A number of award winning cut flower varieties were honored in the last year or so. Here are highlights on a few of those.


Ageratum

Ageratum Patina Purple was among the top five varieties chosen at the Colorado State University trials, which take place at Fort Collins.

The ageratums are used as a medium filler flower. These are a favorite for mixed bouquets. They add a soft texture to floral designs. Ageratum stems have a vase life of about five to seven days. These can also be used as an everlasting.

In the cutting garden, the ageratums need full sun and a well drained soil.


Jade Frost Sea Holly

This variety was a favorite among visitors to the University of Guelph Trial Gardens in Guelph, Ontario.

The sea hollies have spiky cone-like heads with bracts. As a fresh flower, these have a vase life of one to two weeks. The stems can also be used as an everlasting. In floral designs, the sea hollies are used as a medium form flower due to their unique shape.


Coreopsis

Coreopsis Route 66 was named a Classic City Award Winner at the University of Georgia Trial Gardens in Athens. The stems reach about 1½ feet in height. The large yellow petals have red bases. They surround golden brown cones. The flowers are two inches in diameter. This variety blooms non-stop during the summer and fall months.


Agastache

Agastache Bronze Foliage was a visitors’ favorite at the University of Guelph Trial Gardens in Guelph, Ontario.


Dahlia

Dahlia Grande Colima was named one of the bet new varieties at the University of Illinois Arboretum in Miles C. Hartley Selections Garden in Urbana. This is part of the Dalina series of dahlias. These have 1½ foot tall stems with lovely double pink blooms


Delphinium

Delpinium Diamonds Blue was a visitors’ favorite at the University of Guelph Trial Gardens in Guelph, Ontario. This is hardy to zone five. This plant is two feet in height. These blooms are unusual because they lack spurs and face upwards. The blue is a cerulean shade with just a hint of a contrasting shade near the tips of the petals. These have no bee. Diamonds Blue produces flowers the very first year from seed. Seeds are available from Burpee.