British-bred petunia ?Priscilla? celebrates 20 seasons with RHS award

The world?s first trailing double flowered petunia, ?Priscilla?, enters its 20th season on the market in Spring 2016. Bred in Britain and renowned for its fragrance and endurance, it remains the top global seller in its class, with distribution in more than 20 countries.

Fittingly, the Royal Horticultural Society has bestowed its prestigious Award of Garden Merit on Tumbelina ?Priscilla? in time for the anniversary year, in recognition that ?Priscilla? ?performs reliably in the garden?.

Developed by husband and wife team David and Priscilla Kerley in a back garden greenhouse, ?Priscilla? launched their Cambridgeshire-based family business by fast becoming an essential component of hanging baskets around the world. The demand for the top-selling new type led to further colours being developed in the Tumbelina collection. A total of 21 different colours and colour combinations will be sold across the globe in 2016.

Distinguished by its pastel mauve scented flowers, heavily veined with violet, the veteran variety is renowned for the profusion of its blooms produced under varying weather conditions. The cascading floral display is spread across the whole of the plant ? not just the ends of the lateral shoots – and has set the standard for the other Petunias that have followed in this series. Whilst these have also delighted gardeners across the world, the original remains the star of the show. According to strict criteria for the RHS Award of Merit, ?Priscilla? is an excellent plant for ?ordinary use?. A ?Priscilla hanging basket? beside your arbour next summer, or a terracotta pot full of tumbling ?Priscilla? outside your front door is sure, in the eyes of the RHS, to give your garden extra ?Merit?.