By Staff
Hybridizing – creating something new and unusual – takes time, patience, money and several years.
A lot of all of the above, I'm sure.
All the while, hybridizers are actively growing, testing and evaluating their new, exciting introductions.
In anticipation of their debut, a whole new growing season, 2007.
With their finger on our gardening "pulses," they also have to suit our changing, gardening needs and, if this wasn't tough enough, gardening changes from generation to generation, too.
Understanding garden trends, organically-grown flowers and vegetables, water gardens, pests such as deer and rabbits and space are also considerations.
Space can be very limited. Hybridizers and growers are very mindful of gardeners who live in cities, those of us who have smaller yards and even smaller patios, rooftops, townhouses and condos, whose only choice is to garden on balconies. Maybe someone just wants or has room for a container or two.
We all want to be included in the joys of gardening. Not only do we humans benefit, it also draws nature and wildlife, as they are being squeezed out of their homes, too.
Most companies have rich histories, deep-seated family roots and traditions, numbering from 50 to more than 100 years of service. Their passion and livelihood depend on them growing and developing the new and unusual.
They have given us the tried and true varieties, too, which have become classics in our gardens.
It all starts with an idea. They take pollen from one plant and cross it with another.
After the seeds are ripe, they're planted.
Now the real work begins. First hundreds, maybe thousands, of seedlings are planted in test patches or gardens.
Like an anxious "expectant" father, these patches are placed from one end to the other.
Seeking something out of the ordinary in foliage – colors, shapes, heights, sizes – and flowers – color, sizes, shapes and fragrance.
As each day passes they narrow their choices, discarding hundreds for one reason or another.
After all the hopes, dreams, frustrations and expenses, sometimes only a handful remain.
Their creeds, their mantra, must be only the best are good enough to end up in our customers' gardens.
A few goals to be met:
Only the best, most unique colors, heights, foliage, shapes, sizes and fragrance.
Hardiest.
Easy to grow.
Resistance to diseases and pests.
Longest-blooming flowers.
Any reblooming traits.
And last of all, to be affordable.