By Metrolina Greenhouses | April 13, 2026
Premier trial gardens in three Southern states will host members of the horticulture industry as part of the Southern Garden Tour, June 2–4, 2026. Tour hosts — Young’s Plant Farm in Auburn, AL, the University of Georgia in Athens, GA, and Metrolina Greenhouses in Huntersville, NC — welcome growers, plant breeders, plant brokers, educators, landscapers and allied trade members of the horticulture industry to evaluate hundreds of new variety introductions in their respective trial garden open houses throughout the first week of June during the annual event.
The Southern Garden Tour is a collection of stops at prominent trial gardens throughout the South during the first week of June each year. It is open only to members of the horticulture industry.
Participants begin at the industry open house at Young's Plant Farm in Auburn, Alabama on Tuesday, June 2. Explore over a half acre of USDA Zone 8 raised beds, which include both sun and shade conditions planted with more than 400 varieties of annuals, perennials and more. Visit the Young's Plant Farm page for more details.
The next stop on the Southern Garden Tour is the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, where a long-held tradition of plant trials spans more than 30 years. The University of Georgia Trial Gardens will host an industry open house on the morning of Wednesday, June 3.
The University of Georgia Trial Gardens in Athens, Georgia, were established in 1982. The primary functions of the garden have always been research, teaching and new crop introduction. The trials are planted in April and May, and consist of major and minor bedding classes, tropicals, vines, plantings of specialty annuals, more than 150 free-standing containers and three large perennial beds. The other major function of the garden is the evaluation and subsequent introduction of new crops for the greenhouse and landscape industries. The garden is open to professionals and the public.
At the final stop at Metrolina Greenhouses in Huntersville, North Carolina, industry attendees will peruse three acres of trials. Metrolina Greenhouses will host an invite-only consumer event for Home Garden Panel members the following day.
The University of Georgia Trial Gardens will host the Industry Open House on June 3, 2026 from 8am to 12pm; however, visitors can stop by any time, as the Trial Gardens are open to the public all year long. Industry members can also contact UGA Trial Gardens staff to meet at a time other than the open house if needed. Find their contact information below.
- During the industry open house, the Trial Garden staff, horticulture students and volunteers will be onsite to assist, and will provide light refreshments. Registration is not required and attendance is free. Parking is pay-per-hour weekdays in the South Deck nearby, and free after 5 p.m. and on weekends.
- This year the UGA Trial Gardens will feature 300 trials, including 30 All-America Selections ornamental in-ground entries, 75 containers, and 75 hanging baskets.
- Industry members can register for each stop of the Southern Garden Tour at the event’s website, www.southerngardentour.com. The collaborative website provides information on all three trial garden sites, along with travel resources and event details.
Address: UGA Trial Garden | 220 W. Green St. Athens, GA 30602
Parking: 100 W Green St. Athens, GA 30602
Contact: (706) 583-0285
Garden Manager Sandra Begani: [email protected]
Dr. John Ruter: [email protected]
Industry Open House: June 3, 2026 | 8am - 12pm
Trial Gardens: All year | 8am - 5pm
Trial gardens demonstrate the true real-world performance of new plant introductions, enabling industry members to make informed decisions about their garden and landscape success.
Highlights from the 2025 Trials
I’ll be highlighting some of the standout performers from The Trial Gardens at the University of Georgia (UGA) in hot, humid Athens. These gardens – some of the oldest in the South – have been trialing plants since 1984. Observational data is taken every two weeks from spring to late fall.
These trials were overseen by Dr. John Ruter and managed by Sandi Begani and her volunteers and students.
Black-eyed Susan – Rudbeckia hirta; Solar Sisters (Bloomin’ Easy Plants)
Extraordinary double-blooms from early summer to frost, probably my favorite in the entire garden.
Calibrachoa – Calibrachoa hybrida Superbells Magic Double Grapefruit (Proven Winners)
Fully double non-stop blooms until frost; everyone commented on this one.
Petunia – Petunia hybrida SlingShot Cherry Tartwheel (Ball FloraPlant)
This bicolor holds its pattern, even in the hottest months.
Portulaca – Portulaca oleracea Pazzaz Nano Scarlet Twist (Danziger)
A beautiful, eye-catching bloomer that opens whenever the sun shines. Compact and full of flowers.
Sunflower – Helianthus annuus Sunfinity Double Yellow (Syngenta Flowers)
This sunflower awed everyone at California Spring Trials (CAST) and has done the same in the real world. Native and a pollinator magnet.
Tickseed – Coreopsis hybrida Sunfetti Yellow Bicolor (Darwin Perennials)
Out of all the perennials trialed in the garden, this one received the most interest.
2025 Trial Garden commentary provided by Allan Armitage. Armitage was a professor in the Department of Horticulture at the University of Georgia for 30 years. He recently retired and remains an active consultant, author and lecturer. See all author stories here.
