Preparing for the Hunt!
On Saturday, March 24, Tim Runte (the annual and perennial flower buyer) and I (Kimberly Bird, the garden retail marketer) will once again travel to California for the 2012 Spring Pack Trials. It’s the “Fashion Week” of flowers, the Super Bowl of gardening, a time that creates suspense and excitement about what new and delightful plants we can find for Texas gardeners!
The Spring Pack Trials draws a crowd of who’s who among the horticultural industry. Last year we encountered academic scientists to keep us up-to-date on horticultural advancements. Dr. Cynthia McKenney of the Texas Tech Department of Plant and Soil Science and Dr. H. Brent Pemberton, Professor of Ornamental Horticulture at Texas ArgriLife Research and Extension Center at Overton were on our flight and as it would turn out our visits coincided throughout much of the next day. Both Dr. Pemberton and Dr. McKenney serve on the Executive Board of Texas Superstar, a resource for identifying plants tested and selected to perform in Texas landscapes. We always run into Jimmy Turner, Senior Director of Gardens for the Dallas Arboretum & Botanical Society, and many other Texas garden experts along the way. It’s most interesting to hear their new findings, impressions of plants they’ve seen during their Spring Trial visits and insights into Texas gardening.
I’ll be taking lots of notes, photos and videos along the way so check back often for a preview of what’s to come in Texas gardens Spring 2013!
Some Spring Pack Trial finds from 2011 you’ll find this Spring in Calloway’s and Cornelius Nursery garden centers include:
- Gazania SunBathers ‘Malibu’– brilliant rich colorful double flowers.
- ‘New Day’ Orange Gazania by PanAmerican and ‘Kiss Orange’ Gazania by Syngenta!
- Amazing succulents that arrive at our garden centers next week!
- And much much more.
I’ll post more exciting plants found at the 2011 Spring Pack Trials arriving to our garden centers this Spring later today and tomorrow.
And once we hit the road Saturday, check back to see a peek of possible new plants for Spring 2013!
Check out more highlights of new and exciting plants to look for this Spring (2012). Look for these garden goodies at Calloway's and Cornelius Nursery this Spring!