Flowers--where do they come from?

Judging in progress at 2010 trials.

Petunias, geranium, coleus, impatiens, begonias. They're giving us a good season of color decorating our private porches and patios and public restaurants and malls. But do you know before they all got there, where those flowers came from?

Here's a Colorado-proud moment: many of the flower varieties not only enjoyed by us--but the rest of the country--got their start in Colorado. We've got what it takes to separate the fluff from the hardy: pounding hail, harsh winds, scorching sun, dry climate.

It seems the rest of the country appreciates that if an annual can survive in Colorado and keep on bloomin', it could live darn near anywhere.

Last week green industry pros gathered at one of three Colorado plant trials, this one hosted by local grower Welby Gardens at Country Fair Garden Center in Arvada. Judges evaluated nearly 600 different annuals that were all started underneath 2 acres of greenhouse last January. Catch a glimpse of this flower extravaganza in the photo above.

At the annual CSU plant trials, judges evaluate 1,200 annuals.

Colorado State University hosts another one of the 20+ annual All-American Selection trial gardens. Last year, CSU researchers presented more than 1,200 annuals for evaluation.

The 2010 trials are now underway and open for public view on the campus. If you're delivering a student this year, head over to the east side of the campus after the stuff has been dumped at the dorm. Seeing so many flowers in one place is hard to pass up.

The progression of a flower from development to plant trials to patio takes about 10 years. To become a winner, the new plant must be better than what is already on the market in terms of fragrance, form, disease/pest hardiness and more.

The winners must be the showiest and hardiest to survive the cut. All the other blooms that sat pretty for the judges at the trials have long since gone by the wayside so that we can keep enjoying the best of the best.
And that, Virginia, is where flowers come from.


Tip of the Week reprinted courtesy of Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado (ALCC) of which Foothills Landscape Maintenance, LLC is a member. ALCC is the only only professional organization for Colorado's landscape contracting industry statewide. Tip of the Week is copyrighted by Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado and may be forwarded or copied by its members provided proper credit is given to ALCC