URBAN AG
2021 Classic City Awards
UGA Trial Gardens names the plants that can take the heat by Leslie Matos for CAES News
The Trial Gardens at the University of Georgia have announced the 2021 Classic City Award winners from the hundreds of varieties tested over the long, hot summer.
2021 challenges
Each year breeders send plants to the UGA Trial Gardens for evaluation throughout the summer to see how they will perform.
Summer 2021’s hot temperatures and inconsistent precipitation posed challenges for some plants. With warmer night temperatures, plant respiration is affected, which means that “certain plants just aren’t going to grow as vigorously, look as healthy or flower as much because they just prefer cooler temperatures,” Ruter stated.
The Trial Gardens are known as the “go-to research trial garden to test plants for the combination of heat and humidity,” said John Ruter, director of the Trial Gardens and 2021 UGA Inventor of the Year. “If they want to test them for heat and humidity, they send them to us.”
Inconsistent rain spells also contributed to stress in the plants. Managing water was important this season as there were “very wet spells and then we would go bone dry,” said Ruter. “They would prefer regular rainfall and sunshine as opposed to feast or famine when it comes to water and sunshine.”
In Summer 2021, close to 400 varieties of plants were assessed throughout the season for the Classic City Awards.
With these conditions in mind, the Trial Gardens chose plants that performed well throughout the summer. “The Classic City Award is the highest award we give,” said Ruter.
“We’re looking at flower power, insect and disease resistance, vigor — and we put all these things together in a rating,” said Ruter.
And the winners are...
Begonia DAYSTAR™ 'Primrose' by Terra Nova
Calibrachoa Bloomtastic 'Rose Quartz' by Dummen Orange
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“With so many great selections this year, our favorite is the early-blooming, long-lasting DAYSTAR 'Primrose.' These delicate pastel blooms stand out against the bold crimson and dark-green cascading foliage. This begonia hybrid is made for baskets and containers and stands up during hot days, sun and heavy rains.”
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The following are the top 12 performers of the year with descriptions from the judges:
“The Dummen Orange Bloomtastic calibrachoa series was fantastic overall! Each of our calibrachoa trials was evaluated in a container and hanging baskets. The plants trail nicely with an open and attractive branching structure and healthy foliage.”
