A few days ago I was telling you about the excellent new additions to the British-bred Tumbelina double-flowered petunias. Today, from the same British breeders, David and Priscilla Kerley, the single-flowered Fanfare Series - think of them as British-bred versions of the Japanese Surfinias. They've been available in North America for a few years, but now they're appearing here for the first time.
The Fanfare Series features large single flowers, which are noticeably well flared to show off their colours and patterns, and comes in a grand total of thirteen colours although the most comprehensive collection available to home gardeners so far includes just ten. They trail impressively but they're still more compact and bushy than many of the Surfinias so you should still be able to walk under your baskets instead of round them!
I especially liked the soft pastel pink Fanfare Appleblossom (top) and the brighter, more vibrant Fanfare Cherryblossom (left) contrasting pale eye. The colours are just gorgeous - and the plants are so prolific.
Don't make the mistake of thinking the different varieties of trailing petunias are all the same - they're not. And don't confuse this Fanfare Series with ‘Fanfare Double Mixed', which is occasionally seen, and which is a double-flowered seed-raised petunia with large but less weather-tolerant flowers.
You can order three different Fanfare petunia collections from Thompson & Morgan. Fanfare petunias are also available from Van Meuwen.