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Set Yourself Apart With Sun Parasol

Liven up your tropical assortment with unique mandevilla varieties that sizzle all summer!

 

By Delilah Onofrey

 

From the Mediterranean to the Swiss Alps, sunny Florida to cool Canada, Suntory’s Sun Parasol mandevillas captivate gardeners all over the world and have become the most fashionable plant for patios, balconies and hanging baskets. No longer a niche tropical, mandevilla is a major plant category thanks to revolutionary breeding, starting with the first true reds.

 

Sun Parasol plants demonstrate superior garden performance and disease resistance, thrive in the heat and don’t mind consumer neglect! It’s often the only plant that is still alive when gardeners return from vacation. With the widest range of colors and forms, Suntory’s breeding program is unmatched! Thousands of mandevilla hybrids are evaluated each year to find that perfect new introduction.

 

Following are three fresh introductions that will make your offerings stand out from the crowd!

 

SUN PARASOL GIANT MARBLED CRIMSON

This striking new variegated variety just debuted this month at the Tropical Plant International Expo in Fort Lauderdale, FL. It is a sport of the top selling Giant Crimson, producing large flowers spanning 4-6 inches. Foliage has a stable variegated pattern of creamy lime and dark green. Unlike other variegated varieties, vigor is strong, and plants will finish at the same time as the other Sun Parasol Giant varieties. This natural climber is stunning trained to a trellis or cascading from hanging baskets.

 

SUN PARASOL APRICOT

Looking for a different color scheme? Sun Parasol Apricot blends beautifully with pretty pastels or adds dimension mixed with darker colors. Best suited for hanging baskets and patio pots, this heavy bloomer produces large, light peach flowers spanning 3-5 inches. Growth is vigorous, faster than Sun Parasol Giant varieties. Branching is excellent.

 

SUN PARASOL DESIGNER WHITE

Sun Parasol Designer White is unlike any other mandevilla. It’s a completely new form with sturdy stems that don’t require staking. Grow as an upright non-vining shrub or train like a hibiscus to create standards/trees. Plants create bushes of beautiful glossy, green foliage with attractive white blossoms for a classy addition to any summer landscape or patio. Your friends will ask, what is that? Position with your premium tropicals.

 

If you are a retailer, you have a great opportunity to position yourself as the place for Sun Parasol! With nearly 20 varieties to choose from, you can make sure your assortment isn’t the same as your competition down the street. Get creative with premium combo planters. While the box stores have the basics, you can offer so much more!

 

About the author: Delilah Onofrey is license manager for Suntory Flowers in North America. She can be reached at 440-522-1447, donofrey@gmail.com. For more information about Sun Parasol mandevillas, visit www.sunparasol.net.

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Unique and Flavorful Market and Garden Vegetables

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unique and flavorful vegetable varieties win coveted All America Selection awards and earn the attention of those who enjoy the nations increased flavor euphoria, our country’s changing tastes and demand for well-crafted vegetable varieties is on the rise.

Check out Seeds by Design’s new 2017 AAS winners.

Breeding work at Seeds by Design is focused on the end user and enjoys award winning results in many niche crops. “I want to continue to offer our customers unique and flavorful vegetable varieties for the expanding foodie craze. The younger generations are very food oriented and demand variety, even in their dining, eating, and gardening ventures. Hybrid heirloom tomatoes are a great example of a product for this market trend. (To succeed) …businesses need to keep their offerings fresh and relevant.”

“As a mother of 38, 25 and 22-year-old daughters, I feel connected to this youthful purchasing trend. My girls buy goods and products differently than my generation.”

View some of Seed by Designs unique national and regional All America Selections winners:

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Isn’t it time for an upgrade?

There are some things that you just can’t leave to guesswork.  Production and scheduling have to run like clockwork. Sell-through is a must. The viability of your company depends on it. When a new product comes out you might think- why should I risk switching?

“The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that’s changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.”

                                                                                                                                                                                                    Mark Zuckerberg

 

In the three years since their introduction Lollipop Impatiens have proven that they aren’t a risk, they’re a sure thing. With outstanding germination (95%+) there‘s no need for patching trays. Lollipops also have excellent vigor and branching which means fuller packs and baskets with more flowers at retail! In short, Lollipops are the most state-of-the-art impatiens walleriana on the market.

So what about sell-through? Industry surveys have shown that Impatiens are still one of the top 5 most purchased annuals! Consumers just love the vivid colors, and range of colors, that only impatiens can provide. Lollipop Impatiens have the richest, most vibrant colors of any impatiens walleriana series on the market. They also have well-presented flowers, that don’t stretch, for the best possible presentation at retail. Look for the newest color, Lollipop Dragon Fruit, to be launched at Spring Trials 2018!

At a loss about what colors will look great together? Benary’s One Touch™ collection of mixes and combos has high impact color combinations of Lollipop Impatiens such as Flaming Hot Melon and Berry Daring Mix. For more information about Lollipop Impatiens go to www.Benary.com or to request your copy of the latest One Touch™ catalog, just go to info@Benary.com