This edition talks about the Ball Hort (formerly known as Ball Seed Co.) annual field trials.  The Gardens at Ball Hort are fantastic this year, even with the extreme heat we have been experiencing in the Midwest.  Prior to arriving at The Gardens,  our group toured the University of Illinois' Arboretum and the Japanese House.  The participants on the trip enjoyed this stop.  This trip was also more interesting as my two sons, Michael and Nicholas rode along and enjoyed the trip as well.

As many of frequent readers know, I don't spend a lot of time writing but rather convey the story with pictures.  So, here are this year's pictures.  If you have any questions or comments please leave them on the blog.  There are a lot of pictures in this issue.....  The day went from cloudy to sunny to rainy to sunny.  My white balance was off a bit in a few of these pictures as the clouds left and sun shone and vice-versa.

Japanese House @ Uof I

Great idea for a fence.  Bamboo set horizontal in a 2x4 channel

Willow and Bamboo 

wood screen 

bamboo fence

water feature - very soothing sound

entrance to the UofI arboretum

Sweet Potato vine growing well in the heat

The trial gardens at the arboretum

Great variegated purple/white ornamental pepper

I really like the use of ornamental peppers in the beds

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another part of the arboretum.  

Great shed at the arboretum.

son, Michael walking through one of the displays

couldn't resist taking a shot of this sign.

Michael and Mrs Effinger from Effinger's Garden Center in Belleville

Entrance to The Gardens at Ball Hort

You will see a lot of shots of petunias in this part of the blog.
They have performed very well this year.

 

Wave petunias

This is how the field trials used to look  just beds of plants for evaluation

absolutely love this color combo

We grew this petunia this year.  It is fantastic!  Great performance and little maintenance

Spectacular yellow callibrochoa

variegated peppers and verbena

Ball's shade house.  

angel or dragon wings  - whatever - its a great  hanging basket

succulents.  we had them this year for sale. they sold well.

Great fun - this is a merri-go-round.  The kids on the tour had funny spinning this .

ummm.... ok.....

Candy lily - I have and had this at both our houses.  Great little flower.

perennial beds - very quiet back here

Rock sculptures

iresine ground cover. I will have this next year.

Silver wave petunias and Dichondra falling over a rock retaining wall

hanging basket trials  - one of my favorite places to be.

very large planters 

perennial trials

a new shade structure in The Gardens

The paths are DG (decomposed granite) I used this product for a our new sales house

In the background is a part of Ball's office building.
 How would you like to have your office looking out  over this garden every day..

peppers and Wasabi Coleus. I had this coleus this year. It is a winner

sweet potato vines are coming in a lot more varied colors and leaf shapes.

Angelonia Bed - it is an upcoming star.  Very consistent habit

got to love this name "magilla perilla"

my favorite new flower!  

and the name says it all......

love the coleus

some examples of container plantings.  I also attend the container  gardening seminars

one the orbs outside Ball's meeting rooms

Water Garden.... this is inspiring.

I always love visiting this structure.  This year, Burpee, which is owned by Ball was highlighting  fresh vegetable infused drinking water.  We sampled mint and cucumber infused water.  Targeting The  X and Ys

and that's the end of the pictures.

I hope you enjoyed viewing these pictures as much as me.