Evaluation of trial garden practices at public horticulture institutions
Date
2015
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Trial gardens are research tools for the evaluation of a diverse array of different plants, depending upon the objectives of the researcher. Many institutions have trial gardens, and each has its own, specific reasons for including them in their research programs. Plant breeding companies, commercial growers, colleges and universities, and public gardens and arboreta are all trial garden stakeholders, with each a key player in the evaluation process from initial plant introduction to homeowner installation. Through both quantitative and qualitative methods, this current research aimed to create a holistic view of trial gardens and what they mean to the horticulture industry. Survey data offered insights into current trial garden trends and helped to identify advantages and disadvantages of different trial garden stakeholders. The majority (54%) of survey respondents indicated that the main advantage to having trials at public gardens and arboreta was the opportunity to educate visitors about the best plants to grow in their region, and 74% of respondents agreed that it is important for public gardens and arboreta to have plant trialing as part of their mission. However, respondents also indicated a decline in the amount of plant material being sent to public gardens for trialing in the last five years. Interviews with stakeholder organizations shed light on this recent industry shift and helped to identify a new model for the future. Two levels of trial garden stakeholders emerged from the research. The first, breeding companies and commercial growers, conducted trials for a national, wholesale market, while the second, universities and public gardens, primarily focused on a regional, retail market. The process of trialing traditional annual bedding plants compared with herbaceous perennials has several distinctions as well, including minimum evaluation time and space required. Establishing and accommodating these differences helped to recognize ways in which public garden trials can have the most effective influence on the retail market. A recommendation for collaboration between public gardens and retail garden centers was presented herein based on key findings from interviews and survey results. Because visitors were often frustrated that they could not find public garden trial winners at their local garden center, a proposition arose that encouraged partnerships between public gardens, local retail garden centers, and local nurseries. Together, these organizations can grow, promote, and sell trial winners while boosting the local green industry. Ultimately, this elucidated the connection among the various trial garden stakeholders while offering strategies for public gardens and arboreta to play a more meaningful role in, and have a positive influence on, their regional horticulture industry.