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…
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
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…
Combining annuals with perennials for color all season gives a Chicagoland garden both reliability and flexibility. Perennials provide the framework: returning…
Iris can bring some of the most recognizable flowers to a Chicagoland garden, yet their performance is not limited to the familiar flush of spring color. Some…
Cimicifuga racemosa, also known botanically as Actaea racemosa and commonly called black cohosh, is a striking perennial for cool, woodland-like spaces. Its…
A privacy screen made from perennials can soften property lines, hide utility areas, and make an outdoor room feel more secluded during the growing season.…
A small courtyard can support a surprisingly rich planting when each perennial earns its space. The most successful combinations usually include a dependable…
Garden phlox, Phlox paniculata, remains one of the most valuable summer-blooming perennials for Midwestern gardens. Its tall stems, fragrant flower clusters,…
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.
