New Plants: Impatiens Glimmer™

Busy lizzies were once our most popular summer annuals – then deadly downy mildew struck. Now, new breeding has developed the first-ever mildew-resistant, double-flowered Impatiens

Busy lizzies – Impatiens walleriana cultivars – were once our most ubiquitous summer annuals. Happy in sun or shade, and flowering for months on end in a wide variety of colours, they could be found spilling from beds and containers in almost every garden. But 20 years ago, deadly downy mildew hit, caused by the fungus-like organism Plasmopara obducens. Year by year, the disease spread across the country and it soon became impossible for us to grow Impatiens, so the nation’s beloved busy lizzies all but disappeared from garden centres and mail order catalogues.

Impatiens downy mildew

The first mildew-resistant double-flowered variety

However, plant breeders set to work, intent on developing mildew-resistant cultivars to bring the busy lizzie back into our gardens. This international collaboration first yielded the highly resistant Beacon Series, with single flowers in seven colours. Now, for the first time, we have highly resistant double-flowered Impatiens – the Glimmer™ Series, boasting blossoms like rosebuds.

Exceptional performance in adverse conditions

“Through heat and sun, Glimmer™ just battled on to give a non-stop display of colour”

Impatiens usually hate dry heat, but on trial last summer during five weeks with no rain and the mercury hitting the highest temperatures ever recorded in the UK, the Glimmer™ Series were outstanding.

“Through heat and sun, the robust plants and rose-like blossoms of Glimmer™ just battled on to give a non-stop display of colour,” said Stuart Lowen, Marketing Manager at BallColegrave, whose sister company developed the Glimmer™ Series. “Not an ideal year to launch a new series of double busy lizzies!” said Stuart, “But in testament to the incredible breeding work, the all-new, downy-mildew-resistant Impatiens Glimmer™ simply stole the show.” And, of course, with no mildew in sight.

Where can I buy Impatiens Glimmer™?

This pivotal new series of highly mildew-resistant, double-flowered Impatiens comes in seven colours. Glimmer™ White (‘Balglimite’), Glimmer™ Burgundy (‘Balglimbur’), and the especially pretty Glimmer™ Appleblossom (‘Balglimapp’) are the easiest to come by.

Cultivars from the Impatiens Glimmer™ Series are now widely available by mail order from DT Brown, Hayloft, Suttons, Thompson & Morgan, Woolmans and more. These formidable busy lizzies will also be available in good garden centres come planting time.

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