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The Garden Idol 2011 Finalists
The final slate is in. Which of these six stunning,new intros will be the hottest plant of 2011? Your vote decides...
The Garden Idol 2011 Finalists
 
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The Winner? You Decide!

The final slate is in. Which of these six stunning,new intros will be the hottest plant of 2011? Your vote decides...
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Meet the Cast

Todd Davis

Todd Davis has conducted interviews at more than 450 nurseries and other horticultural facilities in 41 states, Canada and Europe. His keen journalistic insight is informed with in-the-field experience working for three landscape contracting firms and with Skinner Nurseries’ (TX) landscape distribution operation. He is a frequent speaker at nursery industry events, is a Texas Certified Nursery Professional and a member of International Plant Propagators’ Society. In 2006, he was awarded Southern Nursery Association’s Pinnacle Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the green industry.

Lloyd Traven

Called both a “mad scientist” and “plant geek," LLoyd's passion is matched by his commitment to using advanced technology. Lloyd worked in market research and special projects at Ball Seed Company prior to purchasing the Peace Tree Farm property in 1983, which he and his wife, Candy, have grown from “the little greenhouses up on the hill” to an established and internationally respected operation. Lloyd is a technology guru and advocate for small growers. He has contributed to GMPro, OFA, GPN, Greenhouse Grower, and GrowerTalks, and can be seen, from time to time, palling around in front of the camera with Martha Stewart.

Katie Ketelsen

Katie Ketelsen is, plain and simple, a plant geek! From her grandfather's Christmas tree farm, she launched her career as the local HyVee garden center manager. Recently, she did landscape design, project management, marketing, social media and event planning for TimberPine Nursery. Today she's taking the online gardening world by storm at BHG.com, writing and contributing to the "Everyday Gardeners" blog. No matter where she's working, her perfect slice of heaven will always include fresh soil, five of the hottest new plant introductions, a watering can…and probably some chapstick.

Tina Bemis

Tina Bemis is co-owner of Bemis Farms Nursery, a small grower/retail garden center in central Massachusetts. She is a Cornell University Floriculture graduate, as well as a graduate of ANLA's Garden Center University. In addition to her primary role as grower of herbaceous plants, she creates all of the advertising, marketing, merchandising and promotional events. She teaches more than 200 workshops a year on container gardening and garden-related design projects. Along with her husband, Ed, she hosts the cable television gardening show "Bloomin’ with the Bemises."

Justin Hancock

Justin W. Hancock is the senior garden editor for the Better Homes and Gardens web site, www.bhg.com, and a serious plant lover. He's been a gardener all his life and has worked on garden books, magazines, and web sites for the last fifteen years. He lives in Des Moines, Iowa (where he's also the co-owner of a retail garden center, Loki's Garden).

Chris Beytes

Chris “Seacrest” Beytes is editor and publisher of GrowerTalks and Green Profit magazines. A former wholesale greenhouse owner, Chris now travels North America and the world for Ball Publishing, seeking out the latest news, trends and ideas. Although partial to hydrangeas, his favorite plant is Pedilanthus tithymaloides, which will probably never win a beauty contest.
Episode Directory

Hydrangea Part II or Something New?

Who are our judges and what the heck do they know about growing, selling and designing with plants?
Where are they now? A look back at the 2010 winner and how Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea performed in 2010.

Ball FloraPlant's Black Velvet Petunia

Find out more about Ball FloraPlant's fashion forward new Petunia here

Spring Meadow Nursery's Little Lime Hydrangea

Find out more about Spring Meadow Nursery's new, tiny treasure here

Syngenta Flowers' Strawberries and Cream Lanai Verbena

Find out more about Syngenta Flowers' newest Lanai Verbena here

Ball Ornamentals' Fire and Ice Hydrangea

Find out more cool info about Ball Ornamental's hot new Hydrangea here

Intrinsic Perennials' Mai Tai and Alabama Slammer Geums

Find out more about Intrinsic Perennials' cocktail-a-licious new Geums here

PanAmerican Seed's Plentifall Pansy and Gryphon Begonia

Find out more about PanAmerican Seed's happy ending new intros here

Bailey Nurseries' 2011 New Introductions

Find out more about Bailey Nurseries' devilishly divine 2011 intros here

The Garden Idol 2011 Finalists

Find out more about the 2011 Garden Idol finalists here

The Garden Idol 2011 Winner Is...?

Find out more about this year's winner here
The Finals
Who will be the 2011 Garden Idol?
The votes are in.....
5%
Black Velvet Petunia
The world’s only black petunia, and there’s a lot of buzz around this unique new color! The upright, mounded plants are early to flower, have a tightly branched habit, and are filled with color all season. Perfect fit for premium baskets and containers.
24%
Little Lime Hydrangea
Little LimeTM has the same easy growth, reliable flowering and distinctive color as ‘Limelight’ hydrangea, but is only a third as big. It thrives in full sun or part shade. Little Lime has better fall flower color, and is especially charming as a container plant.
2%
Strawberries and Cream Lanai Verbena
Lanai® Verbena is the perfect choice for garden beds and containers. With a beautiful spreading habit, you will absolutely love the way it looks in your yard. The new Strawberries and Cream color is as yummy as the name implies.
6%
Fire and Ice Hydrangea
Upright variety displays creamy white blooms in early Summer that turn deep red come Autumn. An early bloomer for a H. paniculata variety. Unique, attractive green- red foliage is enjoyed all season. A brilliant garden standout.
6%
Alabama Slammer Geum
Mounding semi-evergreen foliage topped with burgundy red stems and buds to 18". Vigorous hybrid plants have ruffled orange petals edged and highlighted with red on single to semi-double blooms. Plants start blooming the end of April, bloom through May into June.
7%
Gryphon Begonia
This superb foliage Begonia combines the same majestic beauty and durability as its mythical namesake. Growing 14-16" tall, Gryphon makes a dramatic garden statement in mixed or solo containers.
49%
Little Devil Physocarpus
Little DevilTM packs color and texture into a compact, easy to care for ninebark. Little Devil features beautiful, deep burgundy foliage throughout the season and small white-pink clusters of flowers in June, and matures at 4'.
Resources
Learn more about this new Petunia from Ball FloraPlant.
Learn more about this new Hydrangea from Spring Meadow Nursery.
Learn more about this new Verbena from Syngenta Flowers.
Learn more about this new Hydrangea from Ball Ornamentals.
Learn more about this new Geum from Intrinsic Perennials.
Learn more about this new Begonia from PanAmerican Seed.
Learn more about this new Physocarpus from Bailey Nurseries.
Season Guide
Publishing Team
Project and Editorial Design: Jonathan Bardzik, ANLA

Visual and Video created by Fresh Brew Studios
Steve Kendall, Producer
Josh Miller, Producer

Graphic Design created by The Design Works