The CGW board members chose several species to trial in our gardens this summer. These include several ornamental grasses and sedges such as juncus, papyrus/cypress, and several fountain grasses.  Several foliage species: atemesia, alternanthera, and coleus are also on display.  They also chose several flowering species to showcase: Sunpatiens, Solarscape impatiens (bred for sun), cuphea (cigar plant), strawflower, lavender, dianthus, heliotrope, gomphrena, beeblossom (gaura).

Here is the list of plants in the trials:  2023-CGW_plants_in_West Madisongarden

we evaluated the plants monthly for 3 months and here is the link for the monthly evaluations and overall seasonal average (sorted within species)  2023-CGW_evaluations

End of season notes:

The impatiens and sunpatiens and coleus were removed in mid-October when they succumbed to several sub-40 degree (F) nights. The strawflowers were also done before the killing freeze except the Granvia ‘Gold’ which lasted until a 32 degree (F) freeze on Oct 30th.

Most other species were fairly frost tolerant with a few exceptions noted as follows:

*Heliotropes were not frost tolerant overall except for the Augusta ‘Lavender’ which held up well until a 32 degree (F) freeze on Oct 30.

*Ageratums were not very frost tolerant.

*The ‘Cosmic Flare’ gomphrena was the least frost tolerant of the cultivars of that species as it was done after a 36 degree (F) night.

*Four cultivars of artemesia ‘melted’ with mild frost: ‘Sea salt’, ‘Glacier’, ‘Makana Silver’ and ‘Silver cascade’.

*The cigar plants were done flowering but leaves were still green until the freeze on Oct 30.

Surprisingly, most the gaura (beeblossom) and lavender cultivars held up really well to the freeze on Oct 30. The Lavender plants actually looked better now that they did all summer (no chlorosis). As expected, the ornamental grasses/sedges/papyrus held up well until a hard freeze of 24 degree F on Nov 1.