Coordinating colors is important—notice how the reds and blacks tie together

If you’ve never been to Field Day, ask someone who has and they just might tell you they look at plants a bit differently now. Sure, you read about our beautiful cultivars each week in Field Notes but touring our Display Gardens puts you smack dab in the middle of them and allows you to experience their true height, bushiness, and habit. Observing a plant in its mature state can change your opinion of how you plan to use it.

Mild ‘Chilly Chili’ is safe for getting up close and personal

As far as ornamental peppers go, ‘Chilly Chili’ is our best seller. There are multiple reasons why and chief among them is the fact that this particular pepper is extremely mild in flavor, much closer to a bell than a jalapeño. Unlike the majority of ornamental varieties it’s child-friendly, or just friendly in general, with no atomic surprises if anyone takes a taste—and someone always does. It can be used up close in both indoor and outdoor displays with no worries. 

Downy mildew came in on the wind

Coleus has been one of our top selling categories for the last several years so we always make a point of planting them around the facility here. One of our favorite varieties, ‘Wasabi’, was not growing as vigorously as it should so we became concerned. Given the weather lately and looking at the display bed—particularly at the growth of the plant—we suspected downy mildew [DM] came in on the wind.

Sunfinity™ sunflowers make the landscape come to life

Rise and shine—a stand of these bright yellow blooms makes the landscape come to life and puts a spring in the step of anyone who passes by them. If you’re looking for a sunflower with more blooms, multiple branches, and a nonstop show that lasts all season long, Sunfinity™ is the way to go. Customers can expect an average of 50 blooms per plant from late spring through late summer or early fall on this vigorous new cultivar from Syngenta.