An earlier than usual season meant more maintenance and plant trimming at this Top 100 Colorado operation. But the team worked hard to make sure several plants stood out.

Despite dealing with challenges such as rose rosette disease, optimal weather conditions made for a strong growing season. Here were a few of the best performers.

Mast Young Plants hosted its largest number of visitors since 2019, including several nontraditional first-time gardening and plant enthusiasts.

Even with the challenge of weather, the number of annuals in this year’s trial expanded, which made for an impressive display of color, texture, and foliage.

The trial gardens included more than 200 varieties of annuals, perennials, vegetables, and herbs. Here are some trial manager favorites.

The Young’s Plant Farm trial garden is located in Auburn, AL, and features 26,000 square feet of raised beds that include sun and shade trials.

In 2021, more than 500 varieties were trialed, ranging from ageratum to lantana to petunias to salvia, representing plant breeding companies from around the world.

The Colorado grower y tested more than 750 varieties and had approximately 250 industry professionals attend and vote for their favorites.

The Penn State Flower Trials draws more than 200,000 visitors each year at three locations in Pennsylvania.

Raker-Roberta’s field trials in Litchfield, MI, featured early heat and rain, new plants, and perhaps most of all, a return to “normal.”

It all started with the announcement that California Spring Trials (CAST) was coming back … as the California Summer Trials.

Trials in two different locations were great overall, particularly when they hit stride in mid-July.

Metrolina Greenhouses runs a large field trial at its location in Huntersville, NC.