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Plant Trials
Every plant in America is subject to at least one weather- or critter-related problem.
What few gardeners realize, however is that these problems can be avoided by selecting
plants that are more suitable for the specific region you live in. That's where trials
come in!
Trials are the plant industry's way of measuring how well a particular variety will
perform in different parts of the country and evaluating new plant varieties. There are
two kinds of trials: University field trials which generally consist of beds where each
plant is grown in a small plot (called a row trial), and public gardens, where plants are
often put in display beds or pots. Proven Winners sends plant material to both kinds of
trials nationwide, and also conducts their own trials at test sites across North America.
By visiting a trial in your area, you will be able to see how plants perform in an
environment similar to your own. For instance, if there is a new Verbena that is tolerant
to mildew, gardeners in the Midwest and Southeast would like to know about it. And while all
PW varieties perform well in a range of environments, there will always be some that are
better suited to certain regions than others.
Use our search function to find trial locations in your area where Proven Winner plants
can be viewed and start your journey to a garden that is not only beautiful but also
the longest-lasting!
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Assiniboine Park Conservatory 15 Conservatory Drive Winnipeg, MB R3P 2N5 |
9 to 4:30 April to September January 1 to April 4 9:00 am - 4:30 pm April 5 to September 7 9:00 am - 4:30 pm -Tuesday to Saturday 9:00 am - 8:00 pm - Sunday & Monday September 8 to December 31 9:00 am - 4:30 pm Closes at 6:00 pm Sunday, November 30 only For more information, http://www.winnipeg.ca/cms/ape/conservatory/ |
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Boerner Botanical Garden 9400 Boerner Drive Hales Corner, WI 53130 |
Open Daily to the Public 8 a.m. to Dusk, May through October Admission is Charged http://www.boernerbotanicalgardens.org/ For more information please call 414-257-PARK or visit www.countyparks.com/horticulture. |
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BYU-Idaho, Thomas E. Ricks Demonstration Garden 500 S. Center St Rexburg, ID 83460 |
Located next to the Horticulture Buildings Open to the public daily, Open House: Aug TBD For more information please call (208) 496-2012 or visit www.byui.edu/horticulture. |
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Calgary Zoo and Botanic Garden 1300 Zoo Road NE Calgary, AB T2E 7V6 |
9 to 5 daily For more information: http://www.calgaryzoo.org/ |
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Champaign County Illinois Master Gardener Idea Garden South Lincoln Avenue Champaign, IL 61821 |
Just south of the corner of Florida and Lincoln Open Daily to the public http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/champaign/mg/6.html For more information please call 217-333-7672 or visit http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/champaign/mg/6.html. |
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Chicago Botanic Garden 1000 Lake Cook Road Glencoe, IL 60022 |
Open Daily to the Public Free but a parking fee is charged. http://www.chicago-botanic.org/ |
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Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden 3400 Vine St. Cincinnati, OH 45220 |
Open to the public daily, times vary check the web site Admission is Charged For more information please call 1-800-94-HIPPO. |
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Colorado State University 1401 Remington Street Fort Collins, CO 80523 |
Remington Street Park across from the Center for Arts at Colorado State University Open to the public daily http://www.flowertrials.colostate.edu/ From I-25: take exit #268 and head west on Prospect Road for 3.8 miles to Remington Street. Turn right (north) on Remington Street and go one block to the intersection of Remington Street and Lake Street; the garden will be on your left. There are also perennial trials to the right, on the east side of Remington Street, in front of the Colorado State University Center for the Arts. For more information please call 970-491-7019 or visit www.flowertrials.colostate.edu. |
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Cornell University Bluegrass Lane Ithaca, NY 14853 |
Open by appointment and during scheduled events. Open by appointment. Contact Melissa Kitchen at mjb239@cornell.edu to schedule a guided tour. Professional and public open house events during spring and summer. www.hort.cornell.edu/bglannuals/ |
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Cornell-Long Island 3059 Sound Avenue Riverhead, NY 11901 |
The trials are always open during business hours http://ccesuffolk.org/long-island-trial-gardens/ The trials are always open during business hours; please check in at the office before you head out to the trials. |
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Dallas Arboretum 8525 Garland Road Dallas, TX 75218 |
