Top Performers from the University of Georgia Trial Gardens
August 13, 2025 It’s that time of year again – when we finally get to see how the season’s new plant introductions held up in the real world. Landscapers and gardeners alike have put them to the test, and the results are starting to speak for themselves.
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As you’ve probably noticed from this month’s cover, it’s also the time when folks start sharing insights about their own trial gardens, and in this column, that is what I am about to do.
I’ll be highlighting some of the standout performers from The Trial Gardens at the University of Georgia (UGA) in hot, humid Athens. These gardens – some of the oldest in the South – have been trialing plants since 1984. Observational data is taken every two weeks from spring to late fall.
Along with highlights from the UGA Trial Gardens, in next month’s column, I’ll also be sharing the performance of a few plants sent to me by various breeders for my own small intown garden. So, here we go:
Top Performers from the UGA Trial Gardens
Sandi Begani and Dr. John Ruter (front row) with their team of volunteers and UGA students. | Levi Astacio
These trials were overseen by Dr. John Ruter and managed by Sandi Begani and her volunteers and students.
Black-eyed Susan – Rudbeckia hirta; Solar Sisters (Bloomin’ Easy Plants)
Rudbeckia hirta; Solar Sisters
Extraordinary double-blooms from early summer to frost, probably my favorite in the entire garden.
Calibrachoa – Calibrachoa hybrida Superbells Magic Double Grapefruit (Proven Winners)
Calibrachoa hybrid Superbells Magic Double Grapefruit
Fully double non-stop blooms until frost; everyone commented on this one.
Petunia – Petunia hybrida SlingShot Cherry Tartwheel (Ball FloraPlant)
Petunia hybrida SlingShot Cherry Tartwheel
This bicolor holds its pattern, even in the hottest months.
Portulaca – Portulaca oleracea Pazzaz Nano Scarlet Twist (Danziger)
Portulaca oleracea Pazzaz Nano Scarlet Twist
A beautiful, eye-catching bloomer that opens whenever the sun shines. Compact and full of flowers.
Sunflower – Helianthus annuus Sunfinity Double Yellow (Syngenta Flowers)
Helianthus annuus Sunfinity Double Yellow
This sunflower awed everyone at California Spring Trials (CAST) and has done the same in the real world. Native and a pollinator magnet.
Tickseed – Coreopsis hybrida Sunfetti Yellow Bicolor (Darwin Perennials)
Coreopsis hybrida Sunfetti Yellow Bicolor
Out of all the perennials trialed in the garden, this one received the most interest.
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