2021 Trial and Idea Garden Annual Report

Plant Sources

The trial gardens were created to showcase new plants and cultivars in the environment in which they were meant to be grown. Our plants come from local garden centers with the majority being generously donated by Ashcombe Farm and Greenhouses in Mechanicsburg, PA. We greatly appreciate the support they have given to us over the years; without them we would not have the variety of plants that we do.

We search for new cultivars of old plants to trial, trying to find as many as we can to fill the garden. Each year Ashcombe will give us what we call 'true trials' which are plants sent to them by growers to trial in the environment they list. They share these with us to trial. From Stauffers of Kissel Hill and Highland Gardens, we purchase a few extra plants to fill in. Claremont Nursing and Rehabilitation Center gives us an allowance that we may use at Highland Gardens which we mainly use to add color and pollinator annuals to the other gardens. It is a system we have been using over the years and it seems to work.

Methods

Every year has its challenges and this one was no different. The record-breaking heat had a definite effect on many of our plants demanding more than some could give. This year, more than in past years, we had an issue of one or two plants out of a grouping completely dying. This left us with a debate: do we just disregard the dead plants and evaluate the ones that are left, or do we continue to take away points because of the dead and sometimes still visible plant residue. It did not end with a unanimous decision; we had valid arguments for both sides. But for the most part, we continued to evaluate the dying until it was obvious the plant was not coming back. Then, we eliminated it and went on with the remaining few. In each instance it was noted and will be reported as such.

Each week, three members of the committee are scheduled for maintenance duty that includes weeding, watering, deadheading, and pruning - all as deemed necessary by whomever is working that week. Everyone works independently and our well-maintained gardens show the loyalty of our committee members.

The gardens are in full sun all day; the plants never get a shade break. The plants are not fertilized but mulch is added to the gardens every year as well as compost from our own compost bins when available.

The grading system is on a scale of 1-4, 4 being the highest. We evaluate every two weeks; sometimes it is a quick decision, other times it takes a lengthy discussion and an arbitrator to come up with a number. One day a season we measure the plants and count the number of flowers that are in bloom that day. Due to the sheer quantity of flowers on some plants, we give our best estimate by counting 1/4^th of the plant and then simply multiplying by 4. We get the job done and we have a lot of fun and laughs during the process.

At the end of the season, the numbers are added for each category: uniformity, foliage, flowers, and overall appearance. All categories are then added together and divided by the number of categories possible. For example, a foliage-only plant only has three categories, while flowering plants have four. To make it even, we factor that number into a percentage point. We had six plants this year rate in the 90+ percentile.

The numbers you see in parenthesis show:

1. the percentage earned
2. the height x width
3. the number of flowers that day
4. a 'tt' at the end means the plant was a true trial or one that was sent to Ashcombe by a grower. These are usually new cultivars but occasionally have been older established plants that are now being tested under different cultural conditions.

Some of our plants scored low, but please do not let that deter you from trying them in your gardens. Learn from our mistakes: our sun exposure, our groundhog population, and the desire of most of us 'not to take the time to deadhead.' These all have the potential to be great plants; some just did not work out for us this year.

Results

Here are our results from last place to first.

Dianthus barbatus 'Green Ball' - Sweet William (38%, 2" x 6"/1)

We had this plant on our list last year but could not find it, so imagine our excitement this year when we did! The plants were nothing more than long wide blades of grassy-like foliage, looking exactly like a bunch of weeds in pots. But we picked them up and headed off to the checkout counter. It did not take long for the flowers to show their fuzzy little heads above the foliage, but it took even less time for some little critter to come along and clip a few of them off - did not eat them, just clipped them off. The unique flower balls were fun, but unless they sat tall above the foliage, they got lost as they are the same 'electric green' as the foliage. The flower heads were soft but firm and sturdy enough to use in a cut flower arrangement. The plants only earned a total of 5-4's the whole season and 3 on the first evaluation. However, they did tower over the rest of the group by being the only plant that received 32-0's. They came fast and left even faster. A fun addition to the gardens even if only for a short time.

