Winning plants from UGA's open houses

The University of Georgia (UGA) hosted open houses for the industry and the public to vote for their favorite plants for 2023. After tallying up the results, these plants are the top 10 favorites from the June 7 Industry Open House and the June 10 Public Open House. We are excited to share the results!  

Top three winners

The top three plants were on BOTH lists this year! It is always interesting to see which plants rise to the top, as it is not always the showiest or biggest blooms that win people over. 

Rudbeckia MiniBeckia ‘Flame’ by GardenChoice 

The bees are the true judges of which plants are the winners. This superstar has been on trial for a few seasons, and seems to keep getting better every year with perfect symmetry and powerful color!   

Crocosmia NOVA 'Gold Dragon' by TerraNova 

Dramatic. Thrilling. Elegant. How does the bashful crocosmia win, compared to an overflowing basket of petunias or a bursting bed of sunflowers? If you have a moist sunny location, crocosmia will give you and your neighbors an endless supply of flowers.   

Echinacea SUNDIAL 'Pink' by TerraNova 

2023 has been the best year yet for Echinacea. With 25 new varieties in our garden beds and perfectly mild spring weather, the bed is a rainbow of color and form. SUNDIAL stands out in size and shape, and is the prettiest shade of pink.  

Industry Open House winners

Tagetes triploid Endurance Sunset Gold by Syngenta 

A triploid marigold with enhanced vigor and flower production. An African x French hybrid with compact plants and giant blooms! 

Zinnia marylandica Zydeco ‘Fire’ by Syngenta 

Double flowers in a hot orange hue. There are no signs of disease on our zinnias at this point in the season. 

Cuphea Sweet Talk ‘Red’ by PanAmerican Seed  

New to market, these cuphea have caught the attention of both horticulturists and pollinators. Compact yet graceful. 

Angelonia Archangel Ruby Sangria by Ball FloraPlant 

Brand new color on this Angelonia, paired with gorgeous dark green foliage. Spectacular coloration and bloom size. 

Petunia Supertunia Hoopla Vivid Orchid by Proven Winners 

A ring around a petunia! This is a fresh new look with superb Supertunia genetics. 

Centaurea ragusina ‘Silver Swirl’ Darwin Perennials  

We are thrilled to add this sophisticated beauty to our desert perennial collection.  

Verbena Superbena ‘Cherryburst 2024’ by Proven Winners 

There were many beautiful verbenas to choose from this year, the competition was tough! ‘Cherryburst 2024’ seems to come alive with deep color and dramatic flair.  

Public Open House winners

Petunia ‘Frosted Sapphire’ by Ball FloraPlant 

We just knew one of the double petunias had to win. ‘Frosted Sapphire’ looks like it came from a frozen wonderland!  

Zinnia Zesty ‘Orange’ by Ball Ingenuity 

We all know the bees are calling the shots! Congratulations to Zesty ‘Orange’ for the biggest blooms and most adorable bumblebees!   

Bracteantha Granvia ‘Gold’ by Suntory 

‘Gold’ is showing off right now, but just wait until the new colors ‘Peachy Keen’ and ‘Pink’ come out to play!  

Verbena Superbena Sparkling ‘Amethyst’ by Proven Winners  

Verbenas are loving the early summer sun and perfect weather happening here at UGA. Our local gardeners loved this Sparkling effect. 

Salvia ‘Plum Crazy’ by Ball FloraPlant 

The UGA entomology students have been watching this plant closely due to its powerful attraction to honeybees. Great bloom action early in our growing season! 

Begonia Double Delight ‘Blush Rose’ by Proven Winners 

This is such a darling plant for shady spaces. We hope they will thrive for us all summer long!

MixMasters ‘Bee's Glee’ by Ball FloraPlant  

The combo planters are setting the stage for a beautiful season, producing some of the best color and plentiful containers in the entire garden!  

Dr. Allan Armitage Scholarship for Horticulture Experience

Dr. Allan M. Armitage is the founder of the University of Georgia Trial Gardens. The garden not only is a research facility but also has been a powerful teaching tool for many years. It is a training ground for horticulture, providing an incomparable experience for students embarking on their careers in horticulture.

A bursary of $1,000 per year is available to a student studying Horticulture Science (major or minor), or a strong passion for ornamental horticulture. The recipient will gain hands-on horticulture and floriculture experience working in the Trial Gardens at UGA.

Applicants must submit a purpose statement outlining their career goals and financial needs. Scholarship recipient must agree to volunteer 80 hours at the Trial Gardens during the trial season of 2023. The student selected will receive $500 prior to acceptance and $500 at completion, deposited into their student account.