The wholesale division of Hicks Nurseries now offers an e-commerce website that features access to product information with real-time availability, pricing and more.

Hicks Commercial Sales, the wholesale division of Hicks Nurseries, is thrilled to announce the launch of its newly redesigned e-commerce website https://hickscommercialsales.com/. New features create an easier, faster and more efficient way of doing business, and include: 

“Our goal is to ensure our wholesale customers have the tools they need to be successful. Our new website experience will save our customers time and money, allowing them to get the quality products they need at their convenience,” said Stephen Hicks, president of Hicks Nurseries. 

Due to the strength of their vendor relationships and buying power, Hicks Commercial Sales is in-stock with the highest quality products, making them the go-to source for horticulturists. In addition to trees, shrubs, perennials, and a broad greenhouse offering, the wholesaler also stocks fertilizer, mulch, soil, and other supplies needed by landscape professionals.  

“Our buying team travels the country to find truly beautiful and unique plants, chosen specifically for our customers,” said John Merlein, merchandise manager for Hicks Commercial Sales. “Our goal is to ensure we always have the freshest selection and vast quantities our accounts need to get their jobs done.”  

The wholesale nursery’s clientele includes landscape contractors and designers, interior plantscapers, florists, municipalities, garden centers, movie and television production companies, zoos, golf courses and others, servicing them year-round.? 

For more information visit hickscommercialsales.com.

PVG provides growers and retailers a glimpse into the future with its brand-new, 15-page guide.

Sometimes maintaining the position as one of the country’s top-performing wholesale growers of annuals, perennials, shrubs, and herbs requires more than just strategic thinking, incredible customer support, and robust programs. Sometimes it takes the ability to see into the future. To understand consumer trends and where they’re headed. To know what to grow when. And to successfully introduce the next big thing. In the case of Pleasant View Gardens, this can all be wrapped up in their 2023 Preview Guide, which reveals the hottest new plants on tap for the year ahead. 

“This is an exciting part of every year for us…giving our customers a look behind the veil, so to speak,” smiles Andy Huntington, national sales manager at Pleasant View Gardens. “Showing them what’s coming and what’s going to be hot a year in advance. This helps them plan ahead for their operation and customers, which helps them maintain a competitive edge.”

Weighing in at just 15 pages, to some, PVG’s 2023 Preview Guide may not seem like much. But what it lacks in page count, it makes up for in gorgeous, eye-popping debuts. These include six new Proven Winners Plants of the Year: 

PVG’s 2023 Preview Guide also reveals its Proven Winners National Recipes of the Year, including Misty Seas, a perfect blend of SUPERTUNIA MINI VISTA Indigo Petunia, SUPERTUNIA MINI VISTA Violet Star Petunia, and SUPERTUNIA MINI VISTA White Petunia, along with Acapulco Sun, which presents the glorious hues and scents of SUPERBELLS Coralina Calibrachoa, SUPERTUNIA BERMUDA BEACH Petunia, and SUPERBENA Peachy Keen Verbena. The Preview Guide also uncovers what might possibly be the most popular recipe of the decade, the brand-new Rockin’ Rush, a stunning ensemble of three Proven Winners top-sellers: GOLDILOCKS ROCKS Bidens; SUPERTUNIA RASPBERRY RUSH Petunia; and SUPERBENA WHITEOUT Verbena.

Beyond the Plants and Recipes of the Year, PVG’s 2023 Preview Guide showcases 21 new Proven Winners and Proven Selections Annuals, seven new Proven Accents plants, five new Proven Harvest fruits and vegetables, and three new Graceful Grasses, not to mention a new Heart to Heart Caladium.

To see what the future holds, check out the digital version of PVG’s new 2023 Preview Guide or even download your own copy at pwpvg.com/literature-hub. You can also call Pleasant View Gardens at 603-435-8361 to have a hard copy of the new Guide mailed to you directly.

The two new introductions are Crocosmia NOVA 'Gold Dragon' and Crocosmia NOVA 'Gold Dust'.

Terra Nova Nurseries has announced sneak peeks of two brand-new crocosmia varieties, including Crocosmia NOVA 'Gold Dragon' and Crocosmia NOVA 'Gold Dust'. The ‘Gold Dragon’ variety, featuring shining star-like blooms, has a full and upright growth habit with an arching spray of long-lasting flowers. The ‘Gold Dust’ variety has a perfect upright, bouquet-shaped habit and features brightly gilded gold blooms with a classy and clean look.

Crocosmia NOVA 'Gold Dragon' forms multiple crowns quickly and is great for mixed beds, sunny banks or borders. This new variety blooms June through August and has a variety of special uses, including being a hummingbird and pollinator attractor. It is also deer-resistant and requires low-water usage.

USDA Hardiness Zones for Crocosmia NOVA 'Gold Dragon' are 7-9, and its exposure favors full sun. It has a height of 40”, width of 40” and flower height of 40”. This deciduous perennial grows fast, desires average, well-drained soil and likes to be kept evenly moist in gardens and greenhouses.

Crocosmia NOVA 'Gold Dust’ also blooms June through August, desires average, well-drained soil and prefers to be kept moist. The new variety has compact and naturally graceful arching stems that will not flop when planted in containers, even after multiple seasons. It has strong landscape value and is perfect for mixed beds, sunny banks or borders.

