October 3, 2019
Newsscape October 2019
Solty Garden Centre to close
After 68 years in the landscape and nursery industry, Cookstown, Ont.-based Leslie L. Solty and Sons Limited (LLS), and Solty Garden Centre (SGC) will cease normal business operations effective Dec 20, 2019.“We are very proud of our third generation family business,” says Frank Solty. “A lot of thought went into our decision, but with no one to pass the torch to, we felt it was time to wrap up shop.”
LLS will continue to provide products and service throughout the duration of 2019. Remaining container stock will be sold in the spring of 2020, with any existing field inventory to be sold over the next three to four years, the company said in a media release.
“We have been very fortunate, over many decades, to have had countless dedicated employees, invaluable partnerships with suppliers, and valued loyal customers. To each of these parties we owe our sincerest gratitude,” says Nick Solty.
Fire devastates Pioneer Flower Farms
Starting in the late evening on Aug. 16, 2019, a fire erupted at the St. Catharines, Ont.-based Pioneer Flower Farms, devastating the facilities, including migrant housing, greenhouses, warehouse and coolers. No one was injured in the blaze, and St. Catharines Standard newspaper reported the Ontario Fire Marshal investigators stated, “They would never be able to determine the cause and origin” of the fire due to the extent of the damage.NGB announces 2020 “Year of” plants
The National Garden Bureau (NGB), a Downers Grove, Ill.-based non-profit organization promoting gardening in North America, announced the plants it will feature in its “Year of” program for 2020: iris, bulb; lantana, annual; corn, edible; lavender, perennial; and hydrangea, flowering shrub.
“The program chooses crops specifically for the North American market that are easy to grow, genetically diverse, and with a lot of new breeding to showcase,” the NGB explains. “Breeders, brokers, seed companies, growers and garden centers throughout the U.S. and Canada are urged to highlight these flowers and plants when planning their marketing for the 2020 season, as the publicity generated from this program is substantial.”
AAS honours herbaceous perennials
All-America Selections, North America’s oldest non-profit plant trialling organization, announced the first winners from its three-winter Herbaceous Perennial Trial. This trial, in partnership with the Perennial Plant Association (PPA), was launched in 2016 with five entries grown against 10 similar comparisons.The first two AAS Herbaceous Perennial Winners are Echinacea Sombrero Baja Burgundy and Rudbeckia x American Gold Rush.
Each of the new AAS Winners was trialed throughout North America by 24 professional, independent, volunteer judges (many of whom came from the PPA membership roster) who grew them next to comparisons that are considered best-in-class. Only those entries that performed better than the comparisons are granted the AAS award designation.
Echinacea Sombrero Baja Burgundy
From Darwin Perennials, Sombrero Baja Burgundy “will add a bold accent to sunny gardens with its vibrant, deep violet-red blossoms,” AAS states. “The beautiful flower colour is without equal among coneflowers and is perfect for cut flowers. After being trialed over three tough winters, the AAS Judges noted this standout’s hardiness, sturdy branching, and floriferous blooming habit. Birds and pollinators certainly flock to this deer-resistant beauty making it a dual-purpose plant. Gardeners will enjoy prolific blooms from mid-summer until the first frost.”
Bred by Intrinsic Perennials, American Gold Rush’s “bright, golden-yellow flowers with black centers and arched petals is a gorgeous addition to any garden,” AAS states. “This compact, upright domed-shaped beauty has narrow, two-inch wide hairy foliage bred for its resistance to Septoria leaf spot. This hybrid shows no signs of the fungus even in wet, humid conditions. Blooming from July to September, with some colour up until frost, this cultivar has smaller foliage and shorter height compared to other rudbeckia varieties. Incredibly easy to grow and pollinators love it.”
Rudbeckia x American Gold Rush
Bred by Intrinsic Perennials, American Gold Rush’s “bright, golden-yellow flowers with black centers and arched petals is a gorgeous addition to any garden,” AAS states. “This compact, upright domed-shaped beauty has narrow, two-inch wide hairy foliage bred for its resistance to Septoria leaf spot. This hybrid shows no signs of the fungus even in wet, humid conditions. Blooming from July to September, with some colour up until frost, this cultivar has smaller foliage and shorter height compared to other rudbeckia varieties. Incredibly easy to grow and pollinators love it.”
Winter Equipment hires VP
Winter Equipment recently announced Brian Liederbach as vice president of sales. Bringing more than 20 years of sales experience to the job, Leiderbach was previously North American sales manager and world-wide product manager at nVent, as well as software sales manager at Arrow Electronics and territory sales manager at Pentagon Engineering Corporation. Winter Equipment is based in Willoughby, Ohio, and manufactures cutting edges and wear parts for the snow removal and road maintenance equipment industry.
www.permacon.ca
www.permacon.ca
Brian Liederbach