The Garden Highlights section includes great performing plants at the Hammond Research Station that are not part of the annual color trials. These are the top performers from our trees, shrubs, woodies, and other categories that we want to promote to the industry for further discussion. Many of these plants are in multi-year trials or part of long term displays, so we try to select those that performed the best this year. We also try to switch things up from year to year, so some evaluations that were included in the highlights last year will not be featured this year. As we always say, we don't have time to discuss everything (at least until our new website is published this fall), but these plants are certainly deserving of attention this year!
Heart of the Jungle Colocasia
Double Down Hydrangea macrophylla
Inspired Violet Buddleia
Michelia skinnerana - Banana Shrub
'Sweet Tea' Gordlinia
Ilex glabra Gem Box
Jubilation Gardenia
'Radiance' Abelia
Alabama Beauty Camellia
Tater Tot Arborvitae
Evolvulus Blue My Mind
Candy Corn Spirea
Cerise Charm Loropetalum
Westfarms Celebrity Affair Daylily
Taiwan Cherry
Fire Light Hydrangea
Fairy Blush Michelia
'Fragrant Snow' Prunus mume
Little Joe - Dwarf Joe Pye Weed
Golden Oakland Holly
'Glowing Embers' Acer japonica
'Speckled Spider' Azalea
Peach Perfection Abelia
Pugster Amethyst Buddleia
'Martha Turnbull' Gardenia
Luscious Royale Cosmo Lantana
Little Girls Series Hybrid Magnolia 'Betty'
'Snow Blizzard' Camellia
Rockin' Blue Suede Shoes Salvia
Little Girls Series Hybrid Magnolia 'Susan'
Bottle Pop Neon Pink Bottlebrush
'Victoria Blue' Salvia farinacea
Pugster Blue Buddleia
Osmanthus fragrans var. aurantiacus Orange Flowered Sweet Olive
Galphimia speciosa - Golden Thryallis
Inland Sea Oats
Jessica Ruffles Camellia
'Jon Jon' Hybrid Magnolia
'Peggy Clarke' Prunus mume
'Mrs. Schiller's Delight' Viburnum
Roman Candle Podocarpus
Squirt Leucothoe
Sunshine Ligustrum
'Butterflies' Hybrid Yellow Magnolia
'Gold Cup' Hybrid Yellow Magnolia
The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture