As part of the Retailers’ Choice Awards™, a jury of volunteer garden retailers browsed the aisles and highlighted 15 different products that caught their attention at the 2024 Farwest Show in Portland, Oregon. 

The awards as chosen by the judges were presented Thursday afternoon (August 22) at the show, in a presentation emceed by Danny Summers, managing director of The Garden Center Group. Both live goods and hard goods were eligible. 

The awards winners were as follows: 

• Artemisia Garden Ghost™ (Artemisia ‘Garden Ghost’ PP33773) — offered by Walla Walla Nursery, Walla Walla, Washington (Booth #7034)  — This is a lovely new addition to the world of Artemisia. Drop this silvery-leaved beauty into the landscape to add texture and accent in the garden. Artemisia GardenGhost™ is one of the newest additions from Garden Genetics. Starting out slightly green in color, watch GardenGhost™ mature throughout the season to a nice bright silvery foliage accent piece. GardenGhost™ lends itself to being perfectly mounded at 12-24” tall and 24-30” wide. This densely branched, groundcover type artemisia is proven zone 4 hardy. Info:  https://garden-choice.com/plant/artemisia-gardenghost/ 
• Philodendron ‘Carmel Marble’ —  offered by Cascade Tropicals, Snohomish, Washington (Booth #7037) — Philodendron ‘Caramel Marble’ has serrated leaves that are a true sight to behold! The foliage is wonderfully variegated with streaks of cream, white and yellow variegation throughout the leaves. Info:  https://cascadetropicals.com/products/philodendron-caramel-marble-4in
• Cherry-Go-Round™ Reblooming Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla‘Hokomaburlac’) —  offered by Van Belle Nursery, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada (Booth #12044) — You’ll never want to get off this ride! Mouthwatering cherry-red flowers adorn its compact frame and rebloom through summer and fall. Info:  https://bloomineasyplants.com/products/cherry-go-round-bigleaf-hydrangea?srsltid=AfmBOor215Iw-TxT6MEdVoH05eqh36xE8Y05UzPkJxkM7jfgifXYzpMB 
• Forsythia HILLIER™ ‘Discovery’ (Forsythia x intermedia ‘Discovery’ PP35765) —  offered by Meridian Young Plants, Lynden, Washington (Booth #12055) , introduced by Plant Haven — Forsythia x intermedia‘Discovery,’ is part of the HILLIER™ Collection, from Hillier Nurseries, United Kingdom. Elegant cream-white, broadly edged foliage. Tidy compact habit. Extended impulse sales opportunities. Info:  https://planthaven.com/plant/forsythia-hillier-discovery/ 
• Skinny Skip Laurel — offered by Woodburn Nursery & Azaleas, Woodburn, Oregon (Booth #14043), introduced by Colony Nursery  — Glossy dark green leaves and dense upright growth habit make ‘Skinny Skip’™ Laurel the perfect privacy hedge. Very little trimming required. USDA Zones 6-9, hardier than Laurus schipkaensis. Info:  https://skinnyskiplaurel.com/ 
• Basil Everleaf Lemon (Ocimum basilicum) — offered by Ball Seed, West Chicago, Illinois (Booth #15025) — Bring bright, lemon flavor to your table all season long with this late-flowering basil. This herb is a great addition to dressings, marinades and salads. Upright plants deliver an abundant harvest. Performs well in-ground and in containers. Info:  https://www.ballseed.com/PlantInfo/?phid=009100001052942 
• Beneficial Insectary — offered by Sound Horticulture, Bellingham, Washington (Booth #15056)  — Ambylseius cucumeris is a predatory mite that feeds on immature thrips, broad mites, russet mites, and spider mite eggs. Adults are pear-shaped, tan in color, and less than 0.5mm long. Eggs are round, transparent, and 0.14mm in diameter. Info:  https://soundhorticulture.com/collections/beneficial-insects-mites-nematodes/products/amblyseius-cucumeris?variant=31569359503422 
• Flame Thrower^® Redbud (Cercis canadensis ‘NC2016-2’ PP31260) — offered by Monrovia, Azusa, California (Booth #17037) — Light-pink spring flowers are followed by an ever-changing display of colorful foliage that continues all the way to fall. New foliage emerges burgundy, fades to yellow, and matures to green. Branches display all the colors at once for a stunning effect. A wonderful landscape specimen. Deciduous. Info: https://www.monrovia.com/flame-thrower-redbud.html?srsltid=AfmBOoq8uudbLdvUJilWnYbs6rsFBlkhpnEB7ZzEKTkeuJBdQcyXhIMj 
• Garden Gems^® Amethyst Cercis (Cercis canadensis ‘NC2017-6’ PP35279) — offered by Alpha Nursery, Salem, Oregon (Booth #18019), introduced by Star Roses & Plants  — This compact Cercis tree is an elegant focal point in small gardens and when potted on patios. Its size and burgundy foliage give a similar effect as a Japanese Maple, with the benefit of being native to North America. A spring flush of pink blooms will attract pollinators. Info:  https://www.starrosesandplants.com/plants/garden-gems-amethyst-cercis/ 
• Starway to Heaven™ Snowbell (Styrax ‘RNI-RIXRED’ PP35353)— offered by Robinson Nursery, Amity, Oregom (Booth #18028) — Starway to Heaven Japanese Snowbell is a reblooming Styrax with petite, five-petalled flowers that resembles a galaxy of stars when it blooms in the spring, and again in the fall, when it reblooms. Each flower has a shimmering, almost metallic effect that sparkles in the landscape. Its deep green, glossy foliage emerges red, and its narrow, space saving habit beautifies landscapes both large and small. Info:  https://springmeadownursery.com/plantfinder/starway-to-heaven-72840 
• Lime Zest™ Japanese Forest Grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘HakBri2’ PPAF) — offered by Briggs Nursery, Elma, Washington (Booth #18037) — is a brand-new addition to the Japanese forest grass family. Lime Zest features eye catching lime colored foliage with white to cream variegation along with plum-colored shoots. Adds texture and movement to a landscape and accompanies well with dark leaved shrubs. Lime Zest is a great new addition to complement its predecessor Hakonechloa macra ‘HakBri1’ Lemon Zest. It looks great when planted alone or is mass plantings and
  brightens up those lower light areas. Reaches 12–14 inches tall by 18–24 inches wide. Hardy in zones 5–8.. Info: https://www.briggsnursery.com/plant/hakonechloa-macra-hakbri2-lime-zest/
• Mojo Berry^® Mulberry  (Morus rotundiloba ‘Mojo Berry’ PPAF) offered by Briggs Nursery, Elma, Washington (Booth #18037) — Mojo Berry^® is a perfect patio selection reaching 3–5 feet tall and producing fruit on old and new wood allowing for fruit in the first year compared to the usual 5-6 years with other mulberries. Mojo berry also has extended berry production, other varieties produce over a 3-week period whereas Mojo produces berries in Late May through September. This European variety is a home gardener’s dream with long fruiting, self-pollinating, and compact growth. Grows well in full sun. Hardy to zone 8. 
• Asian Jasmine ‘Ogon Nishiki’ (Trachelospermum asiaticum ‘Ogon Nishiki’) — offered by Youngblood Nursery, Salem, Oregon (Booth #18049) — Spectacular bright orange, golden yellow, and dark green foliage. Trailing habit to 8′ or more. Rarely flowers. Part sun, regular watering. Evergreen. Zones 7–9. Info:  https://www.youngbloodnursery.com/product-page/trachelospermum-a-ogon-nishiki 
• Canna Red Golden Flame — offered by Youngblood Nursery, Salem, Oregon (Booth #18049)  — A vibrant and striking perennial plant known for its brilliant red-orange blooms and striking golden foliage. Zones 7–11. Info:  https://www.youngbloodnursery.com/product-page/canna-red-golden-flame 
• Sustee Innovative Water Checker — offered by Sustee Innovative, Japan (Booth #23044)  — For the first time ever, a home-grade moisture checker has been equipped with a pF indicator (available water capacity). This way the root’s ability to absorb water, or the plant’s “thirst,” becomes visible (patented in Japan, No. 5692826). The high quality of SUSTEE prevents root rot caused by improper watering. To better our product we keep testing and researching in cooperation with the Tokyo University of Agriculture and farmers. Info:http://sustee.jp/en/ 

From the September 2024 issue of Digger magazine | Download PDF of article