Features

Two colorful flowers in the Proven Winners catalogue are named in honor of UNH, where they were developed. The patented plants are named "Wildcat Blue" and "Wildcat Mandarin." Pleasant View Gardens chose them as Proven Selections in 2004.

The Wildcat flowers were developed by Rosanna Freyre, a former UNH research assistant professor who launched UNH's ornamental breeding program. Her work was funded by a grant from Pleasant View Gardens and the New Hampshire Industrial Research Center.

The Wildcat flowers are cultivars of Anagallis monelli, or flaxleaf pimpernel, a perennial herb native to the Mediterranean region. The new hybrids are notable for their vigorous, compact and well-branched growth, as well as their eye-catching colors. Wildcat Blue has true-blue flowers that bloom early, and Wildcat Mandarin has lots of orange flowers blooming over a long season. Both selections are unusually bright and vivid.

"In a hanging basket or a window box, they really stand out," says Henry Huntington.

—J.C.