Purpose
West central Minnesota represents a very distinct climate for annual flower trials. The Morris area typically has hot, humid summers with exposure to high wind speeds, which provides a unique opportunity to compare performance of bedding plant cultivars under regional conditions. The goal of evaluating flowers is to develop recommendations for our unique climate. Annual flower trials are conducted both at the Horticulture Display Garden at the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) and the UMN North Central Research and Outreach Center (NCROC) in Grand Rapids, MN.
Research
Each growing season, hundreds of annual flower cultivars from plant breeding companies around the world are trialed at the WCROC. Cultivars are grown from seed or are vegetatively propagated in our on site greenhouse.
Flowers are evaluated on their flowering and rated on a scale of 1 to 5, (5=excellent, 1=poor). The following traits are considered when giving the ratings: uniformity of habit and flowering, flower numbers relative to other cultivars, insect resistance, disease resistance, and uniqueness. Entries in the annual flower trial are evaluated by a certified trial judge throughout July, August and September. Results, including the Top Ten annual performers, are published at the end of each season.
Even though the annual flowers are under evaluation, the plants are placed into an aesthetically pleasing design, allowing visitors to enjoy the beauty of the Garden. All flowers are labeled, allowing visitors to take note of top performing cultivars under regional conditions.
Garden Hours and Season
The garden is open to public daily from dawn until dusk; admission is free. Donations are greatly appreciated.
Each spring, thousands of annual flowers are planted throughout garden and are on display from late May/early June through October (depending on regional weather conditions). Hardy trees, shrubs, grasses, and garden structures are available for viewing year-round. The Garden trails are not maintained in the winter but guests are welcome to visit for snowshoeing, ungroomed cross country skiing, and walking.
Visitors are encouraged to take note of new cultivars, observe and study growth habits, tolerances, and visual characteristics of the many plants on display.
Please respect our garden and our research efforts
Do not pick the flowers or remove any plant material. Most plants are identified by a plant label; please do not move or remove the label. Please keep children and pets out of the flower beds.
