CSU announces top performers in perennial trial garden

By JoAn Bjarko
North Forty News

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Gardeners who have trouble choosing among the hundreds of varieties available at greenhouses and from seed packets can narrow down their choices simply by turning to local experts.

Such guidance is much appreciated with local growing conditions characterized by high altitude, intense solar radiation, drying winds, severe hailstorms, large fluctuations between day and night temperatures and a season-long need for irrigation. With these considerations in mind, professionals select plants best suited to the High Plains and Rocky Mountain Region through the annual flower and herbaceous perennial trials at Colorado State University.

Each year, the annual trial consists of more than 1,000 different cultivars of bedding plants. In addition, the garden has a pansy/cool-season crop overwintering trial, as well as a perennial trial program designed to test newer cultivars that have been introduced in recent years.

The Annual Trial Flower Garden is located at the intersection of Remington and Lake streets in Fort Collins. The perennial beds are across the street in front of the CSU Center for the Arts. Gardens will be at peak bloom in midsummer, a great time to visit and make personal selections for the following year.

James Klett, CSU professor and Extension landscape horticulture specialist, has provided the following information on the perennial winners of the 2010 trials.

Anemone 'Little Princess' from Blooms of Bressingham. Large pink and white flowers develop from low-growing, compact foliage. This variety performs best in full sun and blooms later in the summer.

Hemerocallis 'Fire King' from Walter's Gardens. This variety has exceptional vigor and strong blooming. Sturdy stalks support vibrant red-orange blooms to create a spectacular show.

Hibiscus 'Jazzberry Jam' from Walter's Gardens. The vigorous habit of this plant prevails in both sun and shade trial locations. Attractive, large blooms emerge slightly later in the season than 'Summer Storm.'

Hibiscus 'Summer Storm' from Walters Gardens. A standout variety with attractive dissected foliage emerging dark purple and then maturing to green. This vigorous plant also exhibits good flowering in both sun and shade trials.

Echinacea 'Mistral' from Pacific Plug and Liner. This floriferous, compact coneflower is a sport of the very popular 'Kim's Knee High.' Growth habit and flowering is very uniform. Its unique flowers open bright pink but mature to an antique shade and last for a long season of bloom.

Penstemon 'Prairie Twilight' from Blooms of Bressingham. Strong burgundy stems support lasting tubular lavender flowers with shades of white that contrast excellently with dark green foliage. It makes an impressive display of flowers while growing in a low-water area.

Penstemon 'Red Riding Hood' from Pacific Plug and Liner. This variety has prolific flowering with a dazzling display of red tubular flowers on long stems. It looks good early in the season and the plants have a vigorous and uniform growth habit.

The trial garden is open daily to the public, free of charge. The perennial trials are displayed year-round. Pansies are planted in the fall and are on display through early spring. The entire garden is planted with annuals from late May through October.

Visitors are encouraged to take note of the new varieties being grown and to observe and study the different growth habits, tolerances and visual characteristics of the many different varieties that have been put on display