It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Season!
The NCAA had March Madness. Depending on your niche, the green industry has February, March, April and May Madness, with no quarterfinals, no byes, no halftimes. But unlike basketball, luckily, one setback doesn’t mean you have to go home. We’re all in the game right to the last basket.
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Those poor Northerners! Their daytime highs are lower than our nighttime lows! If only we could send them some of this gorgeousness on the next transfer truck. But hey, they choose to live up there. And some sticky sweltering summer day, soon, the laugh will be on Florida. |
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Euphorbia ‘Ascot Rainbow’
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Yeah, it’s nippy here. But better days are coming. When they arrive, we’ll be sure to let you Southerners know just how sweet it is. |
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Meanwhile, it’s a beautiful spring in the shipping house. The early Bouteloua crop is going out, looking mahvellous. Short-day Echinacea liners are in process for your programming pleasure. Achillea and Aquilegia are refreshed from a winter nap in the cool houses. And newly-planted field stock of Calamagrostis and other high-demand grasses is shaping up nicely behind the trial gardens. Wanna see? Check out “ECG On Parade” below for your invitation!
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About the Rock Star Award
Our Rock Star award honors Emerald Coast Growers employees who demonstrate a sustained high level of performance and inspire others.
Standing atop the podium this month is our latest winner, Jessica Hyler.
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Jessica is a valued member of the Production Crew at our Milton location. She’s spent the last two years working exclusively in ornamental grass production. She’s earned the respect of her colleagues, as you can see from their nominations.
“Jessica is hard working. She is always going beyond to make sure the job gets done. Jessica is always on time at work and is very knowledgeable of plants and how to make the proper cuts.”
“I nominate Jessica. She works hard, is always here and always helpful. Very knowledgeable.”
“Jessica cares about her work and quality. She is hard working and helpful to others.”
“I vote for Jessica. She is very helpful and great at explaining the hows and whys of tasks. She goes above and beyond to get the job completed. She is also friendly.”
Congratulations and thank you, Jessica! Your dedicated service, day in and day out, make you a Rock Star! Keep up the good work!
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WHAT'S HOT: Echinacea Butterfly™ Series
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This is a splendid Dutch-bred group of six compact, free-flowering varieties, named for actual butterflies. They make a terrific, endcap-worthy retail pot presentation. Choose from Golden Skipper PP28523, ‘Orange Skipper’, Postman PP28524, ‘Purple Emperor’ PP24459, Rainbow Marcella PP28573 and the latest addition, ‘Yellow Rainbow Marcella’ PP32292. Better yet, grow ‘em all and let your customers do the choosing. All stand under 2’ tall at maturity, and are hardy in Zones 5 – 9.
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‘Purple Emperor’ PP24459
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Rainbow Marcella PP28573
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‘Yellow Rainbow Marcella’ PP32292
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ECG On Parade: The Summer Trade Show Trail |
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Spring can feel like an endless game of Whack-A-Mole, with one thing after another popping up unpredictably. But take a little time out to make a mental note, or an Outlook or smartphone calendar date, for upcoming trade shows. They’ll be upon us sooner than you think.
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Darwin Perennials Day
June 22, West Chicago, IL
If you’re a perennial grower within striking range, this is a worthwhile visit. Speakers, tours, nosh, exhibitors, – including ECG – and the lovely Gardens At Ball. Register here: https://www.darwinperennialsday.com/
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Cultivate
July 17-19, Columbus, OH
The 800-pound gorilla of American hort events! We’ll be in Booth #2313 introducing our (drum roll, please) new Starter Plant Catalog -- the hub around which the whole show revolves. But don’t just grab your fresh-from-the-oven copy and leave. While you’re there, you might as well check out some other exhibitors. With over eight acres of booths, there’s probably something else nearly as interesting. https://www.cultivateevent.org/registration
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Perennial Plant Association National Symposium
August 1 – 5, Lancaster, PA
Will ECG be at PPA? Of course! But this year, PPA will also be at ECG! One of the many excellent tours will visit our PA location’s greenhouses and trial gardens. Registration is open now at perennialplant.org. Be there – I mean, here – or be square!
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This genus of silver-leaved perennials, herbs and annuals is probably named for Artemis, Greek goddess of the hunt, daughter of Zeus. She drove a chariot pulled by golden-horned stags with a bumper sticker reading “My Other Chariot Is A Hybrid.”
Another theory says the name actually honors Artemisia II, 4th century BCE warrior queen of Halicarnassus and nearby islands. Like Artemis, she was an archer. She was also a botanist and a doctor, so that theory makes just as much sense.
Whichever eponym you prefer, introduce your customers to the innovative SunFern™ series. These two newcomers stand 14 – 18”. They’re hardy in USDA Zones 4 – 9, and they belong in your perennial selection.
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(‘Balfernac’) PP33774
This little-used species brings a new aspect to a familiar category. A. gmelinii is a herbaceous perennial that looks like an evergreen shrub. Arcadia features feathery/ferny foliage, medium green with a light silver cast.
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(‘Balfernlym’) PP33775
Olympia features the same upright, shrubby habit and ferny foliage, but with dark green leaves on striking red stems. Both varieties thrive in full sun or light shade, and make a fine retail presentation in gallon pots.
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The soft, silvery charms of Artemisia are legendary – but not mythical. Grow your own legend with the real thing: smooth-planting, fast-finishing 72-cell Artemisia liners from Emerald Coast Growers!
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As I type, PA is waking up kinda slowly because the last week of April is acting more like mid-March. Deep down, we know spring is a non-linear, fits-and-starts process: Shorts & sandals on Tuesday, frost warnings & woodstoves back in play on Friday. |
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And yet, as if this is all new, we want and expect the temperature to ratchet steadily upward, like the daylength. So – duh! -- we’re surprised and disappointed every year.
As you read, here's hoping you’re setting new sales records. May winter be barely visible way back there in the rear-view, and may you leave no moles unwhacked.
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John Friel
Marketing Manager
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