04
June
2012

Harmony New Guineas

ng_pink_creamWe reviewed the Harmony New Guineas last year but the versatility this crop displays warrants a longer, slower look. What can this plant do for both garden centers and retailers? It’s not a famous series as far as New Guineas go and that’s a shame—we find this variety to be just about perfect in a number of ways.

Stems count with New Guineas—they need big, strong stems to hold their ample leaves and flowers. Dropped into a small pot, however, those same stems can lead to one lanky plant; hence, we have the Harmony series. This is a Goldilocks cultivar for 4-1/2 inch pots: not too big, not too small . . . just right. What has changed is how the plant branches underneath those flowers and leaves.

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Now, as you will notice in these photos, the size of the flower is the same—maybe even a touch smaller. However, the bloom count is much, much higher so the overall color coverage is better. You can see why the Harmony series is a great choice as a bedding plant in shady gardens.

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For retailers, this means you’ll get a great looking New Guinea in an affordable size that looks lush in the pot; for landscapers it will mean a garden that fills in sooner with less expensive material. Grown out, the Harmonies deliver strong color that sits a bit lower and a bit wider than you would get from an 8-inch pot.

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We are also impressed with the color range of the Harmony series. These photos include a few of the shades we have in stock right now, but we grow out a full range of (25) different colors, each one distinctive from the others. This makes the Harmony indispensible in a designer’s toolbox when working within specific color combinations.

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As an added benefit, Harmony varieties are more heat-tolerant than other types of New Guineas so they will last longer into the summer. For optimum summer performance they must be protected by shade.