On the Southeastern Shore of White Rock Late Open to the public daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is Charged. http://www.dallasplanttrials.org/into.htm For more information please call 214-515-6500 or visit www.dallasarboretum.org. |
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Delaware Valley College, Henry Schmieder Arboretum 700 E. Butler Ave. Doylestown, PA 18901 |
open to public daily http://www.delval.edu/Arboretum/ Visitors should check-in at our Security Office upon arrival. The Security Office is located by the college's main entrance off of Route 202. Call for information and guided-tour fee. Greenhouses are open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. For more information please call 215-489-2283 or visit www.devalcol.edu/Arboretum/. |
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Devonian Botanic Garden Devon, AB T6G 2E1 |
located in Parkland County, 5 kms north of Devon on Highway 60, within 30 minutes of downtown Edmonton. 10 am to 6 pm most days from May through September For more information: http://www.devonian.ualberta.ca/ Located in Parkland County, 5km north of Devon, on Hwy. 60, SW of Edmonton and approximately 35km from the west end of Edmonton taking 16X west to Hwy 60 south. Open 7 days a week May 1 to October 11, 2010 May 1 – 23 10:00 - 5:00 Daily May 24 – Sept. 6 10:00 - 6:00 Mon-Wed and Fri-Sun May 24 – Sept. 6 10:00 - 8:00 Thursday Sept. 7 – Oct. 11 10:00 - 5:00 Daily |
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Disney |
Trial not open to the public. |
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Erie Basin Marina 329 Erie Street Buffalo, NY 14202 |
Open to the public daily http://www.eriebasinmarina.org/ For more information please call 716-851-6503. |
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Jardin Daniel A. Seguin 3215 rue Sicotte Saint-Hyacinthe J2S 7B3 |
Quebec, Canada Open to the Public Daily Admission Charged |
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Kansas State University 35125 W. 135th St. Olathe, KS 66061 |
Open to public May-Sept. M-F 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. http://www.prairiestarflowers.com/ For more information please call 913-856-2335 ext. 100 or visit http://www.prairiestarflowers.com. |
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Landscape Ontario 7856 Fifth Line South, RR4, Milton, ON L9T 2X8 |
Gardens are open Daily dawn to dusk For more information: http://www.landscapeontario.com/ and http://www.horttrades.com/ |
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Linnaeus Teaching Garden 2435 S. Peoria Ave Tulsa, OK 74114 |
It is located in the Woodward Park complex due east of the Rose Garden and the Tulsa Garden Center Tuesday through Saturday 9 am through 4 pm, Sunday 1 to 4 pm, Mother's Day through Labor Day |
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Longwood Gardens 1001 Longwood Road Kennett Square, PA 19348 |
open to public daily, check web site for times Admission is Charged. www.longwoodgardens.org For more information please call 610-388-1000 or visit www.longwoodgardens.org. |
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Massachusetts Horticultural Society at Elm Bank 900 Washington St (Route 16) Wellesley, MA 02482 |
open to public daily http://www.masshort.org/Directions For more information please call 617-933-4900 or visit www.masshort.org. |
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Mast Arboretum Steven F. Austin State University Wilson Drive Nacogdoches, TX 75962 |
Open Daily to the Public http://ag.sfasu.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=9&Itemid=30 |
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Michigan State University 500 S. Bogue St East Lansing, MI 48824 |
Next to Plant and Soil Sciences Building, Corner of Wilson and Bogue Street Open to the public Daily, Limited access November through March http://www.hrt.msu.edu/gardens/ http://msutrials.ath.cx/ Limited parking is available in the gardens visitor lot, south of the Plant and Soil Sciences building on Bogue Street and Wilson Road. During university business hours (8:00 am to 6:00 pm) parking tokens are required to exit the lot and are available at the Visitor Booth for $3.00. At other times parking is free. For more information please call (517) 355-5191 ext. 1329 or visit http://www.hrt.msu.edu/gardens/AnnualGarden.htm. |
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Mississippi State University 2024 Experiment Station Road Crystal Springs, MS 39059 |
Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station Open to the public Daily Fall Fest Every Year, http://msucares.com/fallfest/ For more information please call 662-325-2110 or visit www.msucares.com. |
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Missouri Botanic Garden 4344 Shaw Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110 |
open to the public daily, check web site for times Admission is Charged. www.mobot.org For more information please call 314-577-5143 or visit www.mobot.org. |
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Muttart Conservatory 962696 A Street Edmonton, AB T6C 4L8 |
