Be visible

When the garden managers of the venerable Palace of Versailles decided to renovate the Palace’s boxwood parterre gardens this summer in preparation for the Paris 2024 Olympics, they chose the newest and most exciting boxwood introductions to hit the market in decades.

Introduced as Better Buxus in Europe and Better Boxwood in North America, the new boxwood varieties are the first collection of boxwood scientifically bred for their ability to resist boxwood blight.

With boxwood leading annually as one of the — or the number one — best-selling ornamental plant categories in the U.S. and the world, plant breeders like Flemish breeder Didier Hermans knew finding a solution was crucial. Fleming spent two decades working with a dedicated team of researchers to introduce four blight-resistant varieties, and this spring, Plant Development Services — in partnership with Everde Growers — introduced them in North America in southeast retail stores (the launch will expand nationwide in 2025).

The selection of Plant Development Services and its partner Everde to introduce Better Boxwood was due in part to Plant Development Services’ long track record of introducing game-changing plant brands and supporting their path to retail in a way that makes money for growers and retailers, says Kevin Northrop, vice president of marketing and operations, Plant Development Services, Inc.

“This is the perfect example of our process to increase grower profits,” Northrop says. “We’re introducing an improvement on a beloved traditional plant type, backing that introduction with impactful consumer marketing and emphasizing flexible grower partnerships that support wholesale growers.”

Wholesale growers like Baucom’s Nursery Company say PDSI’s quality liners and its powerful support of its brands are the reason they partner with PDSI.

“Growing PDSI brands like Better Boxwood, Butterfly Candy, Southern Living and Encore Azalea fits our mission of cultivating excellence,” says Eric Baucom, President, Baucom’s Nursery Co. “We take pride in producing quality plants and creating partnerships with our customers by providing a premium service, and PDSI’s brands are the definition of quality.”

Butterfly Candy™ Buddleia is another PDSI brand that had consumers and pollinators abuzz this spring but also delivers benefits for growers and retailers. The collection of five compact varieties offers homeowners the best of buddleias — pollinator magnetism, rich color, low water needs and season-long color — without having to worry about pruning. The irresistible packaging is the draw for retailers, who have thrilled growers with their demand, and the compact size means easier shipping on racks to stores.

“New brands like Better Boxwood and Butterfly Candy solve problems in consumer landscapes but also solve problems for our growers as they compete in a crowded marketplace,” says Corrina Murray, director of marketing, PDSI.

“Our breeder to store approach means we put a lot of emphasis on innovative packaging and merchandising tools. We specialize in strategic consumer marketing programs for our brands, driving demand to retail, and focus on tactics that give us visibility through measurable results.”

For more: www.plantdevelopment.com