New Thompson & Morgan bedding plants fly in the face of tradition
Penstemon ‘Orchestra Mixed’
Already a top-seller within weeks of the launch of Thompson & Morgan’s Spring Catalogue, Penstemon ‘Orchestra Mixed’ is rapidly becoming one of this summer’s must-have plants, thanks to its suggested new use as a ‘bedding penstemon’.
Although far from traditional, the idea of using penstemon in bedding schemes is bound to catch on.
The long-flowering performance of penstemon is just what’s needed for colourful beds, as plants will keep blooming right up until the frosts and are remarkably resilient and weather-tolerant. Additionally, plants won’t become blighted by rust, a curse which can spoil the appearance of snapdragons and could inhibit flowering.
Penstemon ‘Orchestra Mixed’ is bred by Thompson & Morgan.
In recent years, the quality of foxglove breeding has improved greatly. The pick of the bunch is Digitalis ‘Dalmatian Mixed’. This quick-to-flower variety can be grown as an annual, making another ideal candidate for bedding schemes.
Unlike traditional foxgloves which make a fleeting flowering appearance in May, ‘Dalmatian’ will flower throughout the summer, producing plenty of secondary blooms once the main spike has faded.
Michael Perry, New Product Development Manager, said: “In the UK, we can sometimes get caught in a bit of a bedding ‘rut’, habitually planting up lack lustre marigolds which don’t really ever give us the display we hope for. By thinking differently about what we plant, we can create easier-to-care for, longer-lasting, more robust bedding displays.”
