A breed apart.Byline: Peter Surridge YOU have to hand it to the world's plant breeders - they do a great deal to brighten our lives. That's why I look forward to the annual announcements of Fleuroselect gold medal-winning flowers. Every year around 75 new varieties are submitted to Fleuroselect, the international flower seed organisation, for trialling at 27 sites across Europe, from hot and humid conditions in Italy to the cool, long days of Scandinavia and Britain's unpredictable weather. Flowers that win the coveted cov·et v. cov·et·ed, cov·et·ing, cov·ets v.tr. 1. To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another's). See Synonyms at envy. 2. To wish for longingly. See Synonyms at desire. gold medal gold medal traditional first prize. [Western Cult: Misc.] See : Prize genuinely deserve it because they have been marked consistently high in all conditions throughout the season. But there's more to their excellence than that. Gold medallists for 2002 - with seeds on sale this autumn - finished their trials last year and have now been named. Only three met the exacting standards of being true novelties as well as performing outstandingly. They were. . . Viola x wittrockiana "Ultima Morpho morpho Any species of New World tropical brush-footed butterflies in the genus Morpho (family Nymphalidae). Microscopic ridges on the wing scales break up and reflect light, producing the iridescent blue of the males of some species. ", (pictured) an F1 hybrid F1 hybrids is a term used in genetics and selective breeding. F1 stands for Filial 1, the first filial generation seeds/plants or animal offspring resulting from a cross mating of distinctly different parental types. pansy pansy: see violet. pansy Any of several popular cultivated violets (genus Viola). Pansies have been grown for so long under such diverse conditions with such striking variations in colour and form that their origin is uncertain. that will flower early or late in the year, depending on sowing time. The Ultima series is best known for late flowering and, if sown in early summer, this variety will bloom from September to December. The flowers have mid-blue petals shading to pale blue Adj. 1. pale blue - of a light shade of blue light-blue chromatic - being or having or characterized by hue and yellow with dark markings. If they remind you of a butterfly's wings, that's because they do resemble one - the "Morpho" butterfly of Costa Rica Costa Rica (kŏs`tə rē`kə), officially Republic of Costa Rica, republic (2005 est. pop. 4,016,000), 19,575 sq mi (50,700 sq km), Central America. .Bred by Sakata Seed Corporation of Japan, this variety produces compact plants, 10cm (6in) in height and spread, with masses of 5cm (2in) wide flowers. Next is a real breakthrough, a sweet william sweet William: see pink. sweet William Garden plant (Dianthus barbatus) in the pink family, grown for its clusters of small, brightly coloured flowers. that flowers from seed sown the same year. Normally this cottage garden favourite has to be sown in May or June, thinned during summer, transplanted in autumn and nursed through winter - it does not like strong winds, especially near the sea. But the new variety, Dianthus Dianthus: see pink. barbatus "Noverna Purple", if sown with heat in mid-winter and planted in May, flowers until September. It can also be sown in early April for later planting and flowering. The sturdy, 40cm (16in) stems bear heads of light purple, scented flowers. The third gold medallist is a new petunia petunia, any plant of the genus Petunia, South American herbs of the family Solanaceae (nightshade family). The common garden petunias, planted also in window boxes, are all considered hybrids of white-flowered and violet-flowered species from Argentina. , "Lavender Wave", latest in the Wave series and said to be the first trailing petunia that amateur gardeners can grow from seed. Sown with heat in February, this variety can be planted out after the threat of frost has passed and will produce blooms of strong lavender-pink throughout summer. The plants are vigorous, spreading or trailing up to 1.2m (4ft). They are said to be ideal for hanging baskets, cascading over a wall or as ground cover. "Lavender Wave" has also been chosen as bedding plant of 2002 by the British Bedding and Pot Plant Association. Another 31 kinds of flower were awarded the Fleuroselect quality mark for being judged superior to the best varieties previously available. They included selections of aquilegias, begonias, China asters, more sweet williams and petunias, gazanias and the stunning rudbeckia rudbeckia (rədbĕk`ēə): see black-eyed Susan. rudbeckia indicates fairness. [Flower Symbolism: Flora Symbolica, 177] See : Justice "Cherokee Sunset". Fleuroselect is the main global association of flower seed breeders and distributors. Founded in 1970 as a pan-European group, it now has some 90 members worldwide. Of these, 13 are in Britain and others are spread across Europe, America and Asia. Together they are estimated to represent 90pc of world flower seed production. The British members include household names in the retail seed trade such as Suttons, Mr Fothergill's, Thompson & Morgan and Unwins. They also include names less well known to the public but vitally important for their roles in breeding new varieties and distributing seeds - like Floranova and Colegrave. The benefits of Fleuroselect's work are felt by many people throughout horticulture. The awards bestow general distribution rights on all Fleuroselect members. As a result, a breeder can multiply turnover fivefold fivefold Adjective 1. having five times as many or as much 2. composed of five parts Adverb by five times as many or as much Adj. 1. on a successful new variety. The ultimate customers, both amateur gardeners and professional growers, can identify genuinely new flowers which have passed the most rigorous testing and buy the seeds with confidence Awarded seeds are available from D.T. Brown, Poulton-le-Fylde (01253-884800), Mr Fothergill's Newmarket (01638-552512), Suttons, Paignton (01803-696363), Thompson & Morgan, Ipswich (01473-680199), and Unwins, Cambridge (01945-588522). CAPTION(S): BRIGHTENING UP AUTUMN: Gold medal winning pansy Ultima Morpho RIGHT PLANT, RIGHT PLACE: Today's prize book |
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