Petunia Surprise® Yellowstone - Petunia (48%, 15" x 8½"/6, tt)

They were blooming when we got them and continued to do so for the next six weeks. They earned 4's. We would have added the '+' if we could have and even gone up to 5's; they were that great. The flowers were large and plentiful and overshadowed the pretty green foliage. In the middle of August, the leaves and stems started to turn brown and die. By the end of the month all three plants were totally gone - they did not even stay long enough for us to deadhead! We were fortunate to have six straight weeks of bright and cheerful canary yellow 'petunia perfection.' Unfortunately, as all good things do, this one came to an end.

Argyranthemum intergeneric hybrid 'Red Improved' - Grandaisy® Red Improved Marguerite Daisy (50%, 15" x 30"/6, tt)

As recorded by our data, the lacy foliage was the best part of this plant scoring higher than any other of the categories. The flowers start out red, quickly fade and then die, leaving all three stages on the plant at one time. Since the flowers did not last long in bloom, it was just a matter of time until there were more flowers that were dead or dying on the plant than the fresh red blooms. 'Needs deadheading' was noted as an issue on the first evaluation. It stopped blooming in early August and by the end of the month, only one plant was still alive. We concluded that 'Red Improved' still needs a lot of improvement.

Cosmos bipinnatus Versailles Mix - Cosmos (55%, 45" x 4'/4)

We started with two 4-packs. The foliage was the high point: lush, green, and full the entire time. It consistently scored higher than the flowers which could be because even though the flowers were pretty, they were extremely rare. Half of the plants grew so tall that they fell over leaving the ugly stems and dying bottom foliage exposed. That then affected the overall appearance lowering those points. Those that remained standing started to bloom by the middle of October. We loved the flowers, they were dainty and charming, but more importantly, loved by the bees. They just came too late to make a difference on the evaluation.

Zinnia Holi 'Pink' F1 - Zinnia (61%, 13" x 14"/14)

The Holi series consist of two colors - scarlet and pink. Both were AAS award winners in 2020. We started with two 4-packs and all eight did extremely well through July. The dahlia-like blooms were a vibrant pink and a welcome sight in the garden. Two plants died the first week in August; the remaining six were struggling and by the beginning of September all were completely gone. Our plants were over so quickly, they did not even have time to receive a negative comment in any of our evaluations. AAS is quoted as stating 'The Holi series is bred to keep producing fresh colorful blooms all season long even through heat, humidity, and drought.' Unfortunately, ours did not.

Bidens hybrid Campfire® Flame - Bidens (62%, 8" x 15"/200)

It was obvious early on that these five plants were not all the same. All five had a mixture of yellow and scarlet flowers, but three had a majority of yellow, the other two had more orange. Uniformity was also comparatively different. The flowers of both colors were spectacular with deep scarlet, orange/yellow petals that surrounded a yellow center. When the plants had a blend of yellow and scarlet flowers blooming together, they really did resemble a campfire flame. Two plants died out by the middle of July, one more shortly after; all three were the lighter-colored plants. The remaining two plants continued to thrive and ended with scores of 4's. As quoted by one member, 'they are a petite, moundy pop of color with a full spectrum of fall colors.' We were amazed with their stamina and loved this new Campfire® Flame Bidens. When you look for them in garden centers this summer, just be sure to pick the orange plants, not the yellow ones!

Celosia argentea - Sol™ Lizzard Leaf Celosia Foliage (68%, 20" x 18"/3, tt)

The foliage was shiny, thick, and burgundy red. The leaves were varied in size and a mixture of either flat, curled or rolled, or all three on the same plant giving them a 'bad hair day' look. The plants did not bloom until the end of July; the burgundy flowers were typical of a celosia - tall, spikey, and fuzzy. When they faded, they turned brown at the bottom and continued up towards the top. So, the top could be fresh but the bottom brown and dying. One plant died before the end of the season, the other two made it all the way. Other than having the deep burgundy color, they were not a pretty site!

