For Pim Westerman, Regional Sales Manager at Benary, the Plantarium is an ideal platform to strengthen the company's business in the Netherlands and Europe. On this year's increased show room floor, Benary will be showing a great number of perennial 06-07 new introductions.
The new genetically compact Eryngium 'Blue Hobbit' with its unique intense shimmering blue flower color, 30cm/12" height and round habit is a true "curio". Ideal for sunny locations, 'Blue Hobbit' is excellent for borders and combination containers with Lobelia 'Fan'® or new Echinacea 'Primadonna White'.
'Astary'® is the first annualized astilbe series on the market. Its large, dense flower spikes come in vibrant 'White', 'Pink' and 'Rose' colors that create an attractive contrast with the deep green leaf cover underneath. Like all FastraX perennials, 'Astary'® does not require vernalization to flower. At 25cm/10" high, it makes a great 10-12cm/4-5" pot. The narrow flowering window of all three 'Astary'® colors makes this fast series a space saver. In addition, its programmable production opens several sales windows both in spring and the B&B season. Other FastraX highlights on display at the Plantarium include the Delphinium 'Summer' series and Scabiosa 'Ritz Blue', which is both an ideal summer pot item and a great alternative spring flower.
Supplementing the perennials, Benary will be presenting a number of annual landscape varieties - tough cultivars that add long-lasting strong color effects to extensive park areas. These include the new bronze leaf tuberous begonia series 'Nonstop® Mocca' in five beautiful contrasting color combinations and the vegetative hybrid Begonia 'Jolly'® in 'Apricot', 'Red' and 'Bronze Leaf Scarlet'. With their great garden performance, Benary's award-winning specialties are ideal partners for public green areas, too. These include Celosia 'Fresh Look' with the new color 'Fresh Look Red Gold', Gaillardia 'Arizona Sun', and a field classic, the early fibrous Begonia 'Sprint' series with the new 'Sprint Blush' and 'Sprint Scarlet' at the top of the list of main colors.
