Hey guys,
I hope you’re all doing well and enjoying your gardens, whatever the weather’s been doing where you are. It’s been really windy where I am and quite dull, but I’ve been pottering around nonetheless.
I’ve had a really really busy couple of weeks as I’ve been overseas with the QVC plant buyers. We’ve been visiting about 25 different companies as they’ve been putting on a showcase with all the new plant varieties that are coming up to 2023, and beyond! I’ve been teasing a few on social media, but here I’ll be teasing even more…
I think it’s really important that we keep our viewers and customers in the loop when we’re looking at new plants. We don’t want to be guessing what you want, we want to be asking you directly, through the channels we have, especially our busy and very friendly Facebook group.
I’ve got high hopes for the range of angel pelargoniums. These are great for the windowsill inside or outside on a tabletop. Look at how many flowers there are, you can barely see the foliage or the pot. I assure you it’s in a pot though LOL! Legend has it the fragrance of the foliage also deters mosquitoes from the patio.
And for something exotic, there’s sundaville! You might be used to seeing these type of flowers on holiday, but they can actually be grown very easily in the UK and bloom for months and months. They do like to be kept on the dry side, which is great news for anybody that’s worried about them being high maintenance. Lots of different colours, mostly across the pink and red palette, and they also work as a houseplant in the winter months.
There is one plant that we viewed, but we probably won’t be allowed to buy. That’s because it is reserved exclusively for the cut flower market, so you might need to look out for it at the florists. But I can’t resist showing you, it’s a double flowered form of the Peruvian lily, alstroemeria. It has an extra layer of petals, which makes it look just like a rose – absolutely phenomenal. I actually shrieked when I saw it for the first time!
We also found a range of different hydrangeas, including the brand-new variety Switch, which is launching on QVC this weekend. You can see that we moved very quickly with some of the most exciting products. Eeek! This hydrangea only grows about a foot and a half in height, and the flowers change colour from green through rustic shades. I think this is a winner, don’t you agree?
We also spotted some brand-new colours of a plant you already love; it’s the strawflower “gran via”. I’ll season, we brought you the yellow, but now there is a full colour range of five different shades, and it’s set to take the gardening world by storm. The flowers are incredibly long lasting, and actually dry on the plant, which means they pretty much last forever. You probably remember these from the 80s, but these are new varieties, with even more vigour!
There’s so much more I could tell you about, but I might wait until next time. I think there’s more than enough to get your appetite whetted! Before I go, I need to show you the most perfect red begonia though, which can be grown indoors or outdoors, and also tolerates full sun. It needs a name though, any ideas?
Until next month, see you!
Michael x
