Leading US seed company returns to Chelsea after 2017 debut
The European division of W. Atlee Burpee & Co., an American seed company that first traded with the UK in the1890s, is returning to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to showcase its innovative range of seeds for home gardeners.
Partnering with multi Chelsea Gold award-winning nurserymen, Chris Smith and Mike Milligan from Pennard Plants, Yorkshire based Burpee Europe will be showcasing its new varieties of tomato, pepper and watermelon seeds at the five day show.
Simon Crawford, Burpee's Sales and Marketing Director, explains the rationale for the Chelsea initiative: "Burpee is known asthe name behind the seeds for many companies including Pennard Plants, Thompson and Morgan and Suttons. We are proud that we are one of only a handful of active seed houses in the UK and want to showcase our specially developed seeds to Britain's home gardeners, especially those interested in container planting. Chelsea is a fabulous opportunity to reach the nation's amateur growers."
Burpee specialises in developing and breeding disease resistant varieties ofvegetables and flowersthat can be grown sustainably by home gardeners and was delighted to win a Gold Medal for Pennard Plants' 2017 exhibit that featured agreen roofed hobbit hut, a meadow with 20 species of wild flowers and a selection of Burpee's tomato, pepper and cucumber plants. This year's exhibit, located atGPC149,features an Alitex greenhouse and showcases plants that can be grown in containers for urban gardens.
The varieties that will be at Chelsea have all been grown at leading horticultural research station, Stockbridge Technology Centre in North Yorkshire and include;
Tomato Oh Happy Day - NEW
A proven blight resistant variety with exceptional flavour
Tomato Honeycomb- NEW
Exquisitely flavoured golden orange cherry tomato with a honey-like aftertaste
Tomato Shimmer- NEW
Unique, almond shaped tomato with green stripes and touches of shimmering gold on a deep red background
Tomato Cherry Baby
A prolific and flavoursome cherry tomato that won favour with the Duchess of Cambridge at Chelsea 2017
Tomato Rugby- NEW
A new development in pink fruited tomatoes that is ideal for the home gardener with a small greenhouse
Tomato Patio Plum
A windowsill tomato that produces fruit from May to December.
The tomato exhibit will be dedicated to the memory of leading plantsman and horticultural scientist, Brian Tree.
Pepper Cardinal
A sweet pepper that turns purple to red on compact plants
Pepper Popti
A finalist in last year's ‘Chelsea Plant of the Year' Popti is avery prolific sweet pepper for small spaces
Pepper Lemon Dream- NEW
Suitable for growing on a sunny patio, the compact plants produce masses of small bright yellow peppers all summer long which are sweet but with a hint of spiciness.
Pepper Afterglow- NEW
This new variety of sweet bell pepper crops well from July to October in a cold greenhouse, or outdoors on a sunny, sheltered patio
Cucumber Merlin
A fabulous mid-sized cucumber with an astonishing yield
Watermelon Little Darling- NEW
The rugby ball shaped fruit have a deep crimson flesh which is deliciously rich and sweet, reaching 12 on the brix scale.
The seeds for Oh Happy Day, Honeycomb Cherry Baby and Crimson Crush were bred by Simon Crawford in East Yorkshire and Patio Plum was bred by Jim and Eve Reeve in Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
Pennard Plants' Chris Smith is looking forward to working with Simon Crawford and Burpee again in 2018: "Burpee has an excellent reputation and Simon is a very well respected seed breeder who has initiated a successful European tomato breeding programme at his base in Yorkshire.
"We're excited about the opportunities that Chelsea affords both businesses and we're very grateful to Alitex for supplying the greenhouse and Dalefoot for providing thepeat free compost made from sheep's wool and bracken from the Lake District fellsfor the containers."
The two businesses will also partner at RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show in July, where they will be located in the ‘Dig it' area at stand number DG394.
Privately owned Burpee was founded by W. Atlee Burpee in 1876 and is the leading company in America's home gardening industry. It breeds, produces and distributes seeds and plants of vegetables and flowers worldwide.
Pennard Plants was awarded Gold in 2016 for an exhibit of 3 different allotment gardens, Modern, Edwardian and a re-creation of an allotment garden from the Pensioners at the Royal Hospital, Chelsea. Pennard Plants also won Gold at Chelsea in 2013, 2015 and 2017.
Plants and seeds of Burpee's new lines will be available to buy at Chelsea.
On Press Day,food writer, grower and photographerMark Diacono will be making cocktails with a vocal ensemble singing ‘Oh Happy Day'.
Ends
Photos:
1. Simon Crawford, Plant Breeder and Sales and Marketing Director, Burpee Seeds and Plants Europe Simon Crawford from Burpee Europe
2. Tomato Honeycomb - tomato bred in East Yorkshire by Simon Crawford Tomato Honeycomb
3. Tomato Shimmer Tomato Shimmer
4. Watermelon Little Darling Watermelon Little Darling
For more information or to arrange an interview with Simon Crawford or Chris Smith, please contact Tracey Baty at three60 marketing on;
Direct line:01430 871360
Mobile:07971 961574
E mail:traceybaty@three60marketing.co.uk
Web:www.three60marketing.co.uk
Notes for editors
- Dalefoot Compost is a peat free compost made from sheep's wool and bracken from the Lake District fells and is the ideal medium for growing vegetables and salad. It provides all the nutrients that hungry plants need to thrive, so no need for additional feed. The wool within the compost retains water which can reduce your watering by up to 50%, which saves time and money and makes it perfect for urban gardening in pots, tubs and raised beds.
Dalefoot can be found at Chelsea 2018 at stand number 545.
- Simon Crawford was appointed to the RHS Herbaceous Plant Committee in 2006. Other involvements with the RHS include appointment to the Trials Advisory Committee in 2009 and invitations to judge at major RHS Shows, including Chelsea Flower Show.
- In Oct 2016, Burpee and The Burpee Foundation gifted $2.5 Million to ensure the operation and maintenance of the White House Kitchen Garden initiated by First Lady Michelle Obama.