9:30 am to 5:30 pm weekdays; 11 am to 5:30 pm weekends & holidays For more information: http://www.muttartconservatory.ca/pages/Muttart/default.aspx 9:30 am to 5:30 pm weekdays 11 am to 5:30 pm weekends & holidays |
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Norfolk Botanical Garden 6700 Azalea Garden Rd Norfolk, VA 23518 |
open to public daily, check web site for times Admission is Charged. http://www.norfolkbotanicalgarden.org/home For more information please call 757-441-5830 or visit www.Norfolkbotanicalgarden.org. |
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North Carolina State, JC Raulston Arboretum 4415 Beryl Rd Raleigh, NC 27606 |
University Horticulture Field Laboratory Open to the public daily, see web site for hours Peak Trials Viewing is June through August. http://www.ncsu.edu/jcraulstonarboretum/index.php Located in west Raleigh at the NC State University Horticulture Field Laboratory, near the NC State Fairgrounds, two miles west of the NC State University main campus. It is directly across the street from Capitol City Lumber Company. For more information please call 919-515-3132. |
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Ohio State University - Columbus Chadwich Arboretum & Learning Center Howlett Hall, 2001 Fyffe Court Columbus, OH 43210 |
Near Horiculture Buildings Open to the public daily, Dawn to Dusk http://chadwickarboretum.osu.edu// For more information please call 614-292-2011. |
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Ohio State University Extension - Springfield 4400 Gateway Blvd. , #104 Springfield, OH 45502 |
Behind Extension Office Building Open to public daily Open House: 1st Saturday in August . http://clark.osu.edu/horticulture/field-trial-results For more information please call 614-292-1868. |
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Oklahoma State University Botanical Gardens 3425 W. Virginia St. Stillwater, OK 74078 |
Open to public daily Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. http://www.osubotanicalgarden.okstate.edu/ For more information please call 405-744-5404 or visit http://home.okstate.edu/Okstate/dasnr/hort/hortlahome.nsf/toc/obgahead. |
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Oregon State University Oak Creek Center for Urban Horticulture 844 SW 35 St Corvallis, OR 97331 |
Open Daily to the public |
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Penn State 1446 Auction Road Manheim, PA 17545 |
Penn State SE Agriculture Research & Extension Center in Landisville Open to public Monday through Friday 8 to 4:30 http://trialgardens.cas.psu.edu/ For more information please call 814-865-5419 or visit http://research.cas.psu.edu/Landisville/gen_info.htm. |
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Powell Gardens 1609 Northwest US Hwy 50 Kingsville, MO 64061 |
Open to the public, see website for seasonal hours Admission is Charged. http://www.powellgardens.org/ For more information please call 816-697-2600 or visit www.powellgardens.org. |
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Reford Gardens 200, route 132 Grand-Métis, QC G0J 1Z0 |
The gardens are open every day from May 31 to October 5 http://www.jardinsmetis.com/english/index.htm The Gardens are located on route 132 in Grand-Métis, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, mid-way between Rimouski and Matane. Admission Charged. |
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Sawaya Garden Trial 5113 Hwy 3 RR #5 Simcoe, ON N3Y 4K4 |
The trial is visible from the road. Also known as the Focus Greenhouse Trial. |
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Smithsonian Institution The Castle 1000 Jefferson Dr. SW Washington, DC 20013 |
Planting around and near The Castle Open Daily to the Public http://www.si.edu/ |
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South Coast Botanic Garden 26300 Crenshaw Blvd Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 |
Open Daily to the public http://www.southcoastbotanicgarden.org/ |
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Texas A & M - East Texas Bedding Plant Trial 1710N Highway 3053 Overton, TX 75252 |
Texas A&M University Research and Extension Center Open Daily to the public, Open House TBA For more information please call 972-231-5362 or visit http://dallas.tamu.edu/. |
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The Gardens at Ball 622 Town Road West Chicago, IL |
Located by the Ball Horticulture Company Headquarters For more information: http://www.ballhort.com/ball/_ball_gardens.aspx For visitor information, including times and directions, please call 888 800-0027 |
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The Oregon Garden 879 W. Main St Silverton, OR 97381 |
Open Daily to the Public http://www.oregongarden.org/ Admission Charged |
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Toronto Botanical Garden 777 Lawrence Avenue East Toronto, ON M3C 1P2 |
Open daily dawn to dusk http://www.torontobotanicalgarden.ca/ |
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University Laval Pavillon de Envirotron 2480 Blvd Hochelaga Quebec, QC G1V 0A6 |
