Phlox paniculata and Phlox maculata earn their place in temperate perennial borders, producing summer flower heads that draw pollinators and colour through the…
Evaluating Perennials for Chicagoland Gardens
Perennials in Focus is a plant evaluation program that examines new and underused plants for Chicagoland, the third largest metropolitan area in the country. A group of horticultural experts trials and evaluates plants at numerous locations across the region. Results help consumers, public gardens, growers, landscape designers, breeders, and other industry professionals make informed plant choices.
Blog
Echinacea paradoxa, the yellow coneflower of the Ozark Plateau, has earned a loyal following among perennial enthusiasts who value its drooping golden rays and…
Eryngium yuccifolium, commonly called rattlesnake master, is a distinctive North American prairie perennial with narrow, yucca-like leaves and pale green to…
Ground-nesting bees need more than flowers. Solitary bees such as Andrena excavate individual burrows in bare or lightly covered soil, often choosing sunny…
How to perennialize spring bulbs with daffodils and alliums in perennial borders is a question many Australian gardeners work through by trial and error.…
Blanket flower, known botanically as Gaillardia aristata, sits high on the list of prairie perennials that have quietly migrated into back gardens far beyond…
Chicago has become a North American benchmark for green roof innovation, and the Perennials in Focus program has spent years identifying which species actually…
Yarrows have earned a place in countless Aussie perennial beds, and for good reason. These drought-tough members of the daisy family shrug off the kind of heat…
As autumn settles across the southern states, home gardeners start thinking about tucking their beds in for the cooler months. Mulching in March through May is…
Globe thistles (Echinops) earn their keep in perennial borders thanks to steely blue flower heads, deeply cut silvery foliage, and an unflappable tolerance for…
In the Garden
Evaluator gardens are located across the Chicagoland area, representing a range of growing conditions. Visit our retail and wholesale partners to find trialled perennials for your own garden.
Retail & Wholesale: Hinsdale Nurseries (Willowbrook, IL), Mariani Nurseries (Kenosha, WI & Garden Prairie, IL), Northwind Perennials (Burlington, WI), The Growing Place (Aurora, IL).
Wholesale Only: Hinsdale Nurseries (Plano, IL), Intrinsic Perennial Gardens (Hebron, IL).
Our Evaluation Program
The 2017–2020 evaluation cycle included Agastache 'Blue Boa', Allium senescens 'Blue Eddy', Amsonia ciliata var. filifolia 'Georgia Pancake', Astilbe 'Chocolate Shogun', Boltonia astroides 'James Crocket', Brunnera 'Alexander's Great', and Geranium cinereum 'Jolly Jewel Purple'. Completed evaluations include Amsonia 'Blue Ice' (2004–07).
On April 10, 2020, the program published snapshot profiles for Vernonia lettermanii 'Iron Butterfly', Stokesia laevis 'Elf', Stachys officinalis 'Pink Cotton Candy', Lobelia 'Monet Moment', Helleborus 'Winter Thrillers', Geum 'Mai Tai', Geranium soboliferum 'Butterfly Kisses', Gentiana x intermedia 'True Blue', Eurybia divaricata, Asparagus 'Purple Passion', and Agastache 'Bolero'.
Browse the full collection of snapshots organized alphabetically — from A–D, E–H, I–Q, and R–Z — to find detailed performance data on perennials trialled across Chicagoland.
