Wet areas can support some of the most dramatic perennial displays in a Chicagoland garden, but plant selection matters. Soil that stays consistently moist,…
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
A planted roof can turn an ordinary residential garage into a useful patch of habitat, color, and stormwater storage. In the Chicago region, however, rooftop…
Parkway strips are among the most demanding places to grow perennials in the Chicagoland region. The narrow soil area between a sidewalk and street is exposed…
A garden can lose much of its visual energy after summer flowers fade, but the planting season does not have to end with the first hard frost. Ornamental…
Choosing perennials that resist powdery mildew in humid Chicago summers starts with recognizing the conditions that favor the disease. Warm days, humid nights,…
A summer evening garden can reveal qualities that remain hidden during daylight. As temperatures fall, some lilies release a stronger perfume, while others…
Agastache rupestris, commonly called sunset hyssop or licorice mint, is valued for its airy spikes of orange, coral, and rose flowers, aromatic foliage, and…
Shady courtyards often need plants that create visual interest without relying on long bloom periods. Ferns are especially useful because their fronds bring…
Finding the best hardy geraniums for preventing weed emergence between stepping stones requires more than choosing a plant with a spreading habit. The space…
Campanula persicifolia, commonly called peach-leaved bellflower, is valued for its upright stems, narrow foliage, and open bell-shaped flowers in shades of…
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.
