'Grainger's Strawberry Jam'

Of my new seedlings last year, no other caused as much of a stir as 'Grainger's Strawberry Jam'.  The leaves are very dark (almost black) and the plant grows thick and is a dwarf, but the blooms are massive!  They are also double pink with dark red splotches.  This was the first bloom to form last summer, but since the plants put out even larger, massive flower heads consistently.  When a new plant is bred, it takes a while for it to develop, and even longer to trial before it is put into greater production.  I have a lot of people give me feedback, and this is one that gets a lot of comments.  I have produced a limited quantity of clones this spring, so look for it to spread across Canada soon.

"Kiri' & Dearly Departed Plants

'Kiri' is a really nice specimen stellar.  It has golden leaves and double pink blooms with red splotches.  Sadly I lost mine which I partly blame on the supplier (root mealy bugs are VERY devastating) and a very weird summer a few years back.  I since take cuttings and pitch the roots of new plants (a stitch in time saves nine).  I also take cuttings of plants I like well in advance of any problems that may arise.  It is a constant battle when you have a good collection...and sharing cuttings allows you to have greater backup sources if ever you lose a specimen.  What goes around comes around.  I just wish somebody could share a cutting of 'Kiri' with me, as every time I pass the pot that has tags of plants I have lost I miss it the most.  The tags look like little tombstones with the departed variety names on the little white rounded tags.  Fortunately I have not lost a variety (knock on wood) in a long time.

'Grainger's Mini Van'

'Grainger's Mini Van' is perhaps one of the worst named of my plants, but it really has some great characteristics.  It is a stellar with golden leaves that have a very large center brown splotch (clearly some genes from 'Vancouver Centennial'!).  The blooms are semi double light red, and fortunately it grows VERY thick yet remains a dwarf.  I remember watching this plant as a seedling and knew it was special from the get go.  After a few warm months growing outdoors it bloomed last August and ever since the clones of the clones of the clones tend to bloom fairly consistently, so it is definitely a keeper.  It has been another crumby rainy day here so I cut back the light garden plants...again.  I got 5 cuttings off of the 'Grainger's Mini Van' alone!   

Light Gardens

Why people do not grow more pelargoniums under light is something I will never understand.  I use a greenhouse, but also have a very large collection as back up under lights.  Plan for the worse, and hope for the best I guess.  I made my light gardens pretty inexpensively too, using shelving units and fluorescent ballasts on chains.  As you can see, its a jungle under there.  I have around 200 varieties under these 7 levels of lights, and in a relatively small space, so anybody can grow through the winter.  I always have blooming plants, and with regular inspection and trimming, I have no issues with disease either.  Some do better than others under lights, and I must admit that I am getting tired of cutting back certain varieties that want to sprawl.  In another month these will be outside again thank God!

A Rosebud Variety That Everyone Should Have...

Back in 2006 I noticed that one of my rosebud plants had an interesting mutation...the flower had turned pink in colour, and also had opened up much more than usual.  I took a cutting and hoped for the best, and nearly 5 years later these plants are staying stable fortunately.  I named and registered this rosebud as Antique Rose, as the flowers get better looking as they mature...especially indoors.

Don's Silvaperle

'Don's Silvaperle' is a tricolour plant with single red blooms.  It grows slow and is a dwarf, but it is worth the wait having great colour.  In this picture is it hard to see the pink pigmentation in the foliage, and it never is as bold as 'Dolly Varden' seems to be.  I have a seedling growing now that I used 'Don's Silvaperle' as the pollen parent for and it too is variegated like it's father...so far.

Big Spring Sale-TBG Sunday May 1st-2011

For any Canadians wanting weird and unusual varieties of pelargoniums, come check out the sales table at the TBG (Toronto Botanical Gardens) this Sunday May 1st, 2011.  They start selling to the public at 11am in the boardroom (check for signs) and then will move the plants at noon to the larger Hardy Rock Garden Mega Sale in the Floral Hall...and this sale is AMAZING!!!!!