Less than a year after its introduction, the Dianthus Picture Perfect® from HilverdaFlorist has already been cultivated in over 30 countries, spanning diverse climates. Launched in May 2024, this unique Dianthus variety is now grown in regions such as Australia, Japan, South America, Canada, and Europe. Its standout features include uniformity, early flowering, and durability. The first Dianthus from Portugal became available in early March, and this week saw the debut of the first specimens from the Netherlands in specially branded pots. "The initial plants in the concept pots from the Netherlands are currently at Boers Tuinbouw, Jan van der Knaap, and Rodon Rolff," noted Robin van der Meer, Area Sales Manager for the Netherlands at HilverdaFlorist. "We've already engaged in several discussions with major retail parties and retailers, and I anticipate this will significantly boost interest for next year. We expect to see increased numbers and a variety of pot sizes added."
Stand-alone
The Dianthus Picture Perfect boasts magenta flowers with dark red accents, resulting from a breeding process that combined two robust series, making it a unique stand-alone variety. Cheryl Zethof, Marketing Coordinator at HilverdaFlorist, explains, "The Dianthus Picture Perfect series merges the best qualities of the Beauties® series and the Sunflor® series. While the Beauties series is renowned for its garden strength and the Sunflor for its compact growth, Picture Perfect offers the best of both: a resilient garden plant that is also ideal for pot cultivation."
One of the major advantages of the Picture Perfect series is its remarkable durability. "The flowers maintain their vibrant color for an extended period and show minimal discoloration, significantly enhancing their shelf life." Additionally, it blooms more profusely and for a longer duration compared to similar varieties, while requiring very little maintenance—a significant benefit for both consumers and garden centers. Furthermore, this perennial Dianthus is perfect for early market introduction and can endure temperatures as low as -5°C.
Currently, they are mainly grown in 10.5 cm pots, but in Norway, the plant has already been successfully tested in larger pots of 21-23 cm. "This again shows the diverse application possibilities."
The concept
Since last May, the concept has been featured in the catalog and was officially launched during the FlowerTrials 2024 in June. This marked a significant milestone for HilverdaFlorist, as it is the first retail concept they have introduced. "Being a stand-alone variety, it is ideally suited for a retail concept," says Cheryl Zethof. "We recognize the growing importance of this approach, which is why we've implemented it on a large scale. We also have an in-house expert who can develop various POS materials specifically tailored to the concept."
Why the name Picture Perfect? "Because it is the most photogenic Dianthus, turning every home and garden into a Picture Perfect setting," laughs Zethof. In keeping with this concept, they aim to attract a younger audience by incorporating elements like polaroid photos in their branding. Additionally, they have launched a website and social media channels to connect directly with this demographic.
Next year in the US
The concept has now been rolled out in many countries and is scheduled to be available in the US market next year. "This will happen with a complete concept around it, so the strong branding and marketing approach is continued worldwide."
For more information:
Cheryl Zethof
HilverdaFlorist
c.zethof@hilverdaflorist.com
www.hilverdaflorist.com