GREEN GOODS A perennial By Heather Machovina focus Darwin Perennials Day provided a look at new varieties and a new brand introduction - while three retailers shared tips on how to sell more perennials. D arwin Perennials Day celebrated its 13th year in West Chicago this summer, with attendees enjoying a day full of suppliers, breeders, garden tours - including the new variety showcase - and even a butterfly release. A fitting ending to a day full of pollinator-friendly plant inspiration. While I was able to view many of the new introductions for 2024 from Darwin Perennials during California Spring Trials (CAST) in March, it was a different experience being able to see them in action in the trial beds. California had some unusually wet weather at the beginning of the year 28 | LAWN & GARDEN RETAILER | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2023 (we continued to experience the rain and even some hail during our trip), which made it much more difficult for growers to produce display plants that were the proper size and flowering leading up to CAST. And, because these plants were being grown as we were climbing out of the winter months, most were greenhouse grown. Seeing the new varieties growing outdoors in the trial beds on the first day of summer allowed me to see how the spring weather and heat impacted their growth compared to the greenhouse-produced, potted plants from CAST. Some were