Plant Development Services, Inc. (PDSI) will unveil a selection of new plant varieties at Cultivate 2025, showcasing a diverse color palette that reflects current landscape design trends, according to the company. The company’s latest introductions emphasize a range of hues, from deep, dramatic foliage to soft pastel blooms, offering landscapers and gardeners innovative options for small spaces, containers and hedges.
Kip McConnell, business development director at PDSI, said contemporary design movements such as color drenching and dopamine decor, once primarily indoor aesthetics, are now influencing outdoor spaces. These trends prioritize bold color and emotional impact, prompting demand for plants that provide year-round visual interest and versatility.
PDSI’s new lineup includes varieties from its Encore Azalea, Southern Living Plant Collection and Sunset Plant Collection brands, known for combining horticultural resilience with design appeal. Highlights include:
- Autumn velvet encore azalea: Noted for its deep magenta blooms and compact size (4 feet tall and wide), it is the darkest reblooming azalea available, hardy in USDA zones 6-10, and blooms across three seasons.
- Purple charm loropetalum: Featuring dark purple foliage with contrasting red spring flowers, it offers year-round color and an upright mounding form suitable for borders and containers, hardy in zones 7-10.
- Blast from the pastel hydrangea: This variety provides oversized panicles with delicate pastel hues, thriving in partial shade and hardy in zones 5-9.
- Royal Hawaiian ‘tropical paradise’ colocasia: Compact with speckled green leaves and white markings, it withstands wind and extreme weather, ideal for tropical-themed landscapes in zones 7b-11.
According to the company, these introductions respond to a growing market demand for plants that combine aesthetic versatility with adaptability to various climates and garden sizes. For landscape professionals, such varieties can enhance design creativity and client satisfaction, particularly in urban or limited-space settings.
At Cultivate 2025, PDSI will also offer educational sessions aimed at helping industry professionals leverage social media trends to promote garden content effectively. These include workshops on translating social media trends into garden marketing and practical training on creating engaging digital content.
