I attended New England Grows in Boston, MA last week.  It is a premier event for hort professionals where we have the opportunity to review new product lines, plant introductions, visit growers, and many other green industry organizations.  As you can imagine, being surrounded by inspiring products, cutting-edge technologies, and new plants is a treat for anyone obsessed with horticulture!  

One my favorites was the display showcasing a new, fast growing plant brand called Hort Couture.  You will see from the photos in my Blog why.  This brand expresses a presence of sophistication and style via Lady Couture – their classy spokeswomen and icon!  She is a black silhouette cutout image of a lady wearing a dress and big wide brim hat – like one you would see on a runway model in Paris.  Her curvy body and simple flat shoes lets you know she has designer flare and smarts in a very Avant Garde way. 

A new plant brand and showstopper

Hort Couture’s plant tags provide catchy phrases, such as “Sun Goddess” or “Shady Lady” to indicate the cultural requirements of the plant in the pot.  My enthusiasm for their new brand, display and plants was so raised that I accidentally dropped a plant I was taking a photo of on the showroom floor!  I was so embarrassed by my faux pas, yet the booth owners didn’t turn their noses up at all.  They handled it as if it were no problem whatsoever – just as Lady Couture would have with elegance.

It was really something to see the annual Lobelia blooming deep purple-blue flowers right there in the pot that matched the embellishments printed on Lady Couture’s dress on the plant tag.  How perfect is that? 

This new brand works for me. It certainly beats tomatoes hanging upside down from a plastic bag on a string.  Not only is their packaging creative, they work with independent garden retailers versus the big box stores, after all a lady of Lady Couture’s standing requires the professional care performed by reputable nurseries to keep up her reputation just as plants require quality maintenance to keep up their performance.

Pot Details

Hort Couture’s display racks are very colorful, informative, and eye-catching.  They meet every aspect of a gardeners’ needs and their plant line is extensive from Culinary to Tres Chic Tropicals.  They carry Coleus, Impatiens, Lantana, Nemesia, Osteospermum, Petunia, Verbena – just to name a few annuals.  As for their Culinary Couture, you can expect to see Basil, Chard, Cucumber, Cilantro, Lavender, Nasturtium, Oregano, Pepper, Rosemary, Sage, and more!  And my favorite tropicals are included: Alocasia, Caladium, Musa, Cordyline, Phormium – all popular in my container garden designs consisting of large, lush and bold.  I believe many consumers will enjoy purchasing their line of plants.

Next on my fav’s list is a product called Moss Milkshake by Moss Acres.  This company packages and ships quantities of live moss for home gardeners, landscape designers, and contractors.  Moss is a popular alternative to grass or ground covers in shady areas.  I don’t know about you but when I see a lush stand of moss in the right part of a landscape, it really gives a whole different textural, relaxing feel to the scene.  Well, now you too can grow your own moss with their new release of Moss Milkshake.

It is a convenient mix that comes in a milk carton easily prepared by just adding water, placing it on the right surfaces in the right conditions (damp, moist, shade), and voila – watch it grow within several weeks!  I like how they packaged the product for the consumer in a milk carton and how easy it is to use.  This could be applied to ground, rocks, or other flat surfaces.  I could see this being used when gardening with kids too.  When inquiring if this could be use on the outside of containers, the answer was no for it requires a flat surface and must remain damp. 

Mix and Moss It!

All lined up for the runway!