CSU Flower Trial Gardens putting on a show
The gardens, 1401 Remington St., Fort Collins, Colo., are one of the city’s many attractions and are free and open to the public.
CSU’s Trial Gardens will host a Public Evaluation Day on August 2nd from 9 a.m. to noon.Visitors can vote on their favorite annual and perennial plants and take short tours.
This time of year, CSU’s Flower Trial Gardens are at their pretty peak and on Aug. 2 there is even more reason to visit the gardens located at 1401 Remington St. in Fort Collins.
The gardens will host its Public Evaluation Day that day where visitors can stroll the 2.9-acre park and vote on their favorite plants among the more than 1,000 annual entries and more than 300 perennial entries from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 2.
Short tours will be offered 9 a.m., 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Aug. 2.
The event is free.
The day also commemorates the 30th anniversary of the Wave Petunia and a representative from PanAmerican Seed/Ball Horticulture will be present in the gardens to share the story behind the popular plant.
The outdoor display and test areas at the Trial Gardens were established to allow students, researchers, industry representatives, homeowners and extension staff to learn, teach and evaluate growing abilities of plants in the unique environmental conditions of the Rocky Mountain/High Plains region.
Top eight perennial flowers from 2024 and why you should plant them
These eight flowers took top spots in 2024, according to judges. Here is what those judges had to say about each one:
“Chantay” Delphinium: Rich, robust lavender-dusty antique pink spikes make this delphinium a showstopper. Blooms once in late spring and again in early fall with an impressive floral density throughout the season. Be sure to offer support, as their blooms can become heavy.”Orchid Frost Grande” Lamium (Lamium maculatum): This groundcover is an upgraded classic that delivers bigger orchid-pink blooms and lush silver-variegated foliage. Its tidy growth habit and adaptability to sun and shade make it an all-season performer in beds and containers.”Evening Sun” Missouri Evening Primrose (Oenothera missouriensis): This native standout glows with bright yellow blooms that light up the landscape from afternoon through evening. Appeals to pollinators, is drought tolerant, low growing and is a low-maintenance favorite for hot, dry sites.”Jelena” Russian Sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia): Lavender-blue flowers and soft gray-green foliage are a colorful addition to the landscape and are attractive to pollinators. Grows to 3 to 4 feet and resists flopping even when irrigated.”Goldblitz” Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida var. Sullivantii:) An earlier bloomer than long-time favorite “Goldsturm,” it produces color summer through fall and attracts pollinators.”Conga Line” Stonecrop (Hylotelephium telephium): Turns from deep green to purplish hues as summer progresses and is topped with peach-cream flower clusters. Can endure dry spells and is attractive to pollinators.”Skyward Blue” and “Skyward Pink” Speedwell (Veronica longifolia): These plants are fireworks of blue and pink blooms from late spring into fall.”Pristine Princess Pink” Beardtongue (Penstemon barbatus var. praecox): Bubblegum-pink tubular flowers and lush green foliage make this native penstemon a hummingbird magnet and once established is drought tolerant.