On Thursday 28 January, at the IPM 2016 trade fair in Essen, Germany, Hydrangea macrophylla hybride (Hochzeits-Hortensie®) by Helmers Baumschulen GmbH, Westerstede (D) was presented with the Show Your Colours Award IPM 2016. The visitors and the professional jury selected the winner because of the beautiful white flowers and the association with a green wedding. The award was presented to Eike Helmers by jury chairman Oliver P. Kuhrt and Dessi Malakov on the BIZZ Holland stand.
Buxus sempervirens BUXUS JEANS OF GARDEN sent in by Boomkwekerij Notkamp, De Lutte (NL) on behalf of the FloraHolland buxus growers was in second place, and third place went to Gaultheria procumbens GAULTIER PEARL (‘SPECGP11’) by Special Plant Zundert, Zundert (NL) and Skimmia japonica DWARF Series by Van Vliet New Plants, Stroe (NL).
The other nominated plants were as follows: Chamaecyparis pisifera 'Blue Moon', Fascicularia bicolor GARDEN BROMELIA, Hebe GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY ('Lowag'), Hibiscus syriacus in varieties, Hydrangea macrophylla MAGICAL in varieties, Loropetalum chinense EVER RED (‘Chang Nian Hong’), Paeonia RICH AND SPARKLING (Itoh Group) in varieties, Ribes/Rubus/Vaccinium in 100% organic cardboard pot, Viburnum plicatum KILIMANDJARO SUNRISE (‘JWW5’).
The nominated plants and concepts were exhibited in two different locations. In both locations, the visitors could use special tokens to vote for their favourite plant/concept until the end of Thursday morning. In addition, they could vote online via the IPM Essen and BIZZ Communications websites. On Thursday afternoon, the entries were judged by an expert jury consisting of Oliver P. Kuhrt (Messe Essen, jury chairman), Sytse Berends (Blunt Communicatieadvies/Peak Retail), Michel Verbeek (Royal FloraHolland), Werner Oschek (journalist for various German trade journals), Susanne Blom and Dessi Malokov. The verdict of the jury, together with the votes received via the poll and the tokens, led to Hydrangea macrophylla hybride (Hochzeits-Hortensie®) being crowned the winner of the Show Your Colours Award IPM 2016.
The Show Your Colours Award IPM 2016 is a collaboration between the organisers of IPM and BIZZ Communications.
