Written by Karin Clemens, Rockway Gardens Head Gardener
This season, we had the lucky opportunity to join the Annual Trials held by the University of Guelph. The purpose of the trials is to try out the new seeds and plants that producers have developed, and to see how they grow. The sites that take part and display these plants include the University of Guelph at the Turf Grass Institutet (don’t miss a tour of their trial garden during their open house and plant sale on September 7th!) the Landscape Ontario Headquarters in Milton, the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hendrie Park in Burlington, and now Rockway Gardens Botanical Garden in Kitchener.
These plants are new and some may never make it to market, depending on how they test in these trials and many others around the country, the U.S. and around the world. Some reasons they are developed are: new colours of flowers, new compact growth, new spreading habits, overall more vigorous performance, ability to grow better in hot conditions, sunny conditions, shady conditions, humid conditions, drought conditions, pest resistance, disease resistance, size of flowers, bloom time, double flowers or singles.
Some are provided to us as seeds and others come in as plugs (mini plants in compact trays). We germinate the seeds at the greenhouse and transplant the plugs into larger pots, caring for them until they’re ready to plant in our beds.
This year, we were able to devote three separate beds in Rockway Gardens to the Annual Trials. The beds were planted up in a grid pattern with space designated for each different variety of plant. The plants were all planted out in their designated beds in the month of June. We then proceed to make observations on them every few weeks. Our reports follow a simple number rating system that features a plant rating and a bloom rating:
Overall Appearance, 1-5 rating:
1 = poor condition (dying)
2 = weak condition (struggling with some dieback)
3 = average (healthy foliage, few flowers)
4 = good (healthy foliage, progressing flowers/buds)
5 = great (great/healthy foliage, many flowers)
Bloom, 1-5 rating:
1 = poor (little to no blooms)
2 = minimal (few blooms)
3 = average (multiple blooms on plants)
4 = good (blooming with several flowers)
5 = great (all plants flowering prolifically)
At the end of September, we will also tally survival data, recording the percentage of plants out of the total planted that survived.
A list of the plants that are featured in our trial beds this year is below, along with the company that provided them. Drop by the gardens to observe for yourself – we’d love to hear about your favourites, and answer any questions you might have.
Benary Seed
- Agastache cana ‘Zuni’ New
- Begonia x benariensis F1 Big Series White Flower Bronze Leaf
- Begonia x benariensis F1 Big Series White Flower Green Leaf Improved
- Begonia tuberhybrida F1 ‘Non Stop Mocca Rose’
- Begonia tuberhybrida F1 ‘Non Stop Peach Shades’
- Bouteloua gracilis
- Cyperus glaber ‘Abby’
- Erigeron ‘Profusion’
- Eucalyptus globosa ‘Styx’
- Eucalyptus populnea ‘Murray’
- Eucalyptus preissiana ‘Albany’
- Hordeum jubatum ‘Ricky’
- Lagurus ovatus ‘Bunny’
- Limonium sinuatum ‘Hipster Blue’
