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Re: plectranthus, P. Sheild et al
As a general lurker to this list, I arise to bemoan what I see as a lack of
originality on the part of most growers and garden centers. I purchase
unique annuals for our company. A very large part of that order is custom
grown for us by a local company that does an excellent job. But even they
can't find seed/plugs for some of the "stuff" that I want. So, I go out
shopping. I generally purchase somewhere between 6000 and 7000 plants. Not
a big deal--but I want them all to be unique and closely designed.
It also helps me to put my finger on the pulse of the local gardening
community and what the independent GCs sell to them. In my travels this
year I visited more than 35 Garden Centers and Retail Nurseries. Since I've
been doing this for the last 10 years I can speak with some comparative
authority.
We, as garden communicators, are doing a terrible job of pulling through the
new varieties to the purchasing public. I have never seen such a lack of
unique plant material. Frankly, with my shopping list, I didn't find
anything unique, interesting or unusual in the midst of vinca vine, spikes,
impatiens, petunias (not any of the new varieties) and geraniums.
It is very discouraging. Even my tried and true sources--this year--seemed
to go conservative and only grow the old standards. "Proven Winners" put up
a nice pot and POP but they're still only selling the things that people
recognize.
Three years ago at the Ball Seed Trials in Chicago I saw many things that I
wanted and needed to try. I'm still trying to get the seeds for some of the
weird things. Even Jeff Gibson couldn't really define the "Wild Spike" that
I really wanted to get this year.
I think the country--and GCs/Nurseries--are returning to a much more
conservative time. If we can't produce a recognizable new variety that has
legs, no one wants to trial it.
Kirk
-----Original Message-----
From: gardenwriters-bounces@lists.ibiblio.org
[g*@lists.ibiblio.org] On Behalf Of Duane Campbell
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2007 7:24 PM
To: Garden Writers -- GWL -- The Garden Writers Forum
Subject: Re: [GWL] plectranthus, P. Sheild et al
----- Original Message -----
From: "C.L. Fornari" <clfornari@mail.com>
> Well, I would in no way assume that the lack of a particular plant in your
> area means that a shift in marketing, a wholesale crop failure, or the
> death of "real gardeners." As a part-time worker in a garden center, I
> see that every year a particular plant may not be available for a variety
> of reasons
OK, but my comment was not that dahlias and cannas were not available but
rather that they were not available as tubers. Only as potted and growing
plants, and with the dahlias, in bloom. That bloom thing eliminates 90
percent of the great dahlias.
And incidentally, though this may be a local or regional thing, my local
KMart (the only big box store in the area of this small town) has half (or
less) the plant inventory they carried in the last couple of years.
D
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