This summer, Longwood Gardens is doing something new with our Trial Garden. We have always put the voting power in the hands of our guests, asking them to cast a ballot for their favorite plants. But this year, our guests will vote for combinations of plants, judging a friendly competition among staff members over who created the most beautiful garden beds.
Hot, Hot, Hot! Created by April Bevans, Senior Gardener. Photo by Candie Ward.
Teams and individuals entered the competition this spring, creating 26 unique plots for your viewing pleasure. Each garden uses anywhere from three to eight plants that were selected from a list of over 160 species and cultivars—many of which are tried-and-true Longwood favorites, but some of which are new to Longwood. Some designers took creative inspiration from their favorite genera, while others played with varying color themes or were inspired by travels to distant lands.
This year’s Trial Garden is different from last year, when each garden comprised the same genus, meaning there was no mixing of different plants. This helped Longwood determine which varieties of the same plant were top performers. The change in this year’s Garden creates an overall aesthetic, providing our guests with inspiration about how they can use these plants at home.
Reading in Bed. Created by the Library and Information Services Team. Photo by Candie Ward.
Our Library and Information Services team created a garden suitably named Reading in Bed. “The plant choices reflect the plot name—darkly colored leaves are interspersed with bright spots of color, our reading lights as we curl up with a good book,” said David Sleasman, the Library and Information Services Coordinator. “It was a team effort and a good chance for us to use our plant knowledge in the Gardens.”
Prairie Sunset. Created by Sam Hoadley, Gardener. Photo by Candie Ward.
With names like Aloha from Hawaii and Land of Fire and Ice, our staff members had fun and used their creativity to come up with a variety of garden designs. The plots are cared for by our horticulture staff. Guests can stop by the ballot box at the entrance to the Trial Garden, which is located in the Idea Garden, to vote for their favorites.
On The Flip Side. Created by Mark Mosinski, Gardener. Photo by Candie Ward.
Only three combinations will be crowned winners, and the plants in those combinations will be used in future displays. So what happens to the rest? Some will be sent back into another phase of trials, others will be sent into our plant breeding program to select for desirable characteristics, and the plants that did not perform well will be composted. No matter the outcome, the plants will be beneficial to the Gardens.
Voting has been open since June 19, and there are more than 2,000 ballots so far. Stop by before October 11 to cast your own ballot. We will announce the winners on Facebook and Twitter, and post an update here on the blog.
Tropical Freeze. Created by Jess Whitehead, Gardener. Photo by Candie Ward.
“It was interesting to watch the voting shifts throughout the summer,” Gardener Mark Mosinski said. “A lot of the tropical plants didn’t mature until later in the season, and some annuals that looked amazing early on have started to decline.” Mark is in charge of maintaining the plots, and has three of his own combinations in the Trials.
Longwood Sunset. Created by Roger Davis, Senior Gardener. Photo by Candie Ward.
