And MORE New Flowers for 2015 - "Million Bells" (CALIBRACHOA)

Customers often ask me for "Million Bells" petunias, which shows how good marketing pays off. "Million Bells" is a brand name one company gave to their line of calibrachoas, a close relative to petunias. Calibrachoas have smaller blooms than petunias and more of them.  So when someone comes in and asks what I have for "Million Bells" I show them all the different calibrachoas.  So here are some million bells  calibrachoa that I will grow for the first time this season.

I am trying 'Noa Papaya' this year from the Danziger company, because 'Noa Blue Legend' always does so well.  (And I think the two will be pretty in combinations as well.)

Noa Papaya by Danziger

Another new calibrachoa in the Noa series I will grow this year is 'Noa Purple Black'.

Noa Purple Black by Danziger

Another nice calibrachoa I saw last year that filled out baskets is 'Callie Light Blue.'

Callie Light blue by Syngenta Breeding

And lastly, from the Proven Winners series,  'Pomegranate Punch'.

Pomegranate Punch

MORE New FLOWERS for 2015

Part of the reason I love the greenhouse business is that I have an opportunity to try out new varieties and then share them with my customers.  Some of my customers just want geraniums and marigolds, and that's fine.  Others are ready to try just about anything.

There's a new yellow, short (8") cosmos,  "Limara Lemon," which may be a good alternative for folks who want yellow in their containers or gardens, but don't like marigolds.

Cosmos Limara Lemon - Photo from Benary Seeds

On the other hand, if the gardener wants to try some unusual marigolds,   I like the photos of "Bambino" and "Alum Vanilla Cream" and will be growing them for sale.

BAMBINO

ALUM VANILLA CREAM

I think of red salvia as "the poor man's geranium," because you can buy a six-pack at a good price and get that splash of red that many are looking for.  This year, besides the salvias in 6-packs, I am  trying a new salvia grown from cuttings.  "Saucy Red Salvia" is a sterile hybrid, and the hype promises a super-strong and flashy salvia.  Here in Vermont our winters seem so long and the summers so short, gardeners appreciate bright, bold colors.

SAUCY RED SALVIA