Sustainable landscape design in the Midwest begins with plants that can handle the region’s changing conditions. Cold winters, humid summers, heavy spring…
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 perennial can look impressive when it arrives at a garden center, yet its long-term value depends on what happens after planting. Does it survive winter,…
A fence can define a property line, but it rarely creates a complete visual screen. In a windy Chicago garden, the most useful planting combines height,…
Echinacea purpurea, commonly called purple coneflower, is a familiar North American perennial with strong value for pollinator gardens, prairie-style…
Coral bells, or Heuchera, bring color and structure to spaces where many flowering plants struggle. Their rounded leaves form tidy mounds, while slender stems…
A well-planned perennial border can give a community garden plot structure, color, and habitat for years, while reducing the need to replant every season. The…
A perennial can look like a bargain when it fills an empty bed quickly, survives winter, and needs little attention. Yet vigorous growth is not the same as…
Milkweeds are valuable perennial plants for pollinators, yet closely related species can respond very differently to the same garden soil. Asclepias incarnata,…
American goldfinches add bright color and lively movement to a perennial border, especially from late summer through winter. Their visits are closely tied to…
Choosing a perennial for the Chicagoland region involves more than checking its hardiness zone. A plant must handle cold winters, humid summers, variable…
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.
