Tomorrow sees the annual Woking Nursery Exhibition. Although a modest sized event compared to some, this is an important event in the British horticulture calendar, noted for its relaxed environment and good range of British growers on display. Graham will be at the exhibition for most of the day, so please feel free to collar him if you see him about.

This year’s event sees the launch of two plants in the PFE portfolio. Geum Totally Tangerine (PVR applied for), bred by Tim Crowther, will be exhibited by Farplants. Meanwhile, New Place Nurseries will be showing Cistus corbariensis Little Miss Sunshine™ (PVR and trademark applied for), bred by well-known Irish plantsman, Kieran Dunne.

Be sure to look out for these excellent new plants. Contact us if you’d like to know more.

Plants For Europe has recently filed two new EU PVR applications on behalf of breeders. These are

• Geranium pratense Laura – CPVO file number 20071771
• Lavandula stoechas With Love – CPVO file number 20071772

Many of you will be familiar with Lavandula With Love – it has just been launched in the UK by Farplants and in the Netherlands by Kwekerij van Heesbeen. Van Heesbeen have entered it into the new plant competition at next week’s Plantarium event. With Love is a fantastic variety, certainly the best pink-flowered type that is currently available, offering compact and bushy plants that are free-flowering and repeat-flowering.

Geranium pratense Laura may be new to you. It is an excellent new fully-double, pure white flowered form of the Meadow Cranesbill bred by Geranium enthusiast Christine Morley. Young plants are now available – contact us if you are interested in testing or growing this variety.

PFE is pleased to announced that we have been appointed as the breeder’s agent by Flip Schram for an exciting new Zantedeschia variety, Zantedeschia aethiopica Snow White.

This is a compact selection from the well-known variety Crowborough, growing to only 60cm high including the flower spathe. The pure white spathes are full-sized, in spite of the compact nature of the plant.

PFE has recently filed the EU PVR application on the breeder’s behalf, CPVO file number 20070529. The application date is 28 February 2007. Under EU law, a pending application for PVR affords the same protection to the breeder as if it had been granted. Therefore, we wish to remind growers that propagation and sale without a licence is prohibited.

Growers in the EU who are interested in testing this variety should contact us. In North America, Snow White is represented by our friends at PlantHaven Inc.

With effect from January 1st 2006, PFE will be the sole European agent for Phlox paniculata Becky Towe. Breeder’s agent arrangements in all other territories remain unchanged.

Becky Towe is a brightly variegated and vigorous Phlox variety. The leaves display a stable broad margin of golden yellow (becoming paler later in the year). The flowers are fresh salmon carmine pink and are scented. Becky Towe also displays improved mildew-resistance when compared to other cultivars.

Becky Towe is subject to EU PVR (CPVO file number 19991579). It is also protected by US Plant Patent (number 12,908). Propagation without a licence is illegal.

PFE will be writing to existing licensees in the next few weeks. Meanwhile, any growers interested in test plants or licence details should contact us.

Several plants in the PFE portfolio that have, until now, been known only by working names have now been given their final marketing names by their breeders. We’ll be writing to everyone that is growing these plants in the next few days to give you the latest information (if we haven’t done so already), but in the meantime, here is a list of the newly-named plants:

• Geranium pratense “double white”
  - now named Geranium pratense Laura in honour of the breeder’s mother
• Phygelius “Coral Prince”
  - now named Phygelius Croftway Coral Princess
• Phygelius “Firebrand”
  - now named Phygelius Croftway Red Emperor
• Phygelius “Purple Prince”
  - now named Phygelius Croftway Purple Prince
• Phygelius “Richer Yellow”
  - now named Phygelius Croftway Yellow Sovereign
• Phygelius “Snow Queen”
  - now named Phygelius Croftway Snow Queen
  (illustrated right)

Readers should also note that, in the case of the Phygelius, it is the breeder’s intention to apply for European and United States trademark protection for the name “Croftway”. Further information on this aspect of the plants’ names shall be published here as it becomes available.

The Phygelius are being launched worldwide this year. For details of sources, please contact us. The licenced propagators in Europe are:

• Minier (FR)
• Jungpflanzen Grünewald (DE)

PFE is proud to announce the addition of two new plants to our portfolio.

The first (alphabetically) is an exciting new Dianthus variety, Dianthus gratianopolitanus Red Devil (illustrated right).

Red Devil is a sport of the popular variety Feuerhexe (also known as Fire Witch) which will be Perennial Plant Association Plant of the Year 2006. It shares many features with Feuerhexe, including attractive steely grey evergreen foliage and a neat compact habit (growing to around 15cm or 6 inches). It is a free flowering plant with rich deep red clove-scented flowers. The main flower display is in spring and early summer but with repeat flowering in late summer and autumn.

Propagation is easy from cuttings, and this makes a fine plant for impulse sales in pot sizes from 10cm to 1.5 litre.

Test material will be available later this year, from June onwards. In the meantime, a specimen plant is being grown at PFE headquarters and may be viewed by appointment.

The second plant is Gaillardia Summers Kiss (illustrated right).

This plant, already popular in the United States (where it is protected by Plant Patent), originated in a batch of seedlings of Gaillardia Goblin. It has similar growth habits to its parent, with a low-growing, compact and upright habit. It is free flowering, displaying its large daisy-like flowers from mid-summer into autumn. The flowers open pink-orange and age to melon giving an overall peach-apricot effect.

Summers Kiss is an easy to grow plant, propagated by cuttings. It makes an excellent plant for the border or for container planting, and will make a good impulse purchase item for later in the season in 1 litre or 2 litre pots.

Test material is available now – contact us for more details. A specimen plant will also be added to the collection at PFE headquarters and may be viewed by appointment from mid summer.