New Garden Plants Seen at Boskoop Plantarium

The Boskoop, Netherlands Plantarium is a plant nursery trade and exhibition show for professionals in the horticultural industry. At the plant exhibition, the Boskoop Royal Horticultural Society announced 2009 ornamental plant medal winners and had on display many other plant ideas for flower gardens.

Medal Winning Flowering Plants

Petunia ‘Pretty Much Picasso’ was winner among best new plants for 2009. The unusual hybrid petunia’s purple flower has lime green edging around each bloom. The plant trails 8″ – 12″ and has a self-cleaning habit, uncharacteristic among petunias. Petunia ‘Pretty Much Picasso’ is available now in Europe and the United States.

At the Plantarium, Buddleia x ‘Blue Chip’ was awarded a gold medal. The objective in developing this Buddleia was to create a non-invasive butterfly bush. The Buddleia x ‘Blue Chip’ Lo & Behold™ that became very popular with gardeners in the United States this summer will be introduced in Europe in spring of 2010.

Ornamental Grasses for Flower Gardens

Ornamental grasses extend seasonal interest in flower gardens along with leaf movement when planted in windy locations. The common native northern sea oats found in parts of the United States and Mexico is easy to grow and drought tolerant once established in the garden. Chasmanthium is the botanical name for perennial northern sea oats.

Chasmanthium ‘River Mist’ was another gold medal winner in Boskoop, Netherlands. It has variegated leaves, creamy white flowers on a plant that grows 30″ – 36″ tall in full sun.

Although Pennisentum is hardy only in zones 9 – 10, northerners value fountain grass for annual summer gardens. Pennisetum setaceum ‘Fireworks’ was on display at the Plantarium tradeshow. It is the first variegated purple fountain grass, this one with burgundy color edged by hot pink on either side, running the length of each leaf. The new leaves emerge a variegated green creating a striking contrast with the mature plant. Pennisetum setaceum ‘Fireworks’ remains short, growing to 24.”

Echinacea Plants at Boskoop Plantarium

The Echinacea ‘Irresistible’ and Echinacea ‘Hot Summer’ were among the perennial plants on display at the Boskoop Plantarium. Marco van Noort Vaste of Warmond, Netherlands, produced both Echinacea this year available in Europe but not in the United States.

Echinacea ‘Irresistible’ has salmon-orange colored double flowers on a tall plant. The Echinacea ‘Hot Summer’ has flowers that begin as a pale orange, maturing to deep red colors, thus able to make a visual display of various colors on one plant. Both plants have dark green leaves and bloom late in summer.

Royal Horticultural Society in Netherlands

The Boskoop Royal Horticultural Society was founded in 1861 in the Netherlands. Its focus is on woody and perennial ornamental plants and judges plants submitted at exhibitions including the Plantarium. The Plantarium 2009 in Boskoop, Netherlands, had 260 participants from around the world.