Stars of the show

Greenhouse Management: What trends are you seeing from home gardeners as they shop for hydrangeas?

Ryan McEnaney: Consumers still look to hydrangeas for the combination of classic beauty and bold color. Compact size and multiple uses still rank high, which is one of the factors that led to the introduction of Pop Star® Hydrangea. With the heaviest flower and best rebloom power of any Hydrangea macrophylla in our trials, it gives that multi-season burst of electric blue or bright pink color on a really compact shrub that lends itself well to in-ground and deco pot plantings. On the flip side, we’re also seeing a continued uptick in hedging and screening plants as a response to spending more time at home during the pandemic. New cultivars like First Editions® Berry White® Hydrangea fit that bill, giving a tall 6-7’ hedge that also brings beautiful white flowers in summer and deep merlot in fall. The combination of both compact and screening hydrangeas is a fun — and on trend — way to bring that classic beauty to the landscape.

GM: How else are you promoting usage of hydrangeas with new genetics from Bailey Innovations™?

RM: Fitting with the trends, we’re promoting the newer, compact introductions like Pop Star® and Summer Crush® Hydrangeas as deco pot plants. We’ve seen a shift in recent years to consumers understanding that a hydrangea could be planted in a container and not just in the landscape. It’s a relatively new understanding from that home gardener but is a great way to use the plant and a great way to cross-merchandise and increase ticket values for retail. Additionally, using hydrangeas in cut arrangements has become increasingly popular, bringing the intense flower color indoors while not losing blooms outside with the rebloom power of Endless Summer® hydrangeas.

GM: What’s a misconception home gardeners have about hydrangeas and how do you help them have success?

RM: Many consumers think you treat all hydrangeas the same. We know that’s understandable, and it’s our job to help them make sense of what’s what. In recent years, Bailey introduced Garden Gab™, a video series that helps home gardeners have success in the landscape, with a focus on our consumer brands. One of our videos is on this very topic and has been wildly successful. Breaking down the key differences, and then highlighting basic care tips meets those consumers where they are and makes the content digestible.

GM: How do you help the trade and consumers differentiate between the multitude of new hydrangea cultivars being introduced?

RM: Like the differences in species mentioned above, we also have spent a lot of time diving into variety-specific content. For example, as we roll out Pop Star® this season, we created two tool kits: one for trade and one for consumer audiences. Each piece has specific information on what makes Pop Star® unique, how to use it in the landscape, how to promote and sell this cultivar, and how to maintain the shrub for maximum blooms. Taking this approach provides specific, targeted inspiration and builds confidence to have success with this cultivar. It pulls away the clutter of too much information and keeps Pop Star® top of mind.