Proteaflora
Presenter: Melissa King
Episode: 19
1st September 2007
Melissa has admitted that when a new plant makes its way into nurseries she is the first to want to try it. It is so easy to be seduced by a new colour, longer flowering or a more compact form. Sure not all of them are up to scratch but when an award winning production nursery like Proteaflora releases something new it is a reason to get excited.
Proteaflora specialize in plants from the protea family and have earned the title of best large production nursery in Australia. They are the ones behind the hugely successful Shady Lady series of Waratahs which have revolutionised the way we grow and enjoy these stunning plants.
It is fair to say that you do not get a much more spectacular flower than a Waratah. The Shady lady series features red, crimson and pink varieties – and now get ready for this – there is a new yellow flowering one! Plus a new and improved white one.
Yellow has to be the most sought after colour among waratahs and this little beauty is the result of 20 years of breeding.
INTERVIEW BREEDER Dr Graham. Downe:
How long has this plant been in the making?
It has been about a 20 year process, working with the yellow Tasmanian Waratah and working through two generations of breeding. The yellow Tasmanian Waratah is a very small flower so it took quite some time to breed up to a flower that was much bigger and brighter.
We have seen white waratahs before, what makes this one special?
The white Waratah that I have bred, which I have called Bridal Gown Waratah (Telopea, Hybrid Cultivar, “Bridal Gown”) it has a hybrid parentage which makes it a lot bigger and flowers at a young age.
What is the stand out feature of either the white or yellow Waratah?
Just how easy they are to grow and how well they flower once they get established in the garden.
There are so many reasons to grow shady Lady Waratahs for a start they are hybrids, so they are nice and vigorous, fill out quickly, and require little water once established.
If you are looking to head your screening plant to around 3 metres they will fit the bill brilliantly.
They grow beautifully in full sun or semi shade and they look terrific in pots on a patio. They also produce big showy blooms in spring which the birds absolutely love. Do not forget to cut those flowers and bring them indoors, as they will last a long time in a vase.
The yellow one is a little bit limited, so get strait into a garden centre to secure one for spring.
www.proteaflora.com.au
Episode: 19
1st September 2007
Melissa has admitted that when a new plant makes its way into nurseries she is the first to want to try it. It is so easy to be seduced by a new colour, longer flowering or a more compact form. Sure not all of them are up to scratch but when an award winning production nursery like Proteaflora releases something new it is a reason to get excited.
Proteaflora specialize in plants from the protea family and have earned the title of best large production nursery in Australia. They are the ones behind the hugely successful Shady Lady series of Waratahs which have revolutionised the way we grow and enjoy these stunning plants.
It is fair to say that you do not get a much more spectacular flower than a Waratah. The Shady lady series features red, crimson and pink varieties – and now get ready for this – there is a new yellow flowering one! Plus a new and improved white one.
Yellow has to be the most sought after colour among waratahs and this little beauty is the result of 20 years of breeding.
INTERVIEW BREEDER Dr Graham. Downe:
How long has this plant been in the making?
It has been about a 20 year process, working with the yellow Tasmanian Waratah and working through two generations of breeding. The yellow Tasmanian Waratah is a very small flower so it took quite some time to breed up to a flower that was much bigger and brighter.
We have seen white waratahs before, what makes this one special?
The white Waratah that I have bred, which I have called Bridal Gown Waratah (Telopea, Hybrid Cultivar, “Bridal Gown”) it has a hybrid parentage which makes it a lot bigger and flowers at a young age.
What is the stand out feature of either the white or yellow Waratah?
Just how easy they are to grow and how well they flower once they get established in the garden.
There are so many reasons to grow shady Lady Waratahs for a start they are hybrids, so they are nice and vigorous, fill out quickly, and require little water once established.
If you are looking to head your screening plant to around 3 metres they will fit the bill brilliantly.
They grow beautifully in full sun or semi shade and they look terrific in pots on a patio. They also produce big showy blooms in spring which the birds absolutely love. Do not forget to cut those flowers and bring them indoors, as they will last a long time in a vase.
The yellow one is a little bit limited, so get strait into a garden centre to secure one for spring.
www.proteaflora.com.au
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