Landscape Ontario saw a wonderful turnout of more than 60 people for the annual Trial Gardens open house on the morning of Aug. 20. The event provided industry members and plant enthusiasts with an opportunity to view cultivars that were tested throughout the summer and will be introduced into the marketplace over the next few years.
Visitors like Karin Clemens from Rockway Botanical Garden in Kitchener, Ont., were excited about getting a sneak peek at what they can add to their beds next planting season.
“We have about 50 formal beds of annuals and tropicals that we utilize each year. I enjoy coming out each year to see what’s new, and it’s a great way to give my team a break from weeding and to do a bit of team building at the same time,” Clemens said.
The full garden features a mix of more than 400 perennial and annual trial entries. During the tour, visitors also had a chance to vote on their favourite annual, perennial and container entries. This year’s favourites are:
- Annual: Canna ‘Cannova Rose DB’
- Perennial: Kniphofia ‘Glowstick’
- Container: Calibrachoa ‘Aloha Double Apricot’
Behind the scenes
Preparing for the Trial Gardens viewing day was a summer-long endeavour. Once the seedlings were planted, volunteers from the University of Guelph and the Landscape Ontario team worked diligently to bring the displays to life. Between mulching, weeding and watering, the garden’s steady growth required constant, dedicated care—meaning work throughout the summer was never truly done.
This year, a new development added a tight deadline to the job. Landscape Ontario announced plans to construct a new training facility, which includes a state-of-the-art stormwater retention pond. After extensive research, the team realized that to make room for the pond, they would need to relocate most of the existing trial garden beds.
Constructing brand new garden beds and then transplanting hundreds of plants took countless hours, but the final product showcased what a dedicated team can achieve and will continue to be admired by many for the remainder of the season.
Education at the gardens
In addition to touring the gardens, the open house included a large educational session at the start of the day. This year, more than 10 speakers discussed various topics related to plant material.
Featured speaker Art Vanden Enden provided an insightful talk on the difference between invasive and aggressive plants. The main sponsor, Lakeview Roses, showcased how they grow their roses from start to finish to make them resilient to a cooler climate.
Attendees such as avid gardener Carol Zarb appreciated the knowledge shared throughout the presentations.
“It was interesting to learn about all the annuals that go through the whole season. Instead of dropping off in August, they go right to frost,” Zarb said. “Continual education is important, and so I appreciate having the opportunity to attend this event each year.”
