The 2018 Four Star Greenhouse display gardens in Carleton, MI.
Gloria Rose Combo: Hypoestes 'Hippo Rose,' Euphorbia 'Diamond Frost,' Impatiens 'Rockapulco Rose' (Proven Winners/Four Star Greenhouse)
Marshmallow Butterflies Combo: Calibrachoa Superbells Rising Star,' Petunia 'Supertunia Royal Magenta,' Petunia 'Supertunia White Karalee Petite Pink' (Proven Winners/Four Star Greenhouse)
Neon Dreams Combo: Torenia hyb. 'Catalina Grape-O-Licious,' Nephrolepis obliterata 'Kimberly Queen' Fern, Impatiens 'Sunpatiens Neon Pink,' Impatiens 'Sunpatiens Royal Magenta' (Proven Winners/Four Star Greenhouse)
Salvia 'Rockin' Fuchsia' (Proven Winners/Four Star Greenhouse)
Petunia 'Supertunia Vista Paradise' (Proven Winners/Four Star Greenhouse)
The gardens surrounding the terrace in the Four Star Greenhouse display garden.
Verbena 'Superbena Raspberry' (Proven Winners/Four Star Greenhouse)
2018 Mast Young Plants upper display garden in Grand Rapids, MI.
Begonia 'Fragrant Falls Peach' (Beekenkamp/Mast Young Plants)
Coleus trials in Mast Young Plants' lower display garden.
Petchoa SuperCal Series: (left to right) Bordeaux, Light Yellow, Cinnamon (Sakata Ornamentals/Mast Young Plants)
Salvia splendens 'Saucy Coral' (Cultivaris/Mast Young Plants)
Verbena 'Cadet Purple' (Ball FloraPlant/Mast Young Plants)
Michigan State Horticulture Gardens
Begonia 'Canary Wings' (Ball Ingenuity/Michigan State University Horticulture Gardens)
2018 Succulent trials at Michigan State University
Gerbera 'Sweet Memories' (Florist Holland/Michigan State University Horticulture Gardens)
Salvia farinacea 'Sallyfun Blue' (Danziger/Michigan State University Horticulture Gardens)
Sanvitalia 'Sunvy' trailing (Dümmen Orange/Michigan State University Horticulture Gardens)
Vinca 'Tattoo Papaya' (PanAmerican Seed/Michigan State University Horticulture Gardens)
2018 Walters Gardens display gardens in Zeeland, MI.
Achillea 'Peter Cottontail' (Walters Gardens)
Echinacea 'Lakota Fire' (Proven-Winners/Walters Gardens)
Bareroot fields at Walters Gardens in Zeeland, MI.
Heuchera 'Grape Timeless' (Walters Gardens)
Mangave 'Mad About Mangave Spotty Dotty' (Walters Gardens)
Sempervivum 'Limelight' (Walters Gardens)
2018 Raker-Robertas trial gardens in Litchfield, MI.
Begonia × hybrida 'Tophat Scarlet' (Syngenta Flowers/Raker-Robertas)
Dahlia hyb. 'City Lights Purple' (Selecta/Raker-Robertas)
Euphorbia 'Diamond Mountain' (Proven Winners/Raker-Robertas)
Hanging basket trials at Raker-Robertas' trial gardens.
Helianthus hybrida 'Sunfinity Yellow Dark Center' (Syngenta Flowers/Raker-Robertas)
Portulaca 'Cupcake Upright Magenta' (Dümmen Orange/Raker-Robertas)
Showcase shade container trials at Raker-Robertas' trial gardens.
Annuals and perennials filled the trial and display gardens of four leading young plant suppliers and Michigan State University, who opened up their doors for the 2018 Michigan Garden Plant Tour this year.
The annual event, now in its 15th year, is a coordinated open house held to educate growers and industry professionals about new and existing plant selections and their performance in different settings. These companies put much time and effort into maintaining their display and trial gardens so others have the opportunity to access field performance and gain inspiration for new ways to use plants.
Raker-Robertas (Litchfield, MI), Walters Gardens (Zeeland, MI), Four Star Greenhouse (Carleton, MI), Michigan State University (East Lansing, MI), and Mast Young Plants (Grand Rapids, MI) welcomed visitors this year. Raker-Robertas and Walters Gardens offered visitors the opportunity to tour their greenhouses and catch a glimpse of the work that goes on behind the scenes.
Walters Gardens showed off its new 15,000-square-foot Acclimation Range, where it will grow more than 1,000 different varieties of perennials and temperennials started via tissue culture or as unrooted cuttings. In addition to participating on the tour, several of the gardens held individual open houses for their customers, and Michigan State University held a trial field day program with presentations from Extension specialists, trial garden directors, and outreach specialists.
Visitors on the tour had the chance to see some of the newest perennials and annuals on the market in real world conditions, including in hanging baskets, containers, and in-ground garden beds. Check out some of the displays and annuals and perennials found on the tour.
Janeen Wright is former Editor for Greenhouse Grower.
See all author stories here.