OFA - Ohio Short Course

Last week I was up in Columbus at the OFA conference (Ohio Short Course). The big floriculture convention. There is always much to do and learn as well as new plants and gadgets to discover. Here are a few of the fun things I found. Be aware that some of these new plant varieties may not be out on the market for a while. Some will be available starting this fall. There were tons of things to get photos of, but these are just a few highlights.

I also did a quick interview with Ellen Wells from Green Profit/Greenhouse Grower mags. On...you guessed it...CHICKENS. lol She Buzzed about it in their e-newsletter and promises a chicken keeping 101 in the next Green Profit issue, for those of you in the industry. http://www.ballpublishing.com/GreenProfit/ReadCurrentBuzz.aspx

Lots of new succulents on the market these days. Here was a cool little Aloe named 'Christmas Carol'. And a very cool miniature Cyperus.

An absolutely beautiful new Echinacea named 'Tiki Torch' and a super blue new Salvia farinacea hybrid named 'Sallyfun Bluetune'

With the millions of coleus out there, I'm not usually impressed with new ones, but 'Chocolate Splash' is really quite lovely. A very cool new Purslane called 'Maraca'.

A very distinctively different Mahonia...will make for a nice new small shade shrub option. Although its cultivar name, 'Soft Caress,' gives me the giggles. A big new Gomphrena called 'Fireworks' really caught my eye. The bright pink and yellow blooms aren't really my style when it comes to color, but it looks like it will be a beast in the summer garden.

A fancy new trailing Tiarella called 'FM Moonberry'. A fab green wall planted with succulents (sorry random dude in the photo!)