Ball Straathof’s flower trial gardens pop with colour
Thr trial flower house houses hundreds of annuals, perennials and foliage plants, many of them gold medal winners from the US and the UK.
Picture: iStock
Green is serene, but colour makes the heart sing, so the saying goes and gardeners, in particular, respond when colour comes in the form of flowers of every shape and variety.
Next Saturday, Ball Straathof opens its flower trial gardens to the public and gardeners can expect wave upon wave of colour, both in the 2.5 hectare gardens as well as in the trial house, the size of a rugby field.
On arrival, each member of the public is given a flag and asked to vote by placing it in the pot of their favourite flower.
“Growers and garden centres will be watching to see which flowers receive the most votes because that helps the planning for this coming summer,” says product manager Kathy Varney.
This is the only trial garden of its kind in South Africa and it’s only the second year it has been opened to the public as part of a week-long viewing by landscapers, growers and garden centre buyers.
It has been inspired by other famous trial gardens, such as the Colegrave gardens near Cambridge in the UK and the Ball Horticulture trial gardens in West Chicago, US.
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What’s to see?
The first section visitors see is the oldest, established part of the gardens. In sunny parts look out for the new, repeat-flowering Every day lily and a range of alstroemeria. Impatiens and begonia provide a carpet of colour under the trees.
Verbena put on a show at the main entrance, with pelargoniums cascading down an embankment of loffel stones.
A pathway to the trial house leads past a small garden and beyond that are the themed displays of edibles, succulents, patio plants, novelty petunias, perennials and hanging baskets.
The main attraction is the trial flower house which houses hundreds of annuals, perennials and foliage plants, many of them gold medal winners from the US and the UK.
The final section features a pathway leading through a series of sky frames, a new design concept that opens up the “fifth” dimension of landscape space.
“Our emphasis is on colour, at different levels and in different combinations,” says Varney, who likens them to a huge box of Smarties, popping with colour.
Spotlight on impatiens
Of interest is the impatiens trial. New downy-mildew resistant impatiens Walleriana varieties will be monitored this season.
“If the trials yield the results we hope for, gardeners can once again plant bedding impatiens without worrying about disease, especially in wet, cool weather,” says Varney.
Adjacent are beds of Sunpatiens planted in varying degrees of sun and shade to test their all-weather performance.
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Future stars
It is always risky to make predictions, but Varney won’t be surprised if favourites include osteospermum Purple Sun, dark-eyed vinca Tattoo, bi-colour petunia Lightening Sky, a deep-blue salvia Mysty, dwarf cosmos Casanova, bedding dahlia Dalaya and the compact fuchsia Bella range.
She would also like to see how gardeners respond to the canna Canova range – compact, vigorous plants with glowing flowers in shades of orange, yellow, rose, red, mango. They are new hybrids that are not invasive.
For more information contact 011-794-2316 or visit www.ballstraathof.co.za
Open day info
The gardens are open on November 10 from 9am to 5pm.
Entrance is R50 per adult, R30 for pensioners and children under 12 are free. A portion will go to charity.
Food and refreshments are available and people are welcome to bring their own picnic baskets.
There is a jumping castle for children.
Directions: Ball Straathof is at 1550 Printech Avenue via Juice Street, Laser Park, just off Beyers Naude Drive in Honeydew.
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