An Up-Close Look at Four Star Greenhouses’ 2024 Plant Trials

By Brian D. Sparks|August 26, 2024

One of the host sites for the 2024 Michigan Garden Plant Tour, which took place across multiple plant trial locations in early August, was Four Star Greenhouses in Carleton, MI. Four Star is a Proven Winners grower, and its 1-acre display garden of landscape beds and combination containers featured unique varieties that highlight Proven Winners’ varieties and how they perform in different conditions.

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Four Star Greenhouses was one of the host sites for the 2024 Michigan Garden Plant Tour. All photos: Brian Sparks
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Four Star has a rich legacy in plant production.
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Petunia 'Supertunia Tiara Pink'
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Scaveola 'Stardiva Blue'
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Dahlia 'Virtuoso Vibrant Violet'
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Impatiens 'Rockapulco Rose Improved'
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Cuphea 'Totally Tempted Watermelon Wine'
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Coleus 'ColorBlaze Mini Mi Chartreuse'
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Allium Ornamental Onion Serendipity (Four Star)
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Begonia 'Space Age Black Hole'
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Begonia 'Europa'
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Begonias and Alternanthera at Four Star
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Brokers could get inspired with these combo displays.
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Evolvulus ‘Blue My Mind’ in Proven Winners Aquapots.

The garden had 25 displays showcasing 2025 varieties and classic Proven Winners standards like Petunia ‘Supertunia Vista Bubblegum’, Petunia ‘Supertunia Royal Velvet’, Evolvulus ‘Blue My Mind’, and Euphorbia ‘Diamond Frost’ to name just a few. The trial gave attendees a chance to see first-hand how many of these varieties perform in different conditions including landscape, hanging baskets, and upright containers combinations.

Variety evaluations will continue through the summer, with more information to come from the Four Star team once the trials end. In the meantime, Greenhouse Grower Editor Brian Sparks was able to visit Four Star in early August. Check out the photo gallery above to see just a few of the highlights.