Living Raspberry Pink Improved has been named Hydrangea paniculata with the best shelf life by Royal FloraHolland.

For the third time in a row, this means gold for breeder Alex Schoemaker. "Previously, we received this award with Living Pinky Promise® and Living Little Rosy®. All three winners fall within our Living Creations line with good genetics, promising 100-day flowering, among other things. That the results are consistent is therefore explainable, but it is again a great acknowledgement that we have received this confirmation this year. In all cases, we deliver our plants to the inspection untreated and unsprayed. Pure winners, then," says Alex Schoemaker.

Living Raspberry Pink® Improved is, as the name suggests, an improved version of Living Raspberry Pink®. Especially the growth characteristics have been optimised. Improved branching produces a compact growth form with strong branches. This results in a nicely filled-out, lushly flowering plant. The flowers start out creamy white and turn light pink in the course of the summer.

Test method

For this judgement, the plants were tested intensively for a long time by Royal FloraHolland's Knowledge Centre. Here, the logistic route from grower to consumer is simulated. It then looks at how and how long the plant performs in a simulated end-customer environment. On this, the professional jury judges the entry against the other entries.

The Boskoop breeder also expects to have new varieties tested in future years: "Every year we expand our assortment with new colours, new applications but also improvements within the Living Creations® assortment. Core promises here remain more than 100 days of flowering, hardy to -30 and easy to care for." Extensive consumer-focused information is available via livingcreations.com. For the trade, more information is available at alexschoemaker.co.uk.