Begonia interspecific Megawatt™ Pink Green Leaf Begonia (71%, 10" x 14"/34, tt)

The leaves were shiny-green tinged with burgundy, their pale pink flowers were pretty and already in bloom when we got them. They did well in all categories on the first evaluation, but then unfortunately became a favorite snack of a wayward groundhog that continued to eat the new growth week after week. We learned that begonias are resilient. Despite the continued attacks, they kept coming back and managed to grow to half their projected size while blooming consistently. The plants also survived the full sun and heat to the end, earning 3's in three of the four categories. Uniformity only received a 2; maybe one plant was tastier than the other two! They were lovely, but we never really had the opportunity to see their full potential.

Petunia hybrid a Supertunia® Raspberry Rush™ (72%, 6" x 2'/80)

The plants were mounds of flowers that resembled little pinwheels, each petal was a big splash of raspberry surrounded by a narrow band of white. The flowers were so plentiful and vibrant they overshadowed the foliage and earned 4's until the end of August. And then the color switched to being more white than raspberry and lost its vitality. At the same time the foliage started to shrivel, dry out, and lose its rich color. The plants had taken a turn for the worse and they did not come back. It was a good plant for the majority of the season; it just did not have the stamina to make it all the way.

Calibrachoa hybrida Cha-Cha™ Diva Hot Pink (74%, 7" x 25"/160)

Cha-Cha™ is a series consisting of five colors. The flowers of Diva Hot Pink had lemon-yellow centers surrounded by halos of white and then tipped with rosy-pink edging; looking like they would be very much at home adorning a white Easter basket. Some weeks the colors would be 'hot pink,' the next week they would be 'cool pink;' the colors changed back and forth until the middle of August when 'cool' was more the norm. One was lost by the end August and at the same time the others started to decline. Only one survived until the end with a faded vintage look to it. They started with 3's and 4's and ended with 1's and 2's. They definitely did not live up to diva status.

Petunia x hybrid Tidal Wave® Red Velour Spreading Petunia (82%, 9" x 28"/32)

They were gorgeous with large vivid red flowers and deep green foliage. It was a favorite because of that brilliant color greeting you when you entered the garden. Even the dead flowers did not deter from its appearance. It started out earning 4's in all categories and that lasted until the end of August. The foliage was the first to decline which affected their overall appearance; shortly after that the flower numbers became less and the foliage turned brown. They played out long before we were ready to let them go.

Helianthus interspecific Sunfinity™ Reblooming Sunflower (87%, 4' x 3½'/150)

Sunfinity™ is a multibranched sunflower that was designed to bloom throughout the season. It was stunning and we all loved it. The huge golden-yellow flowers sat on top very sturdy 24+" stems. The multitude of rich green leaves was a compliment to the overall aesthetics of the plant. Sunfinity™ easily earned straight 4's even with the impending need to start deadheading. By the middle of August there were more dead flowers than live ones. Deadheading was an overwhelming task, if not impossible, due to the sheer number of flowers. The character of the plant went downhill so quickly we all wondered what could have happened. One week everything was good and beautiful, but the next time they were not. Had we done more research, we would have found that their season is only 9-12 weeks. And yes, they did bloom through that whole time, but no longer.

Petunia hybrida Itsy™ Magenta Trailing Petunia (92%, 7" x 35"/300, tt)

Itsy™ is a series of three colors - magenta, white and purple. The name refers to its flower size, not performance potential or its impact in the garden. Check out the size - only 7" tall, but 35" wide with over 300 flowers per plant. Short and most definitely sweet! Some of the words used by the committee to describe the color - vibrant, awesome, solid, rich - were all fairly earned. The plants did surprisingly well through the season earning mainly 4's until October. It did not go down without a fight though; the flowers still earned 4's all through September. Itsy™ turned out to be a pleasant surprise for us taking everything this summer gave and surviving it all. With its stamina, Itsy™ would be amazing in a planter.

