This year’s trials from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society reaffirmed the importance of trialing a diverse range of plants to see which thrive despite weather challenges.

Even with a rainy and windy start to the season, many of the plants in trials at the West Madison Ag Research Station responded well.

One unique thing about these trials is that plants are grown in landscape beds instead of rows, which offers a botanic garden feel while evaluating plants in their final form.

Following high amounts of rain in the early summer, the plants at Raker-Roberta’s Young Plants flourished in more favorable conditions.

Among the favorites were a new ageratum from Ball FloraPlant and an echinacea series from Bull Plant Genetics.

The growing team at Dallas Arboretum trialed around 1,000 different varieties in 55 different genera across three seasons.

The University of Tennessee Gardens in Jackson trialed more than 225 varieties of annuals, perennials, vegetables, and herbs in 2024.

Verbena, lantana, alternanthera, gomphrena, scaveola, and angelonia all held up well during the heat.

The 2024 growing season was more normal this summer compared to last summer, which meant there were lots of great plants in the trials.

While this year was typical in terms of climate and challenges, the team at Metrolina tried a few new things during its 2024 trials that will carry over into the coming year.

One key finding from this year’s trials was the need for increased development of drought-tolerant plants at the breeder level.

Weather conditions made this year’s trials a challenge, but a few grower and consumer favorites emerged.

The overall purpose of the trials is to help the industry bring a better plant to the zoo’s many visitors that can serve as a tool for plant selection in an urban garden setting.