Expert grower Ivor Mace highlights the new chrysanthemums for 2021
Here’s a selection of varieties to watch out for this year
Every year the National Chrysanthemum Society register new varieties submitted to them by hybridisers. This year Covid-19 has caused the cancellation of most of the flower shows and prevented the registration committee meeting. So registration this year has been by way of emailed photographs and Zoom meetings. But where there’s a will there’s a way, and there’s certainly been the will to keep our hobby going any way we can until normality returns.
There aren’t so many varieties being released this year, but nevertheless there are some interesting new releases that growers can try.
Fellow Garden News writer John Peace has two new ones. The first is an early spray called ‘Rolly’, bred by Dicky Jones from Blackhall, in County Durham. This is a lovely bright yellow, single spray (29d). He also has ‘NHS Rainbow’. John recommends stopping it in mid-March and growing two blooms on each plant for showing. It has an October classification so it can be shown in both early and late shows. It’s 1.2m (4ft) tall and deep pink (15b).
● John Peace, 9 Briardene Way, Easington Colliery, Peterlee, Co Durham, SR8 3NR.
Vin Aldred has bred some of the best early sprays in recent years. He has another beauty for next year called ‘Florrie Chivers’, named after his granddaughter. It’s a white, single spray that’s very vigorous and capable of carrying 14 blooms per stem. It will make a superb show spray but with that sort of flower power will put on a good show in any garden, too. Vin recommends stopping May 10 in the north and May 20 in the south (29d).
● Vin Aldred, 41 Shakespeare Crescent, Dronfield, Derbyshire, S18 1NB.
Chrysanthemums Direct is releasing ‘NHS Rainbow’ and £1 of every sale is going to the NHS charity in recognition of its tremendous effort in treating coronavirus patients. Another one from Gordon Dowson is pink ‘Reg Lawrence’, (25a), named for Chrysanthemums Direct owner, Mr Lawrence senior.
● Chrysanthemums Direct, Holmes Chapel Road, Over Peover, Knutsford, Cheshire, WR16 9RA.
John Marshall has a bright yellow sport of the popular medium incurve Sheila Harris called ‘Yellow Sheila Harris’. This will be in demand for sure (3b). l John Marshall, 16 Haglis Drive, Wendover, Bucks, HP22 6LY.
Yet another sport, this time it’s from the top incurve ‘Bryony Wade’. ‘Salmon Bryony Wade’ sported with Gordon Kirby and is being released by the Northern Group. This will be in great demand (3b). l Barry Hogg, 118 Great North Road, Woodlands, Doncaster, DN6 7HT.
Eric Anderton has single handily revamped the anemone section. He has three new releases all mediums (6b). The first is ‘Anderton Croft’, named in recognition of grower Bill Croft. ‘Anderton Fantasy’ is a nice deep salmon and ‘Anderton Crescent’ is deep pink. l Tim Bosworth,9 Strawberry Avenue, Liversedge, West Yorkshire, WF15 7NY.
I have a sport from ‘Peggy Ann’ called ‘Amber Peggy Ann’. It sported with the late Michael Tippett in Bristol. Michael was quite excited about this sport and so was I. He was getting ready to pass it on to me when he died suddenly. ‘Peggy Ann’ has been a top variety for 71 years and this is its first sport. l Ivor Mace, 2 Mace Lane, Ynyswen, Treorci, Rhondda-Cynon-Taff, CF42 6DS.
Bill Fulton has a lovely pink medium single called ‘Gemstone’. Bill has bred some lovely singles but none lovelier than this one (7b). l Bill Fulton, 24 Woodwaye, Woodley, Reading, Berkshire, RG5 3HA.