Growings On: University of Georgia Trial Gardens award winners announced

Published 8:00 pm Wednesday, December 8, 2021

The Trial Gardens at the University of Georgia recently announced the 2021 Classic City Award winners from the hundreds of varieties tested during the long, hot summer. The garden evaluates the newest varieties of annuals from top plant breeders from all over the world and puts perennials to the test to find those that stand up to southeastern heat and humidity.

Each year breeders send plants to the UGA Trial Gardens for evaluation throughout the summer to see how they will perform. The Trial Gardens are known as the “go-to research trial garden to test plants for the combination of heat and humidity,” said John Ruter, director of the Trial Gardens. “If they want to test them for heat and humidity, they send them to us.”

“The Classic City Award is the highest award we give,” said Ruter. Following are nine of the top performers of the year with descriptions from the judges.

Begonia Daystar “Primrose” by Terra Nova: “With so many great selections this year, our favorite is the early-blooming, long-lasting Daystar ‘Primrose.’ These delicate pastel blooms stand out against the bold crimson and dark-green cascading foliage. This begonia hybrid is made for baskets and containers and stands up during hot days, sun and heavy rains.”

Calibrachoa Bloomtastic “Rose Quartz” by Dummen Orange: “The Dummen Orange Bloomtastic calibrachoa series was fantastic overall! Each of our calibrachoa trials was evaluated in a container and hanging baskets. The plants trail nicely with an open and attractive branching structure and healthy foliage.”

Lantana Gem “Compact Pink Opal” by Danziger: “For the second year in a row, the Gem series is true to its name. Each plant is nearly a perfectly spherical shape, and the blossoms fill the beds with color. The plants grew with ease and began to flower earlier than all other lantanas in the garden. The plants did not overwinter. A selection of lantana that is a sturdy and reliable annual for beds or containers.”

Petunia Durabloom “Electric Lilac” by Dummen Orange: “The Durabloom ‘Electric Lilac’ has shown impressive resilience under all types of weather. Petunias are always the first plants to grace the garden in springtime and the last to be removed for fall. While the series had a good performance overall, ‘Electric Lilac’ continues to shine in hanging baskets and large containers and belongs at the top of the list!”

Rex Begonia Jurassic Series by Ball Ingenuity: “The Rex begonias from the Jurassic series by Ball Ingenuity showed us all what Rex begonias are capable of in the landscape. Each one is capable of overflowing in a hanging basket or adding a burst of colorful foliage to a woodland garden display. In addition, these plants are fun and easy to care for, with minimal irrigation needed.”

Coleus Colorblaze “Torchlight” by Proven Winners: “Their versatility and ease of growth make gardening easy, and their colors continue to amaze. The Colorblaze ‘Torchlight’ can provide a gigantic display up to 48 inches or be pruned into a more compact plant. Foliage looks excellent under sunny, hot conditions without fading. Coleus also makes a great addition to a vase for creative floral table arrangements.”

Impatiens Beacon “Formula Mix” by PanAmerican Seed: “There was a time when impatiens were not available due to a myriad of pathogen issues. Thanks to the Beacon ‘Formula Mix’ from PanAmerican Seed, our impatiens bed was brimming with great color. The deep-green foliage complements the bold colors of violet, white, red, rose and coral. Plants maintain uniformity while filling the space nicely and rounding out the edges of the bed.”

Catharanthus Soiree Kawaii “Coral” by Suntory: “The ‘Coral’ cultivar provides a sea of color, a knock-out in hot and humid weather and tolerance of clay soils. The flowers are small but mighty, and the foliage is bright and eye-catching. Suntory recommends planting multiple colors together in a single pot and watch how they grow into a bunch and complement one another.”

Grand Finale Award, Marigold “Sumati Orange” by AmeriSeed: “Our Grand Finale winner of the Classic City Awards is the ‘Sumati Orange’ Marigold from AmeriSeed. All through the early spring, summer sun and fall, these marigolds have flower power! Plants grown from seed are healthy, quickly germinating and ready for planting in two to three weeks. Stems are tall and perfect for cut-flower production.”

For more information on this year’s Classic City Award winners and the Trial Gardens, visit ugatrial.hort.uga.edu.

Roger Gates is the agricultural and natural resources agent for University of Georgia Extension, Whitfield County. Contact him at roger.gates@uga.edu.