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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Auburn University Herbaceous Trial Garden
Auburn University, AL  36849
Open Daily to the public from Dawn to Dusk
For more information please call (334) 844-4862 or visit http://www.ag.auburn.edu/hort/research.html.
 
Boerner Botanical Garden in Whitnall Park
9400 Boerner Drive
Hales Corner, WI  53130
Open Daily to the Public 8 a.m. to Dusk, May through October
Admission is Charged
For more information please call 414-257-PARK or visit www.countyparks.com/horticulture.
 
Thomas E. Ricks Demonstration Garden at BYU-Idaho
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.
 
Cathedral of the Pines
10 Hale Hill Road
Rindge, NH  03461
Open Daily to the Public
For more information please call 866-229-4520 or visit www.cathedralpines.com.
 
Chicago Botanical Gardens
1000 Lake Cook Rd.
Glencoe, IL  60022
Open Daily to the Public 8 a.m. to Sunset
Free but a Parking Fee is charged
For more information please call 847.835.0972 or visit http://www.chicagobotanic.org/research/research/index.html.
 
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.
 
City of Cedar Rapids
4900 Council Street NE
Cedar Rapids, IA  52402
Noelridge Greenhouse
Open to the public Daily
 
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO  80523
Remington Street Park across from the Center for Arts at Colorado State University
Open to the public daily
For more information please call 970-491-7019 or visit www.flowertrials.colostate.edu.
 
Erie Basin Marina
329 Erie Street
Buffalo, NY  14202
Open to the public daily
For more information please call 716-851-6503.
 
Green Bay Botanical Garden
2600 Larsen Road
Green Bay, WI  54307
Open to the public daily, check web site for specifics
Admission is Charged
For more information please call 920-490-9457 or visit www.gbbg.org.
 
Henry Schmieder Arbor @ Delaware Valley College
700 E. Butler Ave.
Doylestown, PA  18901
open to public daily
For more information please call 215-489-2283 or visit www.devalcol.edu/Arboretum/.
 
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.
For more information please call 913-856-2335 ext. 100 or visit http://www.prairiestarflowers.com.
 
Longwood Gardens
US Route 1
Kennett Square, PA  19348
open to public daily, check web site for times
Admission is Charged
For more information please call 610-388-1000 or visit www.longwoodgardens.org.
 
Massachusettes Horticulture Society at Elm Bank
4 Turtle Lane
Wellesley, MA  02030
Education Center Lobby
open to public daily
For more information please call 617-933-4900 or visit www.masshort.org.
 
Michigan State University
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
For more information please call (517) 355-5191 ext. 1329 or visit http://www.hrt.msu.edu/gardens/AnnualGarden.htm.
 
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
For more information please call 662-325-2110 or visit www.msucares.com.
 
Missouri Botanical Gardens
4344 Shaw Ave.
St. Louis, MO  63110
open to the public daily, check web site for times
Admission is Charged
For more information please call 314-577-5143 or visit www.mobot.org.
 
National Arboretum
3501 New York Ave NE
Washington, DC  20002
Open to the public daily, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
No Admission Fee
For more information please call 202-245-2726 or visit www.usna.usda.gov.
 
Norfolk Botanical Garden
6700 Azalea Garden Rd
Norfolk, VA  23518
open to public daily, check web site for times
Admission is Charged
For more information please call 757-441-5830 or visit www.Norfolkbotanicalgarden.org.
 
North Carolina State, JC Raulston Arboretum
4415 Beryl Rd, Campus Box 7522
Raleigh, NC  27606
JC Raulston Arboretum
Open to the public daily, see web site for hours
Peak trials viewing is June through August
For more information please call 919-515-3132.
 
Ohio State University - Columbus
Columbus, OH  43210
Near Horiculture Buildings
Open to the public daily, Dawn to Dusk
For more information please call 614-292-2011.
 
Ohio State University Extension - Springfield
4400 Gateway Blvd. , #104
Springfield, OH  45502
Open to public daily
Open House: 1st Saturday in August (Aug 6th, 2005)
For more information please call 614-292-1868.
 
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.
For more information please call 405-744-5404 or visit http://home.okstate.edu/Okstate/dasnr/hort/hortlahome.nsf/toc/obgahead.
 
Penn State
1446 Auction Road
Manheim, PA  17545
Penn State SE Agriculture Research & Extension Center
Open to public Monday through Friday 8 to 4:30
For more information please call 814-865-5419 or visit http://research.cas.psu.edu/Landisville/gen_info.htm.
 
