IPM Essen 2009 Report
IPM Essen 2009. www.ipm-messe.de
FitzGerald Nurseries plant entry wins top prize in Patio Plant category for second year running at IPM Essen the world's premier professional Ornamental Horticulture Show.
From 29th January t
o 1st of February FitzGerald Nurseries exhibited at IPM Essen 2009 which was one of the busiest IPM exhibitions in recent years. According to the organisers record numbers were in attendance and this certainly was evident from the number of visitors that visited our stand.
We exhibited our current and future ranges of patio, balcony and small space garden plants to great interest from the many international visitors in attendance. Our new Carex oshimensis range drew very serious interest from the visiting plant buyers. Last years IPM award winning Phormium cookianum ‘Black Adder' is gaining ground as the darkest and most popular patio foliage plant in our range and demand is increasing for this fantastic bold and tropical looking foliage plant. Another crowd pleasing plant was Libertia x ixioides Goldfinger which also is gaining popularity right across Europe for use as a patio container plant and in milder areas of Europe as a mass landscape groundcover plant.
Yucca glorios
a Bright Star was entered in the IPM Novelties awards and for the second year running the FitzGerald Nurseries entry scooped the top award in the Patio plant category having done so in 2008 with Phormium cookianum ‘Black Adder'. This is what the Jury had to say about the FitzGerald entry.
Quote from Judges
In the category „Patio Plants" Yucca gloriosa ‘Bright Star' won the race and can from now on be marketed as IPM novelty 2009 from Fitzgerald Nurseries. The most remarkable characteristics were the innovative brightness of the colours, the easy maintenance and the resistance to dry conditions. The Yucca promises to be a worthy product for the consumer trend "Exotic
Bright star was discovered by Mr Tim Crowther of Walberton Nursery, West Sussex, England and is protected and licensed for European plant breeders rights by Mr Graham Spencer Plants For Europe. FitzGerald Nurseries is selling young plants in 9cm and under our MyPlant range (www.myplant.eu) is selling 3 litre plants from Summer 2009 and as young plants in 9cm pots from May 2010. Bright Star is a very hardy and weather tolerant colourful addition to patio gardening and small garden borders. With its fantastic bright colouring Bright Star makes a stunning plant in a container during the dark winter months. Due to the cold tolerance (below - 15 Celcius) of this fantastic Yucca gloriosa selection Bright star has application right across Europe with protection needed only in the coldest of areas in Europe.
At the contest for the Best novelties of the German hortciculture trade fair IPM, Yucca gloriosa 'Bright Star' came out in the category Patio plants. The jury mentioned as the most conspicuous properties the innovative luminosity, easy care and drought resistance. The Yucca promises to become a valuable product for the "Exotic" consumer trend.
The certificates for the distinguished plants were handed over to the prize-winners by Dr. Heiner Grüneberg, Chairman of Arbeitskreis Neue Zierpflanzen (the "Working Party on New Ornamental Plants"), in the presence of the Federal Minister Ilse Aigner.
"The decisions were not easy for us because the registrations were all convinci.jpg "IPM award")
ng due to their high quality standards." This was the unanimous estimation of the jury of experts after assessing the plants registered for the IPM Innovation Showcase.
32 exhibitors at the current International Plant Fair IPM in Essen had submitted more than 72 innovations in the most diverse categories."
German Minister of Agiculture presents Pat FitzGerald with IPM Essen 2009 innovation award.
FitzGerald Nurseries will be exhibiting at Salon du Vegetal in Angers France on February 17th, 18th and 19th. www.salonduvegetal.com