Alice Spenser-Higgs
WOULD you like to see your favourite plants in the garden centres this spring, maybe even vote for them?
If the answer is yes, head off for the BallStraathof trial gardens, in Honeydew, that open to the gardening public today from 9am to 4pm.
The entrance fee is a nominal R20 per person as a portion goes to the breast cancer awareness project, PinkDrive.
“Normally we just open our gardens to nurseries and growers,” says product manager Kathy Varney, “but the colour and variety are so amazing that this year we decided that gardeners shouldn’t miss out on it.
“We hope it will give gardeners an opportunity to see how all the new varieties grow, the different colours available and unusual combinations.”
On arrival, each visitor is given a flag to put into the pot of their favourite flower.
A good place to start is in the trial greenhouse, the size of a rugby field, filled end-to-end with hundreds of different varieties of annuals, perennials, grasses, foliage plants and vegetables; all of them being trialled for possible release in spring this year, as well as in 2018 and 2019.
There is a strong emphasis on containers and hanging baskets with interesting combinations of plants, as well as patio veggies that can be grown in pots.
Asking the public to vote for their favourite plant helps BallStraathof find out what gardeners like, says Varney, and to see if this matches what garden centres and growers think the public will like.
All the plants in the trial greenhouse can also be found in the landscaped gardens.
An important aspect of the trial is to see how plants perform under normal garden conditions, including with water restrictions.
Like everyone else, BallStraathof observed the water restrictions, only using their two boreholes when absolutely necessary and, then, only watering with a hose.
The densely planted and landscaped gardens feature all the challenges gardeners face: deep shade as well as dappled shade; hot west-facing embankments; beds that receive morning sun and full sun; sloping areas; and southfacing beds.
Assessing plants for drought tolerance is an important part of the trial programme, which is why subjecting them to normal garden conditions was so important, explains Varney. Among the drought-tolerant varieties being tested are sedums and echeveria as well as hardy perennials and heattolerant annuals.
One can also pick up new ideas from the show garden designed and built by students from the Lifestyle College of Garden Design.
They have been allowed to use any plants from the greenhouse, which is a challenge on its own because there are so many plants to choose from.
With plant breeders from around the world constantly producing new plants, or new colours or improving the growth habit, it is essential to test those plants under local conditions and to see if the claims made by breeders hold true.
Potential new plants are also identified by Varney during her annual visit to California to meet with breeders, discuss problems and talk about what gardeners want. Those that get the nod are then planted in the trial gardens back home.
Every stage of the plant’s life is monitored and recorded, so that production time from the sowing of seed to flowering plant can inform future planning.
Once plants are large enough, they are moved from the greenhouse to the garden for their final trial.
Disease resistance and susceptibility to pests are also considered when the final selection is made.
At the same time, production trials check out the viability for commercial production.
As Varney explains, “it is no use having a beautiful, unusual petunia that germinates poorly”.
Families are invited to bring their picnic baskets and there will also be refreshments for sale and a jumping castle for the children.