SunPatiens in focus during IGCA in Germany

In week 34, horticultural professionals from around the world gathered in Bavaria, Germany, for the International Garden Centre Association (IGCA) congress — a week of inspiration, discussion and idea exchange. SunPatiens featured prominently throughout the event.

On the Tuesday of the congress, participants rode the Tegelbergbahn cable car up the mountain overlooking the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. At the top, several colors of SunPatiens were in full bloom. Heavy showers had fallen that morning after weeks of sunny weather, but the plants showed no ill effects.

“Rain, sun or wind, SunPatiens didn’t earn the name ‘the all-weather SunPatiens’ for nothing,” said Maurice Secreve, Marketing Manager at Sakata Ornamentals.

Visitors enjoyed the view over a slice of SunPatiens Apfelstrudel, with plenty of opportunities for photos. Attendees were encouraged to share their mountaintop moment using the hashtag #iLoveSunPatiens.

Feedback from the field
Around the SunPatiens display, the Sakata team spoke with numerous visitors. Among them was a garden center chain from the Czech Republic that is currently trialing SunPatiens. The chain was first introduced to the renewed series at the IGCA congress in South Africa in 2025, and early results have been positive.

Enthusiasm also came from other countries. One visitor said SunPatiens performs particularly well as cemetery planting. “With minimal care, it delivers a huge color impact,” the visitor noted.

For American visitors, SunPatiens is already a familiar name, having sold successfully in the United States for years, with strong demand from both garden centers and consumers.

“When you tell American visitors that many standard New Guinea impatiens are still grown in Europe, they’re sometimes genuinely surprised. In the U.S., customers want SunPatiens and nothing else,” Maurice said.

Standing out on the shelf and in the garden
During the congress, both IGCA delegates and local visitors were shown various ways to use SunPatiens. According to Sakata, differentiation starts with how the plant is presented in the garden center, a strong presentation can draw attention to the plant and help drive sales.

“On the shelf, the difference between a standard New Guinea impatiens and a SunPatiens hybrid isn’t always obvious. In the garden, that difference becomes clear. SunPatiens blooms until the first frost and performs in a range of conditions, from full sun to shade.” This is evident in cities such as Madrid, where the plants are used in large beds throughout municipal parks.

Sakata Ornamentals supports growers and retailers with a range of point-of-sale materials. At Garten-Land Wohlhüter, several display options were on show, including a table featuring the different colors of SunPatiens Patio. The color combinations drew considerable attention from both IGCA delegates and other visitors.

After a full day, participants gathered for an Oktoberfest evening complete with German music, food and drink — another opportunity to network and discuss new plans.

“At an event like this, it’s not just about the plants. The conversations with people from different countries are what really matter, that’s where new ideas and agreements take shape,” Maurice said.

Sakata declined to specify where SunPatiens will next be featured, saying only: “Keep an eye out. There’s a good chance you’ll come across SunPatiens in several places.”

Next destination: Japan
The next IGCA congress will be held in Japan, Sakata’s home market, where Sakata Ornamentals will serve as one of the event’s main sponsors, continuing the company’s close involvement with the international gathering of garden center professionals.

Are you also interested in the possibilities for SunPatiens? Contact the Sakata team via [email protected] and order point-of-sale materials for your sales outlet(s), or marketing materials as a grower, so that you too can present your product recognizably at the point of sale.

For more information:
Sakata Ornamentals
Tel.: +31 23 5543200
[email protected]
www.sakataornamentals.eu