The Penn State Flower Trials draws more than 200,000 visitors each year at three locations in Pennsylvania.

Raker-Roberta’s field trials in Litchfield, MI, featured early heat and rain, new plants, and perhaps most of all, a return to “normal.”

It all started with the announcement that California Spring Trials (CAST) was coming back … as the California Summer Trials.

Trials in two different locations were great overall, particularly when they hit stride in mid-July.

Metrolina Greenhouses runs a large field trial at its location in Huntersville, NC.

The zoo opened a new off-grounds trial garden that allowed trialing of more varieties, as well as being able to plant and evaluate different petunia varieties in garden beds.

A layout change in 2021 allowed cultivars of the same genus to be trialed side-by-side for easier comparison.

It was a great year for Mast Young Plants trials, with ideal weather and great plant quality right up to the end of the season.

A wetter-than-normal spring and an unusually hot summer put the varieties in the Colorado State University to the test.

In his latest column for Greenhouse Grower, Dr. Allan Armitage explains why horticulture field trials are as essential to the credibility of our industry as quality control labs are to the meat industry.

All-America Selections is making the extra effort to make sure AAS Winners are in front of the industry when they are visiting those summer field trials.

While ornamentals field trials were not immune to the effects of COVID-19 this past year, they will provide the best opportunity to truly evaluate plant performance in real-world garden conditions.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have limited available help and plant sales, but there were still a few stand-out plant varieties that emerged.