Dave Dyke, Commercial Floriculture Agent, Ohio State University Extension, Hamilton County.
Ohio State University Extension's Hamilton County Horticulture Program, the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden (CZABG), the Cincinnati Flower Growers Association (CFGA), and the Ohio State University Master Gardener Program in Hamilton County collaborated to establish demonstration/trial gardens at the CZABG in the spring of 2002.
The gardens were designed by Steve Foltz, Horticultural Director, CZABG, and Dave Roberts, Horticulturist, CZABG. They were sponsored by PanAmerican Seed (Platinum Sponsor); Eason Horticultural Resources, Proven Winners, Syngenta, Fisher, and Paul Ecke (Gold Sponsors); and The Scott's Company, BFG Supply, Goldsmith Seed, Oglevee, and Grimes Seed Company (Silver Sponsors). CFGA members donated more than 4,000 plants to the project, including plugs of Tidal Wave Silver petunias and other varieties supplied by PanAmerican Seed and grown by Association members.
Two goals were set. The first was to provide the general public and commercial growers/landscapers an opportunity to observe many varieties of the latest available, yet fairly well-proven, annuals that were professionally grown in attractive garden settings (including in planters). The second was to evaluate those annuals on the basis of quality and performance as seen in the late summer. All of the 140 varieties in the trials were labeled for easy identification by the 1.1 million visitors to the Zoo in 2002. A major planting of Tidal Wave Silver petunias was made near a new entrance to the Zoo.
The gardens were irrigated but were still subjected to more than 25 days of temperatures in the 90s. Evaluations on the basis of quality and performance of the annuals were made over a two-week period from mid-August to late August of 2002. Those participating in the evaluations were members of the Cincinnati Flower Growers Association, Ohio State University Extension, Greater Cincinnati Master Gardeners Association, and the staff and volunteers of the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.
A list of the best in the Zoo's Gardens in 2002 is presented here. Plants with a * are considered the 2002 Best-of-the-Best Zoo Annuals Picks. New trial gardens of both annuals and grasses are planned for 2003.
For more information, contact the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Horticulture Department at 513-475-6106 or Dave Dyke of Ohio State University Extension at 513-505-1202.