Plant hunter Ben attends California Spring Trials

A member of staff at one of the UK’s leading nurseries in Hereford has recently just got back from attending the California Spring Trials in the USA (April, 2017).

Ben Gregory, Product Development Manager at Wyevale Nurseries in Hereford, visited 12 nurseries in the country searching for some unusual plants and building relationships with breeders and growers.

The 24-year-old from Worcester said: “This is the largest trial event of new breeding focused on annual, perennial and shrub varieties in the world. Approximately 70 breeders from around the world show their latest products and trials at nursery sites throughout California. It was eye opening to see such a huge range of exciting new introductions, which I am looking forward to bringing to the UK market.”

The California Spring Trials is an annual weeklong event held at various locations throughout the state. The event is a launching ground for some of the newest plant varieties, signage and packaging products, and merchandising programs and concepts. In addition, many locations include PGR experiments, outdoor trialling and technical information and help.

Ben added: “I also visited a few nurseries in the Portland area of Oregon. One highlight was visiting J. Frank Schmidt & Son Co, one of the leading tree growers and introducers of new tree varieties in the world. It was a very productive and successful trip with lots of possible developments and new products.”

The product selection available from Wyevale Nurseries is enviable across the industry and the talented team regularly introduces new, award-winning plant varieties.

Its main business is to supply garden centres, landscape contractors, local authorities, foresters and landowners with a comprehensive array of trees, shrubs, hedging, herbaceous and specimen plants.

For further details about Wyevale Nurseries, which is based in Hereford, please call 01432 845 200, visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk, follow the company on Twitter at www.twitter.com/WyevaleNurs or log on to www.facebook.com/WyevaleNurs.