Spring 2015
Dalaya Series Dahlia
‘Dalaya Red + Yellow Eye’ opens mostly red…
Sometimes choice can be good but sometimes it can be confusing; this is the situation for Dahlias. Types, sizes, and colors ramble all over the place so most people reach for a general mix of the good stuff. That, in fact, is our Garden Pride Mix. It’s our long-time best seller in this category because it makes Dahlias drop-dead easy to order.
This deer-in-the-headlights daze, however, can blind us to some truly fun breeding that’s happening in the industry. Take the unusual color-changing behavior of the Dalaya series as our case-in-point. We originally selected it because we needed to serve the right size of Dahlia: not too small, not too dinner-plate, decent vigor but not off-the-charts, and lots of interesting colors gathered into a series so they all perform equally well in the garden. Yes, the Dalayas check those boxes but a funny thing happened…
…but completely changes to a yellow sunburst—quite a difference
Dramatic ‘Cortez™ Burgundy’
Deep ruby bracts are much darker than the typical Christmas Red
When you want that traditional Red look in an even more dramatic package we recommend ‘Cortez Burgundy’, with deep ruby bracts that are much darker than a typical Christmas Red. This Red alternative has remained a customer favorite through the years. While newer Art-Style Poinsettias are flashy and edgy, ‘Cortez Burgundy’ keeps the popular traditions alive in a subtle, elegant way.
‘Cortez Burgundy’ compared to ‘Red’ and ‘Jingle Bell Rock’
Poinsettia ‘Ice Punch’
‘Ice Punch’ is a clever inverse of the Marble effect
Marble Poinsettias remain popular among those seeking alternatives to the standard Red, White, and Pink varieties. ‘Ice Punch’ actually offers an alternative to the typical Marble—it’s kind of a Marble in reverse. Rosy red bracts have a bold blaze of feathery white down the center. It also has a couple of other notable features that make it a unique design element.
Maria shows us how large a single 6-inch pot is
BabyWing White (in Green and Bronze)
BabyWing Begonias offer the pendulous Dragon Wing look in a smaller package
A major appeal of Dragon Wing Begonias is their pendulous nature. Whereas Wax Begonias normally grow upward, Dragon Wings grow up and arch over gracefully. Leaves and petals follow suit, elongating into wing-like structures—hence the name. Combined with their rugged nature, this elegant look finds its way into many urns, planters, and gardens; however, their strength is also their weakness.
Small is relative—use BabyWings where you would use Cocktails
Christmas Rush
Getting creative with our fresh, lush Poinsettias
Just for the heck of it we built a Poinsettia tree like the ones you see popping up more and more this time of year. It was a trial run but we like the way the tree turned out so we’ll probably assemble one in a more prominent space with a more festive backdrop. If you plan to give this design a whirl we have all the fresh, lush Poinsettias you need.
On that merry note, during the next four to five weeks you can expect to be moving the majority of the season’s Poinsettias, so this is the time to fill up your inventory. Here are some popular varieties to include on the holiday list:
Our 10-inch Centerpiece in the three classic colors