display gardens at Diefenbacher. Please call our office to RSVP if you are planning to attend.