Powell Gardens
1609 Northwest US Hwy 50
Kingsville, MO  64061
Open to the public, see website for seasonal hours
Admission is Charged
For more information please call 816-697-2600 or visit www.powellgardens.org.
 
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN  47907
Next to the Horticulture Building at Marstellar Street and the Agricultural Mall
Open to the public daily,
For more information please call 765-494-1296 or visit www.hort.purdue.edu/ext/hort_gardens.html.
 
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ  8903
Donald B. Lacy Display Gardens, on Ryders Lane just off US Route 1
Open to the public Daily; Open House to be scheduled
For more information please call 732-932-8451 or visit http://aesop.rutgers.edu/~rugardens.
 
San Antonio Botanical Garden
555 Funston Place
San Antonio, TX  78209
Open to the public daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Admission is Charged
For more information please call 210-207-3250 or visit www.sabot.org.
 
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
For more information please call 214-515-6500 or visit www.dallasarboretum.org.
 
East Texas Bedding Plant Trials - Dallas
17360 Coit Road
Dallas, 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/.
 
East Texas Bedding Plant Trials - Overton
1710 N. Highway 3053
Overton, TX  75684
Texas A&M University Research and Extension Center
Open Daily to the public, Open House TBA
For more information please call 903-834-6191 or visit http://overton.tamu.edu/flowers/.
 
Champaign County Illinois Master Gardeners Idea Garden
South Lincoln Avenue
Champaign, IL  61821
Just south of the corner of Florida and Lincoln
Open Daily to the public
For more information please call 217-333-7672 or visit http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/champaign/mg/6.html.
 
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL  32611
Located next to the Horticulture Buildings on Gainesville Campus
Open the the public daily, Open House TBA
For more information please visit http://trialgarden.ifas.ufl.edu/.
 
University of Georgia
Green Street
Athens, GA  30602
Betty Johnson Horticulture Gardens next to the horticulture greenhouses
Open to public daily. Open House Coincides with SEGH Conference
For more information please call 706- 542-2471 or visit http://ugatrial.hort.uga.edu/.
 
University of Illinois Hartley Trial Garden
South Lincoln Ave.
Urbana, IL  61801
University of Illinois Arboretum
Open to the public daily, Open House TBA
No Admission Fee
For more information please call 217-333-7579 or visit www.arboretum.uiuc.edu/gardens.htm.
 
University of Kentucky Arboretum
Alumni Drive
Lexington, KY  40546
University of Kentucky campus near Commonwealth Stadium
Opn to the public daily from dawn to dusk
No Admission Fee
For more information please call 859-257-6955 or visit www.uky.edu/Arboretum/.
 
University of Maine
Orono, ME  04473
Littlefield Ornamental Trial Garden
Open to the public daily from dawn to dusk
For more information please call 207.581-2948 or visit http://www.umaine.edu/lhc/.
 
University of Minnesota-St. Paul Campus
Folwell Ave
St. Paul, MN  55108
Located next to the Horticulture Science Building
Open daily to the public
For more information please call 612-624-9703 or visit www.florifacts.umn.edu.
 
University of Minnesota-North Central Research and Outreach Center
1861 E Hwy 169
Grand Rapids, MN  55744
Open daily to the public, Horticulture Day 3rd Wednesday of August
For more information please call 218-327-4490 or visit http://ncroc.coafes.umn.edu.
 
University of Minnesota-West Central Research & Outreach Center
46352 State Hwy. #329
Morris, MN  56267
Open Daily to the public, Horticulture Night TBA
For more information please call 320-589-1711 or visit http://wcroc.coafes.umn.edu.
 
University of Tennessee
Jackson, TN  38301
Directions: From I-40 exit on 80A South for 3.5 miles, turn right on US hwy 70 (Airways Blvd), take the first Right. Park behind the main office building, The gardens are located around the main buildings.
 
University of Tennessee
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
For more information please call 865-946-1138 or visit http://utgardens.tennessee.edu.
 
Virginia Tech Horticulture Garden
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.
For more information please call 540-231-5970 or visit www.hort.vt.edu/VTHG/.
 
I am glad that I found your website. I have used your plants for many years. I feel your plants are of high quality and you get what you pay for, "not just another pretty picture". In our heat of Kansas City, you come through 100%. I will be back this summer. J Jenkins- Kansas City Mo.
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