Open to the public daily http://www.ulaval.ca/ |
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University of Delaware College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Townsend Hall 531 South College Ave Newark, DE 19716 |
College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Townsend Hall Sunrise to Sunset Please obtain a visitor parking pass from the Admissions Office at 113 Townsend Hall, accessible through the doors near the Charles Dunham Garden. Web Site: http://ag.udel.edu/udbg/gardens/trial.html |
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University of Florida - Fort Lauderdale Fort Lauderdale Research and Education Center 3205 College Ave. Davie, FL 33314 |
Open Daily to the Public http://flrec.ifas.ufl.edu/trial_garden/index.shtml |
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University of Georgia Green Street Athens, GA 30602 |
Betty Johnson Horticulture Gardens next to the horticulture greenhouses, between Snelling Dining Hall and the R. C. Wilson Pharmacy Building. Open to public daily. Open House Coincides with SEGH Conference http://ugatrial.hort.uga.edu/index.cfm/fuseaction/plants.main/index.htm For more information please call 706- 542-2471 or visit http://ugatrial.hort.uga.edu/. |
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University of Guelph Guelph Turfgrass Institute 328 Victoria Road S. Guelph, ON N1H 6H8 |
Open Daily to the Public http://www.guelphturfgrass.ca/Home/tabid/36/Default.aspx http://www.plant.uoguelph.ca/trialgarden/ |
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University of Illinois-Champaign County Master Gardeners South Lincoln Ave Ubrana, IL 61801 |
The garden is located on south Lincoln Avenue, just south of the corner of Florida and Lincoln. Open Daily to the Public No admission Fee. http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/champaign/mg/6.html |
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University of Kentucky Arboretum 500 Alumni Drive Lexington, KY 40546 |
University of Kentucky campus near Commonwealth Stadium Opn to the public daily from dawn to dusk No Admission Fee http://www.ca.uky.edu/arboretum/ For more information please call 859-257-6955 or visit www.uky.edu/Arboretum/. |
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University of Minnesota - Morris 46352 State Hwy. #329 Morris, MN 56267 |
West Central Research & Outreach Center Open Daily to the public, Horticulture Night TBA http://www.florifacts.umn.edu/trials.html http://wcroc.cfans.umn.edu For more information please call 320-589-1711 or visit http://wcroc.cfans.umn.edu. |
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University of Minnesota-St. Paul Les Bolstad Golf Course 2275 Larpenteur Avenue W St. Paul, MN 55113 |
Located next to the Horticulture Science Building Open daily to the public http://www.florifacts.umn.edu/trials.html http://www.uofmgolf.com/ For more information please call 612-624-9703 or visit www.florifacts.umn.edu. |
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University of Missouri Columbia, MO |
Trials are located at both South Farm and Bradford Farm Bradford Farm: http://aes.missouri.edu/bradford/events/bradford-notes.php Bradford Research and Extension Center 4968 Rangeline Road Columbia, MO 65201 South Farm: http://aes.missouri.edu/sfarms/ |
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University of Tennessee - Jackson West Tennessee Research and Education Center 605 Airways Blvd. Jackson, TN 38301 |
The West Tennessee Research and Education Center is located on U. S. Highway 70 and Airways Boulevard, west of U. S. Highway 45 Bypass in Jackson, TN. Open 7 days a week from sunrise to sunset http://westtennessee.tennessee.edu/ornamentals/ Admission if free to the public |
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University of Tennessee - Knoxville 2431 Joe Johnson Drive Knoxville, TN 37996 |
Located just off Neyland Drive on the Agriculture Campus Open Daily to the public from Sunrise to Sunset, Bloom Days June 25-26 http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/ Admission if free to the public For more information please call 865-946-1138 or visit http://utgardens.tennessee.edu. |
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University of Wisconsin 8502 Mineral Point Rd Verona, WI 53593 |
Dawn to Dusk For more information: http://www.cals.wisc.edu/westmad/garden/index.html Free to the public. |
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University of Wyoming Sheridan Research and Extension Center 663 Wyarno Rd. Sheridan, WY 82801-9619 |
Open to the Public Perennial Trials only. |
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Virginia Tech Washington Street Blacksburg, VA 24061 |
On the Virginia Tech Campus Open to public daily from dawn to dusk Be sure to get a Visitor's Parking Pass from the VT Visitor's Center on Southgate to display when visiting the gardens weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. http://www.hort.vt.edu/hhg/ For more information please call 540-231-5970 or visit www.hort.vt.edu/VTHG/. |






