Home Smart 100 2012 Tibouchina Fantasy Flowers (SMART 100)

Tibouchina Fantasy Flowers (SMART 100)

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The following SMART 100 profile and the information it contains is a duplication of content submitted by the applicant during the entry process. As a function of entry, applicants were required to declare that all details are factually correct, do not infringe on another’s intellectual property and are not unlawful, threatening, defamatory, invasive of privacy, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Some profiles have been edited for reasons of space and clarity. More about the SMART 100.

Tibouchina Fantasy Flowers (TAS)

This innovation initially came to life when…

A dedicated plant breeder in Queensland joined forces with horticultural marketing company. Over 20 years in the making, Tibouchina Fantasy Flowers Collection represents true innovation in horticulture. An investment of passion, time and energy coupled with breakthrough pollination and propagation techniques have delivered one of most successful plant collections seen in modern times.

Tibouchinas are typically subtropical trees and shrubs enjoyed for their large flowers. Fantasy Flowers allows a much wider audience to enjoy them. We have developed specialist dwarf varieties, new colour ranges and increased cold tolerance. This means there is a variety to suit all climatic zones.

WHAT & HOW

The purpose of this innovation is to…

Deliver the beauty and performance of the Tibouchina genus to a much wider audience both domestically and globally. Through years of perfecting new pollination techniques, the Fantasy Flowers Collection is the first to deliver compact varieties with superior garden performance.

It does this by…

Delivering groundbreaking performance on a number of levels. The collection includes the world’s first dwarf Tibouchina and five other varieties that offer a range of cold tolerance characteristics, flower colour and climatic applications. The collection provides a variety suited to each climatic zone in Australia. Enjoy the sheer “wow” of flower power that the collection offers wherever you live!

PURPOSE & BENEFITS

This innovation improves on what came before because…

Tibouchina was a genus confined to subtropical climatic zones. Horticulturalists and garden lovers based in cool and very warm climates could only admire them from afar. The key developments in breeding include breakthroughs in cold tolerance, improved compact habits and increased flower volume and colour range. Some varieties offer flowers that change colour as they age — simply breathtaking.

Its various benefits to the customer/end-user include…

  • True dwarf Tibouchinas for pots and small gardens.
  • Large, vivid blooms for outstanding impact.
  • Outstanding cold tolerance — vastly extends climatic range.
  • Multicoloured flowers on the one plant.
  • Increased flower volume and improved lengthy flowering season.
  • Improved compact habit.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

In the past, this problem was solved by…

Limiting the Tibouchina market to appropriate climatic zones. Until now Tibouchinas have been limited to subtropical zones. They also are typically very “leggy” and not meeting market demand for a tidy, compact plant. Flower colour has been limited and one tone per plant. Tibouchinas for container gardening have been rare and we see opportunity in this market.

Its predecessors/competitors include…

Creating beautiful displays that wow with Tiboucinas has been limited to subtopical zones. There have been a very limited number of varieties that have enjoyed success in Australia, most of which have purple flowers, for example Tibouchina “Jazzie”.

TARGET MARKET

It is made for…

The complete market. The Fantasy Flowers Collection includes varieties for all climatic zones and applications. There are varieties for cool mountain districts, the humid tropics and everything in between. The collection also offers a range of applications such as pots for small gardens, shrubs for garden beds and taller varieties for bright hedging and screening purposes.

DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY

It is available for sale through…

Our extensive network of quality growers around the country. Our network supplies all good garden centres and larger chain stores. We will also be launching the collection in the USA, UK, Europe, South Africa and New Zealand.

Our marketing strategy is to…

Deliver an innovative campaign to capture the imagination of not just consumers, but also our growers, retailers and the horticultural media. The collection will be supported by full branding and support including labelling, point-of-sale, fact sheets, multimedia support, print advertising and television coverage.

SUPPORTING IMAGES

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