- Limonium sinuatum ‘Hipster Rose’
- Limonium sinuatum ‘Hipster White’
- Limonium sinuatum ‘Hipster Yellow’
- Lobelia erinus F1 ‘Masterpiece Blue with Eye’
- Lobelia speciosa F1 ‘Fan Scarlet Improved’
- Myosotis sylvatica ‘Bellamy Light Blue’
- Petunia x hybrida F1 ‘Boom! HD Blue’
- Petunia x hybrida F1 ‘Boom! HD Burgundy’
- Petunia x hybrida F1 ‘Boom! HD Maxi Mix’
- Petunia x hybrida F1 ‘Boom! HD Pink’
- Petunia x hybrida F1 ‘Boom! HD Red’
- Petunia x hybrida F1 ‘Boom! HD Rosestar’
- Petunia x hybrida F1 ‘Boom! HD Salmon’
- Petunia x hybrida F1 ‘Boom! HD White’
- Petunia x hybrida F1 ‘Success TR Violet Improved’
- Portulaca grandiflora F1 ‘Sundial Cream Improved’
- Portulaca grandiflora F1 ‘EXP Sundial Cream Multipellet’
- Portulaca grandiflora F1 ‘Sundial Peach Mix’
- Portulaca grandiflora F1 ‘Sundial Valentine Mix’
- Portulaca grandiflora F1 ‘Sundial Volcano Mix’
- Stachys byzantina ‘Furby’
- Viola cornuta F1 ‘Admire Apricot Purple Wing’
- Viola cornuta F1 ‘Admire Lemoncello Purple Wing’
- Viola cornuta F1 ‘Admire Marina Improved’
- Viola cornuta F1 ‘Admire Purple’
- Viola cornuta F1 ‘Admire White Improved’
- Viola cornuta F1 ‘Admire Yellow Blotch improved’
- Viola wittrockiana F1 ‘Cats Plus Mix’
Sakata Ornamentals
- Begonia x hybrida ‘Viking White on Green’
- Celosia plumosa ‘Burning Embers’
American Takii
- Canna x generalis F1 ‘Cannova Gold Leopard’
- Dahlia pinnata ‘Black Forest Ruby’
- Helianthus annuus F1 ‘Smiley Gold’ – Sunflower
- Tropaelum minus ‘Baby Orange’ – Nasturtium
- Tropaelum minus ‘Baby Red’ – Nasturtium
- Tropaelum minus ‘Baby Rose’ – Nasturtium
- Zinnia elegans F1 ‘Preciosa Tropical Blend’
Ball FloraPlant
- Ageratum ‘Monarch Magic’
- Angelonia angustifolia ‘AngelFlare Black’
- Angelonia angustifolia ‘AngelFlare Cranberry’
- Angelonia angustifolia ‘AngelFlare Orchid Pink’
- Angelonia angustifolia ‘Archangel Dark Purple’
- Angelonia angustifolia ‘Guardian Angel Berry Sparkler’
- Angelonia angustifolia ‘Guardian Angel Blue’
- Cuphea hyssopifolia ‘Enchantia White’
- Lantana camara ‘Lucky Gold’
- Lantana camara ‘Passionfruit’
- Lantana camara ‘Shamrock Red’
- Lobelia erinus ‘Heatopia Dark Blue’
Dummen Orange Plant
- Coleus ‘Down Town Dallas’
- Coleus ‘Down Town Port Fairy’
- Lantana ‘Havana Pink 02/Heartland Sunrise 2025’
- Lantana ‘Heartland Blue Moon 01 (2025)’
- Lantana ‘Heartland Citrus 2025’
- Lantana ‘Heartland Really Red 2025’
- Pelargonium peltatum ‘Great Balls of Fire Salmon Bicolour’ – Ivy Geranium
- Pelargonium zonale ‘Big Eeze Pink Batik’
- Pelargonium zonale ‘Savannah Bright Red 2024’
- Pelargonium zonale ‘Savannah Pink Shades (40)’
- Petunia ‘Dura Bloom Red 2025’
- Petunia ‘Dura Bloom Yellow 2025 (Intrinsa)’
- Petunia ‘Potunia + Black Satin (Intrinsa)’
- Petunia ‘Potunia Lilac Blue 13/Potunia + Lilac Blue 13 (Intrinsa)
- Petunia ‘Potunia + Purple 2025 (Intrinsa)’
- Petunia ‘Potunia + Spun Sugar (Intrinsa)’
- Petunia ‘Potunia + Yellow 2025 (Intrinsa)’
- Portulaca ‘Cupcake Upright Golden Yellow’
- Scaevola ‘Scalla Blue Jay’
- Scaevola ‘Scalla Blue 02/Purple Bird’
- Scaevola ‘Scalla Cappello Purple’
- Scaevola ‘Scalla Cappello White’
- Verbena ‘Empress Sun Kiss Blue’
- Verbena ‘Empress Sun Kiss Red’