Trial Gardens at Franklin Park Conservatory




	ANNUAL PERENNIAL & VEGETABLE TRIALS The second year Franklin Park Conservatory’s Annual and Perennial Trials Program is well underway! Breeders of new plant varieties from around the world send Franklin Park Conservatory the newest annual and perennial varieties to be evaluated to find those that perform best in Central Ohio. The trials were expanded in 2010 to include vegetable trials. Vegetables are trialed in the northwest corner of the Community Garden Campus. The Annual and Perennial Trial Gardens were designed to feel, not like typical research plots, but like a secret garden oasis filled with season long color and interest. Adjacent to the gardens will be a rental patio space, available for smaller outdoor gatherings. The gardens are open daily and located just north of the conservatory and the historic Carriage Path. In 2010, Franklin Park Conservatory’s trials program grew to include 181 entries; 133 annuals, 47 perennials, and 1 vegetable entry. Thirteen breeders are participating in the trials. 2010 PARTICIPANTS AmeriSeed, Ball Hort, Benary of America Inc., Bio Decor, Blooms of Bressingham, Danzinger, Dummen, Goldsmith Seeds, Grimes Horticulture, Kieft-Pro-Seeds, PanAmerican Seed, Sakata Seed, Syngenta Flowers Creation of this new garden space was made possible through support from the Joseph A. Jeffrey Fund and the Little Garden Club. We highly encourage you to visit the trial gardens, not only to learn about new plant varieties, but to be inspired! About the Evaluations Annuals are evaluated every three weeks throughout the growing season for vegetative quality, flowering performance, flower number, disease/pest susceptibility, and overall presentation. Photographs are also taken. Vegetables are evaluated three weeks after planting and continue every three weeks through the end of the harvest for vegetative quality, harvest length, disease/pest susceptibility, and crop yield. Photographs are also taken. Perennials are evaluated over a three-year time period. Each variety is evaluated for flower number and flower duration weekly while vegetative quality, disease/pest susceptibility, and overall presentation are evaluated monthly. In early April, in each of the subsequent three years, entries are evaluated for winter hardiness. Evaluations are based on a 1-5 rating scale, with 1 being poor, and 5 being excellent. Annual and vegetable results are posted yearly. Final data on perennial varieties will be posted after trial year three. Trial results are sent participating growers and published on our website. How You Can be Involved! 2010 consumer evaluations are scheduled for: August 21, 1 - 3 p.m. September 18, 1 - 3 p.m. 2009 Annual Trials Results 2009 Annual Trials results FPC Top Performers in 2009 Consumers’ Choice” top picks The full copy of the 2009 Annual Trials Report is available. Click here to download the file, formatted as a Word document. PARTICIPANTS Goldsmith Seeds Ball Hort Dummen Benary of America Inc. Sakata Seed Biodecor DS Cole Growers Blooms of Bressingham We also want to recognize the following companies for helping us establish the trial gardens by donating materials/ time and greenhouse space: Wilson's Greenhouse Dill's Greenhouse Bakers Acres Wilsons Turf