Expert Favorites at 2025 Michigan Garden Plant Tour Trial Sites
(Clockwise from top left) Didelta ‘Silver River’, Bidens ‘Bee Super Star’, Calibrachoa ‘MiniFamous Neo Coral Flash’, Ipomea ‘Sweet Caroline Medusa Black’, Argyranthemum ‘SunDurance Sweet Ice’, and Cleome ‘Señorita Rosalita’. | Kientzler, Proven Winners, and Selecta One
Every year, during the Michigan Garden Plant Tour, Michigan State University and Michigan’s leading young plant producers host a free open house at their plant trial sites and display gardens for growers, landscapers, and retail operators to learn about a wide range of ornamental crops. Industry professionals can see for themselves which new varieties perform the best under various conditions, including in the ground and in containers. The tour lasts for two weeks and was held this year from July 28–Aug. 8, 2025.
This year, there were seven trial gardens at different locations throughout central lower Michigan:
- DGI Propagators
- Four Star Greenhouse
- Mast Young Plants
- Michigan State University (MSU) Trial Gardens
- Pell Greenhouses
- Raker-Roberta’s Young Plants
- Walters Gardens
For those who couldn’t make it to every trial site, Michigan State University Extension educators Heidi Lindberg and Caitlin Splawski were there. Here are some of their favorites from DGI Propagators and Four Star Greenhouse.
Featured Varieties at DGI Propagators
DGI Propagators has been a young plant propagator for more than 50 years. At their 2025 trial gardens, they showcased the tried-and-true varieties in their catalog as well as new items introduced by leading plant breeders in the industry. Special for 2025 was their complete line of summer and fall perennials. Among the varieties that caught the eye of Heidi and Caitlin were:
Argyranthemum ‘SunDurance Sweet Ice’ – Kientzler
Argyranthemum ‘SunDurance Sweet Ice’. | Kientzler
Another popular choice of those visiting the trial garden was the Argyranthemum ‘Sweet Ice.’ A mound of white and yellow daisy-like flowers grows on top of silvery green foliage. The flowers seemed to stay in good health, not fading for a long time.
Bidens ‘Bee Super Star’ – Kientzler
Bidens ‘Bee Super Star’. | Kientzler
Among the sun-loving pots, Bidens ‘Bee Super Star’ is new from Kientzler and is bright yellow and floriferous. It is more vigorous than others in the Kientzler line, like ‘RockStar.’
Calibrachoa ‘MiniFamous Neo Coral Flash’ – Selecta
Calibrachoa ‘MiniFamous Neo Coral Flash’. | Selecta
At DGI trial gardens, there was a section comparing different calibrachoa. Calibrachoa ‘MiniFamous Coral Flash’ is new for 2025. It joins the MiniFamous series, which is known for large flowers, a partially upright habit, and early flowering. It stood out for its coral color and upright flowers despite the rain the night before.
Featured Varieties at Four Star Greenhouse
Per usual, Four Star Greenhouse’s display gardens did not disappoint. Their display starts by taking visitors through their new arrivals for 2026, displayed in both Aquapot containers and hanging baskets. Visitors are able to get a full picture of what these new plants have to offer by themselves as well as in combination with other suggested varieties. Then, display areas that feature new varieties within in-ground beds. The next encounter includes Proven Winners’ top-sellers, as well as previous years’ award winners. Among the varieties that caught the eye of Heidi and Caitlin were:
Cleome ‘Señorita Rosalita’ – Proven Winners
Cleome ‘Señorita Rosalita’. | Proven Winners
This pick is not technically new for 2026, but Cleome ‘Señorita Rosalita’ couldn’t help but be noticed in this year’s display gardens. This plant boasts being a top-seller and has earned the title of “Landscape Annual of the Year” for 2026. With clean, dark-green foliage and numerous clusters of lavender-pink flowers, growers can count on Señorita Rosalita to bloom all season long.
Didelta ‘Silver River’ – Proven Winners
Didelta ‘Silver River’. | Proven Winners
In keeping with the theme of heat tolerance, Didelta ‘Silver River’ is another new variety to feature. For those looking to shake things up and try something different than Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’, Silver River offers great accent potential with its silvery, semi-succulent foliage. With slightly less vigor than Dichondra, Silver River is a good choice for mixing into containers with other drought-tolerant plants and is adapted to hot, dry conditions.
Ipomea ‘Sweet Caroline Medusa Black’ – Proven Winners
Ipomea ‘Sweet Caroline Medusa Black’. | Proven Winners
Add texture and heat tolerance to lineups with this new take on a garden classic. Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomoea batatas) has long been a favorite of gardeners for adding color and form to containers. With a mounding/trailing habit and distinctly palmate leaves, Sweet Caroline Medusa Black is a great addition to containers, hanging baskets, or annual beds in either sun or shade.
For information on more varieties and additional images from each 2025 Michigan Garden Plant Tour trial site, please read the original articles on DGI Propagators and Four Star Greenhouse hosted on the MSU Extension website.
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