This stunning perennial has numerous special uses, including being a great pollinator and hummingbird attractor. It is also deer-resistant and requires low amounts of water; however, drying down can cause edges to burn and even lead to dormancy. U.S.D.A Hardiness Zones for Crocosmia NOVA 'Gold Dust’ are 7-9, and its exposure calls for full sun. It has a height of 16”, width of 12” and flower height of 24”.

Terra Nova Nurseries has created “Plant Profile” pages and “Grower Recipes” specific to these new varieties so growers interested in orders can learn about growing habits, plant characteristics, fertilization recommendations, water requirements, and other insights provided by the breeding team. These documents can be viewed and downloaded for printing at: https://www.terranovanurseries.com/product/crocosmia-nova-gold-dragon and https://www.terranovanurseries.com/product/crocosmia-nova-gold-dust

Finishing growers can contact their Terra Nova Nurseries representatives or email the sales team with questions at sales@terranovanurseries.com.

The international breeder had the honor of supplying the flowers for this year's Grammy Awards ceremony.

Suntory Flowers delivered beautiful blooms to the red carpet once again with Tu Bloom of Bloom Designs, Inc., the official botanical artist for the Grammys. The 64th Annual Grammy Awards were held April 3 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

This was the first time Suntory had bedding plants grown for the event. The original plan was to grow gallons of Senetti, when the show was going to be Jan. 31 in Los Angeles, but the event was cancelled and rescheduled due to concerns with the COVID-19 omicron variant. 

“Fortunately, there was time to switch crops with the change of venue, and our partner, Armstrong Growers in Southern California, also serves the Las Vegas Market,” says Delilah Onofrey, marketing director for Suntory Flowers in North America. “We switched to our Argyranthemum hybrids in the Madeira and Grandaisy lines and were really pleased with how they turned out in Tu’s arrangements. Madeira Deep Pink was especially pretty!”

Produced by Suntory’s Florigene Flowers division in South America, these varieties represent highly sophisticated breeding using blue pigment called delphinidin, which makes it possible to create distinctively vivid shades of blue and violet without artificial dyes. Beyond the colors, Moon carnations also have a very strong reputation for longevity or vase life.

“Applause roses are a perfect fit for the Grammys, or any awards program with performances,” Onofrey says. “In fact, each time the Grammys returned from commercial break, the audience was instructed, ‘Applause!’ This way, the television viewer would see and hear people clapping before and after each commercial. It has been a pleasure to work with Tu Bloom and his team and see his fresh designs and visions come to life!”

Shell’s Feed & Garden Supply raised more than $600 to support the American Red Cross’ efforts to aid refugees fleeing Ukraine.

When Marissa Byrum and the rest of the team at Shell’s Feed & Garden Supply heard about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they decided to spring into action. It’s in the business’ nature to give back, as the Tampa, Florida-based company usually chooses one or two charities to support every year, but this cause was urgent.

“Usually we find a local charity, but with everything, all of that tragedy going on in Ukraine, Mr. Shell [owner and president] was really moved and motivated to do a different kind. So, we decided to look for a charity that supported the people of Ukraine trying to flee from war — short of wanting to grab a flight and go over there ourselves and pitch in, which would be dangerous,” Byrum says.

Shell’s Feed chose to support the American Red Cross in their fundraising efforts, and for every 1-gallon plant in a 1-gallon pot sold March 17-19, the business donated $3. Once the fundraiser ended, Shell's Feed matched the donation from the plant sales.

“We ended up raising just about under $600, which doesn't seem like a lot, but that means about 80 people bought at least one plant,” she says.

Before the fundraiser, Byrum, who is the marketing manager at Shell’s Feed & Garden Supply, spread the word out on Facebook, through the customer newsletter and through local community gardens to rally their customers. During the event, customers bought petunias, pentas and daisies. Lobelia was especially popular, she says, noting it was likely a popular choice for its blue color, which is part of the Ukrainian flag.

Customers were very receptive to the fundraiser, and many thanked Shell’s Feed for giving back.

“We had a lot of people that talked about how terrible everything was in Ukraine, of course (and we agree). Many customers were excited that a family business wanted to reach out and try to help other families that maybe needed the help, but couldn't help themselves at that moment,” Byrum says.  

Byrum has two tips for garden centers that might want to get involved and give back to Ukrainian refugees or other charitable causes. Not sure where to get started? Head to charitynavigator.org, a website that independently screens charity financials.

“It tells you, basically, where their money goes, according to their tax returns and stuff like that,” she says. “We usually try to find charities in general that have a high rating on a site like that.”

Second, Byrum suggests that garden centers talk to their friends, family and neighbors, and partner with their vendors to maximize their fundraising efforts.

“I didn't get a chance to do any of that because we kind of threw it together in a hurry, but normally I reach out to my vendors and say, ‘Hey, would you like to donate something for this? If you donate it for free, then we could sell it and all of that profit can go the charity,’” she says.

Byrum notes that sometimes vendors participate and sometimes they don't, but Shell’s Feed always prefers to give them the option of participating. “And then course, if they do participate, then we talk up their business and their brands so that we can sell more of it in the future,” she says.