Allan Armitage
Coleus, Canna, and Celosia Among Greenhouse Grower Team Favorites From Day 3 of CAST
Our editorial team spent the third day of California Spring Trials at Sakata Seed and American Takii.
Yucca, Salvia Among Greenhouse Grower Team Favorites From Day 2 of CAST
Our editorial team spent the second day of California Spring Trials at the Santa Barbara Polo Club and Dümmen Orange.
Favorites From the First Day of California Spring Trials 2024
The Greenhouse Grower team kicked off California Spring Trials at Ball Horticultural and Green Fuse. Here are their top picks.
Allan Armitage on Why Being the Best Is Not the Goal
I can’t think of a single person, plant, or place in our industry that is perfect. But that doesn’t mean you should stop looking to make improvements.
Allan Armitage on Why the Spring Shoulder Is a Time of Pleasant Anticipation
Those in-between times in our world of plants, early spring and early fall, are also the times when consumer start to get excited about their gardens.
Allan Armitage’s Crystal Ball Shows a Bright Future for Floriculture in 2024
In his latest column, Dr. A says we are the future of floriculture and how we look at what we do will determine our failure or success.
Why Cut Flowers, and the People Behind Them, Are One of Our Many Sources of Pride
This year the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers celebrates its 35th anniversary, and shows no signs of slowing.
Allan Armitage on Why You Can’t Stop a Grower From Succeeding
The most important ingredient in what we accomplish is not the plant or the structure, nor the trends. It is, of course, the people.
A Detailed Look at Perennial Salvias
In his latest column, Dr. Allan Armitage notes that perennial salvias are a bit like the Jekyll and Hyde of popular plants, Find out why that’s the case.
A Quick Look at Annual Salvias With Dr. Allan Armitage
Salvias are one of the most popular plants for the nursery and greenhouse grower.
Allan Armitage on the Myth of Pollinator Plants (Updated With Reader Comments)
Dr. A’s latest column on dispelling the myths of marketing pollinator plants as natives is creating a buzz, so to speak. Let us know what you think!
Allan Armitage on Coleus: A Look Back, and a Look Forward
“I have been wanting to chat about coleus for some time now. As it turns out, I recently happened upon two very special cultivars within an hour of each other at CAST.”
Are Ornamental Plants Really Necessary? Our Customers Say Yes
In his latest column, Dr. Allan Armitage says while we still need food, drink, and function, we really need beauty — and in the case of our trade, we really need gardens.
Allan Armitage Looks Back at the 2023 California Spring Trials, and Looks Ahead
Is it time to consider making CAST an every-other-year event? Dr. A weighs in on the pros and cons.
Allan Armitage on Why Low-Maintenance Shrubs Are Trending in Popularity
The realization that greenhouse and herbaceous nursery crops can and must coexist with woody plants has been coming for a long time.
Dr. A: Plants that Caught My Eye on the Last Day of California Spring Trials
We saw a ton of fabulous plants at Benary, Nir Nursery, and Syngenta Flowers. Here are a few of my favorites.
Allan Armitage: Plants That Caught My Eye on the Third Day of California Spring Trials 2023
Here are a few plants that caught my eye on our third day of CAST 2023, when we visited Sakata, American Takii, and Danziger.
Allan Armitage: My Top Plant Selections From Day Two of the 2023 California Spring Trials
Today we visited PlantHaven, Pacific Plug and Liner (PP&L), Southern Living, and Dummen Orange, and were treated to the future, both in plant material and in programs being developed.
Allan Armitage: Plants That Caught My Eye on the First Day of California Spring Trials
From standout calibrachoas and cupheas to a new groundcover series, here are some of Dr. A’s favorites from Green Fuse Botanicals, Ball FloraPlant, and others at CAST 2023.