July 2020 - 36

vaughn's view
BY VAUGHN FLETCHER
COMBINATIONS
Captivating Color
I
Vaughn Fletcher
is president of
Fletcher Consulting.
He has been in the
horticulture industry
since 1971, working in
many areas including
landscaping, garden
center and greenhouse
production, greenhouse
and nursery sales and
sales management.
He can be reached at
vfletcher9@gmail.com.
visited the Costa Farms spring
trial in Florida during week 11
to evaluate the development
and progression of annuals,
perennials, and combination
baskets from planting to maturity.
In preceding articles I highlighted
2021 annual introductions; in
this article, I describe the most
outstanding and colorful designer
combinations in the basket trial
that resulted in the greatest
visual impact.
The current and new trial basket
recipes were planted week 50, moved
to the full sun exposure area week 7,
and by week 11 the characteristics and
attributes of each recipe were clearly
demonstrated, including compatibility,
component balance and timing, vigor,
floriferousness and heat tolerance.
1. ECLIPSE OF THE SUN
Proven Winners
This is a combination of impatiens
'Rockapulco Orange Improved', ipomoea
'Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Lime' and
coleus 'Colorblaze Chocolate Drop'. This
is an interesting and unconventional
mixture of textures, mass, foliage shapes
and colors. It was trialed in a full sun
exposure but is adaptable for partial to
full shade. The growth habits of the three
components were similar, the basket had
bulk and size, and the transitional green
coloration of the coleus and ipomoea
contrasted beautifully with the orange
36 JULY 2020 GPNMAG.COM
impatiens. These components are in
many of the Proven Winners shaded
patio recipes. Every combination that
the Proven Winners team selects for the
Bundled Kit program has been trialed and
tested in regional trials. This recipe will
be in the Bundled Kit program for 2021.
2. BEACHSIDE DRIVE
Proven Winners
My first thought when I saw this recipe
was, " Wow! " This combination is a
carnival of color, and it evokes warmth
and energy. It is a combination of three
components: calibrachoa 'Superbells
Tropical Sunrise', petunia 'Supertunia
Honey' and scaevola 'Whirlwind Pink'. The
varieties are well matched in timing, vigor
and balance. This is a National Recipe for
2021 and will receive a focused program
of marketing and promotion.
3. ENCHANTMINT
Westhoff
There are numerous adjectives to
describe the calibrachoa Chameleon
series, including polychromatic,
iridescent and vivacious. There are
now over 16 varieties in the collection
and four new introductions for 2021.
Enchantmint is composed of 'Chameleon
Lavender Sorbet', 'Chameleon Pink
Diamond' and Fancifiller satureja 'Indian
Mint'. The Fancifiller program began in
2016 with the award-winning helichrysum
'Silverstar', and Westhoff has added
many new and unique foliage varieties
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These designer baskets provided superior visual impact at the Costa Farms trial garden this year.
as components for fillers and spillers.
'Indian Mint' is fragrant and offers a small
white flower as it matures and weaves
its way through the combination and
eventually cascades. The calibrachoa
Chameleons in this recipe are top sellers
in the collection. Enchantmint is part of
the Westhoff Passion Combo collection
consisting of 18 classic and 20 new
combinations for 2021.
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July 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2020