Plumbago auriculata Cape Plumbago (93%, 29" x 2½'/133)

Plumbago auriculata is tropical plant that can be grown outside as an annual or brought inside to over-winter. It is an evergreen plant, so the foliage was always great. It was very slow to flower, not making a real impact until the end of July. The lack of flowers and the lack of uniformity was the reason this plant ended up in 4^th place. When the plants grew larger and they started to bloom, the points went up and never came back down. The cornflower-blue flowers are tubular with 5-parted spreading lobes and sit in terminal clusters above the rich thick foliage. Committee comments included 'it is consistent, worth the wait; it has a softening calming effect, definitely a keeper!' It's easy to see why this was one of the committee favorites for this year.

Osteospermum Zion™ Purple Sun African Daisy (93%, 12" x 23"/32)

Zion™ is a series of heat tolerant African Daisies consisting of several colors. Osteospermums are typically cool season plants, but this series was bred to be heat tolerant and surprised us all by living up to its claim. The subtle color of the petals of Purple Sun are orange that transition into a purple center, showing more of a fall color but pairing perfectly in a summer garden. The plants are sturdy, upright, and tightly mounded. The flowers last for weeks with deadheading never being an issue. The blooms slowed for a few weeks which led us to believe they were done blooming. To our surprise and pleasure, they flushed all over again and lasted until the end. We decided that this is a perfect container plant that could easily transition into a fall planter. This also received many votes as a committee favorite.

Phlox cultivars Gisele® Hot Pink Phlox (94%, 8" x 2'/160)

Gisele® is a series with several different colors bred for good rooting, heat tolerance and plentiful blooms, and luckily for us it all worked! Uniformity was a bit of a nuisance for a few weeks but not for long. The plant had a spreading mounded habit with medium green leaves full of lots of hidden new flower buds. The flowers were in constant abundance and definitely hot pink. The points it lost were due to uniformity, a few blips with foliage and in overall appearance in the latter part of the summer, but never due to a flaw in the flowers. They were 'excellent, sensational, outstanding, and gorgeous' all summer long; another committee favorite. Every year we have a plant that earns the 'This one will be in my garden next year' status. Gisele® Hot Pink is that plant we will all be looking for in garden centers this spring.

Alternanthera ficoidea 'Red Threads' (99%, 18" x 31")

This is a tropical plant that is grown in this hardiness zone as an annual. In warmer climates, it produces tiny blue flowers in the leaf axils. In the first evaluation, it lost a ½ point for uniformity and ½ point for overall appearance. Three weeks later it lost another ¼ point for uniformity, the only points this plant lost all season. The leaves were long, narrow, and pointed; they started out green in the spring and turned multiple colors of burgundy through the summer. They had absolutely no issues and would look as good in containers as it did in the garden adding texture and contrast. They tended to get lost in the mulch since they were about the same color. This is another good plant that would transition well into a fall planter.

Lantana camara Luscious® Royale Red Zone™ (99.3%, 23" x 3'/120)

Royale Red Zone™ is a new color in the Luscious® series and a welcome one to say the least. It lost a total of only 1 point throughout the entire season making it the winner for us this year. The point lost was mainly due to uniformity early on. The habit is a typical lantana mounded plant with stiff stems and coarse bold green leaves. The flowers on Royale Red Zone™ were a mixture of cherry red, yellow and orange with sometimes a paring of more than one in a terminal cluster. The plants were healthy, hearty and critter resistant. Much to our delight, they were also bee and butterfly magnets. We have trialed many lantanas over the years and consistently they have earned their place as 'plant of the year.' That just enforces what we have figured out years ago: 'A year without a lantana is like a year without sunshine.' And as you can imagine, this plant also was the committee favorite of the year.

Comments

Every year we have some flowers that are beautiful and still going strong at the end which can make it tough to complete fall clean-up. This year it was the lantana, plumbago, all three Megawatt™ Begonias (who knows what happened to the groundhog), the two remaining Gisele® Hot Pink Phlox, all the 'Red Threads' Alternanthera, all five Zion™ Purple Sun Osteospermum, and the two orange Bidens. You never would have known it was the end of October. Any of these would make excellent additions to your garden.

Content and Photos Courtesy of Patricia Welfley, Pennsylvania Certified Horticulturist and Penn State Master Gardener