Jody Shaul has joined Eason Horticultural Resources (EHR) as sales representative in North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee. Shaul has worked in the industry for the last 22 years in positions of purchasing, management and production. Most recently, he spent seven years in perennial production, sales management and purchasing at Latham’s Nursery in North Carolina.

Shaul comes to EHR with a thorough knowledge of woody and herbaceous plant material, strong customer service skills, keen attention to detail and an understanding of what sells in the Southeast. Shaul resides in North Carolina with his wife and three children. 

Terra Nova Nurseries, a worldwide brand in plant breeding, announced its involvement in a project by Chongqing Tianmu, which holds the exclusivity license of Terra Nova’s begonias in China, to reinstate areas of the natural landscape at Mt. Jinfo in Southwest China. Terra Nova began collaborating with Chongqing Tianmu in 2020 in an effort to build a public park and replenish the mountain with thriving plants. Terra Nova’s cold-tolerant begonias were selected and planted throughout the park because of their nativity to the region and vigor in the winter and summer seasons.

Heuchera, echinacea and kniphofia varieties bred by Terra Nova are also being planted in various locations of the park prior to its public opening in spring 2022.

Chongqing Tianmu’s role in the park’s landscape is due to the fact the company focuses on natural landscaping improvement and public garden and park construction. The company also has a department to grow liners and semi-finished plants. Terra Nova and Chongqing Tianmu work closely on various projects.

Mt. Jinfo Natural Park is being built to revive the mountain region’s scenic valleys that were destroyed by rockfalls from highway tunnel drillings. Terra Nova’s plants have been and will be planted in prominent areas of the park, providing added beauty to the natural scenery. The Terra Nova begonias used in the park require almost no maintenance and have demonstrated excellent performance in the park’s diverse ecosystems and microclimates.

“Terra Nova helped Chongqing Tianmu with the variety selections for this project based upon the differing air humidity, sunlight hours and soil texture of land plots in the park,” said Kevin Chen, Terra Nova Nurseries’ Asia representative. “Through Terra Nova’s contribution to the Mt. Jinfo Natural Park project, we hope to further introduce the Chinese market to not only the beauty, but also the great performance, of Terra Nova begonias and other varieties.”

Among hundreds of Terra Nova plants being used at Mt. Jinfo Natural Park, select varieties planted include Begonia COCOA ‘Enchanted Sunrise’, Begonia ‘Cool Breeze Glacier’, Begonia ‘Cool Breeze Rouge’, Begonia ‘Fireworks’, Begonia HOLIDAY ‘Silver Bells’, Begonia HOLIDAY ‘Snowflake’, Begonia SILVER ‘Treasure’, Begonia SPECTRE ‘Silver’, Begonia T REX ‘First Blush’ and Begonia T REX ‘Painter’s Palette’, among others.

Mt. Jinfo Natural Park has achieved the 4A level national tourist site classification with the help of these plants and the collaborative efforts of Terra Nova and Chongqing Tianmu. The park will open to the public in spring 2022, featuring deep valleys, shale rocks, waterfalls, warm springs and more. It will become the largest public park for the city of Chongqing, China.

Plantpeddler invites the industry to Cresco, Iowa on Dec. 2 for the Plantpeddler Poinsettia Variety Day. In trial are 160+ commercial and pre-release poinsettia varieties, produced under true production protocols and environmental conditions. All major poinsettia breeders will be represented in the trial, including Beekenkamp, Dummen Orange, Lazzeri, Rinehart Poinsettias, Selecta One, Suntory and Syngenta Flowers. Breeder representatives will be present to support their genetics and growers.

As a bonus at this year’s event, the fantasy colors poinsettia painting guru, Dr. Andrew Lee of Ball Horticulture, will be doing demonstrations in a special segment called “What’s your Fantasy? Paint Time Fun with Dr. Lee.”

The Plantpeddler Poinsettia Trial is the northernmost trial in the United States. It reflects commercial production under variable fall conditions of the upper Midwest. It is grown with minimal enhancement with growth regulators to show natural vigor and habit of varieties.

“The Plantpeddler poinsettia comparison trial site reflects the low light growing conditions of many northern parts of the U.S. very well,” says Karl Trellinger of Syngenta Flowers. “The trials are very well grown and executed, and this trial site is a critical addition to other key poinsettia trial sites in the U.S.” 

“It’s so nice to have a grower like Plantpeddler who commits themselves to grow this beautiful trial, and to grow it fairly and give us a real representation of how these plants perform in this environment,” says Gary Vollmer of SelectaOne.

To RSVP, call (800) 827-1654, email info@plantpeddler.com or go to Plantpeddler's website www.plantpeddler.com. Please inquiry concerning area lodging options including the somewhat infamous Super 8 in Cresco. We look forward to enjoying a day with you and yours!

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