Plant Trial Results: The Best of the Best Plants for Every Garden

One of the best parts of being a gardener is plant shopping. But the variety of options for any given plant can be overwhelming. Every year new cultivars come out, but are they any good? Or is one just OK when another is an amazing performer? If only there was a way to know how the plant might perform when it is finally planted in your garden.

There is one way, thanks to Richard Hawke—aka Mr. Plant. As the plant evaluation manager for the Chicago Botanic Garden, he has researched, monitored, and written about more plants than most experts in the field. Since 1986 his area of focus at CBG has been ornamental plant evaluation. He grows every variety of a plant he can find and evaluates them in a head-to-head comparison. He also focuses on invasive-species testing of wild-collected and ornamental plants, and the evaluation of native and cultivated plants for green roofs. In his “spare” time you’ll find Richard lecturing around the country about the best plants or organizing the Midwest Regional Perennial Plant Symposium in his role as regional director for PPA.

Fine Gardening is lucky to have Richard as a contributing editor, and in this role he has shared numerous highlights from his plant trials over the years. Chances are, if there’s a plant you’re looking to buy, Richard has evaluated it. His list of in-depth articles includes:

Geraniums
Ornamental grasses
Salvia
Amsonia
Butterfly bush
Asters
Garden phlox
Hibiscus
Coreopsis

And this just scratches the surface. Now, for the first time, we’ve collected all of our Richard’s plant trial articles in one place. Here you will not only find charts filled with ratings on a myriad of plants, but also helpful insider tips and tricks on how best to grow those plants. Every article includes information on pests, diseases, and even how to propagate. Think of this as the most in-depth look at a given group of plants you could ever want. Finally, once you determine which ones sound best for your own garden, look for our list of sources of where to buy those plants via mail order.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Scotts Cordless Grass-Shear/Shrub-Trimmer Combo

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

With a built-in 7.2-volt lithium-ion battery, this little guy weighs less than 2 lb. and can zip through all your minor pruning tasks quickly and easily.
- 13.5 x 3 x 5 inches
- Uses a 7.2-Volt 2Ah high-capacity built-in lithium-ion battery; Includes a fast charger

Buy at Amazon

Black and Decker 22-inch Cordless Hedge Trimmer

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Quick and easy to put into operation and is less noisy and lighter in weight than gas-powered hedge trimmers.
- 38 x 7 x 7 inches
- 6.9 pounds
- 1 Lithium Ion battery required (included)

Buy at Amazon

DeWalt Variable-Speed Cordless Reciprocating Saw with 6-Piece Saw Blade Set

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

You can fit a variety of blades to this saw to cut fallen branches or prune larger limbs from trees in a pinch. It’s fast, tough, easy to use, and extremely versatile.
- 18.31 x 6.13 x 4 inches
- 1-1/8-inch stroke length
- Variable speed trigger with 0-3000 spm
- DW4856 Metal/Woodcutting Reciprocating Saw Blade Set, 6-Piece

Buy at Amazon

• 
  Design

  What’s New With Coneflowers?

• 
  Design

  10 Perennial Standouts

• 
  Design

  Salvias That Won’t Let You Down

• 
  Design

  Guide to Growing Brunnera

• 
  Design

  Terrific Tender Salvias

• 
  Design

  Bluestar: A Native Plant for the Masses

• 
  Design

  Bold, Shade-Loving Rodgersias

• 
  Design

  Hibiscus

• 
  Design

  Ironweed: The Superhero of Fall Plants

• 
  Design

  Why Aren’t You Growing More Baptisias?

• 
  Design

  Coreopsis You Can Count On!

• 
  Design

  Awesome Asters

• 
  Design

  Beyond the Basic Butterfly Bush

• 
  Design

  The Best Garden Phlox

• 
  Design

  The Best Varieties of Campanula

• 
  Design

  The Best Panicle Hydrangeas

• 
  Design

  The Best Ornamental Grasses for the Garden

• 
  Design

  All About Growing Catmint – Plant Trial Results

• 
  Design

  The Best Ligularias

• 
  Design

  The Best Big Blooming Clematis

• 
  Design

  Geraniums: The Best of the Best

• 
  Design

  If You’re Not Growing Geums, You’re Missing Out

• 
  Design

  Plant Trial Results: Meadow Rues

• 
  Design

  Persicarias Deserve Your Love—Trial Results

• 
  Design

  Get to Know Molinia—Trial Results

• 
  Design

  Lady and Painted Ferns—Trial Results