2012 Trial Gardens

We are planning items for the 2012 Trail Gardens. The different plant brokers are sending samples of new/improved items and we will showcase them in the trial space. We are also looking for any plants or ideas that you want to see trialed in any of our beds. Anything from plant varieties to color schemes. Feedback is important and we want to show the items that will help you in the long run.

Begonia BIG Series

The BIG Series Begonias offer a great impact to any landscape. The large flower blooms are out above the leaves of the plant, giving off a wide burst of color. Growing 20 to 24 inches tall, they will stand out in a mixed planting bed, or be the focal point of a long linear bed. This particular bed of BIG Series Begonia offers color impact, linear change with the Cannas placed sporadically and color change with the splash of Dusty Miller. Driving by this bed, the BIG Series stands out and makes a statement. Even in our Trial Beds, they stand out amongst all of the begonias in having the most impact.

Angelonia AngelMist Spreading Pink

A spreading Angelonia that is a cutting, the Spreading Pink offers a brilliant low color splash. The AngelMist Angelonia is touted to thrive in the heat, humidity and drought of summer. It is perfect for an all day full sun location. The spreading varieties are nice because the blooms lie across the foliage, so the color is always standing out on the plants. The AngelMist Spreading Pink has continued to thrive throughout the summer.

Petunia Ramblin Burgundy Chrome

An improved variety for this year, Ramblin Burgundy Chrome Petunia is a trailing petunia perfectly suited for pots or landscapes. A unique dark purple/burgundy color, the Ramblin petunia will mound nicely and spread like crazy. The Ramblin series touts color will occur all over the plant, leaving no bald spots that sometimes happen in other trailing petunia varieties. The Ramblin series has short internodes and an abundance of blooms. A must try for any landscape application.

Begonia Whopper Bronze Leaf Red

A new Begonia being offered to the market for 2012! The Whopper series boast a big color impact with large, 3 inch blooms that keep blooming from Spring through the Fall. The plants are large and vigorous, with the key being the 28 inch spread on a mature plant. The Whopper has been bread for better heat tolerance than other begonias. For a stately impact of color for plantings that can be seen from afar, or along a road as cars go by at 50 mph, the Whopper Begonia is a good choice.

Colocasia Pineapple Princess

This Colocasia, commonly called the Elephant Ear, is stunning. The Colocasia sport large heart shaped leaves and are thirsty plants that will perform well in a wide range of planting areas, from ponds and wet areas to landscape beds and containers. They are relatively fast growing, and this Pineapple Princess has been noticed to shoot off an amazing number of stems. The base clump on this plant in the picture is over 12 inches across. Pineapple Princess has large, olive-green glossy leaves that have a bit of a ruffle to them. The stems are a brilliant purple/red color along with the veins.

Impatiens Impreza Pink Spring Mix

This new series of Impatiens is one of the shortest growing series available. They will stay lower in landscape plantings, but will still have the same ground coverage as other series. Uniform growth has been noticed in our planting beds and the plants have done well. Perfect for a shady sign location where the writing on the sign is low to the ground. Impreza Impatiens also have the wide variety of color choices with many bold colors.

Ornamental Pepper Chilly Chilli

This Ornamental Pepper is a dynamic force in the landscape. Changing colors from Yellow to Orange to Dark Red, there is a lot of variation within the plant during maturity. A former All American Selections winner, the Chilly Chilli is a compact plant that accents other items that have the same colors - be it Cannas, Celosia, Marigolds, or even Vinca. Planted in the landscape Chilly Chilli adds pop and pizazz to any pot or bed. Here, in our 'Salsa Bed' we have utilized mixed Celosia and Canna Tropical Yellow with the peppers.

Pennisetum Rubrum 'Fireworks'

This 'Fireworks' grass turns a brilliant pink hue when exposed to the sunshine outdoors. If in a shaded area, the pink does not show as much. At 24-30 inches, it stays shorter than the traditional Purple Fountain Grass. The color of Fireworks allows for the creation of different types of plantings, the plant accents well with other bold color items.

Zinnia Zahara Raspberry Lemonade Mix

This Zinnia has performed wonderfully this summer. The high temperatures are perfect for Zinnias and this one is no exception. The colors really pop, and there are pinks, yellows, and whites in the mix. It is offset nicely with Canna Tropical Yellow as a backdrop.

Hood's Trial Gardens

We have created our very own trial garden experience. There are 16 raised planter beds, along with a trial of containers and we have planted the property. Lots to see! We will update with highlights of what is going on and showcase various plants.