“Rob Hardy – Malcolm Spencer – Rosy Hardy – Nepeta Summer Magic.jpg” shows Rob Hardy (l) with Rosy Hardy (r) of Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, together with Nepeta Summer Magic plant and Malcolm Spencer, breeder of the plant. Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants is a Hampshire-based nursery introducing the Nepeta and offering it for sale.
Plant breeder, Malcolm Spencer, this week came close to winning a prestigious award at the centenary Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show.His new plant, Nepeta grandiflora Summer Magic, bred by him at his nursery in Barnham, West Sussex, England, was selected for the shortlist of new plants eligible for the Chelsea Best New Plant Award.
Nepeta Summer Magic on display at Chelsea Flower Show
Summer Magic is a new variety of catmint. It was selected by Malcolm because of its long season of flower, good colour and branching as well as its remarkable ability to perform well in all weather conditions – it even thrived when flooded during the very wet summer of 2012.
“Although we didn’t win first prize, it was a great honour and achievement to reach the shortlist from so many new introductions that were considered”, said Malcolm’s son, Graham Spencer, who markets the variety worldwide through his business, Plants For Europe Ltd. “The judges recognised the qualities of Summer Magic and saw its potential as a great garden plant”.
Summer Magic was launched at the Chelsea Flower Show by Hardy’s Cottage Garden Plants, a specialist perennial grower from Hampshire. Rob Hardy said “This is a great plant – next year, it will be in all the show gardens at Chelsea. It’s a really good garden performer.”
Source: HortiTrends News Room