2015 Trial Garden Plots
#1955
Created by Ed Broadbent, Head Gardener
Angelonia angustifolia 'Anbluim' (Angelface® Blue Improved), Caladium 'Red Flash', Centratherum intermedium 'Button Beauty', Dahlia 'Pam Howden', Hibiscus acetocella 'Mahogany Splendor', Oryza sativa 'Black Madras', Pentas lanceolata 'Ruby Glow'
Aloha From Hawaii
Created by Koa Kanamee, Senior Gardener
Ageratum houstonianum 'Hawaii Blue', Amaranthus tricolor 'Molten Fire', Colocasia esculenta 'Diamond Head', Evolvulus glomeratus 'Hawaiian Blue Eyes', Verbena x hybrida 'Lan Bright Pink' Lanai® Bright Pink, Verbena x hybrida 'Lan Reda07' Lanai® Dark Red
Be My Valentine
Created by Jess Whitehead, Gardener
Angelonia angustifolia 'Balarcaspim’ Archangel™ Raspberry Improved, Canna 'Brandywine', Euphorbia 'Ineupdidaz' Diamond Delight™, Pentas lanceolata 'Longwood Pink', Petunia x hybrida 'USTUNI8902' Supertunia® Vista Fuchsia, Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Kingwood Torch'
Big, Bold, and Beautiful
Created by Troy Sellers, Section Gardener
Agastache 'Ava', Canna 'Blueberry Sparkler', Dahlia 'Zone 10' Mystic Dreamer, Pennisetum setaceum 'Fireworks', Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Swallowtail'
Breezy Cheesy
Created by Matt Taylor, Research Manager
Celosia argentea 'First Flame Yellow', Gomphrena 'Fireworks', Lantana camara 'LAN 876' Luscious® Berry Blend™, Nassella tenuissima, Pennisetum villosum
CASA JAGUAR
Created by Mark Mosinski, Gardener
Cyperus papyrus 'King Tut', Canna 'Mohawk', Dahlia 'Pam Howden', Dahlia 'Yellow Hammer', Hamelia patens, Colocasia esculenta 'Diamond Head', Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Dappled Apple', Impatiens 'Visinforimp' Infinity® Orange
Cool Summer
Created by Jess Whitehead, Gardener
Agastache 'Black Adder', Ammi visnaga 'Green Mist’, Carex flageliffera 'Toffee Twist', Plectranthus argentatus, Senecio cineraria 'Snow Storm'
Darkness Rising
Created by Alan Petravich, Research Specialist
Angelonia angustifolia 'Anbluim' Angelface® Blue Improved, Artemisia 'Powis Castle', Colocasia esculenta 'Diamond Head', Pennisetum purpureum 'Tift 8' Vertigo™
Girlie
Created by Wendy Gentry, Senior Gardener
Agastache 'Tutti Frutti', Dahlia 'Wanda's Aurora', Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum', Plectranthus argentatus, Tradescantia pallida 'Purpurea'
Green With Envy
Created by Maddie Maynor, Greenhouse Grower
Alternanthera ficoidea 'True Yellow', Angelonia angustifolia 'PAS782746' Serena® Blue, Cyperus papyrus 'King Tut', Euphorbia 'Ineupdidaz' Diamond Delight™, Ipomoea batatas 'NCORNSP-014BWPI' Sweet Caroline Bewitched, Scaevola aemula 'Saphira' Blauer Facher, Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Dark Star', Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Gold Anemone'
Hot, Hot, Hot!
Created by April Bevans, Senior Gardener
Canna 'Mohawk', Colocasia esculenta 'Elena', Ipomoea batatus 'Sweet Caroline Sweetheart Light Green', Pelargonium 'Cante Ros' Caliente® Rose, Tagetes erecta 'Moonsong Deep Orange', Zinnia 'Yellow Flame' Zowie!™
Hummingbird Hotspot
Created by Mary Allinson, Section Gardener
Bidens ferulifolia 'Peters Goldteppich' Peter's Gold Carpet®, Ipomoea batatas 'Sweet Caroline Red', Pennisetum setaceum 'Rubrum’, Salvia coccinea 'Summer Jewel Red', Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Swallowtail'
Ice Cream Cone
Created by Jess Whitehead, Gardener
Alternanthera ficoidea 'Crème de Menthe', Impatiens 'Visinfpink' Infinity® Pink, Plectranthus argentatus, Tradescantia pallida 'Purpurea'
