Testing the winter hardiness of Lavandula angustifolia in exposed sites asks a practical question for Australian gardeners: can English lavender survive wind,…
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
The best perennials for naturalizing in meadows with native grasses and forbs are plants that persist, multiply and coexist without constant attention. Look…
Choosing between these two North American perennials is less about naming a universal winner and more about matching floral architecture, bloom timing and…
Delphinium elatum, commonly called tall larkspur, gives Chicago gardens a strong vertical accent in early summer. Its first flower spikes are usually the…
Perennials that offer unique foliage colour like Heuchera ‘Palace Purple’ for shade can transform a dark border from a forgotten corner into a layered display.…
A garden path should feel like a destination rather than a strip of paving laid across the yard. Low-mounding perennials can create that sense of arrival by…
Rabbits can quickly turn a carefully planted border into a patchwork of clipped stems and missing leaves. That makes ornamental onions appealing to Australian…
Selecting the best perennials for green roof installations with shallow soil depth requires more than choosing plants that tolerate drought. A successful roof…
Rudbeckia laciniata and Rudbeckia hirta both produce cheerful, daisy-like flowers, yet they create very different planting effects. One develops into a tall,…
Flooding can expose the weaknesses of a perennial very quickly. Plants may tolerate saturated soil for a few days, yet fail when their roots remain…
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.
