Every year I visit Sakata, I walk away yet again admiring the breeding efforts that have gone into the SuperCal series. Large flowers, well branched plants and an excellent habit. However, how do they come up with such spectacular colors? Last year, I was blown away with the habit and color of ‘Sunset Orange’ and this year I was smitten again. If you are looking for a top-notch plant that catches the eye from the end of the bench to the other, take a look at Premium Pink Star. The SuperCal family just keeps getting better.

There is an ever-expanding niche for new cut flowers. While flowers continue to be sourced from overseas, the domestic cut flower business is flourishing and expanding rapidly. Like any segment of the industry, new crops are important. Lisianthus has been a mainstay but oh boy, you are going to love this Rosita Red form. The lovely deep red of the open flower fades to a soft pink, but at harvest stage, i.e. when the flowers are showing color but not fully open, they look like roses. Any cut flower that resembles a rose in bud stage will do well. Eustoma has a loyal following and has become one of the most important plants in the business. This will make them even stronger. Looking for a unique cut flower, give this a trial.

I have seen many Agastache over the years come and go, so recommending this plant above others we saw may be a little foolish. However, the huge potential for a heat-tolerant native plant with upright colorful flowers continues to be elusive. This plant may help. It is perennial perhaps to Zone 5 and it is certainly heat tolerant. I like the bright color, the fragrance, and the habit. I want to see Agastache do well, and this may be the one – give it a try.

The demand for perennial groundcovers is not going away, so it was wonderful to see old-fashioned bugleweed on display at Kientzler. Of course, there is nothing old-fashioned about the Feathered Friends series. The foliage colors are unique, and for Ajuga, this will always be the most important aspect. However, with proper vernalization, a task relatively easy to do in the Midwest and further north outside, flowers are extraordinary and plentiful. My favorite is ‘Fancy Finch’ followed by the pastel pink flowers of ‘Rosy Robin’ (pictured), but all of the plants in the series catch the eye. Ajuga breeding has been lacking for years, so bringing these to the marketplace next season really makes sense. They will sell!

The improvements in this genus have been legendary in the last five years. Larger flowers on vigorous plants are now the norm. However, I was pleased to see this entry into the bracteantha market. Sporting robust but compact growth, the plant very much caught my eye. The large, white flowers with strong yellow centers were also most impressive. Plants tolerate heat, humidity, and even deer. Give it a go.