Illuminating Midnight
Created by Matthew Ross, Continuing Education Coordinator
Aeonium arboreum 'Zwartkop', Canna 'Orange Punch', Colocasia 'Coffee Cups', Datura metel 'Belle Blanche', Gossypium herbaceum 'Nigra', Heliotropium 'USHTRP0303' Simply Scentsational™, Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Dappled Apple'
It’s Electric
Created by Jess Whitehead, Gardener
Begonia boliviensis 'Cruz Sunset' Santa Cruz®, Impatiens 'Visinforimp' Infinity® Orange, Oxalis 'Sunset Velvet', Solenostemon scutellarioides 'UF06-4-6' Redhead™
Land of Fire & Ice
Created by Mark Mosinski, Gardener
Plectranthus argentatus, Impatiens 'Visinforimp' Infinity® Orange, Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Sedona', Salvia coccinea 'Summer Jewel Red', Zinnia 'Yellow Flame' Zowie!™, Pennisetum purpureum 'Tift 8' Vertigo™, Emilia coccinea
Longwood Sunset
Created by Roger Davis, Senior Gardener
Agastache mexicana 'Kiegador' Acapulco Orange®, Dahlia 'Yellow Hammer', Pennisetum purpureum 'Tift 8' Vertigo™, Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Sedona', Verbena bonariensis
Night and Day
Created by Kari Getchonis, Senior Gardener
Dahlia 'Zone 10' Mystic Dreamer, Dichondra argentea 'Silver Falls', Oryza sativa 'Black Madras', Plectranthus argentatus, Tradescantia pallida 'Purpurea'
North American Natives
Created by Pandora Young, Senior Gardener
Agastache cana 'Sinning' Sonoran Sunset®, Calibrachoa 'USCALI411-7' Superbells® Dreamsicle, Calibrachoa 'Balcabdepy' Cabaret™ Deep Yellow, Capsicum annuum 'Black Pearl', Hamelia patens, Nassella tenuissima
On The Flip Side
Created by Mark Mosinski, Gardener
Dahlia 'Zone 10' Mystic Dreamer, Pennisetum setaceum 'Fireworks', Solenostemon scutellarioides 'UF06-4-6' Redhead™, Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Dappled Apple', Dahlia 'Pam Howden', Agastache 'Black Adder', Amaranthus tricolor 'Molten Fire', Colocasia esculenta 'Elena'
Orange Crush
Created by Harold Taylor, Section Gardener
Calibrachoa 'USCALI411-7' Superbells® Dreamsicle, Dahlia 'Yellow Hammer', Oryza sativa 'Black Madras'
Painted Meadow
Created by Lee Alyanakian, Display Project Specialist
Agastache 'Ava', Ammi visnaga 'Green Mist', Cleome hassleriana 'Sparkler Blush', Cosmos bipinnatus Sensation Group, Gomphrena 'Fireworks', Nicotiana sylvestris, Pennisetum villosum, Verbena bonariensis
Prairie Sunset
Created by Sam Hoadley, Gardener
Agastache cana 'Sinning' Sonoran Sunset®, Agastache mexicana 'Kiegador' Acapulco® Orange, Artemisia 'Powis Castle', Carex flagellifera 'Toffee Twist', Emilia coccinea, Nassella tenuissima, Pennisetum villosum, Verbena bonariensis
Reading in Bed
Created by the Library and Information Services Team
Colocasia esculenta 'Elena', Dahlia 'Zone 10' Mystic Dreamer, Gomphrena 'Fireworks', Oryza sativa 'Black Madras', Pennisetum purpureum 'Tift 8' Vertigo™, Petunia × hybrida 'Kakegawa S36' Supertunia® Royal Magenta
Shady Retreat
Created by Jess Whitehead, Gardener
Alternanthera dentata 'Little Ruby', Caladium 'Carolyn Whorton', Cyperus papyrus 'King Tut', Euphorbia 'Ineupdidaz' Diamond Delight™
Tropical Freeze
Created by Jess Whitehead, Gardener
Begonia 'PAS453440' BabyWing® White, Caladium 'Red Flash', Centaurea cineraria 'Colchester White', Solenostemon scutellarioides 'UF0843' Wasabi
Editor's Note
2015 Trial Garden results are now in! Read our follow-up blog: Gardens On Trial: And the Winner Is ...
