Early spring in Chicagoland can make a perennial garden look dormant one day and surprisingly animated the next. As snow recedes and soil temperatures rise,…
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
Hemerocallis ‘Stella de Oro’ has earned its place in Midwestern gardens through a combination of compact growth, golden flowers, and a reputation for repeat…
A garden can change character after sunset. Flowers that seemed quiet in afternoon light become luminous, foliage releases a stronger scent as temperatures…
Trollius europaeus, commonly called European globeflower, is a cool-season perennial valued for its rounded yellow flowers and preference for evenly moist…
Concrete walks, brick patios, retaining walls, driveways, and raised foundations give urban gardens useful structure. Their straight lines and durable surfaces…
Astilbe is often associated with damp woodland borders, stream edges, and richly amended soil. That reputation is deserved: these perennials produce their…
Japanese beetles (Popillia japonica) are a familiar midsummer pest in Chicagoland gardens. Adult beetles skeletonize leaves, chew flowers, and gather in…
Chicago-area gardeners often inherit soil that is dense, slow to drain, and difficult to dig when wet. Heavy clay can seem hostile to perennial plants, yet…
Fragrance is one of the most appealing qualities of garden pinks, yet it can be difficult to compare from catalog descriptions alone. Dianthus plumarius…
Foamflower, or Tiarella cordifolia, is valued for its airy flower spikes, attractive foliage, and ability to brighten shaded gardens. In the Chicagoland…
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.
