Tokyo, Japan – As the fall season transitions into winter, gardeners are contemplating what floral beauties will brighten their beds and baskets next year. Colors, textures and styles aren’t just the domain of the fashion world’s catwalks; gardeners, too, are anticipating what’s new for the coming season.
The Suntory® Collection of flowering plants recently unveiled new flowers to join its 2014 plant ensemble. Fresh colors, contemporary styles, eye-catching forms—gardeners will find it all among these nine new Suntory varieties.
“It’s never too soon to think about how to design next season’s gardens,” says Evelyn Alemanni, an award-winning gardener, author and designer. “The beauty of starting the design process now is it gives gardeners lots of time to mix, match and come up with perfect combos that are right for them.”
What’s New for 2014
While Surfinias are nothing new for Suntory, Surfinia Heavenly Blue adds a color to the collection that is one of the bluest trailing petunias available, giving it a denim-like look. “Heavenly Blue’s tight cascade of flowers are just perfect for hanging baskets, window boxes and mixed patio containers,” Alemanni says, adding that the habit also creates a spilling effect in garden beds and borders.
Crackling Fire Begonia is the funky-punky hairdo of the flower fashion world. It’s all about quick-cut angular shapes and leaf textures with this plant, making it ideal for baskets and containers. Two new colors appear in the Crackling Fire line—Red and Yellow. Combine the two for a mix that’s hot and fiery.
Every great fashion collection needs a cape, and two new colors of Lofos Compact fill the bill. “Don’t let the word ‘compact’ fool you,” says Alemanni. “Lofos Compact Rose and Lofos Compact White are smaller than the first Lofos varieties, but these two plants cascade out of a basket or pot up to two feet long, with tubular flowers blooming all the way down.” Use it as quick cover-up to fill those blank spaces in the garden.
Sweet and sassy is one way to describe Temari Candy Stripe verbena. Verbenas are typically workhorses in the garden—indestructible yet thriving in the hottest conditions. Candy Stripe gives the genre a perky personality with its dark pink- and white-streaked petals. It’s a solid plant that is home in both containers and right in the garden bed.
Suntory's Sun Parasol mandevillas made a splash when they first came on the floral fashion scene, bringing with them a tropical sensibility to potted patio plants. Three new Sun Parasols join the collection for 2014. Largest among them is Giant Red Emperor, its 5-in. bright-red flowers shining like rubies among dark-green glossy leaves. Climbing up to 15 feet, Giant Red Emperor is at home and stunning in an elegant urn on the patio or in front of French doors.
With slightly smaller flowers, Sun Parasol Pretty Deep Red and Pretty Deep Pink have no less a visual impact than their Giant cousin. Their flowers are somewhat closer together, bejeweling their glossy-green leafy backdrop. These, too, can be used in urns, baskets and window boxes on the patio or even in the home.
“Sun Parasols revolutionized how Americans use tropical plants,” says Alemanni. “You see them everywhere—on the front stoop, climbing a mailbox, even by the dozens to create privacy around a café’s outdoor seating area. Fashion and function in one – can’t beat that.”
These new items from The Suntory Collection join the line in Spring 2014 and will be available at garden centers and home improvement stores. Until then, gardeners can get a jump on next year’s garden fashion slate at http://www.Suntorycollection.com/gardeners.
To learn more about The Suntory Collection of beautiful flowers, visit http://www.Suntorycollection.com.
About Suntory Flowers: Since the groundbreaking introduction of Surfinia, the first vegetatively propagated petunias, to the world markets, Suntory has led the way in bringing innovative new varieties to market. These include Million Bells calibrachoas, Tapien and Temari verbenas, Summer Wave torenias and more recently Sun Parasol mandevillas and Senetti pericallis. From Suntory’s origins as a beverage company in Japan, the company’s goal is to create new products that enrich people’s lives. Suntory Flowers’ message for consumers is “Kantan, Kirei, Jobu,” which means “Easy to Grow, Gorgeous, Longevity” in Japanese. Suntory guarantees a plant’s garden performance and offers consumers the chance to enjoy beautiful plants. Enjoy Suntory’s “top-shelf” varieties.
Source: Suntory Flowers
