The Trial Gardens at the University of Georgia, located on South Campus, test new varieties of annual and perennial plant species—like these calibrachoa—to see how each will hold up in the hot and humid summers of the southeastern United States.
The garden hosted two open houses in early June, one for industry professionals and one for the public, when the gardens were in full bloom. These events offered a networking opportunity for those in the industry and allowed visiting patrons to vote on their favorite flowers for the People’s Choice Award, the winner of which will be announced in the fall during the Classic City Awards.
Last year’s winner of the Grand Finale prize was the “Sumati Orange” Marigold from AmeriSeed. These marigolds held onto their color and shape best over the course of the 2021 growing season. In addition to this prize, flowers from the trail garden won 11 other prizes, including awards to the Great Myrtle “Cherry Delight” from GardenChoice and the Coleus Colorblaze “Torchlight” from Proven Winners.
The garden tests seeds from all over the world, planting in mid-to-late April and recording data beginning in June. The plants are scored out of 5, with plants scoring in the 4.5 to 5 range flowering profusely and maintaining a constantly desirable shape.
The garden is open to the public year-round, and visitors from the university and beyond are encouraged to visit.
